table of contents for research project

Research Table of Contents Template

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• Acknowledgments
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology or Materials and methods
• Conclusions
• Identify headers, 
• Assign headers, 
• Insert the Table of Contents,
• Check if all headers you want are assigned correctly.
• Start identifying all headers in your document, they are currently in ‘Default’ (‘ Start’ > ‘Styles’ ). 
• Select the full header and modify if necessary, before assigning the Header level.
• Choose the header of choice by clicking ‘Start’ > ‘Styles’ 
• Select the header you like to assign a Header 1 (or H2, H3 others ).
• Modify the header by floating over the Header of choice, and by clicking the right mouse button > 'Edit'
• Please note that any changes done to your Header will impact all headers on the same level ( H1, H2, etc ).
• Go to the location where you want to insert the table of contents in the document, often on the first page or at the beginning of your document.
• You may consider pasting your own template, that we prepared for you, such as this Research Table of Contents.
• Or you click the Automatic Table of Contents style from the list (Click 'References > Table of Contents ').
• Your new Table of Contents will appear and is finished. 
• In your final printed document, the Table of Contents will show all the headers of choice, including their page numbers that indicate where each part starts, in a neat and professional layout.
• For any update to your TOC, go to ‘References > Update Table’ .
• Select ' Update page numbers only '  (if there is no problem with the headers, always choose this option)
• Select ‘OK’ .
• Update entire table  (if you want a completely new TOC, however, consider it might impact more than you wish to change, and also you might need to modify all manual changes you made)
• This will reflect any updates to the heading text, as well as any page changes.
• Select  ‘OK’ .
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• Writing Tips

How to Structure the Table of Contents for a Research Paper

4-minute read

• 16th July 2023

So you’ve made it to the important step of writing the table of contents for your paper. Congratulations on making it this far! Whether you’re writing a research paper or a dissertation , the table of contents not only provides the reader with guidance on where to find the sections of your paper, but it also signals that a quality piece of research is to follow. Here, we will provide detailed instructions on how to structure the table of contents for your research paper.

Steps to Create a Table of Contents

• Insert the table of contents after the title page.

Within the structure of your research paper , you should place the table of contents after the title page but before the introduction or the beginning of the content. If your research paper includes an abstract or an acknowledgements section , place the table of contents after it.

• List all the paper’s sections and subsections in chronological order.

Depending on the complexity of your paper, this list will include chapters (first-level headings), chapter sections (second-level headings), and perhaps subsections (third-level headings). If you have a chapter outline , it will come in handy during this step. You should include the bibliography and all appendices in your table of contents. If you have more than a few charts and figures (more often the case in a dissertation than in a research paper), you should add them to a separate list of charts and figures that immediately follows the table of contents. (Check out our FAQs below for additional guidance on items that should not be in your table of contents.)

• Paginate each section.

Label each section and subsection with the page number it begins on. Be sure to do a check after you’ve made your final edits to ensure that you don’t need to update the page numbers.

• Format your table of contents.

The way you format your table of contents will depend on the style guide you use for the rest of your paper. For example, there are table of contents formatting guidelines for Turabian/Chicago and MLA styles, and although the APA recommends checking with your instructor for formatting instructions (always a good rule of thumb), you can also create a table of contents for a research paper that follows APA style .

• Add hyperlinks if you like.

Depending on the word processing software you’re using, you may also be able to hyperlink the sections of your table of contents for easier navigation through your paper. (Instructions for this feature are available for both Microsoft Word and Google Docs .)

To summarize, the following steps will help you create a clear and concise table of contents to guide readers through your research paper:

1. Insert the table of contents after the title page.

2. List all the sections and subsections in chronological order.

3. Paginate each section.

4. Format the table of contents according to your style guide.

5. Add optional hyperlinks.

If you’d like help formatting and proofreading your research paper , check out some of our services. You can even submit a sample for free . Best of luck writing your research paper table of contents!

What is a table of contents?

A table of contents is a listing of each section of a document in chronological order, accompanied by the page number where the section begins. A table of contents gives the reader an overview of the contents of a document, as well as providing guidance on where to find each section.

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What should I include in my table of contents?

If your paper contains any of the following sections, they should be included in your table of contents:

●  Chapters, chapter sections, and subsections

●  Introduction

●  Conclusion

●  Appendices

●  Bibliography

Although recommendations may differ among institutions, you generally should not include the following in your table of contents:

●  Title page

●  Abstract

●  Acknowledgements

●  Forward or preface

If you have several charts, figures, or tables, consider creating a separate list for them that will immediately follow the table of contents. Also, you don’t need to include the table of contents itself in your table of contents.

Is there more than one way to format a table of contents?

Yes! In addition to following any recommendations from your instructor or institution, you should follow the stipulations of your style guide .

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