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• Figure & Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples

Figure & Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples

Published on 24 May 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on 25 October 2022.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation, along with their corresponding page numbers. These lists give your reader an overview of how you have used figures and tables in your document.

While these lists are often not required, you may want to include one as a way to stay organised if you are using several figures and tables in your paper. Your educational institution may require one, so be sure to check their guidelines. Ultimately, if you do choose to add one, it should go directly after your table of contents .

You can download our Microsoft Word template below to help you get started.

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• Table of contents

How to create a list of figures and tables in Word

Example of a list of tables and figures, additional lists to consider, frequently asked questions.

The first step to creating your list of figures and tables is to ensure that each of your figures and tables has a caption . This way, Microsoft Word will be able to find each one and compile them in your list automatically.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the References tab, and click ‘Insert Caption’, which you can find in the Captions group.
• Give your caption a name. In the Label list, you can select the label that best describes your figure or table, or make your own by selecting ‘New Label’.

Next, you can insert the list of tables and figures directly by clicking ‘Insert Table of Figures’, which can be found to the right of the ‘Insert Caption’ button. Be careful here – the list will only include items that you have marked using the ‘Insert Caption’ tool!

You can choose the formatting and layout within this menu as well, as you can see below.

There are a few things to remember as you go:

• Figures and tables always need to be numbered, with clear titles.
• If a figure or table is taken from or based on another source, be sure to cite your sources .

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In addition to your list of tables and figures, there are a few other lists to consider for your thesis or dissertation. They can be placed in the following order:

• title=”Abbreviations of a dissertation” Abbreviation list

Copyright information can usually be found wherever the table or figure was published. For example, for a diagram in a journal article , look on the journal’s website or the database where you found the article. Images found on sites like Flickr are listed with clear copyright information.

If you find that permission is required to reproduce the material, be sure to contact the author or publisher and ask for it.

Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and they aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .

If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organised. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.

APA doesn’t require you to include a list of tables or a list of figures . However, it is advisable to do so if your text is long enough to feature a table of contents and it includes a lot of tables and/or figures .

A list of tables and list of figures appear (in that order) after your table of contents, and are presented in a similar way.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.

Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.

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List of Figures and Tables in a Dissertation – Examples in Word

Published by Owen Ingram at August 13th, 2021 , Revised On September 20, 2023

“List of tables and figures is a list containing all the tables and figures that you have used in your dissertation paper. Typically, dissertations don’t have many tables and figures unless the research involved is too deep and lengthy.”

Another reason to have an independent list of figures and tables in the dissertation and corresponding page numbers is the research’s nature. For example, research on a topic from physical sciences or engineering could include many figures and tables. Ideally, quantitative research studies tend to contain more tables and/or figures than qualitative ones.

The purpose of presenting the list of figures and tables in the dissertation on a separate page is to help the readers find tables and figures of their interest without looking through the whole dissertation document.

First of all, we need to decide whether we require the figure and table list in the dissertation to begin with.

If your dissertation includes many tables and figures, this list will prove to be helpful for the readers, because the figures will have relative page numbers mentioned with them so they can navigate to the figure or table of their choice with just one click.

A list of table or figures in a dissertation typically follows this simple format:

Also Read: How to Best Use References in a Dissertation

Referencing List of Figures and Tables in the Dissertation

When mentioning tables and figures in the list, one must be sure that they have been clearly numbered and titled. If a figure has been obtained from an external source, that source should be clearly referenced in the text and the references section.

Regardless of the  referencing style , you are using, it is mandatory to provide a reference along with the title. This will help the readers to track the origin of the figure.

Adding Titles and Numbers to Figures and Tables

Adding titles and page numbers in your list of figures and tables within Microsoft Word is very quick and straightforward. Follow the steps mentioned below to generate a Microsoft Word-supported   list of figures and tables in the dissertation with their captions and corresponding page numbers.

• Highlight the table or the figure you want to add title and number to, right-click and click Insert Caption .
• Next, select the Above selected item if you are working with tables. Similarly, choose Below selected items if you want to add the title and page number to a figure.

Also read: How to Write the Abstract for the Dissertation.

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Generating List of Figures and Tables Automatically

After adding all your captions, MS Word will automatically generate the figures and tables list for you. Remember, the list will only contain those you already marked using the Insert Caption … tool.

