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List of Abbreviations for a Thesis or Dissertation

• By DiscoverPhDs
• September 14, 2020

What are Abbreviations and Acronyms?

An abbreviation is a shortened version of a term or phrase, e.g. kg for kilogram or Dr. for doctor.

An acronym is a type of abbreviation constructed from the first letters of a term, e.g. FRP for Fibre Reinforced Polymer or STEM for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

List of Abbreviations in a Thesis or Dissertation

If your thesis or dissertation contains several symbols or abbreviations, it would be beneficial to include a list of abbreviations to assist your reader. This is a list sorted in alphabetical order that gives their definitions.

This will not only help the reader better understand your research, but it will also improve the flow of your paper, as it prevents continually having to define abbreviations in your main text.

Where Does a List of Abbreviations Go?

When including a list of abbreviations, insert them near the start of the report after your table of contents. To make it clear that your document contains an abbreviated list, also add a separate heading to your table of contents.

Note: The page number for your list of abbreviations should continue from the page number that proceeds it; there is no need to reset it for this section.

Rules for Using Abbreviations and Acronyms

The first time you use an abbreviation or acronym, it is good practice to write out the full terminology or phrase followed by the abbreviation or acronym encased in parenthesis.

After defining an abbreviation or acronym for the first time in your main text, you no longer need to use the full term; for example:

Example of Acronyms in a Thesis or Dissertation

This allows the reader to understand your report without having to rely on the list of abbreviations; it is only there to help the reader if they forget what an abbreviation stands for and needs to look it up.

Note: In academic writing, abbreviations that are not listed should always be defined in your thesis text at their first appearance.

Abbreviated Exceptions

Very common abbreviations should not be included in your list because they needlessly overload your list with terms that your readers already know, which discourages them from using it.

Some examples of common abbreviations and acronyms that should not be included in your standard abbreviation list are USA, PhD , Dr. and Ltd. etc.

Example of List of Abbreviations for a Thesis or Dissertation

An example abbreviation list is as follows:

The above example has been extracted from here .

List of Symbols

You can add symbols and their definitions to your list of abbreviations, however, some people like to keep them separate, especially if they have many of them. While this format will come down to personal preference, most STEM students create a separate list of symbols and most non-STEM students incorporate them into their list of abbreviations.

Note: If you are writing your report to APA style, you will need to consider additional requirements when writing your list of abbreviations. You can find further information here .

Further Reading

Whether you’re writing a Ph.D. thesis or a dissertation paper, the following resources will also be of use:

• Title Page for an Academic Paper
• List of Appendices

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

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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.

This article will answer common questions about the PhD synopsis, give guidance on how to write one, and provide my thoughts on samples.

Dr Anwar gained her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Helsinki in 2019. She is now pursuing a career within industry and becoming more active in science outreach.

Dr Karki gained his PhD in the field of Nuclear and Particle Physics from Ohio University in March 2020. He is currently working as a postdoctoral associate in Prof. Haiyan Gao’s research group in Duke University.

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• Nomenclatures
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Basic Syntax
• 4 Adding units for physical constants
• 5 Sorting the Entries
• 6 Further Reading

Introduction

A list of abbreviations and symbols is common in many scientific documents. These types of lists can be created with L a T e X by means on the nomencl package. This article explains how to create nomenclatures, customizing the ordering and subgrouping of the symbols.

Nomenclature entries work pretty much like index entries:

 Open this nomencl example in Overleaf

As usual the package is imported in the preamble by \usepackage{nomencl} . The three basic commands to produce the nomenclatures are:

• \makenomenclature . Usually put right after importing the package.
• \nomenclature . Used to define the nomenclature entries themselves. Takes two arguments, the symbol and the corresponding description.
• \printnomenclatures . This command will print the nomenclatures list.

Basic Syntax

Additional options can be used when importing the nomencl package. The next example shows how to add the nomenclature to the table of contents and how to change the default language:

The additional options used here in when importing the package are:

• intoc Adds the Nomenclature to the table of contents.
• spanish Changes the language, translating the default title Nomenclatures accordingly. The supported languages are: croatian , danish , english , french , german , italian , polish , portuguese , russian , spanish and ukranian .

Other useful features of the nomencl package are the possibility of manually setting the nomenclature title, and adding an additional annotation.

changes the default title.

The command

inserts some text in between the title and the list symbols.

To group the symbols depending on their type some additional work is needed. We add a prefix to each symbol and use the etoolbox package to compare the prefixes.

Some extra groups are added. The code for this is not that simple, it uses the command \ifstrequal{}{}{}{} , the first two arguments are the strings to compare, if they are equal the term is added to the group, otherwise the next nested condition is checked.

Notice that now each \nomenclature command has an additional argument, the prefix, inside brackets; which is used in the grouping code.

If etoolbox is not available one can use the ifthen package instead, which provides the conditional \ifthenelse{}{}{} , but the syntax is slightly more complex:

This will produce the same nomenclature groups.

Adding units for physical constants

Another interesting feature is using the siunitx package to add units, aligning them to the right of the corresponding entries. For this, one has to define the nomunit macro as shown in the following example:

 Open in Overleaf (example using nomencl and siunitx packages).

Sorting the Entries

This is the default sorting order:

Notice that the Greek character showed up before the alphabetic characters because of the backslash \ in \alpha .

Just like for grouping, it is possible to use a prefix to manually sort the nomenclature entries:

The number inside the brackets determines the order to print the corresponding symbol. One can also combine grouping and manually sorting:

Notice that the capital letters used for grouping are different from the ones used in the example at previous section, because that letter is used to sort the groups.

Further Reading

For more information see:

• Multi-file LaTeX projects
• Text alignment
• Bold, italics and underlining
• Mathematical expressions
• Creating and Redefining Macros
• nomencl package documentation
• ifthen package documentation
• etoolbox package documentation
• Documentation Home
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Theses and Dissertations Guide: Preparing Your Manuscript

• Graduation Deadlines
• Graduation Checklist
• Citing Images
• ETD Formatting Video

Sample Pages

• Training/Tutorials
• Avoiding Plagiarism This link opens in a new window
• Submitting Your Manuscript
• For Students in the College
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• Frequently Asked Questions
• OhioLINK ETD Center
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[email protected]

937-229-2345 (phone)

Attention Authors!

