alternating text position in latex

Question

I am writing my PhD thesis and I want to give the following format to my document (see image).

I appreciate any guidance provided.

I have not found any help in the standard "text positioning settings"

Answer 1

I recommend the memoir class for this, here is a basic example:

\documentclass{memoir}
\usepackage{blindtext}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\footnotesinmargin
\begin{document}
    \blindtext
    Some text\footnote{a footnote in the margin.}.
\blindtext
\begin{marginfigure}
    \includegraphics[width=4cm]{example-image}
\end{marginfigure}

\blindtext

\blindtext

\blindtext

\blindtext
\footnote{notice that we are now on the other side of the page}

\blindtext

\blindtext

\end{document}

There is much more that the memoir class can do but this should get you started. The key points are \footnotesinmargin which, as the name suggests, puts all the footnotes in the margin, and the marginfigure (and analogous margintable) which puts figures (resp. tables) in the margin.