To generate a list of tables and figures in MS Word automatically:

Step #1 – Decide where to Insert the List

Place your cursor at the point where you wish to insert the tables and figures list. The most suitable spot is always right below the table of contents in your dissertation paper.

Step #2 – Insert the List of Figures and Tables in the Dissertation

• In the Word menu bar, click on References .
• In the dialogue box that appears, click on Insert: Table of figures .
• In the dialogue box caption label, you can choose between a Figure or a Table , as appropriate. Moreover, you will be able to choose a design that appears most suitable for you. The reference provides all information that is required to find the source, e.g., Vinz, S.

Example of list of tables and figures

Other Useful Lists you can add to your Dissertation Paper

Although tables and figures lists can be beneficial, we might need a few more lists, including abbreviations and a glossary in dissertations. We can have a sequence for this which is as follows:

• Table of contents (ToC)
• List of tables and figures
• Abbreviations list

ResearchProspect has helped students with their dissertations and essays for several years, regardless of how urgent and complexes their requirements might be. We have dissertation experts in all academic subjects, so you can be confident of having each of your module requirements met. Learn more about our dissertation writing services and essay writing services .

FAQs About List of Tables and Figures in a Dissertation

Which comes first a list of figures or a list of tables.

Simply put, a list of tables comes first—right after the table of contents page, beginning from a new page—in a dissertation.

Are tables also figures?

No; tables have rows and columns in them, whereas figures in a dissertation can comprise any form of visual element, mostly images, graphs, charts, diagrams, flowcharts, etc. furthermore, tables generally summarise and represent raw data, such as the relationship between two quantitative variables.

Do I need to create a list of tables/figures even if I have only one table or figure in my dissertation?

Typically, yes; dissertation writing guidelines stipulate that we create a list even if we have used only one table and/or figure within our dissertation.

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How to Write the List of Figures for a Thesis or Dissertation

• By DiscoverPhDs
• September 20, 2020

A list of figures for your thesis or dissertation is exactly that: it’s a list of the names of all figures you’ve used in your thesis or dissertation, together with the page number that they’re on.

The list of figures is especially useful for a reader to refer to as it (1) gives the reader an overview of the types of figures you’ve included in your document and (2) helps them easily find a particular figure that they’re interested in.

Where Does the List of Figures go?

Write your list of figures and list of tables immediately after your list of contents. Unless specifically asked by a journal, you should not include a separate list of figures in a manuscript for peer-review.

Important Points to Remember

Ensure that the figure title in your list of figures are exactly the same as actually used in the main document. Double check that the page numbering is correct and the font size, margins and all other formatting is correct.

Formatting the List of Figures

Starting off, use Roman Numbers (e.g. iv and viii) to number the sections of the Table of Contents, List of Figures and List of Tables (the title page does not have a number written on it). Arabic numbering (e.g. 1, 2, 3) should start from the Introduction onwards.

Keep your margins consistent with those of the rest of the document, as required by your university. Usually this will be a margin of 4cm on the side of the paper that will be bound and 2cm on the opposing side (e.g. the pages printed that will be on the right hand side of the thesis will have a left margin of 4cm).

While the font size of your figure legends will be slightly smaller than the main text, keep the font style of the list of figures the same as the main text (usually 12 pt).

Title this section in all capital letters as “LIST OF FIGURES”.

List each new figure caption on a new line and capitalise the start of each word. Write the figure number on the left, then caption label and finally the page number the figure corresponds to on the right-hand side.

Apply the same formatting principle to the List of Tables in your thesis of dissertation. That is to insert each table numberon a new line, followed by the table title.

Example of the List of Figures

The example below was created in Microsoft Word. You could also consider incorporating other tools such as Endnote to help automate some of the work of entering a new caption for a figure or table. Be mindful of the Figure labelling convention required by your university. For example, you may need to align the Figure numbers with each chapter (e.g. Figure 1.1, 1.2, 1.3…. for Chapter 1 and Figure 2.1, 2.2, 2.3…. for Chapter 2).

The term rationale of research means the reason for performing the research study in question.

An academic transcript gives a breakdown of each module you studied for your degree and the mark that you were awarded.

The purpose of research is to enhance society by advancing knowledge through developing scientific theories, concepts and ideas – find out more on what this involves.