Remember to proofread your manuscript! Doublecheck spelling, page numbers, table of contents, etc.

Preparing Your Manuscript

The following guidelines should be used to prepare all UD theses and dissertations. Please note beginning January 2023 all theses and dissertations must meet OhioLINK's Digital Accessibility Standards. Visit "Digital Accessibility for ETDs" tab for more information and instructions.

A primary purpose of these guidelines is to ensure that all UD theses and dissertations present a consistent appearance.  Do not rely on previously accepted theses and dissertations.  While they may have met the guidelines at the time of their submission, they may not meet current guidelines.

Some departments have additional guidelines for preparing manuscripts.  I t is your responsibility to follow department-specific guidelines together with those found in this guide when preparing your manuscript.   When a discrepancy is found, defer to the department guidelines.   The final responsibility for the format of your thesis or dissertation rests with you as the author.   Correct s pelling, punctuation, and grammar should be used.   The Graduate Academic Affairs  reserves the right to reject any manuscript that does not observe these fundamentals and that does not follow accepted format guidelines.

Keywords for ETDs

One benefit of the OhioLINK ETD Center is the inclusion of author-supplied keywords. Please be prepared to supply several subject keywords to describe your thesis or dissertation during the online submittal process. Adding your name as a keyword is not useful.

Style Manuals

The Graduate Academic Affairs will accept theses and dissertations prepared in the format recommended by the style manual published by your discipline’s professional society as long as it falls within the general format and content guidelines described in this document. The most recent style manuals should be used. 

Roll over the Preparing Your Manuscript tab above then click on "Citing Images" pages for more information.

This section discusses requirements for the general layout of your manuscript, the order of front and back matter, and page numbering.  See the Sample Pages  for additional information. Guidelines are similar for both theses and dissertations; instructions specific to theses or dissertations will be marked accordingly.   

General Layout   

The Graduate  Academic Affairs  recommends that you use your word processor’s global page settings or create a template adhering to the following guidelines:   

Margins:   1 inch on top, bottom and right sides and 1 ½ inches on the left.

Line spacing:   Double-spaced; long quotations and footnotes may be single-spaced. Spacing on preliminary pages should follow the examples in the Sample Pages .

Fonts:   Text font and text size should be chosen for ease in reading. Font size 12 is recommended. Use consistent font styles for section headings.   

Footnotes or Endnotes:   Follow the accepted practice of your discipline or the chosen style manual. The format selected should be consistent throughout the manuscript.   

Spell check: Change the word processor spelling setting to include words in ALL CAPS.   

Pagination:   

Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) are placed at the bottom center of the page on all pages, beginning with the number 1 on the Approval page.

Order of Preliminary Pages

The preliminary pages consist of the following pages in this order:

Title page (Required)

Approval page (Required)

Copyright page (Optional)

Abstract (Required)

Dedication (Optional)

Acknowledgements (Optional)

Preface (Optional)

Table of Contents (Required)

List of Illustrations (As needed)

List of Tables (As needed)

List of Symbols (As needed)

Title Page (Required)  

The title of the thesis or dissertation begins one inch from the top of the page and should be a meaningful description of the substance of the document.   It is recommended that word substitutes be used for formulas, symbols, superscripts, subscripts, Greek letters, and other similar material. The title page should also contain the following:   

Title of the thesis/dissertation IN ALL CAPS   

The word “Thesis” or “Dissertation”  

Statement of submission  

School or College  

Degree being sought  

Full legal name of degree candidate or name according to university records

Name of university granting the degree or the small UD logo located at http://logo.udayton.edu/basic.asp       

City and state in which the university is located  

Month and year degree is to be conferred  

Approval Page (Required)  

The approval page for the electronic submission will contain the names, but not the signatures of all committee members. However, the signed, original signature page must be submitted to the Graduate Academic Affairs before final approval is granted. If you are submitting paper copies to be bound, please make sure a copy of the Graduate Academic Affairs-approved signature page is included.

  The Title of the thesis/dissertation IN ALL CAPS   is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page. The name of the student is left-justified and added two lines below the title: Last, First Middle. Format the rest of the page according to the Sample Pages .  

Copyright Page (Optional)  

Your manuscript is automatically protected by copyright even if you do not include a copyright page. You may choose the additional protection of registering your copyright for a fee at   www.copyright.gov/eco .  For further copyright information, please see the U.S. Copyright Office Frequently Asked Questions at ( http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/ ).

Format this page according to the Sample Pages .

  Abstract (Required)  

The abstract should briefly state the problem, describe the procedure or methods used, and summarize the conclusions reached in the thesis or dissertation. The length of the abstract should not exceed 500 words.  

The heading ABSTRACT is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page followed by the title of the thesis/dissertation in ALL CAPS, centered four lines below the heading. Author’s name and name of university are left-justified and single-spaced, two lines below the title.  The advisor’s name is left-justified and two lines below the university name.   The text of the abstract begins two lines below the advisor’s name.  

Dedication (Optional)  

The dedication is an optional page that gives the author the opportunity to dedicate the manuscript to an individual or group. The Sample Pages  show one option for formatting.  

Acknowledgements (Optional)  

The acknowledgements (or acknowledgments) page is an optional page that gives the author the opportunity to thank those who have provided help during the research and writing of a thesis or dissertation.  

The heading ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page. The text begins four lines below the heading.  

  Preface (Optional)  

A preface is included in instances where the genesis of the research is important for the understanding of it, or when the method or procedure of investigation is so unusual as to require prefatory explanation.  

The heading PREFACE is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page.   The text begins four lines below the heading.  

Table of Contents (Required)  

The table of contents includes chapter headings, subdivisions of chapters, and all other parts of the thesis or dissertation listed exactly as they appear in the text along with the starting page number.  

The heading TABLE OF CONTENTS is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page.   The text begins four lines below the heading.  

Note: When using the automatic option in preparing a table of contents, remember to click "update" before submitting for review.

List of Figures or Illustrations (As needed)  

The figures page includes illustration or figure titles and page numbers.  

The heading LIST OF FIGURES or LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page. The list begins four lines below the heading.  

Note: When using the automatic option in preparing a list of illustrations or figures, remember to click "update" before submitting for review.

