In the final weeks of a PhD, formatting should be the last thing on a student's mind. This project outlines how we managed the technical formatting for a Bio-Engineering thesis containing complex equations and high-resolution imaging.
1. The Complexity
Bio-Engineering theses are notoriously difficult to format due to the mix of content types:
- Length: 250+ pages with 5 main chapters and 3 appendices.
- Visuals: 45+ composite figures (SEM images, CAD drawings, and MATLAB plots).
- References: 300+ citations generated from a chaotic mix of Zotero and manual inputs.
The university guidelines were strict: specific margins for binding, mirroring page numbers, and a precise hierarchy for Table of Contents (TOC) levels.
2. Our Technical Solution
We assigned a dedicated formatting specialist to overhaul the document file.
Automated Style Implementation
We stripped the document of direct formatting (manual bolds/italics) and implemented a robust MS Word Style Sheet. This ensured that:
- Headings (Levels 1-4) were consistent and automatically numbered.
- The Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables updated dynamically without errors.
- Paragraph spacing and indentation were uniform throughout.
Figure & Table Optimization
We resized high-resolution figures to fit within the print margins without losing dpi quality. Sidebar captions were converted to standard bottom-aligned captions to meet university requirements. Complex landscape tables were sectioned correctly with repeating header rows for readability.
3. Reference Audit
We merged the client's reference libraries into a single master file. We meticulously corrected metadata errors (missing issue numbers, incorrect author initials) and updated the entire bibliography to the IEEE Citation Style as required by the engineering department.
4. Results
The final PDF was generated with zero errors. The graduate school accepted the submission on the first attempt, noting the professional layout. The candidate was able to focus entirely on preparing their oral defense slides, aiming for a stress-free completion.