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Microsoft Word for Dissertations

• List of Figures/Tables
• Introduction, Template, & Resources
• Formatting for All Readers
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• Modifying a Style
• Setting up a Heading 1 Example
• Images, Charts, Other Objects
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• Appendix Figures & Tables
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• Finalizing Without Styles
• Preparing Your Final Document

Automatic Lists of Figures and Tables

If you have captioned your figures, tables, and equations using Word’s captioning feature (see the  Captions tab in the left-side navigation of this Guide), you can have Word generate your lists for you automatically.

• In the References tab, click the Insert Table of Figures button  (use this for lists of tables or equations, too).
• In the window that appears, select the label for which you want to make a list from the Caption Label menu (such as "Equation", "Figure", or "Table").
• If you want to change the style of your table of contents (e.g. change the font, or you want more space between each item in the list), click on the Modify button, select the Table of Figures style, then click the Modify button to do so. Click OK when you are done.
• Click OK to insert your table of contents.  

Repeat these steps to insert other lists into your document (Rackham requires separate lists for tables, figures, and any other label you’ve used).  A List of Appendices is handled differently - see the Appendices section of this Guide for more information.

Including Figures and Supplemental Figures in the List of Figures

There are two ways to combine Figures AND Supplemental Figures in your List of Figures -- the easy way, and the complicated way. It comes down to how you want the list to be laid out. This goes for Tables and Supplemental Tables, too, of course.

The Easy Way

Use the Insert Caption tool to apply a Figure caption (just like you've been doing with your regular Figures) to each of your Supplemental Figures. Once you've got the caption in place, then just type the word "Supplemental" before "Figure X".  When you update it, the List of Figures will pull in "Supplemental Figure X" into the List.  The drawback is that the numbering for those Supplemental Figures will follow the numbering for your regular Figures, so you'll have:

Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Supplemental Figure 1.3 Figure 1.4

If you'd prefer the first Supplemental Figure to be numbered independently of the Figure numbering ("Supplemental Figure 1.1"), then things get a bit more complicated. We cover how to integrate figures and supplemental figures into one List of Figures in the section below.

How do I integrate figures and supplemental figures in the same List of Figures?

A recent email inquiry:

Several of my chapters have supplemental figures at the end that I would like to include in the List of Figures at the beginning of my thesis. Do you know how to include all captions labeled either "Supplemental Figure" or "Figure" in the same List of Figures, using Word styles? I know how to create a label for each type of figure, but not how to integrate those two different labels into one List, based on order of appearance in my dissertation. Right now, I have to create two Lists: Figures go in the first, and Supplemental Figures go in the second. I want to set it up so that Figure 1 is followed by Supplemental Figure 1, which is followed by Figure 2, all in the same List. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Our response:

The problem you're running into is that a "List of..." can only have captions representing one caption  label . We can set up separate labels for "Figures" and "Supplemental Figures", but as you've found, you then have to have each of those two lists in your List of Figures, one after the other:

Figure 1.1 Figure 1.2 Figure 1.3 Supplemental Figure 1.1 Supplemental Figure 1.2

To the reader, it wouldn't necessarily be apparent they are two lists, of course, but they would not be integrated as you're hoping.

If you don't mind the Supplemental Figure numbers NOT starting over at 1 (Figure 1.6 might be followed by Supplemental Figure 1.7, and then Figure 1.8, for example), then you can continue to use the Figure caption...and manually insert the word "Supplemental" before Figure. All of that will still get pulled into the List of Figures.

The real, but problematic, solution:

But if you really want to have those supplemental figures interspersed among the other figures in your List of Figures and using their own numbering scheme, there's a way. The solution is tricky, it's a bit of a hack, and may be more trouble than it's worth...but you'll be the best judge of that.  The trick is to go ahead and create the two caption labels, and then we'll create one List that pulls in ALL captions -- which means this List will initially be cluttered with all your Table, Figure, Supplemental Figure, etc... captions -- an messy thing, but we did mention this solution was a little tricky. Then – most importantly – we'll delete the lines that include captions for things we don't want in there.

