Submission-Ready Formatting for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments: Margins, Headings and Pagination Checklist
Preparing a document for final submission is about more than good writing — it’s about presenting your work professionally and meeting institutional rules. This guide gives a practical, submission-ready checklist focused on margins, headings and pagination, plus the essential formatting settings every student should verify before handing in dissertations, essays or assignments.
Why formatting matters
- It reflects academic professionalism and affects examiners’ first impressions.
- Institutions reject or return submissions for non-compliance — costly delays.
- Proper formatting ensures consistent pagination, accurate referencing and reproducible layout for printing or electronic archival (PDF).
Refer to your institution’s specifics — see University Formatting Standards Explained: Meeting Your Institution’s Requirements for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments for common rules and how to interpret them.
Quick reference: recommended settings table
| Element | Typical setting (dissertations) | Typical setting (essays & assignments) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Left margin | 30 mm (3.0 cm) | 25 mm (2.5 cm) | 3 cm often required for binding. |
| Right margin | 20–25 mm | 20–25 mm | Keep symmetric printing in mind. |
| Top margin | 20–25 mm | 20–25 mm | Headings may need extra spacing. |
| Bottom margin | 20–25 mm | 20–25 mm | Leave room for footers/page numbers. |
| Font | Times New Roman / 12 pt | Times New Roman / 12 pt | Some institutions accept Arial; check guidelines. |
| Line spacing | 1.5 or double | 1.5 | Footnotes usually single-spaced. |
| Alignment | Justified (main text) | Justified or left | Avoid excessive hyphenation. |
| Paragraph indent | 1.27 cm (0.5 in) or 0 | First-line indent | Or use space between paragraphs per guide. |
| Page numbering | Front matter: Roman (i, ii); Main text: Arabic (1, 2) | Arabic throughout | Numbering typically starts at first page of main text. |
| File format | PDF (PDF/A recommended) | PDF or DOCX per submission | Embed fonts & include metadata. |
Margins: what to set and why
- Left margin: Many universities require 30 mm (3 cm) to allow for binding. If your guideline specifies 3 cm, do not use 2.5 cm. For essays, 25 mm is common.
- Other margins: 20–25 mm for top, right and bottom is standard.
- Binding allowance: If binding is required, increase the inner (gutter) margin rather than the left margin for single-sided printing.
Practical tip: Use your word processor’s “Mirror margins” or “Gutter” settings for two-sided printing.
Headings: hierarchy, styles and accessibility
Consistent heading styles improve navigation and automatically generate a working Table of Contents.
Recommended hierarchy:
- Heading 1 (H1): Chapter titles — bold, 14–16 pt, space before/after.
- Heading 2 (H2): Main sections — bold, 12–14 pt.
- Heading 3 (H3): Subsections — italic or bold, 11–12 pt.
- Use your word processor’s built-in heading styles — do not manually format each heading. This enables:
- Automated Table of Contents
- Consistent PDF tagging and accessibility
- Easier future revisions
Numbering:
- Use decimal numbering for dissertations (e.g., 1, 1.1, 1.1.1) if required.
- Essays often do not need numbered headings — follow guidelines.
See also: Formatting Figures, Tables and Appendices for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments: Best Practices.
Pagination: where and how to number pages
- Front matter (title page, abstract, acknowledgements, TOC): use lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii). Often the title page is counted but not numbered.
- Main text: start Arabic numbering at the first page of Chapter 1 or Introduction (page 1).
- Placement: bottom center or bottom right are most common. Check institutional preferences.
- Exclusions: Title pages frequently should not display a page number even if they are counted.
Set numbering via your word processor’s section breaks — this allows different number styles for front matter and main text without manual editing.
Front matter and back matter essentials
Front matter checklist:
- Title page (follow exact institutional wording)
- Abstract (structured if required)
- Dedication / Acknowledgments (optional)
- Table of Contents (auto-generated)
- List of Figures / Tables (auto-generated)
Back matter checklist:
- References / Bibliography (consistent style)
- Appendices (labelled A, B, C…)
- Ethics approvals, raw data notes (if required)
For pre-submission requirements like metadata, file formats and compliance, consult The Definitive Pre-Submission Checklist for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments: Compliance, Files and Metadata.
Figures, tables and appendices: positioning and captions
- Place captions below figures and above tables (unless your university specifies otherwise).
- Use consistent numbering: Figure 1.1, Table 3.2 (chapter-based) or sequential numbering across the document.
- Ensure high-resolution images (300 dpi) and embed fonts in charts.
- Large tables and datasets belong in appendices with clear cross-references in the main text.
For detailed guidance, see Formatting Figures, Tables and Appendices for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments: Best Practices.
Electronic submission tips
- Convert final document to PDF/A where possible for archival stability.
- Embed fonts and check pagination after conversion.
- Name your file clearly: e.g., surname_firstname_degree_year.pdf
- Verify Turnitin and repository requirements: Electronic Submission, Turnitin and Institutional Repositories: What to Know for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments.
Common pitfalls and how to fix them
- Inconsistent heading formatting — use styles.
- Wrong margin for binding — set a gutter and confirm binding specs.
- Page numbering misaligned after adding new front matter — use section breaks.
- Table of Contents not updating — regenerate TOC before exporting to PDF.
- Figures shifted across pages — lock positioning or anchor to paragraph.
If you anticipate an oral defense, prepare a clean, paginated copy that matches the PDF you submitted — see How to Prepare for Your Dissertation or Thesis Defense (Viva) and Present Assignments Confidently.
Final submission checklist (must-do items)
- Confirm institutional margin and binding specs; set gutter if required.
- Apply and use heading styles; generate Table of Contents and Lists of Figures/Tables.
- Set page numbering: Roman for front matter, Arabic for main text.
- Check font, line spacing and paragraph indentation rules.
- Verify captions and numbering for figures/tables; move large tables to appendices if required.
- Export to PDF/PDF-A; embed fonts and verify pagination.
- Name file according to your institution’s naming convention.
- Run final plagiarism/Turnitin check if required and attach required metadata — see the pre-submission checklist link above.
- Keep a copy for defense and ensure electronic repository compliance (if needed).
For post-submission steps like binding, copyright and DOI registration, consult Binding, Copyright and DOI Registration: Post-Submission Steps for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments.
Need help with formatting or proofreading?
If you want professional help preparing a submission-ready document — writing, formatting or proofreading — contact MzansiWriters:
- Click the WhatsApp icon on the page to message us instantly,
- Email: info@mzansiwriters.co.za, or
- Use the Contact Us page in the main menu on the site.
We also help with defenses and examiner revisions — see Crafting a Defense Presentation and Anticipating Questions for Dissertations and Assignments and Dealing with Revisions After Submission: Responding to Examiners for Dissertations, Essays and Assignments.
Follow this checklist to avoid last-minute formatting failures and ensure your dissertation, essay or assignment looks professional and meets submission rules. Good formatting reduces friction — and gets your work noticed for the right reasons.