Margins and Page Numbers Manual

This manual provides information on:

• The specific format requirements for margins and page numbers in the thesis or

dissertation document.

• It provides step-by-step instructions on how to set the margins as well as the

three different page number sections in your Word document.

Sections:

• Section 1: Format Requirements for Margins and Page Numbers (p. 2)

• Section 2: Setting the Margins in the Word Document (p. 3)

• Section 3: Setting the Three Different Page Number Sections in the Word

Document (p.5)

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Section 1: Format Requirements for Margins and Page Numbers

Margins:

• All pages should have a 1” margin on all sides (top, bottom, right, and left).

• Top, right, and left margins must be blank.

• The bottom margin should be blank with the exception of the page number at

the bottom center of the page (see below).

• Do not include running headers or footers in your document.

Page Numbers:

• All numbered pages must be numbered in the bottom center of the page.

• When numbering your document, remember that there are THREE major

sections:

o Pages without numbers. There are two pages in this section:

 The cover page

 The copyright statement (optional)

o Pages with lower-case Roman numerals. These represent the front

material of your document, preceding the body text and include all

materials before the first chapter or section of your thesis or dissertation.

Pages that should have Roman numerals include:

 Approval page (ii)

 Abstract (starts on page iii)

 Acknowledgements (optional)

 Dedication (optional)

 Preface (optional)

 Table of Contents

 List of Tables (if applicable)

 List of Figures (if applicable)

 Any other lists, including: List of Definitions, List of Algorithms, List

of Equations (if applicable)

o Pages with Arabic numerals. This section is the rest of your document

and includes:

 Main body of your text (Arabic numeral 1 begins the first page of

Chapter 1/ Section 1)

 Appendix or appendices (optional)

 Bibliography (or appropriate name as prescribed by your chosen

style guide)

 Curriculum Vitae

• The page numbers within each section are continuous (except the cover page

and copyright page).

Updated by GC Summer 2021

Section 2: Setting the Margins in the Word Document

We advise to set your margins prior to writing your thesis or dissertation. In order to

change or set the correct page margins:

1. Go to the Page Layout tab. In the Page Setup group, select Margins.

2. Click on Normal. This is not only the most common margin width, but it also

fulfills the required format for the margins (1” margins on all four sides of the

document).

3. When you click on the Normal margin type, your entire document automatically

changes to the margin type you have selected.

Note: Because your document will ultimately have three different sections (due to the

three different section breaks), you will need to make sure that the margins are applied

to the whole document and not just one of the sections. To set this up, go back to the

Page Layout Tab and to Margins. Go to Custom Margins. The Page Setup menu appears.

At the bottom of this menu, go to “Apply To.” From the drop-down menu, select “Whole

Document.” This ensures that the margins for your entire document are formatted

according to the requirements.

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Section 3: Setting the Three Different Page Number Sections in

the Word Document

A Few Key Points:

Before beginning the instructions on how to set the three different page number

sections in your Word document, there are three points we would like to share that

make this process easier.

• It is easiest to set the three different page number sections prior to writing your

thesis or dissertation document.

• Understand page breaks.

o Word typically inserts a page break automatically once you have reached

the end of a page. However, you can insert a page break manually. This

should be done when you have completed a chapter and are ready to

start on the new chapter. Often individuals hit the Enter key until a new

page appears (if they are not at the very bottom of the page). This is not

advised because this extra space can cause some of your content to shift

unintentionally.

o In order to insert a page break, find the Page Layout Tab and click Breaks.

Another menu appears. Under Page Break, click Page. You can follow

these steps whenever you want to start a new page (or chapter/ section

in your document)

• Understand section breaks.

o Section break are primarily used when you want to change the page

numbering style of your document or page orientation (portrait versus

landscape).

Note: Understanding the difference between section and page breaks ensures that you

do not use one when you actually meant to use the other. Confusing the breaks can

result in formatting issues.

