fgsr minimum thesis formatting requirements

Thesis Requirements

All students in a thesis degree program must present and defend a thesis embodying the results of their research. The topic of the thesis must have been approved by the student’s supervisor.

The Department of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation has no specific requirements for formatting of a student thesis, other than those set by FGSR. Students may choose between traditional format theses, paper-based theses (e.g. theses consisting of published, accepted, and submitted papers), and mixed format theses, in which there is a “blending of published and as yet unpublished research” requiring the full approval of the supervisor.

The thesis should include a global introduction, discussion (describing concepts) and a conclusion chapter. The thesis must have a bibliography indicating all sources used by the student, with the bibliography placed at the end of the thesis. Further details regarding FGSR minimum thesis formatting requirements can be viewed on their website . It is the responsibility of both the student and the supervisor(s) to be aware of any specific requirements of the student's department with respect to the student’s thesis.

For students in a master’s degree program, the thesis, at a minimum, should reveal that the student is able to work in a scholarly manner and is acquainted with the principal works published on the subject of the thesis. As far as possible, it should be an original contribution.

A doctoral thesis, at a minimum, must embody the results of original investigations and analyses and be of such quality as to merit publication, meeting the standards of reputable scholarly publications. It must constitute a substantial contribution to the knowledge in the student's field of study.

The thesis should be written in English.

Thesis Guidelines

Navigation Menu

Search code, repositories, users, issues, pull requests..., provide feedback.

We read every piece of feedback, and take your input very seriously.

Saved searches

Use saved searches to filter your results more quickly.

To see all available qualifiers, see our documentation .

• Notifications

A LaTeX template for the University of Alberta. Compliant with the FGSR Standards.

draldric/uAlberta-Thesis-LaTeX-Template

Folders and files, repository files navigation, welcome to the (un)official ualberta thesis latex template.

A LaTeX template for the University of Alberta. Compliant with the FGSR Standards for submitting a thesis, including conversion to PDF/A. For more information on the template, please visit the dedicated website at: https://ualberta-thesis.daniel-aldrich.ca

About • Getting Started • Download • License

The Long Story Why I Made This

As a graduate student from the University of Alberta, I understand the daunting task that is associated with writing a Thesis that conforms the the guidelines outlined in the FGSR Minimum Thesis Formatting Requirements. It can also be very frustrating to write long, equation and figure heavy, document in a word processor that is prone to crashes, file corruption, seemingly random changes to the formatting, and that do not output a document in the required PDF/A format for submission to FGSR.

Due to these problems, lots of students attempt to use an alternative to traditional word processors: LaTeX.

LaTeX allows students/researchers to focus on either the writing of the document or the formatting. Because the writing is separated from the formatting, the writing of the documents can be performed in much more lightweight text editors, or TeX editors (that also allow for the compilation of the documents) that are able to constantly save the work and due to the plaintext nature, are not generally susceptible to file corruption.

LaTeX has the added benefit of providing a consistent and professional look and feel throughout the document. However, there does not appear to be a template for LaTeX that provides all the necessary formatting and packages to ease the formatting of documents written in LaTeX, while also adhering to the FGRS Thesis Formatting Requirements.

During my Master's program, I had worked with writing my thesis in LaTeX and though I was able to generate all the formatting I needed to submit my thesis, I knew it would be better if a proper thesis template existed. So after I finished submitting my thesis to FGSR, I started work on a template that would meet the requirements above and make the process of formatting your thesis more trivial.

Included in my template are examples of how to layout specific element of a thesis, as well as a LaTeX class file that automatically generates the title and prefatory pages, allows for the inclusion of List of [Tables, Figures, Plates, and Symbols], Glossaries, Indices, provides a tool for generating tables in excel and exporting them to LaTeX, and generates a PDF/A output without the need of a paid program.

Word crashed on me one too many times.

Getting Started

In general, you will need:

• Comes with a simple LaTeX Editor (TexWorks)

Additionally, because lets be honest you are here because you want to spend less time on organizing, laying out, and formatting your thesis, I recommend the following:

• Allow DOI look up - no more copy pasting data to make a reference
• PDF Markup and Sync - Allows you to attach the PDF to the reference and allows you to see all the comments and highlighted text from JabRef
• Rating and Marking - Allows you rate, group, and mark references based on if they need to be read or how important they are
• Microsoft Referencing - Supports Export to Word Reference Format
• Dark Mode - Do you need any more reasons?
• TeXnicCenter ,
• TeXStudio , or
• LaTeX to Word: pandoc input.tex --filter pandoc-crossref --bibliography=references.bib --csl=ieee.csl -o output.docx
• Word to LaTeX: pandoc input.docx --filter pandoc-crossref -o output.tex
• NOTE: to have proper citations in word you need to download a *.csl file - CSL Repository
• ALSO NOTE: The conversions can be lossly and is meant to only assist with the conversions (Please double check the conversion results are satifactory do not assume they are)

Prerequisites

• A LaTeX Distribution
• A text/LaTeX Editor
• The Files in this Repo

You can download the latest version of the template.