List of Tables (As needed)  

The tables page includes table titles and page numbers.  

The heading LIST OF TABLES is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page. The list begins four lines below the heading.  

Note: When using the automatic option in preparing a list of tables, remember to click "update" before submitting for review.

List of Symbols, Abbreviations or Special Nomenclature (As needed)  

The list of symbols, abbreviations or special nomenclature is provided to acquaint the reader with symbols, abbreviations or special nomenclature that are essential to the work. When used, these lists can take any form acceptable to the discipline.  

The heading LIST OF SYMBOLS or LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page. The list begins four lines below the heading.  

The Text (Required)  

The nature of the thesis or dissertation determines the organization of the body or main text into chapters, groups of   chapters, or other pertinent schemes of exposition.   These divisions are dictated by the nature of the discipline.   Punctuation, spelling, and general form should be consistent throughout the text. The text begins four lines below the heading.  

Quotation of Copyrighted Material (Required)  

The author of a thesis or dissertation is fully responsible for the use of any copyrighted material in the manuscript.   Generally, permission to use copyrighted material should be sought when a direct quotation of more than 150 words or an illustration is used.   Permission is sought from the author or publisher holding the copyright.   Generally, permission is granted on condition that proper acknowledgement is made.   In some cases, copyright holders require payment.   Necessary clearance for copyrighted material must be obtained before final submission of the thesis or dissertation.

FYI-- The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, BDI-II)   and the  Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI)   are examples of copyrighted materials that may not be included in an electronic thesis or dissertation. 

For more information:  

UMI Copyright Guide  

Copyright Law and Graduate Research  

Bibliography (As needed)  

The bibliography or reference list of sources used is required if applicable.   Pages should be formatted according to the style manual or discipline-specific guidelines used.  

The heading BIBLIOGRAPHY is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page.   The text begins four lines below the heading.  

Appendices (As needed)  

The appendix or appendices include reference materials such as tables, figures, charts, illustrations, abbreviations, and other addenda not placed in the text.  

When there are multiple appendices, the heading APPENDIX is followed by a capital letter or Arabic number.   The heading APPENDIX and capital letter is centered and placed one inch from the top of the page. Double space after this heading to insert the Appendix titles which should appear in lowercase letters with only major words capitalized.  The text begins four lines below the appendix title.   

Formatting Sequence

• Formatting Sequence for a Dissertation or Thesis 5/2022
• Sample Pages 7/23

These sample pages are designed to assist you in preparing your thesis or dissertation by giving you a visual representation of a variety of common pages along with guidelines for margins and appropriate information to include on the page. Some departments may have slightly different requirements and you should follow those as directed.

The closer your paper follows these guidelines, the fewer corrections you will

have during format checking.

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because LaTeX matters

List of symbols or abbreviations (nomenclature).

  Update (April 2014): This package has not been updated in the past few years. You may want to use the more recent and more flexible glossaries package .

  Printing a list of abbreviations or symbols is one of these things (like so many) LaTeX provides a very simple and elegant solution for. The nomencl package  implements a few basic commands to do that.

  First load the package in the preamble. The makenomenclature command is required for the generation of the nomenclature file (.nlo). Commenting it out is a convenient way to “switch it off”.

Next, add abbreviations together with their description or long form to your document. Ideally, this is done immediately after an abbreviation is mentioned for the first time.

This command has an optional argument which provides control over the order of the entries. Consider the following example:

Linebreaks were added for presentation purposes only.

The following command prints the abbreviation/symbol list at the corresponding position of the document.

To control the distance between the symbol or abbreviation and the explaining text use the optional distance argument.

To change the name of the list use

Similar to a glossary or bibliography, the document is typesetted once (latex). Next, the nomenclature is generated using makeindex . Finally, the document is typesetted again, adding the nomenclature to it.

The makeindex command takes the nomenclature file (.nlo), the style file (nomencl.ist) and the name of the output file (.nls) as input arguments.

  Complete code of a working example and its output

Note, to save some typing, you can define your own nomenclature command that prints the symbol/abbreviation and generates a list entry at the same time.

Refer to the  nomencl package documentation  for more details.

Share this:

39 comments.

14. May 2012 at 13:48

Maybe worth adding that one should add

# for nomenclature add_cus_dep(“nlo”, “nls”, 0, “nlo2nls”); sub nlo2nls { system(“makeindex $_[0].nlo -s nomencl.ist -o $_[0].nls -t $_[0].nlg”); }

to the .latexmkrc file for this method to work hand in hand with latexmk.

14. May 2012 at 15:11

Thanks for your comment! For those not familiar with latexmk , see here . Best, Tom.

14. May 2012 at 17:51

Recently I also posted about adding a nomenclature to LaTeX documents, without making use of either xindy or makeindex (as many TeXers find that rather difficult). Read it here: http://www.howtotex.com/packages/create-a-simple-nomenclature-with-the-longtable-package/ At the bottom of that post some alternatives are also given, one of which the way described here.

15. May 2012 at 6:37

Hi Frits, Thanks for the link. The drawback is, you point it out in your post, you have to collect and type everything out manually. Nice site by the way! Best, Tom.

29. October 2012 at 16:25

How can I have List of Symbols and List of Abbreviations in the thesis using nomenclature??

30. October 2012 at 3:18

Hi Sailesh,

The documentation describes how to create subgroups and I put together their example below. If you require two separate lists, I suggest using the glossaries package , which is more flexible.

17. December 2012 at 15:48

Hi, I’m using nomenclature after \listoftables and \listoffigures, and before the beginning of the first chapter. My problem is that every of the firsts commands create a second blank page with only the header and page number, however nomenclature don’t, and there is a second blank page after nomenclature with the header of listoffigures. It seems like latex don’t know listoffigures end before nomenclature or something like that. By the way, listoffigures, of tables, etc. are not in the index (makeindex), and nomenclature does.

Please help!!

8. January 2013 at 13:18

See here for a solution to your double page break problem. It’s got to do with the documentclass option openright .

How to add the list of figures/table to the table of contents is explained here under point 6 (among other things). makeindex creates the nomenclature, not the table of contents as the name might suggest.

Let me know if your problems are still facing problems.

