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• Research Paper Appendix | Example & Templates

Research Paper Appendix | Example & Templates

Published on August 4, 2022 by Tegan George and Kirsten Dingemanse. Revised on July 18, 2023.

An appendix is a supplementary document that facilitates your reader’s understanding of your research but is not essential to your core argument. Appendices are a useful tool for providing additional information or clarification in a research paper , dissertation , or thesis without making your final product too long.

Appendices help you provide more background information and nuance about your thesis or dissertation topic without disrupting your text with too many tables and figures or other distracting elements.

We’ve prepared some examples and templates for you, for inclusions such as research protocols, survey questions, and interview transcripts. All are worthy additions to an appendix. You can download these in the format of your choice below.

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Table of contents

What is an appendix in a research paper, what to include in an appendix, how to format an appendix, how to refer to an appendix, where to put your appendices, other components to consider, appendix checklist, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about appendices.

In the main body of your research paper, it’s important to provide clear and concise information that supports your argument and conclusions . However, after doing all that research, you’ll often find that you have a lot of other interesting information that you want to share with your reader.

While including it all in the body would make your paper too long and unwieldy, this is exactly what an appendix is for.

As a rule of thumb, any detailed information that is not immediately needed to make your point can go in an appendix. This helps to keep your main text focused but still allows you to include the information you want to include somewhere in your paper.

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An appendix can be used for different types of information, such as:

• Supplementary results : Research findings  are often presented in different ways, but they don’t all need to go in your paper. The results most relevant to your research question should always appear in the main text, while less significant results (such as detailed descriptions of your sample or supplemental analyses that do not help answer your main question), can be put in an appendix.
• Statistical analyses : If you conducted statistical tests using software like Stata or R, you may also want to include the outputs of your analysis in an appendix.
• Further information on surveys or interviews : Written materials or transcripts related to things such as surveys and interviews can also be placed in an appendix.

You can opt to have one long appendix, but separating components (like interview transcripts, supplementary results, or surveys ) into different appendices makes the information simpler to navigate.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Always start each appendix on a new page.
• Assign it both a number (or letter) and a clear title, such as “Appendix A. Interview transcripts.” This makes it easier for your reader to find the appendix, as well as for you to refer back to it in your main text.
• Number and title the individual elements within each appendix (e.g., “Transcripts”) to make it clear what you are referring to. Restart the numbering in each appendix at 1.

It is important that you refer to each of your appendices at least once in the main body of your paper. This can be done by mentioning the appendix and its number or letter, either in parentheses or within the main part of a sentence. It’s also possible to refer to a particular component of an appendix.

Appendix B presents the correspondence exchanged with the fitness boutique. Example 2. Referring to an appendix component These results (see Appendix 2, Table 1) show that …

It is common to capitalize “Appendix” when referring to a specific appendix, but it is not mandatory. The key is just to make sure that you are consistent throughout your entire paper, similarly to consistency in  capitalizing headings and titles in academic writing .

However, note that lowercase should always be used if you are referring to appendices in general. For instance, “The appendices to this paper include additional information about both the survey and the interviews .”

The simplest option is to add your appendices after the main body of your text, after you finish citing your sources in the citation style of your choice. If this is what you choose to do, simply continue with the next page number. Another option is to put the appendices in a separate document that is delivered with your dissertation.

Remember that any appendices should be listed in your paper’s table of contents .

There are a few other supplementary components related to appendices that you may want to consider. These include:

• List of abbreviations : If you use a lot of abbreviations or field-specific symbols in your dissertation, it can be helpful to create a list of abbreviations .
• Glossary : If you utilize many specialized or technical terms, it can also be helpful to create a glossary .
• Tables, figures and other graphics : You may find you have too many tables, figures, and other graphics (such as charts and illustrations) to include in the main body of your dissertation. If this is the case, consider adding a figure and table list .

Checklist: Appendix

All appendices contain information that is relevant, but not essential, to the main text.

Each appendix starts on a new page.

I have given each appendix a number and clear title.

I have assigned any specific sub-components (e.g., tables and figures) their own numbers and titles.

My appendices are easy to follow and clearly formatted.

I have referred to each appendix at least once in the main text.

Your appendices look great! Use the other checklists to further improve your thesis.

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Yes, if relevant you can and should include APA in-text citations in your appendices . Use author-date citations as you do in the main text.

Any sources cited in your appendices should appear in your reference list . Do not create a separate reference list for your appendices.

An appendix contains information that supplements the reader’s understanding of your research but is not essential to it. For example:

• Interview transcripts
• Questionnaires
• Detailed descriptions of equipment

Something is only worth including as an appendix if you refer to information from it at some point in the text (e.g. quoting from an interview transcript). If you don’t, it should probably be removed.

When you include more than one appendix in an APA Style paper , they should be labeled “Appendix A,” “Appendix B,” and so on.

When you only include a single appendix, it is simply called “Appendix” and referred to as such in the main text.

Appendices in an APA Style paper appear right at the end, after the reference list and after your tables and figures if you’ve also included these at the end.

You may have seen both “appendices” or “appendixes” as pluralizations of “ appendix .” Either spelling can be used, but “appendices” is more common (including in APA Style ). Consistency is key here: make sure you use the same spelling throughout your paper.

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Thesis and Dissertation Appendicies – What to Include

• By DiscoverPhDs
• August 12, 2020

An appendix is a section at the end of a dissertation that contains supplementary information. An appendix may contain figures, tables, raw data, and other additional information that supports the arguments of your dissertation but do not belong in the main body.

It can be either a long appendix or split into several smaller appendices. Each appendix should have its own title and identification letters, and the numbering for any tables or figures in them should be reset at the beginning of each new appendix.

Purpose of an Appendix

When writing the main body of your dissertation, it is important to keep it short and concise in order to convey your arguments effectively.

Given the amount of research you would have done, you will probably have a lot of additional information that you would like to share with your audience.

This is where appendices come in. Any information that doesn’t support your main arguments or isn’t directly relevant to the topic of your dissertation should be placed in an appendix.

This will help you organise your paper, as only information that adds weight to your arguments will be included; it will also help improve your flow by minimising unnecessary interruptions.

Note, however, that your main body must be detailed enough that it can be understood without your appendices. If a reader has to flip between pages to make sense of what they are reading, they are unlikely to understand it.

For this reason, appendices should only be used for supporting background material and not for any content that doesn’t fit into your word count, such as the second half of your literature review .

What to Include in a Dissertation Appendix

A dissertation appendix can be used for the following supplementary information:

Research Results

There are various ways in which research results can be presented, such as in tables or diagrams.

Although all of your results will be useful to some extent, you won’t be able to include them all in the main body of your dissertation. Consequently, only those that are crucial to answering your research question should be included.

Your other less significant findings should be placed in your appendix, including raw data, proof of control measures, and other supplemental material.

Details of Questionnaires and Interviews

You can choose to include the details of any surveys and interviews you have conducted. This can include:

• An interview transcript,
• A copy of any survey questions,
• Questionnaire results.

Although the results of your surveys, questionnaires or interviews should be presented and discussed in your main text, it is useful to include their full form in the appendix of a dissertation to give credibility to your study.

Tables, Figures and Illustrations

If your dissertation contains a large number of tables, figures and illustrative material, it may be helpful to insert the less important ones in your appendix. For example, if you have four related datasets, you could present all the data and trend lines (made identifiable by different colours) on a single chart with a further breakdown for each dataset in your appendix.

Letters and Correspondence

If you have letters or correspondence, either between yourself and other researchers or places where you sought permission to reuse copyrighted material, they should be included here. This will help ensure that your dissertation doesn’t become suspected of plagiarism.

List of Abbreviations

Most researchers will provide a list of abbreviations at the beginning of their dissertation, but if not, it would be wise to add them as an appendix.

This is because not all of your readers will have the same background as you and therefore may have difficulty understanding the abbreviations and technical terms you use.

Note: Some researchers refer to this as a ‘glossary’, especially if it is provided as an appendix section. For all intended purposes, this is the same as a list of abbreviations.

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How to Format a Dissertation Appendix

In regards to format, you can include one lengthy appendix or structure it into several smaller appendices.

Although the choice is yours, it is usually better to opt for several different appendices as it allows you to organise your supplementary information into different categories based on what they are.

The following guidelines should be observed when preparing your dissertation appendices section:

• Each appendix should start on a new page and be given a unique title and identifying letter, such as “Appendix A – Raw Data”. This allows you to more easily refer to appendix headings in the text of your main body should you need to.
• Each appendix should have its own page numbering system, comprising the appendix identification letter and the corresponding page number. The appendix identification letter should be reset for each appendix, but the page number should remain continuous. For example, if ‘Appendix A’ has three pages and ‘Appendix B’ two pages, the page numbers should be A-1, A-2, A-3, B-4, B-5.
• The numbering of tables and figures should be reset at the beginning of each new appendix. For example, if ‘Appendix A’ contains two tables and ‘Appendix B’ one table, the table number within Appendix B should be ‘Table 1’ and not ‘Table 3’.
• If you have multiple appendices instead of a single longer one, insert a ‘List of Appendices’ in the same way as your contents page.
• Use the same formatting (font size, font type, spacing, margins, etc.) as the rest of your report.