Start off by deleting any existing List of Figures you already have. Then:

1. Place your cursor where you want your integrated list of figures to be.

2. In the References tab, click Insert Table of Figures

3. In the window that appears, click Options...

5. Click OK to close the Table of Figures window.

That will create one list that includes ALL of your captions -- tables, figures, equations, supplemental figures -- everything. You now need to delete the things that shouldn't be there. A helpful tip is to hover your cursor in the empty 1" margin just to the left of the lines you want to delete (your cursor will change to a rightward-facing arrow) and click once to select a line. Click and drag in the margin to select multiple lines. This can make it much easier to select things to delete.

This is something you should wait to do until just before you save it as a PDF or send it to a reviewer, because anytime you update that all-in-one List of Figures field, it'll pull EVERYTHING back in again ...and you'll have to delete the unwanted items again.

Obviously, this is a hack and could be a big job if there are a lot of captions to find and delete. There may be a more elegant way to do it, but we haven't found anything better yet, unfortunately. Perhaps you could create a brand new caption style (or modify an existing style that's not being used), apply it to all your Figure and Supplemental Figure captions, and use this same trick to "Build table of figures from:" that new style -- but we haven't dug into that yet. Still pretty "hacky", but perhaps worth exploring if you're feeling adventurous.

Formatting Your Dissertation (or Thesis): List of Figures and Tables

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Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2021, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010

List of Figures and Tables is a separate section in your dissertation or thesis that provides a comprehensive list of all the figures and tables included in your document. It helps readers locate specific figures and tables quickly. 

You can list and organize the figures, pictures, or tables in your Word document by creating a table of figures, much like a table of contents. First add captions to your figures, and then use the  Insert Table of Figures  command on the  References  tab. Word then searches the document for your captions and automatically adds a list of figures, sorted by page number.

Before you create a table of figures, you must add captions to all the figures and tables that you want included in your table of figures. For more information, see  Add, format, or delete captions in Word .

Insert a table of figures

Click in your document where you want to insert the table of figures.

Click  References  >  Insert Table of Figures .

You can adjust your  Format  and  Options  in the  Table of Figures  dialog box. Click  OK .

Add, format, or delete captions in Word

You can add captions to figures, equations, or other objects. A caption is a numbered label, such as "Figure 1", that you can add to a figure, a table, an equation, or another object. It's comprised of customizable text ("Figure", "Table", "Equation" or something else that you type) followed by an ordered number or letter ("1, 2, 3..." or "a, b, c..." typically) which can be optionally followed by some additional, descriptive, text if you like.

1. Text that you select or create.

2. Number that Word inserts for you

If you later add, delete, or move captions, you can easily update the caption numbers all at once.

You can also use those captions to create a table of the captioned items for example, a  table of figures  or a table of equations.

Update a table of figures

If you add, delete, change, or move captions, use  Update Table  so the table of figures reflects your changes.

Click on the table of figures in your document. This will highlight the entire table.

Click  References  >  Update Table .

Note:    Update Table  becomes an option only when you click the table of figures in your document. You can also press F9 to update your table of figures.

Select an  Update  in the in the  Update Table of Figures  dialog box.

Select  Update page numbers  if you need to adjust the page numbers.

Select  Update entire table  if you have moved figures or altered captions.

Click  OK .

Add captions automatically

Word can add captions automatically as you insert tables or other objects.

Select the object (table, equation, figure, or another object) that you want to add a caption to.

On the  References  tab, in the  Captions  group, click  Insert Caption .

On the  Captions  dialog box, click  AutoCaption , and then select the check boxes for the items that you want Word to automatically add captions to. You can also choose which position to add captions to in the  Position  drop-down list.

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Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word

• Tables and Figures
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• Lists of Tables and Figures
• List of Abbreviations
• Some Things to Watch For
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Tables and figures

Many theses include tables and figures. Most often, they are added to the thesis as images, but sometimes you might want to add some as a linked Excel file. And, the way that captions are added to figures and tables differs between APA and IEEE style. The videos below are lengthy, so they start with a table of contents so you can jump to the section that you need.

Tables and figures - IEEE style

This video demonstrates a modified IEEE style for tables and figures that most CECS students use.

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List of Tables, List of Figures

If even one numbered table or figure appears in your manuscript, then a List of Tables and/or a List of Figures must be included in your manuscript following the Table of Contents. If both are used, arrange the List of Tables before the List of Figures.

