How to Write a PhD Thesis in LaTeX

Updated July 2026

To write a PhD thesis in LaTeX, start from the report or book class (or your university thesis class), split the document into front matter (title, abstract, contents), body chapters loaded with \include, and back matter (bibliography, appendices). Use biblatex for references and compile with latexmk. LetX hosts ready thesis templates for MIT, Cambridge, ETH, IIT, and BUET so you can start in seconds instead of formatting for hours.

Step by step

  1. 1

    Choose a document class

    Use report or book, or your university thesis class (many are on CTAN and in the LetX template gallery).

  2. 2

    Set up the front matter

    Title page, abstract, declaration, and \tableofcontents — often with Roman page numbers.

  3. 3

    Split chapters into files

    Put each chapter in its own .tex and load it with \include{chapters/intro} so the project stays manageable.

  4. 4

    Add the bibliography

    Use biblatex with biber and \addbibresource, then \printbibliography at the end.

  5. 5

    Compile with latexmk

    latexmk runs the multiple passes (LaTeX, biber, LaTeX, LaTeX) needed to resolve the TOC and citations. LetX does this automatically.

1. Pick a document class

A thesis is a long, chaptered document, so use report or book (which start chapters), or a dedicated university thesis class if your institution provides one. Many universities publish an official .cls — MIT, Cambridge, ETH Zürich, the IITs, and BUET all have LaTeX thesis templates, several of which are in the LetX gallery.

\documentclass[12pt,oneside]{report}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\usepackage{setspace}\onehalfspacing
\usepackage[style=numeric,backend=biber]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}

2. Structure the project into files

Keep the main file small and \include each chapter. This makes a 200-page thesis editable and lets you compile one chapter at a time with \includeonly while drafting.

\begin{document}
\pagenumbering{roman}
\input{frontmatter/title}
\begin{abstract} ... \end{abstract}
\tableofcontents
\newpage
\pagenumbering{arabic}
\include{chapters/introduction}
\include{chapters/methodology}
\include{chapters/results}
\include{chapters/conclusion}
\appendix
\include{chapters/appendix-a}
\printbibliography
\end{document}

3. Front matter, numbering, and spacing

Thesis offices usually require Roman numerals (i, ii, iii) for the front matter and Arabic from the first chapter — switch with \pagenumbering. Most also require 1.5 or double line spacing via the setspace package, and a one-inch (or wider binding) margin set with geometry.

4. Bibliography and cross-references

Use biblatex with biber for flexible citation styles, or BibTeX with a journal .bst. Cite with \autocite and label every figure, table, and chapter so \cref (from cleveref) can reference them consistently.

Don’t reformat by hand: open a ready thesis template in the LetX template gallery (MIT, Cambridge, ETH, IIT, BUET and more), compile in 1–2 seconds, and start writing. See also page numbering, glossaries & acronyms, and BibTeX vs biblatex.

Frequently asked questions

Which document class should I use for a thesis?

Use your university’s official thesis class if one exists; otherwise report or book. Both support chapters, parts, and front/back matter. The LetX gallery has ready thesis templates for many universities.

How do I split my thesis into multiple files?

Put each chapter in its own .tex file and load it with \include{chapters/name} from the main file. Use \includeonly to compile just the chapter you are drafting for speed.

Should I use BibTeX or biblatex for a thesis?

biblatex with biber is more flexible and handles Unicode and style switching well, which suits a long thesis. Use BibTeX only if your university template requires a specific .bst file.

How do I get my university’s exact thesis format?

Start from the official template. LetX hosts thesis templates for MIT, Cambridge, ETH, the IITs, BUET, and others with the correct margins, title page, and citation style already configured.

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