Support this Project

If you find this template useful and would like to support its development, please consider sending a donation via e-transfer to [email protected] . Please include "LaTeX Template Donation" in the message section of your e-transfer. Your contribution will help ensure that this template remains free and open-source for all to use.

• Daniel Aldrich - @draldric - Website

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details

Daniel R. Aldrich  ·  GitHub @draldric

Contributors 2

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="fgsr minimum thesis formatting requirements"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Required sections, guidelines, and suggestions.

Beyond those noted on the Formatting Requirements page , the Graduate School has no additional formatting requirements. The following suggestions are based on best practices and historic requirements for dissertations and theses but are not requirements for submission of the thesis or dissertation. The Graduate School recommends that each dissertation or thesis conform to the standards of leading academic journals in your field.

For both master’s and doctoral students, the same basic rules apply; however, differences exist in some limited areas, particularly in producing the abstract and filing the dissertation or thesis.

• Information in this guide that pertains specifically to doctoral candidates and dissertations is clearly marked with the term “ dissertation ” or “ doctoral candidates .”
• Information pertaining specifically to master’s candidates and theses is clearly marked with the term “ thesis ” or “ master’s candidates .”
• All other information pertains to both.

Examples of formatting suggestions for both the dissertation and thesis are available as downloadable templates .

Required? Yes.

Suggested numbering: Page included in overall document, but number not typed on page.

The following format for your title page is suggested, but not required.

• The title should be written using all capital letters, centered within the left and right margins, and spaced about 1.5 inches from the top of the page. (For an example, please see the template .)
• Carefully select words for the title of the dissertation or thesis to represent the subject content as accurately as possible. Words in the title are important access points to researchers who may use keyword searches to identify works in various subject areas.
• Use word substitutes for formulas, symbols, superscripts, Greek letters, etc.
• Below the title, at the vertical and horizontal center of the margins, place the following five lines (all centered):

Line 1: A Dissertation [or Thesis]

Line 2: Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School

Line 3: of Cornell University

Line 4: in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Line 5: Doctor of Philosophy [or other appropriate degree]

• Center the following three lines within the margins:

Line 2: Primary or Preferred Name [as registered with the University Registrar’s Office and displayed in Student Center]

Line 3: month and year of degree conferral [May, August, December; no comma between month and year]

Copyright Page

Suggested numbering: Page included in overall document, but number not typed on page

The following format for your copyright page is suggested, but not required.

• A notice of copyright should appear as the sole item on the page centered vertically and horizontally within the margins: © 20__ [Primary or Preferred Name [as registered with the University Registrar’s Office]. Please note that there is not usually a page heading on the copyright page.
• The copyright symbol is a lowercase “c,” which must be circled. (On Macs, the symbol is typed by pressing the “option” and “g” keys simultaneously. If the font does not have the © symbol, type the “c” and circle it by hand. On PCs, in the insert menu, choose “symbol,” and select the © symbol.)
• The date, which follows the copyright symbol, is the year of conferral of your degree.
• Your name follows the date.

Required?  Yes.

Suggested numbering: Page(s) not counted, not numbered

Abstract formats for the doctoral dissertation and master’s thesis differ greatly. The Graduate School recommends that you conform to the standards of leading academic journals in your field.

Doctoral candidates:

• TITLE OF DISSERTATION
• Student’s Primary or Preferred Name, Ph.D. [as registered with the University Registrar’s Office]
• Cornell University 20__ [year of conferral]
• Following the heading lines, begin the text of the abstract on the same page.
• The abstract states the problem, describes the methods and procedures used, and gives the main results or conclusions of the research.
• The abstract usually does not exceed 350 words in length (about one-and-one-half correctly spaced pages—but not more than two pages).

Master’s candidate:

• In a thesis, the page heading is simply the word “ABSTRACT” in all capital letters and centered within the margins at the top of the page. (The thesis abstract does not display the thesis title, author’s name, degree, university, or date of degree conferral.)
• The abstract should state the problem, describe the methods and procedures used, and give the main results or conclusions.
• The abstract usually does not exceed 600 words in length, which is approximately two-and-one-half to three pages of correctly spaced typing.
• In M.F.A. theses, an abstract is not required.

Biographical Sketch

Suggested numbering: iii (may be more than one page)

• Type number(s) on page(s).

The following content and format are suggested:

• The biographical sketch is written in third-person voice and contains your educational background. Sometimes additional biographical facts are included.
• As a page heading, use “BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH” in all capital letters, centered on the page.
• Number this page as iii.

Required? Optional.

Suggested numbering: iv (may be more than one page)

The dedication page is not required and can contain whatever text that you would like to include. Text on this page does not need to be in English.

Acknowledgements

Suggested numbering: v (may be more than one page)

The following content and format are suggested, not required.

• The acknowledgements may be written in first-person voice. If your research has been funded by outside grants, you should check with the principal investigator of the grant regarding proper acknowledgement of the funding source. Most outside funding sources require some statement of acknowledgement of the support; some also require a disclaimer from responsibility for the results.
• As a page heading, use “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” in all capital letters, centered on the page.

Table of Contents

Suggested numbering: vi (may be more than one page)

The following are suggestions.

• As a page heading, use “TABLE OF CONTENTS” in all capital letters and centered on the page.
• List the sections/chapters of the body of the dissertation or thesis. Also, list preliminary sections starting with the biographical sketch. (Title page, copyright page, and abstract are not listed.)
• For theses and dissertations, the conventional format for page numbers is in a column to the right of each section/chapter title. The first page of each chapter/section is stated with a single number. Table of contents usually do not include a range of page numbers, such as 7-22.
• The table of contents is often single-spaced.

Two-Volume Theses or Dissertations

If the dissertation or thesis consists of two volumes, it is recommended, but not required, that you list “Volume II” as a section in the table of contents.

List of Figures, Illustrations, and Tables

Suggested numbering: vii (may be more than one page)

• If included, type number(s) on page(s).

As described in the formatting requirements above, figures and tables should be consecutively numbered. The Graduate School recommends that you conform to the styles set by the leading academic journals in your field. The items below are formatting suggestions based on best practices or historic precedents.

Table of contents format:

• As a page heading, use “LIST OF FIGURES,” “LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS,” or “LIST OF TABLES” in all capital letters, centered on the page.
• There should be separate pages for “LIST OF FIGURES,” “LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS,” or “LIST OF TABLES” even if there is only one example of each.
• The list should contain enough of the titles or descriptions so readers can locate items using the list. (It may not be necessary to include entire figure/illustration/table captions.)
• The list should contain the page number on which each figure, illustration, or table is found, as in a table of contents.
• The list of figures/illustrations/tables may be single-spaced.

Page format:

• Figures/illustrations/tables should be placed as close as possible to their first mention in the text. They may be placed on a page with no text above or below, or placed directly into the text. If a figure/illustration/table is placed directly into the text, text may appear above or below the figure/illustration/table; no text may wrap around the figure/illustration/table.
• If a figure/illustration/table appears on a page without other text, it should be centered vertically within the page margins. Figures/illustrations/tables should not be placed at the end of the chapter or at the end of the dissertation or thesis.
• Figure/illustration/table numbering should be either continuous throughout the dissertation or thesis, or by chapter (e.g. 1.1, 1.2; 2.1, 2.2, etc.). The word “Figure,” “Illustration,” or “Table” must be spelled out (not abbreviated), and the first letter must be capitalized.
• A caption for a figure/illustration should be placed at the bottom of the figure/illustration. However, a caption for a table must be placed above the table.
• If the figure/illustration/table, not including the caption, takes up the entire page, the figure/illustration/table caption should be placed alone on the preceding page and centered vertically and horizontally within the margins. (When the caption is on a separate page, the List of Figures or List of Illustrations or List of Tables can list the page number containing the caption.)
• If the figure/illustration/table, not including the caption, takes up more than two pages, it should be preceded by a page consisting of the caption only. The first page of the figure/illustration/table must include the figure/illustration/table (no caption), and the second and subsequent pages must also include, at the top of the figure/illustration/table, words that indicate its continuance—for example, “Figure 5 (Continued)”—and on these pages the caption is omitted.
• If figures/illustrations/tables are too large, they may be reduced slightly so as to render a satisfactory product or they must either be split into several pages or be redone. If a figure/illustration/table is reduced, all lettering must be clear, readable, and large enough to be legible. All lettering, including subscripts, must still be readable when reduced 25% beyond the final version. All page margin requirements must be maintained. Page numbers and headings must not be reduced.
• While there are no specific rules for the typographic format of figure/illustration/table captions, a consistent format should be used throughout the dissertation or thesis.
• The caption of a figure/illustration/table should be single-spaced, but then captions for all figures/illustrations/tables must be single-spaced.
• Horizontal figures/illustrations/tables should be positioned correctly—i.e., the top of the figure/illustration/table will be at the left margin of the vertical page of the dissertation or thesis (remember: pages are bound on the left margin). Figure/illustration/table headings/captions are placed with the same orientation as the figure/illustration/table when they are on the same page as the figure/illustration/table. When they are on a separate page, headings and captions are always placed in vertical orientation, regardless of the orientation of the figure/illustration/table. Page numbers are always placed as if the figure/illustration/table was vertical on the page.