NOTE: The templates were created using the 2013 version of Microsoft Word. If a template is downloaded in another version of Word or another word processing program, the formatting may be incorrect. Also, if a template is copied and pasted into another document, the settings of that document (margins, page number settings, font style, etc.) may affect the look of the template.

• List of Tables template (DOC)

This Microsoft Word document can be saved to your computer to use as a template. It was created using Microsoft Office 2013 version of Word. Please email [email protected] if you have problems with the download.

• List of Figures template (DOC)

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Formatting Requirements

Tables, figures and illustrations, workday student support.

Graduate students can find "how to" guides and support information on our Workday support page .

Tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items should be identified with the word "Table", "Figure", or other appropriate descriptor, and include a title and/or caption. The title or caption must be included in the List of Tables, List of Figures, or other list.

You must use a consistent format for titles and captions of tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items throughout the thesis.

• lettering in tables and figures should be at least 2 mm high to ensure that the information is easy to read
• tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items must have titles or captions, and must be numbered
• titles or captions can go either above or below the table, figure, or illustration
• headings must be repeated on the second and subsequent pages of tables that split over two pages or more
• tables should be split at an appropriate place, e.g. just before a new subheading
• the format for titles and captions of tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items must be consistent throughout the thesis.

Tables, figures, illustrations and other such items must be numbered consecutively in order of appearance within the thesis.

There are two methods for numbering Tables, Figures and other items:

• sequentially throughout the thesis, e.g. 1, 2, 3…
• chapter number first, then numbered sequentially within each chapter, e.g.:

Tables in Chapter 1: Table 1.1, 1.2, 1.3…

Figures in Chapter 3: Figure 3.1, 3.2, 3.3…

Whichever method you choose, the numbering style must be the same for all numbered items; for example: Table 1.1 and Figure 1.3, or Table 1 and Figure 3, not Table 1 and Figure 1.3.

Tables and figures in the Appendices may be labelled A1, A2, etc.

There are three acceptable locations for tables and figures:

• within the chapter immediately following first reference to them
• grouped at the end of the relevant chapter
• grouped at the end of the thesis before the bibliography

Whichever method you choose, you must be consistent.

If your tables and figures are grouped at the end of the thesis, you must include an entry in the table of contents that directs the reader to their location.

If the caption for a figure, table, etc., will not fit on the same page as its accompanying illustration, place the illustration on a separate page.

Reproducing and Reducing

Copying and/or reducing the size of figures (e.g. charts, drawings, graphs, photographs, maps, etc.) may make certain images illegible. After reduction, all lettering must be large enough to fulfill the font size requirements, and must be clear and readable.

Copyrighted Material

If you remove copyrighted tables, figures, or illustrations from your thesis you must insert the following at the spot where the table, figure, or illustration previously appeared:

• A statement that the material has been removed because of copyright restrictions
• A description of the material and the information it contained, plus a link to an online source if one is available
• A full citation of the original source of the material

See the Theses and Dissertations Guide “ Unable to get Permission? ”

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Formatting your thesis: Tables, figures, illustrations

On this page

Tables, figures, illustration requirements and tips, table specifications, figures and other image specifications, image resolution and formatting, using images and objects from other publications.

• Include captions/titles/headings for tables, figures, and other illustrations as paragraph text. This allows captions and headings to be populated into the Table of Contents (ToC) or the lists that appear after the ToC.
• The maximum width for objects on a portrait page is 6 inches (15.24 cm).
• Text wrapping should be set to “In Line with Text” (no wrapping).
• notes, if any
• Source notes or footnotes for tables/figures/illustrations are inserted manually. Insert the note in the paragraph directly below the table or figure.
• Font: Arial Narrow 11pt (default), Arial Narrow 10pt [minimum size].
• To change the font or line spacing for tables see the Thesis Template Instructions .
• Font: Text in image files should follow the overall Font Specifications and be large enough to be read when inserted into the document. The font in images should appear  to be the same size as the text in your thesis.
• For example, an image 6 inches wide should be 1800 pixels wide to produce an equivalent resolution of 300 ppi. 6 inches X 300ppi = 1800px.
• ​ For best results, insert images as flattened .tif, .png, or high quality .jpg files.
• ​ Crop as closely as possible around the image to remove blank space and maximize the size. This can be done in Word or in an image editor like Photoshop or Fireworks.
• Landscape images on a portrait page should be rotated with the top of the image to the left.