16. April 2014 at 14:20

Hi Tom, I have tried looking at the pages you suggest, but I have still not been able to find a solution to my problem. I am currently writing my master thesis with document class [10pt,twoside]{book}. I have created the nomenclature as a long table, but when I include the nomenclature after the list of tables the page number for the nomenclature becomes incorrect (it says X in the table of contents instead of IX). Also on the page after the nomenclature it says “list of tables” at the top. Do you have any ideas?

Thanks, Sarah

17. April 2014 at 4:42

I suggest you try the more recent glossaries package . You can find some examples here . If you still see the same issue, please provide a minimal working example and I’ll look into it.

10. March 2013 at 19:34

Hi, how can I print the nomenclature list in two columns??

11. March 2013 at 11:11

Hi! Try the multicol package . Alternatively, you may find some of the information in this article useful.

If nothing works, please send a minimal working example.

15. April 2013 at 12:12

i use a simple command to \listoftables and \listoffigure and how to create list of symbols

29. April 2013 at 8:47

Hi Tom. I have been trying to follow your examples, but I still can’t make the list of abbreviations. I copied your Time Zone-example into TeXshop, but it doesn’t seem like the \printnomenclature works. Any suggestions? Thanks anyway:-)

29. April 2013 at 9:22

Did you run makeindex to generate the index file as described above? You might also take a look at the answer given here for a more user-friendly solution.

29. April 2013 at 11:21

This might help:-) thanks a lot!

25. March 2014 at 10:38

How (or where) do you run makeindex?

I indeed noticed this part in the documentation above: latex filename.tex makeindex filename.nlo -s nomencl.ist -o filename.nls latex filename.tex

However, it is unclear to me what I have to do with this code?

25. March 2014 at 15:36

Usually, this would be done in the terminal/command-line, unless your editor provides an interface/button for it.

15. May 2013 at 14:50

I used the nomencl pakage as you suggested in another post. Everything is working fine, but the title appears as centered, unlike the List of Tables and List of Figures page, where the title appears on the left. One more thing is that the fontsize of the title is also small compared to the fontsize of the List of Figures page.

Here is the code:

I haven’t included any image as such in this code, but I have done so in my thesis.

15. May 2013 at 16:05

You redefine the titleformat . Just remove or comment out lines 11-13 (and possibly 15) and you’ll get the standard behavior.

Cheers, Tom.

15. May 2013 at 19:07

HI i attempt the ‘Complete code of a working example and its output’ in my texwork and it only displays the sentence UTC is 3 hours behind ADT and 10 hours ahead of EST please advise

16. May 2013 at 2:08

Hi! The package requires running latex, makeindex, latex as described in the post. Best, Tom

18. June 2013 at 20:14

I’ve a problem with my list of Nomenclature and Abbreviations and a fancyhdr. My list works fine, but when it runs over to a second page, the header appears only on the second page, not on the first. Very strange. Anyone have any ideas for a solution please?

My code is:

19. June 2013 at 4:02

The first page of your abbreviations and nomenclature is a “chapter start page”. By default, headers are empty on these pages. To change that, you would have to redefine the chapter command. A note: you redefine \nomname , why don’t you use it further below. I.e.:

19. June 2013 at 7:50

Thanks for the reply. Hadn’t thought of the \nomname , probably because I was working on this at silly o’clock!

My header shows up when I have a new chapter page in the main body of text and also on the TOC pages, so I don’t follow what you mean when you say a ‘Chapter start page’.

My fancy header shows up on all my LOF, LOT, TOC Can you direct me to somewhere that might explain what I need to do to sort this out

20. June 2013 at 17:09

You might want to give this a try (from nomencl documentation :

If that doesn’t work, it would help if you provided an example that can be typeset. The code on latex-community.org is somewhat more complete, but packages are missing and the document is empty.

Here are some pointers you might find useful:

http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/31586/nomenclature-as-a-chapter http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/63620/how-to-modify-the-typesetting-of-nomencl-header http://www.latex-community.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=47&t=14427

20. June 2013 at 17:19

and BOOM! Cheers Tom

28. November 2013 at 13:06

Hi Tom, really liked the way you explained it all. i have a question that i can’t seem to find the answer for online and am running out of time and options. could you please help me? 🙂 it sounds silly, but … I’m a newbie…so here goes: how do i install packages in latex? I’ve had to manually do many functions for which a package is available like splitting a long table!

please help! 🙂

28. November 2013 at 13:52

There are essentially two ways:

• If you only need the package for this project, it is sufficient to place the package file (.sty) in the project directory. It is only available to the project you are working on.
• You can install packages globally. After downloading, you copy the package file into your tex distribution tree and update the index. The entire installation process is described here.

4. January 2014 at 11:16

Hi Tom, I would like to have more than one nomenclature in my document: 1. Below every equation 2. At the begining of the document a complete nomentclature of all symbols used.

Do you know whether it is possible to do this using nomencl package ? Or in other words, how to make \nomenclature visible ?

Thank you in advance 🙂

6. January 2014 at 18:24

I suggest using the glossaries package ( documentation ), it supports multiple glossaries/list of acronyms. Take a look at the package documentation for details on how to use it.

8. January 2014 at 20:54

Thanks Tom 🙂 I took me a while…but I’ve found how to do this, using glossaries package: http://stackoverflow.com/a/4741556

10. January 2014 at 15:39

Thanks for following up and posting your solution. Best, Tom

27. July 2014 at 16:51

Saved me so much time. Thank you very much!

27. July 2014 at 16:53

Glad to hear, thanks for the feedback! Tom

27. July 2014 at 17:17

Incidentally, I have also used \textbf that is able to set letters as boldfaced. For example,

will bold face first letters of words. Personally felt this appears better in abbreviations.

29. July 2014 at 12:11

Thanks for sharing this. Best, Tom.

11. September 2014 at 22:36

I was wondering if it’s possible to use the package so that you can have two different symbols for the same variable. The use would be having a ‘math’ symbol and a ‘code’ symbol. Ideally, it would accept an extra argument, and an input of:

\nomenclature{$\sigma$}{stdDev}{Standard deviation}

Would output something resembling: $\sigma$ \tt{stdDev} Standard Deviation

Thanks, Tim

15. September 2014 at 9:46

What I can think of is to create a command which takes 3 arguments and call \nomenclature from there:

And you might need extra space for the label ( see documentation ):

Let me know if this helps.

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• Knowledge Base
• Dissertation
• Figure and Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples

Figure and Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples

Published on October 13, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on July 18, 2023 by Tegan George.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation , along with their corresponding page numbers. These lists give your reader an overview of how you have used figures and tables in your document.

While these lists are often not required, you may want to include one as a way to stay organized if your dissertation topic leads you to use several figures and tables over the course of your paper. Your educational institution may require one, so be sure to check their guidelines. Ultimately, if you do choose to add one, it should go directly after your table of contents .

You can download our Microsoft Word template below to help you get started.

Download Word doc

• Table of contents

How to create a list of figures and tables in Word

Example of a list of tables and figures, additional lists to consider, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the list of tables and figures.

The first step to creating your list of figures and tables is to ensure that each of your figures and tables has a caption . This way, Microsoft Word will be able to find each one and compile them in your list automatically.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the References tab, and click “Insert Caption,” which you can find in the Captions group.
• Give your caption a name. In the Label list, you can select the label that best describes your figure or table, or make your own by selecting “New Label.”

Next, you can insert the list of tables and figures directly by clicking “Insert Table of Figures,” which can be found to the right of the “Insert Caption” button. Be careful here—the list will only include items that you have marked using the “Insert Caption” tool!

You can choose the formatting and layout within this menu as well, as you can see below.

There are a few things to remember as you go:

• Figures and tables always need to be numbered, with clear titles.

In addition to your list of tables and figures, there are a few other lists to consider for your thesis or dissertation. They can be placed in the following order:

• List of abbreviations

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.

Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA-Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .

If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organized. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.

Copyright information can usually be found wherever the table or figure was published. For example, for a diagram in a journal article , look on the journal’s website or the database where you found the article. Images found on sites like Flickr are listed with clear copyright information.

If you find that permission is required to reproduce the material, be sure to contact the author or publisher and ask for it.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.

APA doesn’t require you to include a list of tables or a list of figures . However, it is advisable to do so if your text is long enough to feature a table of contents and it includes a lot of tables and/or figures .

A list of tables and list of figures appear (in that order) after your table of contents, and are presented in a similar way.

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Vinz, S. (2023, July 18). Figure and Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/figure-and-table-lists-in-your-dissertation/

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Thesis and Dissertation Guide

• « Thesis & Dissertation Resources
• The Graduate School Home

• Introduction

Copyright Page

• Dedication, Acknowledgements, Preface (optional)

Table of Contents

• List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

List of Abbreviations

List of symbols.

• Non-Traditional Formats
• Font Type and Size
• Spacing and Indentation
• Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
• Formatting Previously Published Work
• Internet Distribution
• Open Access
• Registering Copyright
• Using Copyrighted Materials
• Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials
• Submission Steps

Submission Checklist

• Sample Pages

The following checklist items should be used to ensure your document is properly formatted prior to submission. These items will be reviewed by staff in The Graduate School and your document will not be accepted until all items are confirmed.

• Be sure you have read and reviewed the information in this Thesis and Dissertation Guide prior to finalizing your document and preparing it for submission.
• Successfully submit an application to graduate in ConnectCarolina before submitting your document.
• Submit your thesis or dissertation after your defense has occurred and all final edits are approved by your advisor and committee.
• Your Committee Composition and Exam Report forms (with all approval signatures) must be submitted to The Graduate School before submitting your document.

General Formatting

• Uniform left (1″ or 1.25″) and right (1″) margins continue throughout the entire document
• Fonts are 10, 11 or 12 points in size and consistent
• Paragraphs are indented consistently throughout
• Text appears in a single column on each page and is double-spaced (except for blocked quotations, notes, captions, legends, and long headings, which are single-spaced)
• Document text is left-justified
• All page numbers are centered at the bottom of the page, 1/2″ from the bottom edge
• Pages do not contain running headers or footers, aside from page numbers; special spacing is present for any landscape pages
• Formatting for tables, figures, and illustrations is consistent throughout the entire document; headings and captions for the associated element are on the same page
• Sections and subheadings within chapters are not left “hanging” on the bottom of pages
• 2″ margin at the top of the page
• Title in all capital letters and centered
• Your full name centered 1″ below the title
• Statement correctly specifying the department/program and school granting your degree, centered 1″below your name
• Chapel Hill centered 1″ below the statement
• The year your thesis or dissertation is committee-approved (20xx) one line below
• The phrase Approved by: 1″ below the year; under that include your committee members' names (without signatures or identifiers), all double-spaced, 2/3 across the page, and left-aligned under the Approved by: phrase
• No page number, even though it counts in numbering
• Copyright symbol followed by year
• Your name exactly as it appears on the title page
• ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
• All text centered, single-spaced, and 2″ from the bottom of the page
• The page is numbered in lower case Roman numerals (ii)
• 2″ margin at the top of the page; the second page, if any, returns to a 1″ top margin
• The heading “ABSTRACT” centered in all capital letters at top of page
• Your full name followed by the title worded exactly as it is on the title page, centered and one double-spaced line below “ABSTRACT”
• The phrase “(Under the direction of [advisor's name])” in parentheses, centered, and one single-spaced line below the title
• The text of your abstract must be double-spaced and no longer than 150 words for a thesis or 350 words for a dissertation
• Pages are numbered in lower case Roman numerals

Dedication, Acknowledgement(s) and/or Preface (if any)

• The dedication, acknowledgements(s) and preface each begin on a new page
• 2″ margin at the top of each first page
• Subsequent pages of Acknowledgements or Preface return to the 1″ top margin
• Short text of the dedication is centered 2″ below top of page
• Required headings for “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” and “PREFACE” are in all capital letters and centered 2″ below top of page
• Text of Acknowledgements and/or Preface begins one double-spaced line below the heading, is left-justified, and is double spaced throughout
• The heading “TABLE OF CONTENTS” centered in all capital letters at top of page
• One double-spaced line between the heading and the first entry
• Pages preceding the table of contents are not included, but all parts of the document that follow are included (i.e., tables/figures/abbreviations lists, chapters, appendices, references)
• Each entry is aligned with the document's left margin or indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs
• Major subheadings within chapters are listed and indented to the right of the left page margin
• Entries taking up more than one line are broken up about three-fourths of the way across the page and the rest of the text is placed on a second line, single-spaced between the two lines of text
• Each entry is single-spaced, with a double space between entries
• All corresponding page numbers are accurate and leaders (lines of periods) fill out the space between the end of the entry and the page number; the last digit of each number lines up on the right margin
• Information included in the table of contents matches the headings, major subheadings, and numbering used in the body of the document

Lists of Tables, Figures, Illustrations

• Heading(s) in all capital letters centered 1″ below the top of the page
• Each entry includes a number, title, and page number
• Each table, figure, or illustration has been assigned an Arabic numeral
• Numerals and titles align with the left margin or are indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs
• Numbers, titles, and page numbers match the corresponding information as it appears in the document
• The heading “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS” in all capital letters centered 1″ below the top of the page
• Abbreviations are arranged alphabetically
• Symbols are listed with abbreviations under the heading “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS” or listed in a separate section following the formatting instructions for abbreviations
• The first page ( only ) of each chapter begins 2″ from the top of the page
• The second and subsequent pages of each chapter begin 1″ from the top of the page
• Page numbers are consecutive and consistent throughout the document
• Notes are placed at the bottom of the page and are separated from the text by a solid line one to two inches long
• Notes begin at the left page margin, one single-spaced line below the solid line
• Longer notes are single-spaced between lines
• One double-spaced line between notes
• All notes are numbered with Arabic numerals consecutively within each chapter starting over with number 1 for the first note in each chapter, or notes are numbered consecutively through the entire document
• Numbers precede the note, are superscripted (placed slightly above the line), and no space is placed between the number and the note
• Endnotes always begin on a separate page either immediately following the end of each chapter, or at the end of the entire document
• If endnotes are placed at the end of the entire document, they appear after the appendices and before the references
• The heading “ENDNOTES” in all capital letters centered 1″ below the top of the first page of your endnotes section(s)
• All appendices appear after the last chapter and before the references (not after the chapter to which they pertain)
• 1″ margin at the top of the page with the appropriate heading centered in all capital letters
• For one appendix use the heading “APPENDIX”; for multiple appendices assign each appendix a number or letter heading (APPENDIX 1 or APPENDIX A)
• All appendix headings and titles are included in the table of contents
• Page numbering continues consistently throughout the appendix or appendices
• References begin on a separate page, either immediately following the end of the chapter, or at the end of the entire document
• Each reference page has a 1″ margin at the top
• An appropriate heading is centered, in all capital letters at the top of the page (e.g., “REFERENCES”, “BIBLIOGRAPHY”, or “WORKS CITED”)
• All entries are single-spaced within each entry and double-spaced between entries
• Page numbering continues consistently throughout the references section(s)

Helpful Tips

• Your thesis or dissertation must be in PDF form for submission online
• Be sure to include an email address that you check regularly when you set up your account for online submission
• Specific formatting requirements are explained in detail in The Graduate School Thesis and Dissertation Guide

Previous: Submission

Next: Sample Pages

• University of Michigan Library
• Research Guides

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
• Footnotes, Endnotes, & Citations
• Cross-References
• Appendix Figures & Tables
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures/Tables
• Chapter and Section Numbering
• Page Numbers
• Landscape Pages
• Combining Chapter Files
• Commenting and Reviewing
• Tips & Tricks
• The Two-inch Top Margin
• Troubleshooting
• Finalizing Without Styles
• Preparing Your Final Document

Help with Microsoft Word

Members of the University of Michigan community can get dissertation & thesis formatting assistance from the experts at ScholarSpace:

Please  visit this link to make an appointment , or send an email to [email protected].

We're here to solve any formatting problems you've run into, and can give you guidance about captioning figures, solving numbering issues, creating a List of Tables/Figures/Appendices, and more.

Contact Information

Introduction to Word for Dissertations

Formatting your dissertation (or thesis) will likely take more time than you expect. But using the special features described in this Guide will save you a great deal of work , particularly if you use our template (available in the box below). The earlier you begin to use these tools, the more time you'll save and the less stress you'll have as your submission deadline approaches. Students at the University of Michigan are also encouraged to contact the experts at the Library's ScholarSpace anytime you run into a problem or have a question.

To meet  Rackham’s Dissertation Formatting Guidelines  you will need to modify the standard settings that Microsoft Word uses. This guide will show you how to use the tools to make the necessary modifications.  While we do follow the requirements from Rackham’s formatting guidelines to demonstrate the tools, in the end, you are responsible for verifying that your document meets the requirements that Rackham sets.

To save yourself time and effort , please consider using our Dissertation Template (link available in the box below). Many of the settings discussed in this Guide are already included in that document.

Please note that, as a University of Michigan student, you have free access to the Microsoft Office suite of tools -- including Microsoft Word. Visit this link to learn more and to download Office to your own computer.

Dissertation Template and other Resources

• ScholarSpace Template for Dissertations This Microsoft Word document comes with many of the Rackham formatting guidelines built in, and can be used for dissertations and theses. Please note that this template doesn't follow the formatting direction of any particular Style Guide. It is your responsibility to make sure you are following the Style Guide predominant in your field, and to make any relevant formatting changes to heading styles, numbering, captions, etc... How to make many of those changes is described throughout this Guide.
• Dissertation Formatting Workshops (online) We regularly offer free workshops throughout the school year to introduce you to the lesser-known features of Microsoft Word that will make formatting (and editing) your dissertation much easier.
• Rackham Dissertation Handbook Rackham's Dissertation Guidelines and Handbook
• Dissertation Formatting Checklist Rackham's list of formatting issues to watch out for in your dissertation.
• Using Microsoft Word for Large Documents (non-dissertation specific) Handout This document was written for an older -- much older -- version of Word, but nearly all of the information is still accurate and very useful.
• Guide to Copyright for Dissertations This guide addresses copyright questions specific to University of Michigan dissertation authors. It covers topics such as: Using Others' Content, Copyright in Your Dissertation, and Publishing Your Dissertation

A word about LaTeX

LaTeX is a markup language (sometimes accessed through the Overleaf editor) that is often used in science and engineering documents because it allows for great control in creating complex equations and formulas. ScholarSpace does not maintain a template for dissertations created with LaTeX, and we can only provide very limited support for it. That said, there is a community of U-M folks who actively maintain  this LaTeX template to keep it in line with Rackham's guidelines .