Setting the three different page number sections using section breaks:

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Step 1: Breaking Your Document into Three Parts

1. Place your cursor on the first blank page of your new Word template. Go to the

Page Layout tab and select Breaks. A menu will appear. In order to insert a

section break, you must click Next Page. This breaks your document into two

parts.

2. Go to the page that just appeared and repeat Step 1 so that your document is

now split into three sections.

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3. To determine that the section breaks were put in place correctly, double click on

the top of your first page. The headers and footers are displayed, along with the

section number.

Note: If you have already have written a large portion of your body text without having

place holders for the two different page number sections that are found in your front

material, you can still insert section breaks. You will need to insert a blank page before

the start of your body text. You can insert a blank page by going to the Insert tab and

clicking Blank Page. Make sure that your cursor is placed at the top of the first page of

your body text (preceding the chapter/ section heading) so that the blank page precedes

the body text. You will need to repeat this step again in order to separate your

document into three pages. Once this is done, you can add in your section breaks

following the directions above. You might need to double check and make sure that no

additional paragraph marks have been added to your document. In order to check this,

go to the show/ hide icon on your Home tab under the paragraph section. If there are

extra paragraph markers in your document, make sure you delete them.

You can also use the show/hide icon to check your section breaks. You should see a

double-line beneath the words “Section Break”

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Step 2: Setting the Different Page Number Sections

• Setting the first page number section with no page numbers

1. Go to the second section break, specifically the first page of the second

section break.

2. Go to the Insert tab and the Header and Footer section. Select Page

Numbers. A menu will appear.

3. Select Bottom of Page. Another menu will appear. Choose Plain Number

2 (shows the page number is centered at the bottom of the page as per

the format requirements).

4. A new ribbon will appear, entitled “Header and Footer Tools: Design”

5. There are several steps that you need to do here:

a. Make sure that the option “Different First Page” is selected. If it is

not checked, click the box.

b. If the “Link to Previous” is highlighted (under Navigation), this

means that it is active. Click on it and it will make sure that the

first page in the second section break is not linked with the last

page in the first section break.

6. Before getting rid of the Header and Footer display, check to see if your

first section break has a page number. If it does, highlight the page

number and hit delete on your keyboard.

These steps have enabled you to format the page number for the first section break.

REMEMBER: This section break cannot have page numbers.

• Setting the second page number section with lower case Roman numerals:

1. Go back to the page number on the first page of your second section break.

2. In order to set lower case Roman numerals, double click on the page number.

3. This will re-display the Header and Footer Tools.

4. Go to the Header and Footer section (left-hand corner).

5. Click on page number and then format page number. The Page Number

Format menu will appear.

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6. Under number format, select the lower case Roman numeral option from the

drop-down menu.

7. In the same Page Number Format Menu, go to Page Numbering.

8. Click Start at.

9. You can either choose lower case Roman numeral ii or iii. The former is chosen

if you want to have a placeholder for the approval page (This is not required—

see Approval Page PDF for more information on the Approval Page). If you do

not want to have a placeholder, than you must chose the latter (iii), which is the

Abstract. The Abstract page technically represents the first numbered page in

your document (not including the Approval page).

10. All pages in this section should now have lower case Roman numerals,

continuous from either ii or iii.

• Setting the third page number section with Arabic numbers.

1. Go to the first page number on the first page of your third section break.

2. In order to set Arabic numbers, double click on the page number.

3. This will re-display the Header and Footer Tools.

4. First make sure, that the “Link to Previous” under Navigation is not

highlighted.

5. Go to the Header and Footer section (left-hand corner).

6. Click on page number and then format page number. The Page Number

Format menu will appear.

7. Under number format, make sure Arabic numbers are selected from the drop-

down menu.

8. In the same Page Number Format menu, go to Page numbering.

9. Select Start at. Make sure it is 1.

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10. All pages in this section should have Arabic numbers, continuous from 1.

Note: If you are having issues with your number per each section break not being

continuously numbered after the first page, look for the presence of additional section

breaks in the rest of your document. Multiple section breaks (outside of the three) can

cause inconsistencies in the pagination of your thesis or dissertation document.