If your thesis incorporates images, photos, maps, diagrams, etc., not created by you, copyright permission must be obtained from the copyright holder of those works to use their content within your thesis.  A copy of each permission must be uploaded to the Thesis Registration System.

See  Copyright at SFU  for instructions on how to obtain copyright permissions.

• Directories

• A  figure is a graphic illustration of information, such as a line drawing, a graph, a map, a photograph, a plate, or a chart.
• A table is a graphic that contains a systematic arrangement of facts or numbers in rows and columns.
• All figures and tables must be numbered and have a descriptive caption, including figures and tables in the appendix.
• All figures and tables must be listed in the List of Figures or List of Tables.
• Figure numbers and captions appear below the figure.
• Table numbers and captions appear above the table.
• Captions are always single spaced, including the entry in the List of Figures or List of Tables.
• Do not make the mistake of choosing one style for your table captions and another style for your figure captions (i.e. do not make your table captions flush with the left margin and make your figure captions centered on the page).
• Do not split a caption over 2 pages. If the caption will not fit, you will need to select one of the options below to fill the white space or handle oversize figures/tables.
• Captions must be in the same font (e.g., Times Roman)as the main text of the thesis.
• Captions must be the same size font (i.e.10-12 point) as the main text of the thesis (do not make captions smaller).
• Captions are NOT in bold font
• Captions are NOT in italic font

Numbering a figure or table

• Figures and tables are numbered  consecutively throughout the text of the thesis.
• For example, The 1st figure in chapter 2 would  be Figure 2.1 &  the next figure would be Figure 2.2, etc.
• Related figures may be identified either by using the same number with a lower case letter (Figure 4.3a, Figure 4.3b), or by different numbers (Figure 4.3, Figure 4.4).
• Numbers for figures or tables that appear in appendices are preceded by the capital letter identifying the appendix, as in Figure A.3 or Table C.2.
• Do not make the mistake of numbering your figures and tables in the main text as 2.1, then numbering your figures and tables in the appendices as 2-1.

Placing a figure or table

• More than one table or figure may appear in sequence on a single page, if they represent sequential information.
• Use consistent line spacing to separate the figure or table from the preceding and following text.
• When caption text is too close to the main text, it can be difficult for the reader to tell the difference between the caption and the main text.
• Text must come before and after figures and tables, not top, around the side and under.
• Figures and tables must be placed one after the other (top of page to bottom of page)
• the caption for that table or illustration is centered (horizontally and vertically) alone on a separate preceding page.
• followed on the next page by the full-page table or figure
• first part will be labeled with (a) + the full caption (i.e. Figure 2.1a + caption)
• Do not split a single part (one image) figure over multiple pages.
• first part will be labeled normally (i.e. Table 2.1 + full caption
• each consecutive page will be labeled  with the Table + number + Continued (i.e. Table 2.1 Continued). If the table lists sources, the sources appear at the bottom of the first page.
• Stand alone figures or tables must be centered on the page both horizontally and vertically.
• More than one figure or table on a page does not make a stand alone figure or table, so if you have more than one figure or table on the page, you they either need to fill the page, or you need to add main text to the page.
• A figure or table too large to fit within the 6- inch by 9-inch text area may be reduced, but its caption font must be the same size and style as that used for the text in the rest of the thesis.
• A large figure or table that will not fit on a page and is not integral to the thesis may be uploaded as a supplemental file.

Landscape Figures and Tables

• Figures and tables that are formatted wider than they are high may be turned to fit on the page within all margins (landscape mode).
• The entire illustration, including its caption and sources, is turned so that the top of the illustration is parallel to and just inside the regular binding-side text margin (landscape orientation).
• The page number should be placed at the bottom of the figure or table, on the 11”side of the page (landscape orientation).
• This allows for optimum viewing on a computer screen.

Referring to a figure or table in the text

• All figures and tables included in the thesis must be referred to in the text of the thesis. The first reference in the text to a figure or table must precede it.
• If you cannot place a figure or table immediately after the text referencing the figure/table, tell the reader the page where  figure/table can be found. (i.e. See Figure 7.1 on page 10) 
• If two or more figures are referred to consecutively on one page, then they must follow on the page or the next pages consecutively.
• The text reference should identify a figure or table by number (e.g., write, “See Figure 7.1”), rather than by a relative location (e.g.  do not write, “In the following figure . . .”).

The Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

List of tables, list of figures (optional).

The Graduate College Thesis Office discourages the inclusion of a List of Tables or List of Figures.

• If included, the List is considered a chapter equivalent. It should be placed after the Table of Contents and should be listed in the Table of Contents.
• If included, the List should be formatted exactly like the Table of Contents, except that captions may be shortened in the List (refer to Table of Contents Requirements ).

Graduate College Formatting Guide

• Page Numbers (Microsoft Word)
• Page Numbers (Google Docs)
• Page Breaks and Section Breaks
• Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Microsoft Word)
• Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Google Docs)
• Inserting Tables and Figures
• Comments and Track Changes
• References, Bibliography, Works Cited
• Landscape Pages & Special Materials

Linking table titles

Linking table titles.

Linking Table Titles has multiple benefits—the List of Tables can be updated without having to manually create and manage entries, and you can renumber the items associated with each label based on the other linked items throughout the document. This means that if you insert a new table between what is currently labeled as Table 1 and Table 2, the new table will number itself as Table 2 and the table formerly numbered Table 2 will change to Table 3.

To link the title of a table, which will allow you to populate and update the List of Tables, click on the item you want to create a title for to select it. Under the REFERENCES tab, click on "Insert Caption."

This will open the caption box. You will have an option to select a "Label" - Word will usually detect what kind of object is selected but you may need to switch the label manually. Pick "Table". You will also need to indicate the position. Table titles typically appear above the table. Once you have made those adjustments, enter the title for the item into the "Caption" box (note that it will automatically insert the label that has been selected as well as a number). Once you click OK, the label, number, and title will insert.

The "Caption Style" will need to be modified one time to help properly format Table titles. Locate the Caption style in the Styles pane located under the HOME tab.

Select the "modify style" option to open the format of the Caption style. Make adjustments to the font that you want to have consistently occur for all table  and  figure titles. The default is a small, blue, italicized font. The recommended changes are: set the font to match the rest of the document, change the font size to 12-pt, deselect italics, double space, and change the font color to automatic.

Editing Linked Table Titles & Additional Formatting

If you find a typo or a title needs to change from what is first inserted, the title can be edited in the body of the document without needing to open up any settings. Simply make the update.

If you wish to have the label and the title on separate lines, hold shift and press enter between the two in order to create a soft return.

Any other formatting that you wish to have (such as italics, bolding, etc.) applied to one label (i.e. Table titles in italics but Figure titles in regular font) but not the other will need to be manually and consistently applied. If you wish for all table and figure titles to be bolded, you should select that option in the modify caption style options.

 Add / Reorder  

Feb 4, 2020

List of Tables

      ×

• Updating List of Tables
• Modifying / Formatting

Updating List of Tables & List of Figures

The steps to update the List of Tables and to update the List of Figures are the same. Apply these steps to each page. If you inserted the fields for the List of Tables and List of Figures when formatting the Front Matter of your work (see the applicable step 2), you should be able to update the field that was inserted on those pages by right clicking on the field, selecting the option to "Update Field." Always select "update entire table" so that any changes to titles and added tables will appear in the update.

This update should insert an entry for all of the table or figures that are linked in the document (this example shows the List of Tables). If the label and number do not show up you may need to redo the steps to insert the List of Tables or List of Figures (ensuring that the option to insert the label and number is checked). It should appear double spaced, without an extra space between. 

Formatting tables

• Width & Height Requirements
• Alignment & Indentation

Formatting a Table

Tables are data sorted into columns and rows. There should be space before and after the table to separate it from the text surrounding it. The  Thesis & Dissertation Manual  requires that Tables appear as soon as possible following the first mention of the table in text. Tables should be referred to by their number. Never say "the table above" or "the table below" as that can be unclear and sometimes tables start on different pages from the reference.

Font Size and Format

Tables may need a slightly smaller font size for clarity. You may change the font to as small as 10-pt font, though going any smaller is not recommended. If using a smaller font in the table, leave the table title in 12-pt font. A table may be formatted however you wish as long as it is clear and fits within the margins. This will be reviewing the the Table Width / Height Requirements tab at the top of this box. Text can be single or double spaced. It is recommended that font formatting is applied the same across all tables for clarity and consistency.