Example of Appendices

Below is an example of what a thesis or dissertation appendix could look like.

Referring to an Appendix In-Text

You must refer to each appendix in the main body of your dissertation at least once to justify its inclusion; otherwise, the question arises as to whether they are really needed.

You can refer to an appendix in one of three ways:

1. Refer to a specific figure or table within a sentence, for example: “As shown in Table 2 of Appendix A, there is little correlation between X and Y”.

2. Refer to a specific figure or table in parentheses, for example: “The results (refer to Table 2 of Appendix A) show that there is little correlation between X and Y”.

3. Refer to an entire appendix, for example: “The output data can be found in Appendix A”.

Appendices vs Appendixes

Both terms are correct, so it is up to you which one you prefer. However, it is worth noting that ‘appendices’ are used more frequently in the science and research community, so we recommend using the former in academic writing if you have no preferences.

Where Does an Appendix Go?

For a dissertation, your appendices should be inserted after your reference list.

Some people like to put their appendices in a standalone document to separate it from the rest of their report, but we only recommend this at the request of your dissertation supervisor, as this isn’t common practice.

Note : Your university may have its own requirements or formatting suggestions for writing your dissertation or thesis appendix. As such, make sure you check with your supervisor or department before you work on your appendices. This will especially be the case for any students working on a thesis.

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In the UK, a dissertation, usually around 20,000 words is written by undergraduate and Master’s students, whilst a thesis, around 80,000 words, is written as part of a PhD.

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Footnotes & Appendices 

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APA style offers writers footnotes and appendices as spaces where additional, relevant information might be shared within a document; this resource offers a quick overview of format and content concerns for these segments of a document. Should additional clarification be necessary, it is always recommended that writers reach out to the individual overseeing their work (i.e., instructor, editor, etc.). For your convenience, a student sample paper is included below; please note the document is filled with  Lorem Ipsum  placeholder text and references to footnotes and appendices are highighlighted. Additional marginal notes also further explain specific portions of the example. 

Footnotes 

Footnotes are supplementary details printed at the bottom of the page pertaining to a paper’s content or copyright information. This supporting text can be utilized in any type of APA paper to support the body paragraphs.

Content-Based Footnotes

Utilizing footnotes to provide supplementary detail can enrich the body text and reinforce the main argument of the paper. Footnotes may also direct readers to an alternate source for more detail on a topic. Though content footnotes can be useful in providing additional context, it is detrimental to include tangential or convoluted information. Footnotes should detail a focused subject; lengthier sections of text are better suited for the body paragraphs.

Acknowledging Copyright

When citing long quotations, images, tables, data, or commercially published questionnaires in-text, it is important to credit the copyright information in a footnote. Functioning much like an in-text citation, a footnote copyright attribution provides credit to the original source and must also be included in a reference list. A copyright citation is needed for both direct reprinting as well as adaptations of content, and these may require express permission from the copyright owner.

Formatting Footnotes

Each footnote and its corresponding in-text callout should be formatted in numerical order of appearance utilizing superscript. As demonstrated in the example below, the superscripted numerals should follow all punctuation with the exception of dashes and parentheses.

For example: 

Footnote callouts should not be placed in headings and do not require a space between the callout and superscripted number. When reintroducing a footnote that has previously been called out, refrain from replicating the callout or footnote itself; rather, format such reference as “see Footnote 4”, for example. Footnotes should be placed at the bottom of the page on which the corresponding callout is referenced. Alternatively, a footnotes page could be created to follow the reference page. When formatting footnotes in the latter manner, center and bold the label “Footnotes” then record each footnote as a double-spaced and indented paragraph. Place the corresponding superscripted number in front of each footnote and separate the numeral from the following text with a single space.

Formatting Copyright Information

To provide credit for images, tables, or figures pulled from an outside source, include the accreditation statement at the end of the note for the visual. Copyright acknowledgements for long quotations or questionnaires should simply be placed in a footnote at the bottom of the page.

When formatting a copyright accreditation, utilize the following format:

• Establish if the content was reprinted or adapted by using language such as “from” for directly copied material or “adapted from” for material that has been modified
• Include the content’s title, author, year of publication, and source
• Cite the copyright holder and year of copyright or indicate that the source is public domain or licensed under Creative Commons
• If express permission was required to reprint the material, include a statement indicating that permission was acquired

Appendices 

When introducing supplementary content that may not fit within the body of a paper, an appendix can be included to help readers better understand the material without distracting from the text itself. Primarily used to introduce research materials, specific details of a study, or participant demographics, appendices are generally concise and only incorporate relevant content. Much like with footnotes, appendices may require an acknowledgement of copyright and, if data is cited, an adherence to the privacy policies that protect participant identities.

Formatting Appendices

An appendix should be created on its own individual page labelled “Appendix” and followed by a title on the next line that describes the subject of the appendix. These headings should be centered and bolded at the top of the page and written in title case. If there are multiple appendices, each should be labelled with a capital letter and referenced in-text by its specific title (for example, “see Appendix B”). All appendices should follow references, footnotes, and any tables or figures included at the end of the document.

Text Appendices 

Appendices should be formatted in traditional paragraph style and may incorporate text, figures, tables, equations, or footnotes. In an appendix, all figures, tables, and other visuals should be labelled with the letter of the corresponding appendix followed by a number indicating the order in which each appears. For example, a table labelled “Table B1” would be the first table in Appendix B. If there is only one appendix in the document, the visuals should still be labelled with the letter A and a number to differentiate them from those contained in the paper itself (for example, “Figure A3” is the third figure in the singular appendix, which is not labelled with a letter in the heading). 

Table or Figure Appendices 

When an appendix solely contains a table or figure, the title of the figure or table should be substituted with the title of the appendix. For example, if Appendix B only includes a figure, the figure should be labelled “Appendix B” rather than “Figure B1”, as it would be named if there were multiple figures included.

If an appendix does not contain text but includes numerous figures or table, the appendix should be formatted like a text appendix. The appendix would receive a name and label, and each figure or table would be given a corresponding letter and number. For example, if Appendix C contains two tables and one figure, these visuals would be labelled “Table C1”, “Table C2”, and “Figure C1” respectively.

Sample Paper    

Media File: APA 7 - Student Sample Paper (Footnotes & Appendices)

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Q. How to refer to appendices in the text of my paper in APA 7?

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Related topics, answered by: rachel lerner last updated: jul 12, 2021     views: 450.

The only thing that APA stipulates is that you refer to the appendix by its label (appendix a, etc). There are in-line references with and without further information (ex: see Appendix A for details on the questionnaire), but it does lend more clarity, so you can include it if you wish.

For more information on APA 7, please visit the  Netter Library APA 7 Citation Help Guide .

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Appendices within Manuscript

Appendices may be included as part of the manuscript. These typically appear after the Bibliography or References section. 

• List the Appendices in the Table of Contents
• Do not restart page numbering for your Appendices. For example, if the last page of your Bibliography is 195, your first Appendix page number should be 196. 

Appendices as Supplemental Files

Electronic or audiovisual data may be included as Supplemental Files in an ETD submission. Your committee should agree that the information contained in the supplemental files is of such a character that a medium other than text is necessary.

When uploading your manuscript to ProQuest, there is a place to upload Supplemental Files separate from the main PDF upload (see screen capture below). 

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Q. How should I cite my paper's appendices in-text for APA format?

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Answered By: Gabe Gossett Last Updated: May 22, 2020     Views: 462270

Note: This is an answer only for citing appendices you create in the body of your paper . If you are looking for information on how to cite sources within your appendix, please follow this link .

When citing an appendix you are including in your paper refer to a single appendix simply as Appendix. If you include an appendix, you should refer to it in the text of your paper. If you have more than one appendix add letters to differentiate them in the order they appear in your text. For example, we could say something like "Please see Appendix A for more information on educational outcomes and Appendix B for the questionnaire used to collect student responses."

