GSA Library Help

Formatting guidelines for written work such as essays and dissertations may vary depending on which school you are studying in.

We have provided some general guidance below, but please make sure that you check with your tutor if you are unsure of your individual programme's preferred formatting.  

• Text should be presented in a readable format (e.g. type size 10-12, line spacing 1.5 or double-spaced)
• Title pages should include the title of your work, the mode of submission, your name, your programme, and word count (other details may be required, please check with your tutor).
• Where required, a table of contents should give the titles of the main sections of your work and their page numbers.
• There should be a list of illustrations page, if images or illustrations have been used. This should come after the table of contents.
• Use a consistent style of referencing (different programmes prefer different styles, please check with your tutor).
• A bibliography should be included, listing all of the sources you have used.

For examples of previous student dissertations, curatorial rationales, critical journals, extended essays, projects, and theses, you can browse by degree title or search for specific topics in the library catalogue.

For guidance on using Word to format your table of contents, list of illustrations, and page numbers, please see the recording of the library's Word for Written Work Digital Skills session below: