Putting it together

This section presents two alternative methods for combining your chapters and other material into one thesis. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. You are given this choice, because one method, Master document, may have problems.

 


Master document

Master document diagram

Master document sets up a control document. All your chapters and other material become subdocuments inserted into the master document. All parts of your thesis are controlled from the master document.

Advantages of Master document

  • flexible – work in and edit any part your thesis while retaining control of the whole
  • consistent formatting throughout
  • automatically update footnotes, styles and page numbers
  • faster checking of spelling, formatting and styles in any part of your thesis
  • post-examination amendments can be made quickly in specific parts of the thesis without disrupting the whole

Disadvantages of Master document

  • complicated to set up
  • cumbersome when used to write the whole thesis (better left until the end, simply to compile your thesis)
  • prone to corruption

On the Microsoft Office Word home page:

  • instructions for Master document cover two and a half pages
  • instructions for troubleshooting Master document cover four and a half pages

That says something about its complexity.

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Insert Text

Single document diagram

Insert Text is the method in which you:

  1. choose one of your chapters as the main document
  2. successively insert each subsequent chapter at the end of the previous one

In this way, you create a single large document.

Advantages of Insert Text

  • simple to set up – just insert each chapter at the end of the previous one
  • quick to set up – requires few computer operations
  • consistent styles – each inserted chapter will pick up the styles of the whole document
  • automatically updates page and footnote numbers
  • checking of spelling and formatting are required in one document only

Disadvantages of Insert Text

  • cumbersome if the document is large (like a thesis)
  • checking is slow – spellchecking several hundred pages at once
  • inflexible – you do not have the part/whole options of master document (changes to any part may jeopardise the format or structure of the whole – for example, post-examination amendments)
  • post-examination amendments less precisely targeted and slower to complete – you have to search a big document to make any changes

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Which method?

On balance, Insert text is recommended as a better way of compiling your thesis. Given the complexity of Master document and its proneness to corruption, Insert text becomes the simpler, safer option.

However, if your are experienced and confident in your use of Word, Master document may be the best option for you.

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