Photographs should be treated as illustrations. To be considered archival, photographs must be black-and-white. (If actual color photographs are necessary, they should be accompanied by black-and-white photographs of the same subject.) Color photos obtained digitally do not need to be accompanied by a black-and-white photograph. Make a high-resolution digital version of each photograph and insert it into your electronic document, following the guideline suggestions for positioning and margins.

Optional Elements

List of abbreviations.

As a page heading, use “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS” in all capital letters, centered on the page.

List of Symbols

As a page heading, use “LIST OF SYMBOLS” in all capital letters, centered on the page.

Suggested numbering: xi (may be more than one page)

As a page heading, use “PREFACE” in all capital letters, centered on the page.

Body of the Dissertation or Thesis: Text

Suggested numbering: Begin page number at 1

• Text (required)
• Appendix/Appendices (optional)
• Bibliography, References, or Works Cited (required)

Please note that smaller font size may be appropriate for footnotes or other material outside of the main text. The following suggestions are based on best practice or historic precedent, but are not required.

• Chapter headings may be included that conform to the standard of your academic field.
• Textual notes that provide supplementary information, opinions, explanations, or suggestions that are not part of the text must appear at the bottom of the page as footnotes. Lengthy footnotes may be continued on the next page. Placement of footnotes at the bottom of the page ensures they will appear as close as possible to the referenced passage.

Appendix (or Appendices)

An appendix (-ces) is not required for your thesis or dissertation. If you choose to include one, the following suggestions are based on best practice or historic precedent.

• As a page heading, use “APPENDIX” in all capital letters, centered on the page.
• Place in an appendix any material that is peripheral, but relevant, to the main text of the dissertation or thesis. Examples could include survey instruments, additional data, computer printouts, details of a procedure or analysis, a relevant paper that you wrote, etc.
• The appendix may include text that does not meet the general font and spacing requirements of the other sections of the dissertation or thesis.

Bibliography (or References or Works Cited)

A bibliography, references, or works cited is required for your thesis or dissertation. Please conform to the standards of leading academic journals in your field.

• As a page heading, use “BIBLIOGRAPHY” (or “REFERENCES” or “WORKS CITED”) in all capital letters, centered on the page. The bibliography should always begin on a new page.
• Bibliographies may be single-spaced within each entry but should include 24 points of space between entries.

Suggested numbering: Continue page numbering from body

If you choose to include a glossary, best practices and historic precedent suggest using a page heading, use “GLOSSARY” in all capital letters, centered on the page.

Suggested numbering: Continue page numbering from glossary

If you choose to include one, best practices and historic precedent suggest using a page heading, use “INDEX” in all capital letters, centered on the page.

Font Samples

Sample macintosh fonts.

• Palatino 12
• Garamond 14
• New Century School Book
• Helvetica 12 or Helvetica 14
• Times New Roman 12
• Times 14 (Times 12 is not acceptable)
• Symbol 12 is acceptable for symbols

Sample TeX and LaTeX Fonts

• CMR 12 font
• Any font that meets the above specifications

Sample PC Fonts

• Helvetica 12

Ohio State nav bar

• The Ohio State University
• BuckeyeLink
• Find People
• Search Ohio State

Formatting Guidelines For Theses, Dissertations, and DMA Documents

Guidelines for Formatting Theses, Dissertations, and DMA Documents is intended to help graduate students present the results of their research in the form of a scholarly document.

Before beginning to write a master’s thesis, PhD dissertation, or DMA document, students should read the relevant sections of the  Graduate School Handbook, section 7.8  for dissertations and/ or  section 6.4  for master’s theses.

Candidates for advanced degrees should also confer with their advisors and members of their graduate studies committees to learn about any special departmental requirements for preparing graduate degree documents.

Members of the graduation services staff at the Graduate School are available to provide information and to review document drafts at any stage of the planning or writing process. While graduation services is responsible for certifying that theses and/or dissertations have been prepared in accordance with Graduate School guidelines, the student bears the ultimate responsibility for meeting these requirements and resolving any related technical and/or software issues . Graduation services will not accept documents if required items are missing or extend deadlines because of miscommunication between the student and the advisor.

Accessibility Features

As of Spring, 2023, all theses and dissertations will need to incorporate the following accessibility features to align with the university’s accessibility policy.  When you submit your final document to OhioLINK you will be verifying that accessibility features have been applied.

• PDF file includes full text
• PDF accessibility permission flag is checked
• Text language of the PDF is specified
• PDF includes a title

Features and Other Notes

Some features are required, and some are optional. Each component is identified with a major heading unless otherwise noted. The major heading must be centered with a one-inch top margin. 