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Comments (11)

• Useful for me by kate huddson on Apr 20, 2017
• Thanks for this information by Juanita Cyrus on Jun 24, 2018
• Once you cite an appendix in text, is that enough, or do you need to cite each time you refer to it? Do I need to say repeatedly "See Appendix A" or is the first reference enough? by Christy Johanson on Sep 16, 2020
• @Christy, this is one of those things where it all depends on context and your practice can be very similar to how you would do other citations in-text. Ultimately, make it clear for your reader. If it is clear based on the narrative of your text that you are still referring to the appendix, it is not necessary to cite it again. On the other hand, if it might be unclear whether you are writing in reference to the appendix, then cite it again. by Gabe Gossett on Sep 16, 2020
• What if you are referencing two different appendices (in-text citation)? Should it be (see Appendix A and Appendix B) or (see Appendices A and B) ... I can't find any rules around the parenthetical reference to the appendices. Thank you! by Barbara on Mar 21, 2021
• @Barbara: I don't know of any particular guidance on plural references to appendices. Either would probably be fine, though my suggestion would be to go with (see Appendices A and B) for conciseness. by Gabe Gossett on Mar 31, 2021
• When I cite a document I have included in an appendix AND in my reference list, how do I write the in-text citation? Or, if I have it as an appendix, should I simply not cite the reference? Eg, "As stated in document X (Doc X, 2004; see Appendix B)..." by Gunita on Jan 23, 2022
• @gunita: How to cite the document will probably depend how it is presented in the appendix. If the entire document is the appendix. Say Appendix A presents the in-depth research results from something related to your paper, and you reference the results in your paper/report you can direct the reader to the table in Appendix A for more detail. If you are pulling the table from another resource, you would, of course, cite the source in the Appendix as well. If your appendix contains information that you did not create (like a research study) and is presenting info from another document, I would cite the direct source (example: "Jones (2004) indicated in their research report that X and Y causes Z. (pp. 198-200). See Appendix A for a detailed table." And then include another citation to Jone in your appendix. If you created the info in the Appendix (it was based on original research and was a report you wrote expanding or explaining details related to the research), you can refer to the Appendix (Example: "In the preliminary research, A and B did not contribute to the success of C. See Appendix A for more detail...") Keep in mind that these are only two examples and they are based on my interpretation of APA. There are different ways to present similar information. by Elizabeth Stephan on Jan 26, 2022
• 1. When citing in text for example (see Appendix J), does this have to be in italics? and does the ("see") bit need a capital S ("See...") in text or does this not matter? 2. Also, when you have an Appendix which contains more than 1 part e.g questionnaire measures how can I cite this in the text? For example, would it be appropriate to say (see Appendix B6, Appendix B) or would (see Appendix B6) be sufficient? 3. When you are referring to a figure from the Appendix would I say (see Figure J9, Appendix J) and if I am referring to more than one figure would I say (see Figures J1, J2 & J3, Appendix J) by Maera on Aug 18, 2022
• Is necessary to have appendix reference in parentheses or is okay to end a sentance with a reference without parentheses? E.g. "...assumptions were not met, see appendix A." by Marge on Sep 10, 2022
• @Marge and Maera: Apologies for the late reply on your questions in the comments here. Marge, I don't see specific guidance in the APA Manual on this, but if you are referring to the appendix in the narrative of your text I would assume that a parenthetical citation for the appendix would be unnecessary, just like narrative in-text citations for sources cited. Maera, the example provided in the APA Manual does not use italics. For your other questions, while there is not specific information on how to refer to content within an appendix, but having more precise information for readers tends to be helpful, so I suggest erring on the side of including that information. by Gabe Gossett on Sep 19, 2022

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Dissertation Advice: How to Use the Appendix

3-minute read

• 5th June 2017

Unlike the human appendix, the appendices at the end of your dissertation are very valuable… OK, we know that research has shown that the human appendix is useful. But we needed a snappy opening line and we’ll be damned if we let scientific evidence get in our way!

Anyway, our point is that you can often get extra marks on an academic paper by using the appendices effectively. In this blog post, we explain how.

What to Put in the Appendix

An appendix is where extra information goes. What you include, and how many appendices you need, will depend on what you’re writing about. Common examples include:

• Raw test data
• Technical figures, graphs and tables
• Maps, charts and illustrations
• Letters and emails
• Sample questionnaires and surveys
• Interview transcripts

These are all things you might want to reference in your main essay without including them in full. For example, even if you quote an interview in the results and discussion section of an essay, you would not usually include the full transcript. Instead, you would write:

Participant 4 claimed to experience ‘dizziness and nausea’ (see Appendix B).

This points the reader to the appendix if they want to see where the quote came from.

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How to Format Appendices

The correct way to format appendices will depend on your university, so make sure to check your style guide . But in general, the following rules should be followed:

• Place appendices at the end of your document after the reference list
• Divide appendices by topic (e.g. separate sections for test results, illustrations and transcripts)
• Start each appendix on a new page and label it with a letter or number, along with a title clarifying content (Appendix A: Instrument Diagrams, Appendix B: Test Results, etc.)
• List appendices in the table of contents at the beginning of your document

Doing these things will make it easier for your reader to find information in the appendices.

Appendices and the Word Count

Appendices are not usually included in the word count for your paper. This means you can cut non-essential information from the main chapters and add it to an appendix without worrying about exceeding the word limit.

But be warned! This is not an excuse to cut vital information from your work. You must included all important data in your main essay. If you put essential information in the appendices, it could count against you when your work is marked.

Some universities include appendices in the word count, though, so there are better ways to ensure that your work doesn’t end up too wordy!

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How to Write a Research Paper Appendix

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Writing a research paper isn’t just a work of mere writing. Writing the perfect research paper takes a lot of research, analysis, framing, formatting, and much more. Correctly writing one of the most essential and academically popular segments of a research paper, the appendix, is one such effort that goes into a dissertation.  In this blog , we will discuss with you the functions of an appendix in-depth and give you some tried and tested tips to craft the perfect appendix section of a research paper! Let’s dive in! 

What is an Appendix?

The appendix on a research paper is a supplementary segment at the end of a dissertation or the research paper. This section isn’t considered a part of the main body text of the dissertation, but it is an important part of doing research. Appendices often feature raw data in the form of tables, figures, maps, diagrams and statistics and thus contribute to the credibility of the research and make it a perfect research paper . 

Using academic resources, books, and research tools can help frame an appendix better. Appendices are essential since they provide extra support to your research and make the dissertation seem more transparent regarding data. 

However, the appendix section of a research paper should only be supplementary; thus, you cannot depend on it to help the reader understand the main text. Your dissertation text should be detailed enough to be understandable without appendices, and they should only be placed to support your arguments presented in the research report. 

How to Write an Appendix for a Research Paper

Writing the perfect research paper appendix can be overwhelming if it’s your first time doing so. However, drafting the appendix section of a research paper can be quite fun if you know the basics and understand how exactly you should go about it. Here are our 5 tips on how to write the perfect appendix for your dissertation: 

Step 1: Organize the Appendix

With all the raw data, stats, and information, an appendix on a research paper can be difficult to go through and understand if they’re drafted disorganizedly. So, while writing your research paper appendix, make sure you are not just ramming all information into it but organising it well so the reader can utilise it. Structure it well, for it can very well come across as a reflection of your daily choices.

Step 2: Consider Accessibility

A research paper appendix can include non-textual information like tables, diagrams, graphs, images, illustrations, etc. If you’re adding such visual data elements to your appendices, ensure the material is clear and readable so the reader can comprehend the data. You should also ensure you are labelling these elements well and adding brief descriptions to each figure. 

Step 3: Review for Relevance

It is easy to lose track of the relevance of your data while preparing appendices since you have to work with many different types of data simultaneously. However, you have to remember that the goal is not to stuff your appendices with data. Rather, craft a precise, careful research paper appendix that can give your reader relevant and additional data that supports your research.

Step 4: Proofread and Revise

When it comes to dissertation writing, typos, grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes can cost you way more than just miscommunication. These seemingly harmless errors can make your work look casual and unprofessional, bringing in questions about the credibility of your work. It is a similar case when it comes to writing an appendix for a research paper. 

Step 5: Seek Guidance

It is important to remember that seeking guidance when you feel stuck is pretty normal, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about it. You may feel lost while writing an appendix for a research paper, and it is the perfect time to seek guidance from your peers, advisor or even dissertation committee members. 

How to Format an Appendix

Ensuring proper formatting is crucial for the seamless integration of the research paper appendix into the main body. Follow the guidelines below for a sharp-looking appendix:

Consistency with the Main Body

Formatting elements, fonts, font sizes and margins should have uniformity. Consistent and professional appearance gives your research paper a neat look.

Organisation and Structure

Use headings and subheadings to categorise your data logically. You can also use a well-structured numbering system to facilitate easy navigation.

Descriptive Elements

Introduce each content with short descriptions and paragraphs. Giving additional context makes the information more accessible and interpretable.

Consistent Formatting Style

Use a formatting style that goes well with the rest of your dissertation, along with font styles, sizes, and other formatting guidelines instructed by your academic institution.

Visual Accessibility

Any non-textual elements, such as tables, graphs, or images, should be clear and readable. Label these visual elements and add alternative texts for inclusivity in the digital appendix.

Where does the appendix go in your dissertation? 

Although the appendix section of a research paper is an essential part of your dissertation, it is not to be included in the main body of the dissertation. As a compilation of supplementary material and raw data, your research paper appendix should go at the end of the dissertation, typically inserted after the reference lists. Some even present appendices as separate supplementary documents, mostly done in specially requested cases. 

The format of the research paper appendix should be similar to the rest of your report for consistency. It should thus be drafted and formatted in the same style as the dissertation in terms of fonts, margins, and font sizes.

What to include in your appendix 

While drafting your research paper appendix, remember that it needs to be as precise as possible. Thus, there cannot be unnecessary information in it. Typically, appendices include raw data that supports your research and is referenced in the dissertation you have prepared. Here are some of the elements that you should include in your appendix: 

• Research results 
• Transcribed interviews 
• Survey/questionnaire details 
• Table and figures 
• Co-respondence 
• List of abbreviations used 
• Calculations and formulas 

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Referring appendix in-text 

Only adding your appendix to the research paper at the end of the dissertation would not make sense if there are no references to them in the main text. To justify its existence and inclusion in the research report, you should reference the appendix at least once in the whole report. A neatly labelled and properly referred research paper appendix can make your dissertation look more professional and supported. 

How to refer to an appendix

Referring to the research paper appendix within the main text is important in highlighting its relevance. Use these five methods for referencing:

In-text references

Specific references embedded in your sentences contextually shape your information. For example, "In Table 2 of Appendix B, the commonality between subjects A and B is illustrated.

Parenthetical references

You can use parentheses for concise references without disrupting the main text's flow. For instance, "The result [refer to Appendix C, Fig. 2] is not consistent with the previous findings."

Referring to the entire appendix

Refer to the entire research paper appendix in your text when appropriate. For example, "The data supporting this conclusion can be found in Appendix B."

Clarity and labelling

References should be clear and well-labelled. Proper labelling ensures easy identification of referenced material within the appendix, polishing your research paper professionally.

Cross-referencing

Cross-referencing helps you establish connections between the main text and the appendix. Phrases like "As discussed in Appendix A" guide readers to supporting material.

Crafting the perfect appendix section of a research paper involves meticulous attention to detail and adherence to formatting and referencing guidelines. As an integral part of your dissertation, the appendix contributes significantly to the transparency, credibility, and overall professionalism of your research. By following the comprehensive guidelines provided in this guide, you can ensure that your appendix not only complements your main text but also serves as a valuable resource for readers seeking additional insights. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What do i write in a research paper appendix, why is an appendix important for a dissertation, where is the appendix placed in the research paper, is writing a research paper appendix difficult, what are the basic guidelines for writing an appendix.

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Appendices, References, Acknowledgements and Other Final Things

Posted by Rene Tetzner | Oct 22, 2021 | PhD Success | 0 |

4.6 Appendices, References, Acknowledgements and Other Final Things

4.6.1 Appendices

As I mentioned in Sections 1.4.1 and 3.5.3, appendices are not required in a thesis, but they are often included. If you are considering appendices for your thesis, check your university or department guidelines or discuss the idea with your supervisor to be certain that they will be received positively. It is also a good idea to revisit at this point any length or word count requirements or limitations set for doctoral theses by your university or department, because if you have already reached the upper limit, including appendices may require cutting other material, and in such situations appendices should only be considered if they are absolutely necessary. However, appendices are often preferable to extensive or overly long footnotes or endnotes or too much supplementary information in the main text of a thesis, both of which can distract readers from your main argument. For this reason, an effective strategy may be to move such material from the main text or notes into an appendix, since this sort of revision will not significantly alter the overall length or word count of your thesis. If, on the other hand, your thesis is a little shy of the minimum length requirement, you may want to add an appendix or two for supplementary information that you originally cut out of the thesis, but that could usefully be included: this can help you increase the word count to meet requirements. Your decision regarding the inclusion of appendices may also be simplified by the following information and advice.

As a general rule, appendices present subsidiary or supplementary material that is directly related to the material in the thesis itself and potentially helpful to readers, but which might prove distracting or inappropriate or simply too long were it included in the main body of the thesis or in notes (long footnotes in particular can make the layout of pages unattractive and should be avoided). An appendix is also a good format for material that is mentioned or discussed in more than one chapter, part or section of a thesis, because it helps the author avoid repetition while rendering the information readily available to readers. Appendices can contain a wide variety of material, such as texts discussed in the thesis, translations, chronologies, genealogies, examples of principles and procedures, descriptions of complex pieces of equipment, survey questionnaires, participant responses, detailed demographics for a population or sample, lists (particularly long ones), tables and figures, explanations or elaborations of any aspect of a study and any other supplementary information relevant to a thesis.

This material should not be included in an appendix simply because it is interesting and you happen to have it, however; instead, appendices should be included ‘only if they help readers to understand, evaluate, or replicate the study or theoretical argument being made’ ( Publication Manual of the APA , 2010, p.40). An appendix ‘should not be a repository for odds and ends that the author could not work into the text’ ( Chicago Manual of Style , 2003, p.27). Ideally, each appendix should have a specific theme, focus or function and gather materials of a particular type or relating to a particular topic, and it should bear a main heading that describes its content (e.g., ‘Appendix: Questionnaire 3 in Spanish and English’). If more than one theme or topic requires this sort of treatment, additional appendices should be preferred to subdividing a single long appendix, although appendices can certainly make use of internal headings and subheadings if necessary (on headings, see Section 6.1).

It is also best if appendices, like tables and figures, are able to stand on their own, so all abbreviations, symbols and specialised or technical terminology should be briefly defined or explained within each appendix, enabling the reader to understand the material without recourse to definitions and explanations in the rest of the thesis. All information in appendices that overlaps material in the main body of a thesis should match that material precisely in both content and format. Appendices can be set in the font size used in the main body of a thesis or a slightly smaller font to save space and they normally appear in the final matter before the endnotes (if there are any) or before the reference list or bibliography, although in some cases the appendices will be the last items in a thesis, so do check guidelines to determine if a specific position is required. The first appendix in a thesis usually begins on a new page, and subsequent appendices sometimes do the same, though they can run on instead with a little extra spacing between the end of one appendix and the beginning of the next. If there is only one appendix in a thesis, it will not need to be identified by a particular number or letter, but if you intend to include two or more appendices, they will need to be labelled with uppercase letters or with Arabic or Roman numerals according to the order in which the appendices are mentioned in the main text of the thesis, which should match the order of their appearance in the final matter (‘Appendix A,’ ‘Appendix B,’ ‘Appendix C’ etc., or ‘Appendix 1,’ ‘Appendix 2,’ ‘Appendix 3’ etc.). Appendices should always be referred to by these labels when they are discussed in the thesis, and each appendix should be referred to at least briefly in the main text of the thesis.

If a single table or figure makes up the whole of an appendix, the appendix label and heading are sufficient for the table or figure as well, but if an appendix contains more than a single table or figure, each table and figure will need to be numbered (and given a heading or caption), and this numbering should be separate from the tables and figures associated with the chapters of the thesis. If there is only one appendix, a capital A (for ‘Appendix’) should be used before each table or figure number – ‘Table A.1’ and ‘Figure A.2’ – but if more than one appendix is included, the specific letter or number of the appendix should be used as well as the table or figure number: ‘Table C.3,’ ‘Figure B.2,’ ‘Table II.4’ and ‘Figure IV.2.’ Please note that if you have more than one appendix in your thesis and any of those appendices contain more than one table or figure, the appendices should be labelled with letters or Roman numerals; if such appendices use Arabic numerals, it will be difficult to distinguish between tables and figures in chapters and those in the appendices (e.g., ‘Table 3.3’ could be the third table in Chapter 3 or the third table in Appendix 3, whereas ‘Table C.3’ is clearly the third table in Appendix C). Tables and figures may be embedded in appendices that also include text or they may appear at the end of each appendix, but if the university or department guidelines you are following indicate that tables and figures in general should be placed at the end of the thesis, those associated with appendices may need to appear there as well. For further information on tables and figures, see Sections 1.3 and 4.4.1.

4.6.2 Other Final Things

If you have not yet added (or revised and expanded since your proposal) any footnotes or endnotes that you intend to use for supplementary information in the thesis, now is the time to add them (see Section 3.4 above). It can be helpful to construct (or review) the supplementary notes and any appendices you plan to include at the same time so that you can decide which format is most appropriate for different kinds of material. If any ancillary lists are required – a list of abbreviations, for instance, or lists of tables and figures – these should be added at this point as well, either in the preliminary or final matter depending on university or department guidelines and/or personal preferences (see Sections 1.1.7–1.1.9). A list of abbreviations is usually arranged alphabetically by the abbreviations (rather than the full versions) with a colon between each abbreviation and its definition (see also Section 6.3):

ANOVA: Analysis of variance

CI: Confidence interval

ES: Effect size

Lists of tables and figures (on which, see also Sections 1.1.8 and 1.1.9), on the other hand, are arranged numerically according to the table or figure numbers and usually include the page number each table or figure appears on:

            Table 1: Items in Questionnaire 1    .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     67

            Table 2: Items in Questionnaire 2    .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     71

            Table 3: Items in Questionnaire 3    .     .     .     .     .     .     .     .     74

Tables are usually listed separately from figures, and shortened forms of table headings and figure captions are often used in these lists, especially if the headings and captions are long (consisting of more than a single sentence, for instance), but the table and figure numbers must match exactly the labels that appear on the tables and figures themselves and the order in which the tables and figures appear in the thesis. When tables and figures are reproduced or adapted from other sources, acknowledgements of those sources are sometimes included in such lists. For general advice on constructing lists, see Section 5.5.2.

Acknowledgements of any assistance you received in writing the thesis and in some cases of any materials you used from previous publications should be added to the thesis as well (see Section 1.1.6). Acknowledgements generally appear in the front matter of a thesis, but they can instead be added to the final matter, so you will need to determine which location is most appropriate for your thesis. Credits and permissions (if necessary) for material such as images, tables and long quotations borrowed from sources sometimes appear along with the borrowed material itself instead of (or in addition to) appearing in the acknowledgements (see Section 4.4.1, for instance). Acknowledgements in theses tend to be rather informal and sometimes intensely personal when compared with the formal scholarly text used in the rest of a thesis. As a general rule, this is fine – you have, after all, had a great deal of help in achieving the monumental goal of writing your thesis and it is only natural to want to thank with enthusiasm those who assisted you. Do beware, however, of letting your prose style slip beneath the required standard.