Here are some other very useful resources:

• Video recording of a  UM Library Workshop on Dissertation Formatting with LaTeX
• Documentation for LaTeX and Overleaf
• Bibiliography Management with LaTeX
• How to Write a Thesis in LaTeX
• A huge collection of LaTeX resources

Can I use Google Docs for my dissertation?

No. Google Docs can get you pretty far down the road to something that looks like what Rackham requires, however, it's going to take a lot more work to get that far, and as you approach the finish line you will collide with obstacles that Google Docs just won't be able to get around. The issue is that Google Docs was not designed for complicated documents like a thesis or dissertation. To get it to do many of the special things that Rackham requires, you'll have to do a great deal of work that Word will just do for you . A few examples:

• Rackham requires 1" margin on all pages, but a 2" margin at the top of each new section. You'll have to manually adjust every relevant page yourself in Docs to get this, but Word will just do it automatically.
• Docs gives you three choices for how your Table of Contents will look, none of which are suitable by Rackham's standards. While you can adjust the format, many aspects of it (such as spacing) will revert to the original every time you update it.  With Word, you're in charge of what your ToC looks like.
• In Docs, you'll have to manually type in your figure numbers ("Figure 3.6") and change them every time you add or move them. But Word will manage numbering and caption placement for you, it will renumber figures or tables as you add or move them, and it will create your List of Figures/Tables automatically – correct page numbers and all. 
• With Word's figure/table numbering, you can also insert cross-references, so when you refer to "(see Figure 4.2)" but then you add some new figures before that, not only will Figure 4.2 renumber itself automatically, but anywhere you've referred to it will be updated, too. No more anxiety about whether you've updated everything accurately.
• Page numbers: Rackham wants the first two pages to have no page numbers, the rest of the frontmatter to have small roman numerals, and the body of the document to have arabic numerals.  Docs just plain can't do that.

If you're concerned about the learning curve of using Word, please know that this Guide goes over how to do everything, AND the Word template found here has nearly everything already set up for you. We also regularly offer a workshop that serves as an introduction to the most useful features, and you can set up a meeting with a ScholarSpace expert anytime you run into something that you can't figure out. 

Writing Assistance

This Guide is all about how to properly format your dissertation -- how to make it look the way Rackham wants it to look. But what if you need help with the actual composition  of your content? Our friends at the Sweetland Writing Center offer such assistance, through their Writing Workshop program. From their website:

These are just a few quick but especially important tips to help you get started. See our more expansive Tips & Troubleshooting section for suggestions that are a little more complex.

• Save early , save often, and create backup versions as you go along. Consider setting up Microsoft OneDrive (you have free access with your umich login credentials). With this, you can turn on "Autosave" in Word to automatically save your document at regular intervals, and have access to previous versions.

• Use our template (available above), it will save you lots of time. Nearly all of the difficult formatting stuff we discuss in this Guide is already built into the template. Consider doing all of your writing in it -- even if you're working in separate files for each chapter, you can use a copy of the template for each one of those chapters.
• Set the margins including the two-inch margin for chapters titles  ( Setting Margins ) .
• Define styles for Headings 1-3, Normal, Captions, and Quotes – these are most common; you may need others ( Working with Styles ).
• If headings need to be numbered (for example, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.), define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
• If captions need to include the chapter number, define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
• Share your file(s) with your advisors using Track Changes ( Commenting and Reviewing ) .
• If you use EndNote to manage your citations and create your bibliography, use only one EndNote library for your entire dissertation (see our EndNote Basics guide).
• Did we mention that you really ought to try out our template (available above)?

Stack Exchange Network

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Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Thesis writing: consistency of symbols

I'm writing a thesis about Basel Accords.

In a section, I use the letter w to indicate the weights of the assets used to calculate the capital requirement.

In another section, can I use again the letter w to indicate the weights of the securities which a portfolio is made of?

• academic-writing
• consistency

• Welcome to Writing.SE CarLaTeX, glad you found us. We have a tour and help center you might wish to check out. Has there been a source that told you you couldn't do this? I'd not seeing why w can't be used consistently for weight. –  Cyn Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 5:00
• @Cyn Hi! I found you through TeX.SE. No source told me I can't do it, it's only something I thought because in the first case the weights are set by the Basel rules, for example 0% for cash, 50% for residential mortgage, etc., whereas in the second case their are actually weights (the sum of the weights gives 1). –  CarLaTeX Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 5:11
• 1 It would be great to introduce different symbols for different purposes in order to avoid confusion. Moreover, PhD theses and often research papers have a list of symbols used, which, in a way, ensures that no symbol is repeated. Having gone through a few hundred papers till date, I cannot recall any instance where symbols were reused. –  Barun Commented Sep 25, 2019 at 12:56
• @Barun Thank you for your comment. I was unsure because in both occasions they are "weights", but listen to you and to Mark Baker I'm using different symbols. –  CarLaTeX Commented Sep 25, 2019 at 17:14
• As a mathematician, yes, of course you can, as long as it's clear. But conventions vary by field, so see what other people in your area do. –  DM_with_secrets Commented Dec 28, 2020 at 10:10

In any work in which you use symbols, you have to establish the scope of each symbol when you use it. There is nothing to say that you can't use the same symbol to mean different things in different places as long as you clearly scope it each time it is used.

On the other hand, you should not assume that if you decide to scope a particular symbol to the whole book that the reader will necessarily recognize that the symbol you use on page 134 is the same one you last mentioned on page 17. Unless you use a symbol consistently and frequently throughout a book, the reader is likely to treat is as local even if you intend it to be global.

So either way, make sure you define your symbols each time you use them, whether you scope them globally or locally.

However, if you have used a symbol to mean one thing on pages 17, 23, 47, 52, 73, and 87, you probably shouldn't use it to mean something different on page 103 because by that point your readers will probably see it as a global symbol even if you have been scoping it locally each time.

Or, to put it another way, consider if your past use of this symbol or of symbols in general suggests to the reader that this or other symbols have a consistent meaning or if it suggests that they have individual local meanings, and use them accordingly.

