How to Prepare Figures, Tables and Captions in a Thesis

Figures and tables often cause the most visible problems in a merged thesis. Use the following rules to preserve quality and keep the final document suitable for printing.

Figures

• Prefer PNG for diagrams and screenshots; use JPEG for photographs.
• Use sufficient resolution. A blurry source remains blurry after merging.
• Keep the image in line with text or use a simple wrapping mode.
• Avoid images wider than the printable text area.
• Place the caption below the image.

Tables

• Create tables with Word’s Insert Table command.
• Avoid pasted Excel objects when a normal Word table is sufficient.
• Use a simple grid with visible borders.
• Repeat the header row when a table spans multiple pages.
• Place the title above the table if required by your university.

Academic caption examples

Figure II.1 Overall architecture of the proposed system
Table III.2 Experimental configuration and measured parameters

The formatter can normalize compatible caption paragraphs and preserve common image relationships. Complex SmartArt, charts and embedded objects may still need manual verification.

Before final export

After opening the generated DOCX, verify that every caption is associated with the correct figure or table. Update fields with Ctrl + A and F9, then review the List of Figures and List of Tables.