The acknowledgements may not be part of the scholarship in your thesis, but they are there for all to read, and a thesis is a professional document, so it is wise to maintain a professional perspective. Try to avoid arbitrary shifts between the first-, second- and third-person voices (e.g., ‘I would like to thank my friend and colleague Vicky for reading each and every chapter with such painstaking care – I wouldn’t have survived this thesis without you!’) and informal usage (contractions, for instance, such as ‘wouldn’t’ in my example, the second part of which would be better as ‘– I would not have survived this thesis without her!’). Keep in mind as well that some supervisors and committee members will feel embarrassed and uncomfortable when reading overly effusive expressions of gratitude aimed at themselves – yes, they have been wonderful, but supervising your work is their job, after all – so maintaining the dignity and comfort of everyone involved, including yourself, while expressing sincere and even enthusiastic gratitude is the best approach. Focussing precisely on exactly what each individual has done that specifically assisted you in completing your thesis will help you keep your acknowledgements relevant and professional.

Any dedication you wish to include in the thesis should be added to the front matter at this point as well. More importantly, if you have not yet written your abstract and chosen your keywords, they will need to be tackled, and if you have already worked on these earlier, revising them right after you have finished drafting the entire thesis is a good strategy (see Sections 1.1.2, 1.1.3 and 4.2). Finally, you will need to add or complete all the necessary citations, quotations and references in your thesis and compile the list of references, list of works cited or bibliography that should appear at the end of the thesis (or expand the one you submitted with your proposal: see Sections 1.2.6, 1.4.3, 2.1.2 and 3.5.4). It is very late in the game indeed to be deciding upon referencing methods and styles at this point, but if that is not yet a settled matter, a consistent and effective system must be adopted and applied throughout the thesis before it is considered a complete draft, and it is always wise to check your references carefully to be sure you have met the requirements set by your university, department and thesis committee. In Chapter 7 below I discuss in detail the main methods and styles of in-text referencing as well as reference lists and bibliographies, so please refer to that chapter for specific advice on bringing your references into line with scholarly standards, especially if you do not have specific guidelines to follow. If you use direct quotations in your thesis, see also Chapter 8, where I outline the ways in which direct quotations should be presented and integrated in academic and scientific prose.

Finally, once you have the entire thesis drafted, your table of contents will need to be completed by adding page numbers for the parts, chapters and sections of the thesis (and perhaps removing the summaries you used for your thesis outline if you have not already done so: see Section 4.1), or updated and checked if you are making use of a tool such as Word’s automatic table of contents function (see Section 6.1.1 for advice on creating an active table of contents). Make sure that all page numbers in the table of contents accurately indicate the pages on which those parts, chapters and sections actually appear in the thesis, and check the table of contents carefully to ensure that all titles and headings that appear in it match the corresponding headings in the thesis exactly in terms of order, wording, numbering (if used), punctuation and usually capitalisation as well (see Section 6.1 for further information on headings). Even something as simple as line spacing is important in this final stage. Although you may have single spaced your writing while sharing it with your supervisor and the other members of your committee without earning any complaints, double spacing is usual in the main body or running text of a thesis and it also tends to make your work more legible and easier on the eyes of your readers than single spacing does. Many universities will require double spacing, so do check for that in the guidelines and perhaps pay your readers (who are also your examiners) the courtesy of using it even if it is not required.

Why PhD Success?

To Graduate Successfully

This article is part of a book called "PhD Success" which focuses on the writing process of a phd thesis, with its aim being to provide sound practices and principles for reporting and formatting in text the methods, results and discussion of even the most innovative and unique research in ways that are clear, correct, professional and persuasive.

The assumption of the book is that the doctoral candidate reading it is both eager to write and more than capable of doing so, but nonetheless requires information and guidance on exactly what he or she should be writing and how best to approach the task. The basic components of a doctoral thesis are outlined and described, as are the elements of complete and accurate scholarly references, and detailed descriptions of writing practices are clarified through the use of numerous examples.

The basic components of a doctoral thesis are outlined and described, as are the elements of complete and accurate scholarly references, and detailed descriptions of writing practices are clarified through the use of numerous examples. PhD Success provides guidance for students familiar with English and the procedures of English universities, but it also acknowledges that many theses in the English language are now written by candidates whose first language is not English, so it carefully explains the scholarly styles, conventions and standards expected of a successful doctoral thesis in the English language.

Individual chapters of this book address reflective and critical writing early in the thesis process; working successfully with thesis supervisors and benefiting from commentary and criticism; drafting and revising effective thesis chapters and developing an academic or scientific argument; writing and formatting a thesis in clear and correct scholarly English; citing, quoting and documenting sources thoroughly and accurately; and preparing for and excelling in thesis meetings and examinations. 

Completing a doctoral thesis successfully requires long and penetrating thought, intellectual rigour and creativity, original research and sound methods (whether established or innovative), precision in recording detail and a wide-ranging thoroughness, as much perseverance and mental toughness as insight and brilliance, and, no matter how many helpful writing guides are consulted, a great deal of hard work over a significant period of time. Writing a thesis can be an enjoyable as well as a challenging experience, however, and even if it is not always so, the personal and professional rewards of achieving such an enormous goal are considerable, as all doctoral candidates no doubt realise, and will last a great deal longer than any problems that may be encountered during the process.

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Rene Tetzner

Rene Tetzner's blog posts dedicated to academic writing. Although the focus is on How To Write a Doctoral Thesis, many other important aspects of research-based writing, editing and publishing are addressed in helpful detail.

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Appendix Dissertation: What to Write & How to Use

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A dissertation appendix is an optional section that offers additional details. This can include survey results, raw data, statistics, calculations, photographs and other visual sources.

Appendix of a dissertation is one of the essential research components. It is an application that shows work you have conducted. Like other elements of scientific work, appendices should be drawn up accordingly. This article includes detailed information on how to do an appendicx for a dissertation.

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What Is a Dissertation Appendix?

Appendix in dissertation is a section where non-standard format data is included. It is designed to improve quality of work, make it more evident and trustworthy. This section shows your readers the level of your competence and topic's depth. This part contains elements related to your research like tables, images, maps, documents, etc. Here should be any additional material which will not be added into general text. Just make sure you put data, which is not meant to be placed into the body of work. It includes vast material, for example, statistical data for calculation. Usually, the last pages are where you put this part of a dissertation. Appendixes' volume is not taken into account in total work size. If your research requires 70 pages, then your main text without attachments should be 70 pages. There are no volume requirements for the appendix itself. It can consist of 1 or 100 pages.  

What Is the Purpose of Appendix in Dissertation?

Appendix in a dissertation includes all large materials that are not placed into worktext. This place is for informational or reference purposes only. Imagine there is disagreement about research conclusions. Then, detailed useful data from appendices will help you clarify the situation. For example, members of the defense commission had questions about certain conclusions. In turn, you can demonstrate application form and methodology for analyzing answers. It makes no sense to include these documents in work text due to their large volume. But this part is a super helpful place to prove the process's correctness.  

Appendices or Appendixes

Wondering how to write correctly: appendices or appendixes ? You may think that both are correct. But which is more widespread? We'll explain it quickly! These are views of American English over past few decades: "Appendixes" was previously a completely incorrect plural form of "Appendix." This word was considered as a supplementary body part. Instead, the plural form was "Appendices." But it seems, many people made a mistake and preferred the wrong variant. So, with English being constantly evolving, it began to spread out quickly. This variant started to appear in academic and public materials. Both words are now considered correct according to modern dictionaries. "Appendixes" are becoming increasingly popular. We recommend you to look at other similar publications of your field. Check which word they are using.  

What to Include in Dissertation Appendix?

Most often, your appendix for dissertation should include:

• Research Results Research results can be presented in tables and figures at the end or in the main text. So let's discover what information to submit in what form. Display main results that are relevant to your research question into the main text. Less significant results that do not help answer your main question can be placed in the appendix. This includes a detailed description of your sample or additional tests you have performed. For example, if you used software for statistics, including the results of your analysis.
• Questionnaires and Interviews In this section, you can add written materials relevant to survey and interview. Include these points in your dissertation so that readers can see what you have drawn your conclusions from. But they are usually not in the main body of text.
• Tables and Figures Any material that is less important to the main text can be included in the appendix. This includes tables, figures, and other graphic elements (such as charts and illustrations).
• Personal/Used Correspondence This should include correspondence between you and other researchers. Maybe you have applied for permission to reuse copyrighted material. This will help protect your dissertation from suspicion of plagiarism.
• Abbreviations It would be wise if you added a list of abbreviations to the appendix. Not all of your readers can understand the abbreviated technical terms you use. Note: Some researchers call this a "glossary."