Sample Pages and Templates

Templates are available for use in formatting dissertations, theses, and DMA documents. Please read all instructions before beginning. 

• Graduate Dissertations and Theses Templates - OSU Login Required

FRONTISPIECE (OPTIONAL)

If used, no heading is included on this page.

TITLE PAGE (REQUIRED)

The title page should include:

• the use of title case is recommended
• dissertation, DMA. document, or thesis
• Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree [insert the applicable degree such as Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Science, etc.] in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University
• Name of the candidate 
• Initials of previous earned degrees
• insert correct name from program directory
• Year of graduation
•  Dissertation, document, or thesis [select applicable title] committee and committee member names

COPYRIGHT PAGE (REQUIRED)

Notice of copyright is centered in the following format on the page immediately after the title page. This page is not identified with a page number.

Copyright by John James Doe 2017

ABSTRACT (REQUIRED)

The heading Abstract is centered without punctuation at least one inch from the top of the page. The actual abstract begins four spaces below the heading. See sample pages.

DEDICATION (OPTIONAL)

If used, the dedication must be brief and centered on the page.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

(OPTIONAL, BUT STRONGLY RECOMMENDED)

Either spelling of the word, acknowledgments or acknowledgments, is acceptable. The acknowledgment is a record of the author’s indebtedness and includes notice of permission to use previously copyrighted materials that appear extensively in the text. The heading Acknowledgments is centered without punctuation at least one inch from the top of the page.

VITA (REQUIRED)

Begin the page with the heading Vita, centered, without punctuation, and at least one inch from the top of the page. There are three sections to the vita: biographical information (required), publications (if applicable), and fields of study (required).

There is no subheading used for the biographical information section. In this section, include education and work related to the degree being received.

Use leader dots between the information and dates. The publication section follows. The subheading Publications should be centered and in title case. List only those items published in a book or journal. If there are none, omit the Publication subheading. The final section of the vita is Fields of Study, which is required. Center the subheading and use title case. Two lines below the Fields of Study subheading, place the following statement: Major Field: [insert only the name of your Graduate Program as it reads on the title page] flush left. Any specialization you would like to include is optional and is placed flush left on the lines below Major Field.

TABLE OF CONTENTS (REQUIRED)

The heading Table of Contents (title case preferred) appears without punctuation centered at least one inch from the top of the page. The listing of contents begins at the left margin four spaces below the heading. The titles of all parts, sections, chapter numbers, and chapters are listed and must

be worded exactly as they appear in the body of the document. The table of contents must include any appendices and their titles, if applicable. Use leader dots between the listed items and their page numbers.

LISTS OF ILLUSTRATIONS (REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE)

Lists of illustrations are required if the document contains illustrations. The headings List of Tables , List of Figures , or other appropriate illustration designations (title case preferred) appear centered without punctuation at least one inch from the top of the page. The listing begins at the left margin four spaces below the heading. Illustrations should be identified by the same numbers and captions in their respective lists as they have been assigned in the document itself. Use leader dots between the listed items and their page numbers. See sample pages .

BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES (REQUIRED)

Include a complete bibliography or reference section at the end of the document, before the appendix, even if you have included references at the end of each chapter. You may decide how this section should be titled. The terms References or Bibliography are the most commonly chosen titles. The heading must be centered and at least one inch from the top of the page.

Include this heading in the table of contents.

APPENDICES (REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE)

An appendix, or appendices, must be placed after the bibliography. The heading Appendix (title case preferred) centered at least one inch from the top of the page. Appendices are identified with letters and titles. For example: Appendix A: Data. Include all appendix headers and titles in the table of contents.

Other Notes

Candidates are free to select a style suitable to their discipline as long as it complies with the format and content guidelines given in this publication. Where a style manual conflicts with Graduate School guidelines, the Graduate School guidelines take precedence. Once chosen, the style must remain consistent throughout the document.

Top, bottom, left, and right page margins should all be set at one inch. (Keep in mind that the left margin is the binding edge, so if you want to have a bound copy produced for your personal use, it is recommended that the left margin be 1.5 inches.)

It is recommended that any pages with a major header, such as document title, chapter/major section titles, preliminary page divisions, abstract, appendices, and references at the end of the document be set with a 2-inch top margin for aesthetic purposes and to help the reader identify that a new major section is beginning.

The selected font should be 10 to 12 point and be readable. The font should be consistent throughout the document. Captions, endnotes, footnotes, and long quotations may be slightly smaller than text font, as long as the font is readable.

Double spacing is preferred, but 1.5 spacing (1.5 × the type size) is acceptable for long documents. Single spacing is recommended for bibliography entries, long quotations, long endnotes or footnotes, and long captions. Double spacing between each bibliography entry is recommended.

Each major division of the document, including appendices, must have a title. Titles must be centered and have at least a one inch top margin. The use of title case is recommended. If chapters are being used, they should be numbered and titled. For example: Chapter 1: Introduction. Appendices are identified with letters and titles. For example: Appendix A: Data.

PAGE NUMBERS

Every page must have a page number except the title page and the copyright page. If a frontispiece is included before the title page, it is neither counted nor numbered. The page numbers are centered at the bottom center of the page above the one inch margin. Note: You may need to set the footer margin to 1-inch and the body bottom margin to 1.3 or 1.5- inches to place the page number accurately.

Preliminary pages (abstract, dedication, acknowledgments, vita, table of contents, and the lists of illustrations, figures, etc.) are numbered with small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.). Page numbering begins with the first page of the abstract, and this can be either page i or ii (The title page is technically page i, but the number is not shown on the page).

Arabic numerals are used for the remainder of the document, including the text and the reference material. These pages are numbered consecutively beginning with 1 and continue through the end of the document.

Notation practices differ widely among publications in the sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences. Candidates should confer with their advisors regarding accepted practice in their individual disciplines. That advice should be coupled with careful reference to appropriate general style manuals.

• Arabic numerals should be used to indicate a note in the text. 
• Notes may be numbered in one of two ways: either consecutively throughout the entire manuscript or consecutively within each chapter.
• Notes can be placed at the bottom of the page (footnotes) or at the end of a chapter or document (endnotes). Once chosen, the notation style must be consistent throughout the document.
• Notes about information within tables should be placed directly below the table to which they apply, not at the bottom of the page along with notes to the text.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Tables, figures, charts, graphs, photos, etc..

Some documents include several types of illustrations. In such cases, it is necessary that each type of illustration (table, figure, chart, etc.) be identified with a different numbering series (Table 1, Table 2, and so on, or Chart 1, Chart 2, and so on). For each series, include a list with captions and page numbers in the preliminary pages (for example, List of Tables, List of Charts, etc.). These lists must be identified with major headings that are centered and placed at the two-inch margin.

Each illustration must be identified with a caption that includes the type of illustration, the number, and a descriptive title (for example, Map 1: Ohio). Numbering may be sequential throughout the document (including the appendix, if applicable) or based on the decimal system (corresponding to the chapter number, such as Map 2.3: Columbus). When using decimal numbering in an appendix, the illustration is given a letter that corresponds with the appendix letter (for example, Figure A.1: Voter Data). Captions can be placed either above or below the illustration, but be consistent with the format throughout the document. If a landscape orientation of the illustration is used, make sure to also orient the illustration number and caption accordingly. The top of the illustration should be placed on the left (binding) edge of the page.

If an illustration is too large to ft on one page it is recommended that you identify the respective pages as being part of one illustration. Using a “continued” notation is one method. For example, the phrase continued is placed under the illustration on the bottom right hand side of the first page. On the following pages, include the illustration type, number, and the word continued at the top left margin; for example, Map 2: Continued. Whatever method you choose just make sure to be consistent. The caption for the illustration should be on the first page, but this does not need repeated on subsequent pages.

If an illustration is placed on a page with text, between the text and the top and/or bottom of the illustration, there must be three single spaced lines or two double spaced lines of blank space. The same spacing rule applies if there are multiple illustrations on the same page. The top/bottom of the illustration includes the caption.

All final Ph.D. dissertations, DMA. documents, and master’s theses are submitted to the Graduate School through OhioLINK at https://etdadmin. ohiolink.edu. The document must be saved in PDF embedded font format (PDF/A) before beginning the upload at OhioLINK. During the submission process, OhioLINK will require an abstract separate from your document. This abstract has a 500-word limit. You will get a confirmation from OhioLINK that the submission is complete. The submission then goes to the Graduate School for review. After it is reviewed by staff of the Graduate School, you will receive an email that it has been accepted or that changes need to be made. If changes are required, you will need to re-submit the revised document via an amended OhioLINK submission. You will receive an “accepted” email from the Graduate School once the document has been approved.

THESIS OR DISSERTATION IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The Graduate School has no policy specifically permitting graduate degree documents to be written in a foreign language. The practice is allowed as long as it is approved by the student’s advisor and Graduate Studies Committee. Documents in a foreign language must comply with the following requirements:

• The title page must be in English, but the title itself may be in the same language as the document.
• If the title is in a language using other than Roman characters, it must be transliterated into Roman character equivalents.
• The abstract must be in English.
• The academic unit must notify the Graduate School of dissertations in a foreign language so that an appropriate graduate faculty representative can be found to participate in the final oral examination

Dissertation and Theses

The dissertation is the hallmark of the research expertise demonstrated by a doctoral student. It is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the student’s area of specialization. 

A thesis is a hallmark of some master’s programs. It is a piece of original research, generally less comprehensive than a dissertation and is meant to show the student’s knowledge of an area of specialization.