Table Spacing

Tables should have uniform blank space from the text or materials before and after the table. Pressing two double space returns before and after the table will create the necessary blank space. The other spacing to be aware of is the line spacing in the table itself. Tables may be single or double spaced; whichever produces the most clarity for the readers is the suggested spacing, though it should be uniform throughout the document.

Inserting a Table Reference in Text

While it is possible to manually type "Table #" in the text to reference tables, you must ensure that the numbering remains correct as you are editing and adding more tables. You can also Cross-reference to refer to tables which will create fields that can be updated to renumber when table numbers change.

To do so, place your cursor where you would like to make the reference. Locate "cross-reference" under the REFERENCES tab in Word.

Select "Table" for the Reference Type and select "Only label and number" for the Insert Reference to field. Then, select the table you are referencing and click insert.

When you click "insert," a field will appear where your cursor is located with the information you selected. Something to note: these fields will not automatically renumber like the table labels do. An easy way to update all of the fields in the document is to select all text (Ctrl + A), right click, and select "Update Field." This action will update all fields, including the Table of Contents and all in text cross-references.

Table Height

If a table will fit onto one page (meaning the height is no more than 8.5"), it must do so. You should place a page break before the table to bump it to the top of the next page if it is breaking over the page. It is acceptable to leave blank space at the end of the page before the table. (If the table is too tall for this, see below)

For example, the table shown here is small enough to fit onto one page so it should not be allowed to break.

A page break should be entered before the table so that it starts at the top of the next page instead.

Tables that break over a page

If a table is so long that it will not fit within the 8.5" height, it may break over the page (or multiple pages if necessary). The column headings should repeat at the top of each page it breaks over and (table continues) should be placed before each page break.

To repeat the column headings, select the top row by clicking and dragging your cursor from left to right across the heading row.

Under "Table Tools" > "Layout" the option to "Repeat Header Rows" is located towards the left of the ribbon. When selected, this will place the column heading at the top of every page after the table breaks. Any changes made to the first column header row (located immediately after the title) will be reflected after every page break.

You also need a note that the table continues before the page break. It is recommended that this is inserted when the content around the table has been finalized (adding more text above the table will move where it breaks and change where this is needed). To do so, insert a new row before the table breaks -- if the new row is inserting at the top of the next page, you may need to insert it above the last row on the page).

Select the row and right click to merge the cells.

Right align the cursor in the newly merged cell and type: (table continues)

Clear all except the top border of the cell that contains (table continues)

This will leave (table continues) after the last row before the page break

Table Width

Tables must be no wider than 6" to fit between the margins on a portrait page. You can identify a table that is wider than the margins by clicking so your cursor is on normal text, scrolling so that your ruler is directly above the table, and seeing if the table is wider than the white space on the ruler.

To set the table width, right click on the table and open the table properties.

Change the Preferred width to 6 inches and click okay

Inserting a table onto a landscape page

If a table needs to be wider than 6", you will need to put it on a landscape page. Review section 4c. Landscape Pages & Special Materials to insert a landscape page and properly format the page numbering then follow the instructions below to ensure proper formatting.

Tables on landscape pages can be up to 8.5" wide and 6" high. If the table needs to break across a page (because it is taller than 6", the steps to format a table that breaks across a page (above) should be followed.

Insert the table onto the landscape page. Then right click and select table properties.

Ensure the the table's preferred width is set to 8.5". The table should fit between the margins.

If the table size is set properly but the table still seems to be outside of one of the margins, the indentation may need to be adjusted. Review the Alignment & Indentation tab at the top of this box.

Alignment & Indentation

Tables can be aligned in whatever way you decide is best to present your research. Consistency is a requirement, however. It is recommended that tables are left aligned. Tables should not be indented, especially negative indented which will pull the table over a margin. If the table is sized properly (6" or less on a portrait page or 8.5" or less on a landscape page) but still appear to be outside of the margins, the alignment or indentation may need to be adjusted. 

Right click on the table and select table properties to make these adjustments.

This will open the table properties box. Review the alignment settings to ensure they are consistent with the intended alignment. Text wrapping should be set to none. If there is a number, especially a negative number, in the indent from left box: change this to 0". This will pull the table over the margins. Correcting these items should situate the table correctly between the margins.

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