Dissertation Appendix: Format

Now it's time to discuss how to do a dissertation appendix ! Here are some format and style rules you should keep in mind while writing your work:

• Heading "Appendix" should be centered on the first page of the section.
• Each reference should have its own number. It is located at the top of the page (for example, Appendix 1).
• Type and font size should be the same as in main work.
• Each attachment should be placed on a separate sheet even if it does not occupy the entire page.
• A "page break" should be inserted at the end of the page. So that materials do not move when a file is opened in another version of Microsoft Word.

At different universities, format requirements may differ. So we recommend you consult with your starting supervisor.

How to Refer to Appendix in Dissertation In-Text

Now let's discuss how to use an appendix in a dissertation in-text. All attachments should be arranged in the same order in which they are mentioned in text. In text, mark results with links. For example: "See Appendix №." We also recommend you make a list of attachments as you write your work. For example, you mentioned in a text a survey conducted. Immediately add a questionnaire and essential processing method in the appendix. When work is finished, you can easily collect all materials for application. Consider dissertation help services if you lack time to start the work.

Dissertation Appendix: Example

Here you can see some dissertation appendix samples. Don't hesitate and double-check this part. It is important for you to make your experience of writing a dissertation understandable for every reader. 

Appendix in Dissertation: Bottom Line

Appendix of a dissertation is not less important than any other part of writing a thesis paper . This section consists of materials that do not fit into the main body. These can be images, tables, questionnaires, diagrams, calculations, drawings. It shows your severe approach and ability for working with information and increases the value of all work. Check our recommendations provided above if you wanna cope quickly with this section. We provided all the necessary background for you to succeed. Also, we recommended reading about  how to write a dissertation abstract ,  dissertation acknowledgments , or  dissertation proposals .  

If difficulties arise, you can always turn to our writing services online for expert help. They will deliver your dissertation quickly and efficiently!  

Joe Eckel is an expert on Dissertations writing. He makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.

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• Writing Tips

How to Cite an Appendix in Harvard Referencing

2-minute read

• 21st January 2023

You’ve got your hands on some highly useful – yet non-essential – information that provides background information for your reader on the issue you’re writing about. You decide to include it as an appendix in your academic paper. Good move!

But how do you cite an appendix in your academic paper using Harvard referencing? Look no further! We’ve got you covered.

Original Work or Borrowed?

The first question to ask yourself is: who authored the supplementary information you’re offering as an appendix? Did you write it, or did someone else?

If the ideas and work in the appendix are your own, there’s no need to cite it. Instead, simply call attention to the appendix by signposting it in your text. Perhaps you’ve transcribed some interviews for an assignment. In this case, you might write:

You can help your readers to find additional information easily by assigning appendices letters (A) or numbers (1). It’s important to be consistent with this.

If you refer to someone else’s work in any part of the appendix, simply cite it as you normally would in the Harvard referencing style with an in-text citation corresponding to the entry in your references list.

Referencing an Appendix from Someone Else’s Work

If you stumble upon an already compiled appendix of useful information that you think would be perfect to highlight in your own work, by all means, do so. As long as you give credit where credit’s due, there’s no problem. Simply add the appendix information and page number to the in-text and reference citations as needed. For example:

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If you’re thinking about citing an appendix in a Harvard style paper, we hope this post helps you to:

●  Call attention to an appendix.

●  Cite the work of others within an appendix.

●  Reference an appendix from another’s work.

If you’d like the added peace of mind of having your work reviewed by one of our team of professional proofreaders, consider submitting a free sample of your work today.

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Formatting Your Dissertation (or Thesis): Appendices

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This step-by-step article describes several different numbering systems that you can use in documents that contain both chapter headings and appendix headings. Microsoft Word does not support multiple heading-numbering schemes in a single document or master document. When you work with documents that contain both chapter headings and appendix headings, the headings must not use the same heading style level.

Example 1: Chapter Headings and Appendix Headings

When you design a document that contains both chapter headings and appendix headings, you can use different heading style levels to apply the different number formatting to each section. For example, to define a chapter and appendix heading-numbering scheme that resembles the following

Chapter One: This is the title to the first chapter.

Chapter Two: This is the title to the second chapter.

Appendix A: This is the title to the first appendix.

Appendix B: This is the title to the second appendix.

Follow these steps: 

On the  Format  menu, click  Bullets and Numbering , and then click the  Outline Numbered  tab.

Note:  In Microsoft Office Word 2007 and Word 2010, click  Multilevel List  on the  Home  tab.

Select one of the styles, for example, Chapter 1 (the last style choice). Click  Customize .

Note:  In Word 2007 and Word 2010, click  Define New Multilevel List .

In  Level , click  7 .

In the  Number format  field, type "Appendix", and then press the spacebar to insert a space after the word "Appendix".

In  Number style , click  A, B, C, ....

Note:  In the  Number format  field, Appendix A should be shown, with the "A" highlighted.

In the  Number format  field, type a blank space after "Appendix A".

Click the  More  button.

In  Link level to style , click  Heading 7 , and then click  OK .

You can now apply Heading 1 to all paragraphs that are chapter styles and Heading 7 to all paragraphs that are appendix titles.

Example 2: Inserting page numbers for chapter appendexes

To insert page numbers of the style "1-1, A-1" that work with these heading styles, follow these steps: 

Make sure that the document contains a section break of some type. The section break type that you want is typically Next Page. Use the section break to separate the main document area from the appendix area. If there is not a section break there, move your insertion point to a blank area above your appendix, and then follow these steps:

On the  Insert  menu, click  Break .

In the Break popup window, click  Next Page  under  Section break types , and then click  OK .

Note:  In Word 2007 and Word 2010, click  Page Break  on the  Insert  tab.

Format page numbers to include chapter numbering. To do this, follow these steps:

Move the insertion point to the page that contains the first chapter title.

On the  Insert  menu, click  Page Numbers .

Note:  In Word 2007 and Word 2010, click  Page Number  on the  Insert  tab.

Select the intended location for the page number by using the options provided in the  Page Numbers  popup window. Click the  Format  button.

Note:  In Word 2007 and Word 2010, click  Format Page Numbers .

Click to check the  Include  chapter number box.

In  Chapter starts with style , click  Heading 1 , and then click  OK .

Click  OK  in the  Page Numbers  dialog box.

To format page numbers to include appendix numbering, follow these steps:

Move the insertion point to the page that contains the first appendix title.

Select the intended location for the page number by using the options provided in the Page Numbers popup window. Click the  Format  button.

Check the  Include chapter number  box.

In  Chapter starts with style  click  Heading 7 .

In the Page numbering box, click  Start at , and then click  1 , so that each chapter or section begins with the number 1.

Click  OK  twice to return to your document.

Example 3: Building a Customized Table of Contents

To build a table of contents that includes both the chapters and the appendixes, and which also uses the defined page-numbering style, follow these steps: 

Place the insertion point where you want the table of contents.

On the  Insert  menu, point to  Reference , and then click  Index and Tables .

Note:  In Word 2007 and Word 2010, click  Table of Contents  on the  References  tab, and then click  Insert Table of Contents .

Click the  Table of Contents  tab, then click the  Options  button.

In the TOC level boxes, type 1 in the text box to the right of Heading 7.

This configures Word to consider Heading 7 to be a Level 1 entry in the table of contents.

Click  OK .

Click  OK  in the Index and Tables popup window.

Additional Resources

• Video: watch how to add an appendix to word document
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Dissertation Appendix – Components, Format & Examples

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An appendix is an integral part of every dissertation paper, serving as supplementary material that enhances and supports the research study. However, only a few people understand what the section is, where it must be placed, and why it must be included in a dissertation . Therefore, while not typically central to the dissertation’s argument, the appendix adds valuable context and transparency to the academic work. This post will cover everything there is to know about a dissertation appendix, from its definition and purpose to the components and format.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 Dissertation Appendix – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: Dissertation appendix
• 3 Purpose of a dissertation appendix
• 4 Dissertation appendix: Components
• 5 Dissertation appendix: Format
• 6 Referring to a dissertation appendix
• 7 Dissertation Appendix: Checklist

Dissertation Appendix – In a Nutshell

• An appendix is not part of the main body of the dissertation, but is still relevant to it.
• A dissertation appendix encapsulates all explanations that cannot be included in the main body of the dissertation.
• Appendices must be well-structured, and their components systemically organized to serve their purpose correctly.

Definition: Dissertation appendix

A dissertation appendix (plural –appendices) is an index at the end of a dissertation that provides additional information related to the dissertation paper. The section helps academic writers present background information related to the dissertation, but doesn’t directly answer the research question. These can include tables, illustrations and other graphics.

Purpose of a dissertation appendix

The primary purpose of a dissertation appendix is to help keep your dissertation paper organized and within the required word limit. It contains any additional information that isn’t directly relevant to the research topic.

Typically, texts that strengthen your arguments appear in your dissertation paper’s main body. However, there is additional information that isn’t directly beneficial to your research but might be helpful to your readers. That is where a dissertation appendix comes in.

Although they provide additional information, your audience should be able to understand the contents of your dissertation paper even without looking at the dissertation appendix. So, ensure you include all important texts in the main body.

Dissertation appendix: Components

A dissertation appendix can include different types of information, such as:

Research results can be presented in various ways, including tables and figures. However, not all of these findings need to appear in the main body of your dissertation. Only results that are essential in answering the research topic should be included in the paper. Additional results (less significant findings), such as raw data and supplemental analyses, should go into the dissertation appendix.