• 1 Thank you for your very useful reply! Indeed, I use the symbol with the first meaning throughout the thesis, so perhaps it's better to use another symbol for the second meaning. –  CarLaTeX Commented Sep 20, 2019 at 5:17

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List of Abbreviations for Dissertation

Published by Owen Ingram at August 11th, 2021 , Revised On August 22, 2023

What are Abbreviations?

“Oxford English Dictionary defines an abbreviation as ‘a short form of a word’. For example, UN is the short form – an abbreviation – for United Nations.” Abbreviations are commonly used in every form of writing, including academic writing. Abbreviations in dissertations generally have to do with names of organisations, institutions, theoretical models and the like. 

If your dissertation includes many abbreviations, it will make sense to define all these abbreviations in an alphabetically-organised list. 

This can really help your readers understand the jargon and specific terms they might not be familiar with. Here is all you need to know about the  list of abbreviations for the dissertation .

Placement of a List of Abbreviations 

Abbreviations’ list should be placed at the start of the dissertation and right after the  table of contents . The list of abbreviations should also be a part of the table of contents. If you aren’t using many abbreviations, there isn’t a need to include a whole list. Underneath, we will guide you on how to define abbreviations within the text.

Abbreviations don’t need to be numbered in the list.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

There are various ways of placing acronyms and abbreviations in a dissertation. While using acronyms formed by combining the first letter of each word from a phrase, you should write that phrase in its full form and then write the abbreviation in parenthesis right after that. You can then make use of that acronym for the  rest of the dissertation .

Acronyms Example in a dissertation

 I met the regional sales manager (RSM) of 5 different multi-national companies (MNC). I conducted in-depth interviews with the RSM, through which I came to know that every MNC  has a different strategy for its product marketing.

Some exceptions don’t apply to this rule, such as when acronyms like AI, URL, FIFA, etc. are involved You can still write the full acronym if unsure.

Point to remember: In research, it is not considered right to create your own abbreviations and/or acronyms. You can only abbreviate terms that have officially been abbreviated in books, journals and other published materials. For instance, you cannot abbreviate ‘women leaders in private sectors’ to ‘WLiPS’. Unless such an abbreviation actually exists, this would be unethical in the context of research.

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Researchprospect to the rescue then.

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APA Style of Abbreviations

If you are working with APA referencing style, there are additional and specific requirements for creating a list of abbreviations for the dissertation.

Other Types of Lists in a Dissertation

In addition to the list of abbreviations, there are other lists that you can include in your dissertation paper, including:

• Table of Contents
• Figures and tables

Point to note: You might come across some types of research or theses where the abbreviations’ column is placed in front of an ‘explanation’ column. The latter is simply another way of ‘defining’ the acronyms/abbreviations or rather, giving their full forms. Here is an example of such a list of abbreviations from a thesis:

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a list of abbreviations.

A list of abbreviations is a compilation of shortened forms used in a document, often found at the beginning or end. It explains the meanings of acronyms, initialisms, or shortened terms to help readers comprehend the text more easily.

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What to include in Abbreviations and symbols?

My supervisor asked me to make an Abbreviations and Symbols part to my thesis, as I use a lot of mathematical equations and variables. Now, obviously I won't put every variable (and abbreviation) into this list. What should the criteria be for putting an entry to the list? I also have tried to explain the variables where I'm using them, is this now redundant when done in conjunction with the list?

Additionally, should the symbols and abbreviations appear in the list in alphabetical or appearance order?

My supervisor asked me to make an Abbreviations and Symbols part to my thesis

This is a reasonable request: when there are many symbols, a list can be definitely helpful to the reader.

Now, obviously I won't put every variable (and abbreviation) into this list.

You won't put every variable, but you surely want to put any abbreviation.

What should the criteria be for putting an entry to the list?

I suggest you to put: special quantities which are defined in your work; special operators and functions; mathematical spaces; and all the abbreviations, even those you think are well known in your field.

I also have tried to explain the variables where I'm using them, is this now redundant when done in conjunction with the list?

No, it's not redundant because a list of symbols does not typically give the complete definition, but just a short one. Actually, it would be also useful to list the page number where a certain symbol has been defined for the first time.

If you can define an alphabetical order, go for it. Unfortunately, this is not always possible (in a universally recognized way) with symbols. In any case, I'd separate symbols and abbreviations.

• Thanks, makes sense. But what about the order? Alphabetical or appearance or either is good? –  eimrek Commented May 24, 2015 at 10:08
• Ok, thanks. I think I will separate greek and latin letters into subsections and order them alphabetically. –  eimrek Commented May 24, 2015 at 10:11
• @Shepherd: I've just edited the question for the order. For this you can also consult a style guide. –  Massimo Ortolano Commented May 24, 2015 at 10:11

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creating two pages for symbols and abbreviations

I am using thesis template from my university as here .

In this template there is one page specifically allocated for " LIST OF SYMBOLS AND ACRONYMS " at the \frontmatter .

I want to split this page so that I have two pages instead of one, they are " LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS " and " LIST OF SYMBOLS "

I have tried to reproduce the two pages with MWE, but I have failed.

Below I provide the MWE which I used.

Can I get some helping hand on this? Appreciate any help.

Without seeing the contents of your files myacronyms.tex and mysymbols.tex this is just guesswork, but \loadglsentries has an optional argument that indicates which glossary the entries should be added to, however this mechanism only works if the type is set to \glsdefaulttype in the definitions. This is done by default when you use \newglossaryentry (without explicitly using type ). If on the other hand you use \newacronym , the type defaults to \acronymtype . In this case, the optional argument to \loadglsentries is ignored.

This means that if, for example, your myacronyms.tex file looks like:

should automatically add all the abbreviations to the \acronymtype glossary.

If your mysymbols.tex file looks like:

should automatically add all those entries to the default ( main ) glossary.

So, if your myacronyms.tex and mysymbols.tex files look like the above, then this trimmed-down version of your MWE should work correctly:

If, however, your myacronyms.tex file looks like:

will add your abbreviations to the default ( main ) glossary, which means that all your symbols and abbreviations will be in the same glossary. You should also get a warning message from makeglossaries :

(Where the main file is called test.tex .)

In this case you need to use the optional argument to \loadglsentries :

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