Still Have Questions?

Dissertations & Theses 614-292-6031 [email protected]

Doctoral Exams, Master's Examination, Graduation Requirements 614-292-6031 [email protected]

(Un)Official uAlberta Thesis LaTeX Template

Welcome to the (un)official ualberta latex thesis template.

Are you a graduate student struggling to format your thesis according to the FGSR Minimum Thesis Formatting Requirements? Are you tired of dealing with crashes, file corruption, and random formatting changes in traditional word processors? If so, you've come to the right place!

The (Un)Official uAlberta LaTeX Thesis Template provides a solution to all of these problems and more. By separating the writing and formatting of your thesis, you can focus on your content and avoid the headaches that come with traditional word processors. Plus, my template adheres to the FGSR guidelines, so you can be confident that your thesis will meet all necessary formatting requirements.

What's included in the template, you ask? Here are just a few of the features:

Examples of how to layout specific elements of a thesis, such as the abstract, acknowledgments, table of contents, chapters, equations, figures, and references.

A LaTeX class file that automatically generates the title and prefatory pages, allows for the inclusion of Lists of Tables, Figures, Plates, and Symbols, Glossaries, and Indices.

A tool for generating tables in Excel and exporting them to LaTeX.

A PDF/A output without the need for a paid program.

Getting started with the template is easy. Simply download and install the required software and packages, then customize the template to fit your needs. We've even included a tutorial to guide you through the process.

So what are you waiting for? Download the (Un)Official uAlberta LaTeX Thesis Template today and start formatting your thesis like a pro!

The Long Story Why I Made This

As a graduate student from the University of Alberta, I understand the daunting task that is associated with writing a Thesis that conforms the the guidelines outlined in the FGSR Minimum Thesis Formatting Requirements. It can also be very frustrating to write long, equation and figure heavy, document in a word processor that is prone to crashes, file corruption, seemingly random changes to the formatting, and that do not output a document in the required PDF/A format for submission to FGSR.

Due to these problems, lots of students attempt to use an alternative to traditional word processors: LaTeX.

LaTeX allows students/researchers to focus on either the writing of the document or the formatting. Because the writing is separated from the formatting, the writing of the documents can be performed in much more lightweight text editors, or TeX editors (that also allow for the compilation of the documents) that are able to constantly save the work and due to the plaintext nature, are not generally susceptible to file corruption.

LaTeX has the added benefit of providing a consistent and professional look and feel throughout the document. However, there does not appear to be a template for LaTeX that provides all the necessary formatting and packages to ease the formatting of documents written in LaTeX, while also adhering to the FGRS Thesis Formatting Requirements.

During my Master's program, I had worked with writing my thesis in LaTeX and though I was able to generate all the formatting I needed to submit my thesis, I knew it would be better if a proper thesis template existed. So after I finished submitting my thesis to FGSR, I started work on a template that would meet the requirements above and make the process of formatting your thesis more trivial.

Included in my template are examples of how to layout specific element of a thesis, as well as a LaTeX class file that automatically generates the title and prefatory pages, allows for the inclusion of List of [Tables, Figures, Plates, and Symbols], Glossaries, Indices, provides a tool for generating tables in excel and exporting them to LaTeX, and generates a PDF/A output without the need of a paid program.

Word crashed on me one too many times.

Program of Study and Research

15.  Language of Instruction and Examination

The language of instruction for all graduate programs is English. Likewise, all theses will be written and examined in English. The only exception to this policy is where the nature of the scholarly topic requires that the thesis be written, in whole or in part, in a language other than English.  The rare exceptions for use of a language other than English in a thesis must have approval in writing from the student’s supervisor, the Program Coordinator, and the Dean of the FGSR.  The Supervisor and Program Coordinator must also ensure that qualified thesis examiners, fluent in the language presented in the thesis, are available for examination of the thesis.  Even if the thesis is written, in whole or in part, in a language other than English, the thesis examination will be carried out in English.

16.  Program Requirements

a. Students entering with an honours degree (or equivalent) must complete a minimum number of credit hours of course work as defined by the program (see detailed descriptions of the individual graduate programs in the Graduate Studies Academic Calendar) and, where applicable, submit an acceptable thesis or masters research project (MRP). In some programs, a master’s degree or graduate diploma may consist of course-work only and no thesis or MRP.  The course requirements for such non-thesis programs are described in the detailed description of the program.  Courses in all programs must be at the 5000 level or above, but where advisable, courses at the 4000 level may be included in a program, provided that the requirements applying to graduate students in such courses are of a graduate standard. It is the particular responsibility of students to ensure that they meet all their program requirements within the regulated time-for-completion of their graduate programs (see Graduate Academic Regulation 19).