Further information

Besides supplementary results, additional information related to surveys and interviews can be included in a dissertation appendix. These can include types of interviews, interview transcripts, survey questions, and details of questionnaires. Although these details are not critical to answering your research question, including them in the dissertation appendix gives credibility to your research.

Copies of relevant forms 

It is essential to include a list of abbreviations and acronyms and a glossary in the appendix if your dissertation paper contains many words that your audience might not recognize. This helps enhance readability and minimize confusion for readers. Your list of abbreviations and acronyms, and glossary should appear after the table of contents section.

Figures, tables, graphics

You can also include tables, figures, illustrations, and other graphics in the dissertation appendix if your research contains a lot of them. The appendix is the appropriate platform to include less important ones. Use tables and figures that support your research question but cannot be included in the main body.

Dissertation appendix: Format

There is no restriction to how you can format your dissertation appendix. You can opt to have one long appendix if you don’t feel the need to break it into smaller sections with different components. However, it might be a good idea to separate the components (such as interview transcripts and supplementary results) into various appendices to enhance readability.

If you choose to have multiple appendices in your dissertation, always start each appendix on a new page. Additionally, ensure you assign each page a number or letter. For instance, you can use ‘Appendix 2 – Interview Transcripts.’ Giving a unique identifier (number and title of each element) to each appendix makes it easier for the reader to navigate through the information and for you to refer to it in the main dissertation body.

When numbering tables and figures in multiple appendices, you should reset the numbering as you move to the next appendix (next page). For instance, if your ‘Appendix 1 –Raw Data’ has two tables and ‘Appendix 2 – Interview Transcripts’ has one table, the table in ‘Appendix 2’ should be ‘Table 1’ and not ‘Table 3’ .

Referring to a dissertation appendix

It is crucial to refer to each dissertation appendix at least once when crafting the dissertation’s main body. That helps justify the inclusion of appendices in your study.

There are two primary ways you can refer to a dissertation appendix in the main body:

• Refer to an entire appendix

“The interview transcripts can be found in Appendix 1 –Interview Transcripts”.

• Refer to an appendix component

There are two ways you can refer to an appendix component:

• Refer to specific figures or tables in brackets (parenthetical reference). For example, “The results (refer to Table 1 Appendix 3) indicate a slight decline in the number of new infections”.
• Include the reference in a sentence within the main body (descriptive reference). For example, “As shown in Table 1 of Appendix 3, there is a slight decline in the number of new infections” .

If your paper has one long dissertation appendix, it is good practice to refer to its components in uppercase, but it is not mandatory. However, it is important to maintain consistency throughout your entire paper, the same way you capitalize your headings and titles in academic work.

Although you are free to choose what case to use, you should always use lower-case when referring to appendices in general.

“The appendices at the end of this paper contain additional information about the area of research.”

Dissertation Appendix: Checklist

• Each dissertation appendix starts on a fresh page
• My appendices contain relevant information, but they are not essential in answering my research question
• I have referred to each of my appendices at least once in the main body
• The content of my appendices (tables and figures) are clearly labelled
• My appendices are easy to understand and refer to

What is a dissertation appendix?

A dissertation appendix is a section of your dissertation that you use to provide additional data related to your main study but is not essential to answering the primary research question.

What should I include in my appendix?

Your appendix should contain additional information relevant to the dissertation but not directly important to answering your main questions. These can include supplementary results, tables, interview questions and transcripts.

Do I need an appendix in my dissertation?

If you have a lot of additional information, it is important to have an appendix in your dissertation. Appendices help provide readers with details that support your research without breaking the flow of the main body.

Can my dissertation paper have multiple appendices?

Yes. Your dissertation paper can have more than one appendix. Ensure you properly label each appendix (Appendix A or Appendix 1) if your paper has multiple appendices.

Is it appendices or appendixes?

Appendices and appendixes are both correct plurals for the term appendix. However, many scholars prefer using ‘appendices’ over ‘appendixes.’

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Microsoft Word for Dissertations

• Introduction, Template, & Resources
• Formatting for All Readers
• Applying a Style
• Modifying a Style
• Setting up a Heading 1 Example
• Images, Charts, Other Objects
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How to Handle Appendices

There are several scenarios around Appendices and how to handle them. Here they are:

If you have no appendices  and you're using our template, then go ahead and delete the List of Appendices and the Appendices sections. For each section, be sure you've deleted the title, any content after the title, and the Section Break found at the end.

If you only have one Appendix , you don't need to bother doing anything fancy.  With our template, just rename the "Appendices" section heading with the name of your appendix (double-checking it is still formatted with the Heading 1 style) and ensure that there's a "Section Break (Next Page)" just before the title so it's given the required 2-inch top margin. Then it will appear in your Table of Contents as it should.

If you have more than one Appendix,  they should not appear in the Table of Contents. Instead, Rackham requires that you have a List of Appendices listing them all, and only the "Appendices" section heading should appear in the Table of Contents. If you're using our template, see the instructions in there for how all of this works.

** Note: If each of your Appendices is only relevant to a particular chapter, consider making "Appendix" a section (Heading 2) within those chapters. This will save you the trouble of creating a List of Appendices, as they will instead appear under each chapter in the Table of Contents. **

If you have multiple Appendices, but each of them is only relevant to a particular chapter , check out our suggestion in the last section at the bottom of this page.

If you are not using our template, we explain below how to set up your Appendices to number themselves automatically (like we've done with Chapters).  It's even a little more complicated than it looks, and of course, we've already set this up in the ScholarSpace dissertation template, so please consider this another reason to use our template .

Setting up Appendices if you're not using our template

Here's the rough outline of what we suggest you do for Appendices, if you're comfortable modifying styles and want to set it up yourself.  Please note that while using the Heading 7 style is not ideal when creating accessible digital documents (screen readers may interpret them as sub-sub-sub-sub-sub-sections, rather than “appendices”), we have found it’s the most reliable way to proceed.

• Modify Heading 7 to reflect the font settings that match your chapter headings (perhaps Times New Roman, Bold, 12-point, centered).
• Modify the paragraph spacing for Heading 7 to add 72 pt (or 1 in) of space BEFORE, and 24 pt AFTER.  This helps give you the two-inch margin Rackham requires for the first page of each Appendix
• Apply Heading 7 to the titles of each of your appendices
• If you don't see a two-inch margin at the top of each Appendix page, place your cursor just before the title and insert a Section Break (Next Page). 
• When you first create this, it will ask if you want to replace the (real) Table of Contents, so you can reply No to that. You're creating a 2nd, custom, Table of Contents that just includes Heading 7s.

See our Appendix Figures & Tables section to learn how to handle those.

Are each of your Appendices only relevant to a particular chapter?

First off, be sure to check to see if your Style Guide (or your advisor) has requirements about how to handle Appendices. That takes precedence over anything we say below.

If each of your appendices is relevant only to a particular chapter, then here's something to consider which will make things much easier. We see a lot of people who will create a section (Heading 2) at the end of each chapter called something like, "Appendix for Chapter X", or "Supplemental Materials", or merely "Appendix". And so each appendix just goes there at the end of the particular chapter it supports.

The benefit to doing this is that – since each appendix is a section in the chapter – they show up appropriately in the ToC, and there's no need for a List of Appendices.  Additionally, you can continue to use the regular Figure and Table numbering scheme, and don't have to set up new labels or do anything tricky.

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Formatting your thesis: Appendices & supplemental material

On this page

Introduction, materials included in appendices, supplementary material or research data files, order of appendices, appendix headings, formatting help.

Appendices provide supplementary information to the main thesis and should always appear after the references/bibliography. If you are unsure about whether content should be included in the thesis or in an appendix, consult with your supervisor. The thesis and appendices must be uploaded in a single file.

For more information about appendices, please see the Thesis Template Instructions .

Note: Signatures, personal phone numbers, or personal email addresses (ones that contains part of a person’s name) must be redacted from your thesis. This means that the text is fully removed, and cannot be copied & pasted out of the document.

If including copyrighted materials as appendices, see Copyright at SFU .

Examples of material included in appendices are as follows--also refer to Formatting Help .

• interview questions
• participant letters / forms  
• surveys / questionnaires (if not your own work, these require copyright permission)
• supplemental tables / figures / graphs / image

Supplementary material or research data files associated with your thesis can also be uploaded to your library submission record. We recommend publishing such files to Summit (the SFU Research Repository) as they will be available alongside your thesis. This is preferred to hosting such files externally or on personal cloud storage.     

Temporary instructions : Contact  [email protected] if you wish to upload such files with your thesis submission -- please do not upload them to the Thesis Registration System at this time. Data Services will require basic descriptive information for each of your files and will also help you organize your research data appropriately pending publication.  

If you are including supplementary material or research data files in your submission, you must include an appendix within your thesis document which contains an overall description of the supplementary material or research data files, authorship credits, and file name(s). This assists in “linking” your thesis document to any additional files, as well as providing further information and context about the file(s). The maximum file size for each file is 2GB. If you have a larger file size, please contact  [email protected] .  

