Table of Contents Word template

The Table of Contents is providing a clear structure for the reader makes it easier for the reader to navigate through the document and can also indicate the important topics that have the reader wants to read. Especially in scientific papers and technical journals a TOC also shows the list of tables and list of figures.

How to write a Table of Contents?

When you are writing a document, report, research paper, thesis, you will need to start the file with a well-structured Table of Contents (TOC). A TOC can be found on the first pages of a document and shows the content and its structure. All headers (H1) are mentioned in the TOC. Depending on the length of the document, you might consider also showing second and third level headers. The TOC is often found right after copyright notices or the abstract. 

What should be in a Table of Content?

If you choose to manually type the headers, then you have a few options to make them attractive. You will have to type the entries to be contained in the TOC, check the numbering when you finalize the document, and add dotted lines or dot leaders to connect the entries and the page numbers. It’s best to make a manual TOC at the end because if you still have to make changes to the headings or pages in your document, you will waste your time manually updating your TOC as well. Typing a TOC manually is not recommended, however for smaller documents it can be a preferred solution. The more complicated the document is, the earlier you start with assigning headers for your Automatic TOC.

Example chapters to mention in a Table of Content:

• Abstract
• Acknowledgments
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Methodology
• Materials and methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendixes

Firstly, it’s recommended to make a Table of contents in Microsoft Word close to the end of your writing process, so all content is already written in your document. To insert the TOC consider the following steps:

1. Identifying the chapters and their titles, 
2. Appoint the header levels (H1, H2, H3 or other alternatives available),
3. Insert the automatically generated Table of Contents,
4. Make sure the TOC is complete and well structured.

If you download our TOC templates, it will also be easier to update your own TOC in an appealing format. Good luck with writing!