UK dissertation formatting is set by three layers — your department handbook, your university's regulations and the required referencing style — with the department handbook usually the most specific; before you submit, choose your university, department and level, upload the .docx and check margins, fonts, spacing, page numbers, contents, captions and references against the original clauses.
1. Where formatting rules come from
UK dissertation formatting rules come from three layers: the department handbook, the university's regulations and the required referencing style. Departments and degree levels at the same university can have completely different rules, so Dissertation Format looks them up most specific first:
- 01Department handbookThe dissertation or thesis handbook, or the module guide. It usually sets margins, word count, structure and referencing.
- 02University regulationsCommon for research degrees, for example thesis submission and binding rules.
- 03Default referencing styleThe style your library recommends, such as Cite Them Right Harvard.
When two layers disagree, the more specific one wins: the department handbook beats the university regulations, which beat the default referencing style.
Can't find your handbook? Open your university's page in our directory for links to the official sources. If your department isn't covered, upload the handbook (PDF or Word, up to 25 MB) and confirm each extracted rule before checking.
2. Four steps to a full check
- 01Pick your universitySearch by name or filter by England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- 02Pick department and degree levelUG, PGT or PGR. Each department shows its coverage: verified, confirmed by students, from public pages, or handbook needed.
- 03Upload your Word dissertation.docx only, up to 20 MB. PDFs can't reliably show margins and styles, so save a .docx from Word. Files are deleted after 7 days.
- 04Read the summary and unlock if you need itThe free summary shows how many issues of each kind. The full report (10 credits) gives each issue's location, found vs required, the fix and the clause.
3. How to read the report
Every issue in a Dissertation Format report follows the same structure: location → found vs required → how to fix → the clause it is based on.
“Must fix” means the handbook states a clear requirement. “Suggested” means the handbook is vague or the point is common convention. When in doubt, the original clause and your supervisor have the final word.
Work through “Must fix” first, then decide on the suggestions. After editing, re-check the same dissertation within 14 days for 5 credits.
4. The formatting mistakes that cost marks most often
These are the kinds of formatting rules UK universities commonly set. Exact values differ between universities — your department handbook always wins.
| Area | What handbooks usually set | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Margins | Each margin, wider binding edge | Leaving Word's default 2.54 cm |
| Fonts & spacing | Typeface, size, body line spacing | Footnotes or block quotes spaced differently |
| Page numbers | Position; roman numerals for front matter | No section break between front matter and body |
| Headings & contents | Numbering, levels, automatic contents | Typed-out contents that no longer match |
| Captions | Numbering, caption position | Skipped numbers, table captions in the wrong place |
| Front matter | Order of title page, abstract, declaration, acknowledgements | Missing declaration of originality |
| Word count | Limit and what is excluded | Counting references and appendices |
5. Undergraduate, master's and PhD: what changes
The same university often sets different formatting rules for each degree level. Check the handbook for your own level, not a friend's from another course.
Pick the right level when you start a check. Dissertation Format then applies the rules for that department and level.
6. How to fix common problems in Word
Most formatting issues are fixed with Word's built-in tools rather than by hand. Use the values from your handbook, not generic ones.
- 01Margins and paper sizeLayout → Margins → Custom Margins. Set each margin to the handbook's value, including any wider binding edge, and apply it to the whole document.
- 02Fonts and line spacingChange the Normal style and the heading styles (Home → Styles → Modify), so every paragraph follows the same rule.
- 03Page numbersInsert section breaks between front matter and body, then format page numbers separately for each section.
- 04Headings and contentsApply Heading 1, 2 and 3 styles, then insert an automatic table of contents and update it before saving.
- 05CaptionsUse Insert Caption for figures and tables so numbering stays continuous, and place captions where the handbook says.
Save the edited file as .docx and re-check it. If your handbook and this guide differ, the handbook wins.
7. Choosing a referencing style
Don't choose — use the style your handbook names. The four most common at UK universities:
8. Pre-submission checklist
- Find this year's department handbook for your degree level
- Use Word heading styles everywhere and regenerate the contents
- Put a section break between front matter and body, with separate page number formats
- Number figures and tables with Insert Caption, not by hand
- Recount your words using the handbook's rules
- Run a Dissertation Format check, then re-check within 14 days after editing