Appendix examples: 

• video file example
• data file example

Note : if your Ethics approval requires that supplementary material or research data files be destroyed after a certain period, then such files cannot be published to Summit (the SFU Research Repository). Please contact  [email protected] to identify other possible solutions in this case.  

Accepted supplementary material or research data file types: 

aac, cif, csv, docx, dta, epub, exe, gdb, geojson, gif, iso, jp2, jpg, jpeg, json, kml, kmz, las, mp3, mp4, mpv, odt, pdf, png, pptx, py, qgs, qgz, r, rar, rmd, rtf, shp, tex, tif, tiff, txt, wav, xlsx, zip 

It is recommended to use the best file formats  to allow for data files to be openly accessible for the long term, so that they remain usable through software upgrades and changes in the computing environment. See the Research Data Management (RDM) website  for more information about the handling and organization of data during your research.

Appendices appear in the order in which they are introduced in the text.  

You may include one appendix or a number of appendices.

If you have more than one appendix, you would letter each accordingly (i.e., Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.). Write your appendix headings in the same manner as your chapter headings.

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Dissertation Appendix: What It Is and How To Write It Properly?

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What Is an Appendix in Dissertation?

Purpose of dissertation appendix, where to put appendix in dissertation, what to include in a dissertation appendix, how to format an appendix in dissertation, tips on how to write appendix in dissertation, how does hiring an expert can help you with your dissertation.

Students pursuing their higher studies in colleges and universities have often been allotted the task of writing dissertations as an integral part of their academic curriculum. Despite the excellent academic interest, many students get baffled as soon as they think of getting involved in lengthy writing tasks.

Are you someone who needs to submit a dissertation soon? Are you aware of how important it is to draft a firm dissertation appendix to make the whole dissertation outstanding? This blog is going to offer insights about creating such appendixes with ease .

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In simple words, an appendix in dissertation is an index that comes at the end. It provides additional and relevant information related to your dissertation paper. With the help of the appendix section, you can share the background data like illustrations, tables and figures related to your topic.

The contents of your appendix for dissertation are never directly relevant to the main theme or research questions. Still, they are important to make the reader understand the context without disrupting the flow of the text.

This is why many students prefer to take the help of a dissertation outline generator which is one of the most used writing tools of modern times. But do you know the purpose of the dissertation appendix ? If not, read the next section.

Due to the restriction on word limit, it is important to keep your dissertation short and crisp. Sticking to the word count prescribed by your dissertation guidelines is equally important.

But given the amount of research you have done to decide the body of your dissertation or dissertation structure , it is hard to resist the urge to put together everything right on the paper. This is where the "purpose of including an appendix" comes in.

Any information that is not directly related to or supports the main arguments and is not relevant to the dissertation topic should be included in an appendix.

Dissertation appendices (plural of the 'appendix') help you to prepare a well-organized paper as you include only the information that puts more value to your arguments without mentioning anything excessive. It also helps you maintain the main text's flow by eliminating unnecessary interruptions.

Please note that the main body of your dissertation should be written in such a way that it can be understood without your dissertation appendix. We mean to say that the readers must not feel the urge to flip between the main text and appendix to make sense of what they are reading.

We maintain a pool of subject matter experts who are extremely skilled at providing students with dissertation writing services at affordable costs. You can hire them for your next dissertation project. We guarantee 100% satisfaction with our service level and quality. So, now move ahead and learn where to insert the dissertation appendix .

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With everything discussed till now, you must have understood that the appendix is not a component of the main text. Then where to include the appendix? We are going to share here the general idea about where to put appendix in dissertation .

The thumb rule in this regard is to place appendices after the main body i.e. after your reference section. If you are following this common practice, you must continue with the same page number sequence.

Many prefer to include their appendices on a standalone page to separate it from the main write-up. But this is not a common practice and we will suggest you have a word with your supervisor about where to put your appendix for dissertation.

Your university or college may have its own set of requirements and formatting rules for writing the appendices. Always make sure you go through those writing as well as formatting guidelines before start drafting your dissertation. This will save you from doing unnecessary editing neither on the main text nor the dissertation appendices. Therefore, the upcoming section will tell you what to or should not include in the dissertation appendix .

It is impossible to prepare the right type of appendix unless and until you are aware of the components of it. By component, we are trying to indicate what an appendix should consist of.

Depending on the type of research or dissertation paper you are generating, there might be some differences in terms of the appendix components. Below is what to include in a dissertation appendix to offer additional information.

1. Research Results:

There are various means of presenting the research results in your dissertation. You can present those results in tables, diagrams, figures and illustrations. Such information/data can be included in your dissertation appendix segment .

2. Surveys & Interviews:

You can include the details and findings of any survey or interview that you have performed to support/strengthen your argument under the appendix tab. These could be anything like an interview transcript, questionnaire, results etc.

3. Tables, Graphs, Illustrations & Figures:

The appendix of dissertation can also include some tables, illustrations, figures and graphs which are not directly related to your topic but quite helpful in explaining the main text more lucidly.

4. Abbreviations & Acronyms:

If you have used many abbreviations and acronyms in your dissertation paper which are not very common and may be troublesome for a layperson to understand, you must include an abbreviations/glossary section in the appendix of dissertation.

5. Letters & Correspondence:

When you have letters or correspondence between you and other researchers or places where you seek permission to use copyrighted materials, you have to include them in the appendix. Including letters and correspondence in your dissertation appendix actually saves you from the suspicion of plagiarism or unauthorized use of classified materials.

If you are still not very confident about writing your dissertation and looking for someone to help you out in this matter, we are happy to offer our assistance. All you have to do is to let us know about the dissertation requirement, and our dissertation help will present you with an excellent piece well before the deadline in the correct format.

After you are done with the writing part, it is time to follow the formatting instructions that come with your dissertation guidelines. The first-timers particularly find it quite challenging. If your question is how to format appendix in dissertation, you have got the answer right below.

• You are free to add either one lengthy appendix or divide the same into several smaller appendices to your dissertation. It is usually best to go for including several small appendices in dissertation.
• Start every appendix on a new page and start it with an appropriate title and identifying letter/number. For example, you can choose an appendix title like "Appendix A - Research Data" or "Appendix 5 - Survey Questions".
• All appendices dissertation must follow the page numbering system. Each appendix should have an identification letter/number and the corresponding page number.
• You have to reset the identification letter/number for every appendix in dissertation , but the page number should be continuous. For example, if "Appendix A" has four pages and "Appendix B" has two pages, the page number will be A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, B-5 and B-6.
• The numbering of figures and tables also follows a similar pattern to what we mentioned in the last paragraph. For example, if "Appendix A" has one table and "Appendix B" consists of two tables, then the numbering should be like "Table-1" in "Appendix A". For "Appendix B", it will be "Table-2" and "Table-3".
• If your paper needs many appendices dissertation to be included, then we will recommend you insert a "List of Appendices" in the table of contents page.
• Always use the same page formatting style (font type, font size, margins, spacing, heading etc.) for the whole write-up.

Formatting the appendices in dissertation must be done with care because a single mistake can ruin the scope for a reader to understand the whole piece. In case you are having difficulties following all those writing guidelines, there is nothing to worry about. You can simply choose to buy dissertation from professional academic writers via an online platform. If you want to try, follow the tips given below.

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Many students don't like to write long dissertations. Even if they finish the writing part under some academic compulsion, most of them prefer to spend their time and effort on preparing an appendix dissertation.

We are sharing some tips here so that you can design a perfect appendix for your well-researched dissertation without wasting much time.

• Go through your dissertation and mark/highlight the portions that need an explanation. Also, note down what needs to be explained. This is the first step to simplify the million-dollar question, " How to write appendix in dissertation?"
• Always take the help of a dictionary to prepare the glossary. Your glossary should contain the appropriate meanings of the words to avoid any misconception.
• You need to specify the connection of additional table, diagram, survey or data to the point you mentioned in the main body of your dissertation. The dissertation appendix without explanation is useless.
• It would be better if you could include the date and time of data collection in the appendix, not in the main body of the dissertation. Thus, you can deliver something extra to the reader without disturbing his/her flow of reading.
• Keep your urge to add more and more information under control. This will only lead to bulky appendices in research papers or dissertations. Don't make readers lose their interest with an unnecessarily long list of appendices.
• Look for a few dissertation examples with appendices from academic articles, dissertation papers, books, and research works before you write your own. This is the most practical way to have an idea about what is an appendix in a dissertation and how to write one .
• Leave a few notes in the main text of your dissertation referring to the appendix/appendices. Please be polite and specific while instructing the reader to go to any particular appendix.

So, these are a few important tips that you can apply will writing a dissertation appendix . Still, if it is troubling you, then take help from our dissertation writers.

Writing your dissertation can be really hectic and exhausting. In addition to this, students also need to prepare additional sections like the dissertation appendix. Thus, the burden of writing academic papers can be shifted by taking professional help.

At Assignment Desk , we care for all sorts of academic writing necessities with various services ranging from PhD dissertation help to academic essay editing. Our team of experienced academic writers can deliver wonderful dissertation papers whenever they are hired.

We don't just deliver academic write-ups, but we also offer post-writing assistance that a student may require to secure better grades with the dissertation we prepared.

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