b. A student may be required to audit a course as part of the program of study (see Regulation 9).

c. In order to graduate, a student must obtain a degree grade point average (DGPA) of at least 3.00 out of 4.3 (see Regulations 29 and 30 )

d. In Master programs that require a thesis, a student supervisory committee shall normally be established within eight (8) months of starting the program. For Ph.D. programs, the supervisory committee should normally be established within the first twelve (12) months of the program or by the time that the student has completed their comprehensive exams. Supervisory committees require approval of the relevant Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) and the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research and shall consist of at least a thesis supervisor and one other member for the Master level, and at least a thesis supervisor and two other members for the Ph.D. level. Requirements to serve as a thesis supervisor are outlined below in Regulation 16 (e)

(i). Please note that co-supervision is only allowed in exceptional cases and must have approval from both the GPC and the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. 

e.  Where required, a student shall submit a thesis on a subject approved by the Graduate Program Coordinator (GPC) in which research has been conducted under the direction of a supervisor appointed by the appropriate GPC. A public oral defense in the presence of an Examining Committee appointed by the GPC and the Dean of the FGSR is mandatory.  The minimum requirements for the composition of the Examining Committees are:

(i) the Thesis Supervisor

• The thesis supervisor must either be a full-time (FT) Saint Mary’s University faculty member or hold the title of Adjunct Professor at Saint Mary’s University during the period of thesis supervision. Professors from partner universities who are involved in the delivery of joint programs are excluded from this requirement to hold Adjunct status. For any situation in which the thesis supervisor is not a FT Saint Mary’s University faculty member, then another committee member, who is a FT faculty member at Saint Mary’s University, must agree to serve as an Internal Advisor. 

(ii) For the Master level: one examiner who may have been previously involved in the supervision of the student’s thesis research (normally a member of the Supervisory Committee). For the Ph.D. level: two examiners who may have been previously involved in the supervision of the student’s thesis research (normally both members of the Supervisory Committee).

(iii) an “external” examiner who has not been previously involved in the supervision of the student’s thesis research;  for PhD Examining Committees, the external examiner must be an expert in the thesis topic, external to Saint Mary’s University, and not in a conflict of interest with either the PhD candidate or his/her supervisors. The external examiner must receive approval of the GPC and Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research prior to scheduling the oral defense.

(iv) a neutral Chair (normally the Dean of the FGSR or their delegate)

f.  In graduate programs that require a thesis, the thesis must be ruled acceptable by the Examining Committee. Any suggestions by the Committee concerning corrections, additions and other necessary changes must be either completed or formally refuted by the student to the satisfaction of the Examining Committee before the thesis/major research project can be accepted.  For details on the examination/defense procedures for thesis/major research paper/project, students should contact their Program Coordinator.

g. In graduate programs that require a thesis, to be eligible for graduation, the student’s completed thesis must be submitted with the consent of the Supervisor/Supervisory Committee to the Program Coordinator with enough time for the thesis to be distributed, reviewed, examined in an oral defense, revised, and submitted to the Registrar before Senate meets to approve the list of graduates. Although this date varies each year, a good rule is that the thesis should be submitted to the Program Coordinator one month before the end of classes.  Students should contact the FGSR Office to be informed of the specific recommended date for submission of the thesis to enable processing time for Convocation.

h. Changes in either the program of courses or the topic of the thesis require the approval of the Supervisory Committee and the Graduate Program Coordinator.

17.  Thesis Handling - PhD Dissertations and Master’s Theses

a. The thesis/dissertation must be submitted using the formatting requirements found in the “Format Procedures” sheet, available online at the University Archives web site. The formatting requirements include but are not limited to:

i. Typescript: Double spaced

ii. Margins: 1” (2.5 cm) margins on all sides. All text, including page numbers, images, and charts must be within these margins.

iii. Abstract (may be single spaced) must be a maximum of 350 words for doctoral theses, and maximum 150 words for Masters’ theses. Should bear the title Abstract and include the name of the author, the title of the thesis/dissertation, and the date of publication.

iv. The title page must include the names of all advisors/examiners but cannot contain any original signatures.  Students must include a separate Signature Page submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research: A page designed to contain the signature of all members of the Examining Committee, including any external examiners, if applicable. 

b. The student must meet any other requirements of the Program concerned.

c. Prepare one electronic PDF version of the thesis using the requirements found in the Format Procedures sheet. This version will be submitted as an email attachment, along with all required forms and attachments, to the Graduate Studies Office. The attachments include (see the Format Procedures sheet for details):

i. The Thesis or Dissertation Information Sheet, provided online at the University Archives; or include the required information in your cover email.

ii. One signed signature page (see above).

iii. The Non-exclusive License to Reproduce Theses form. This grants permission for the publishing, microfilming or digitization of the thesis by the University, including distribution or sale of microfilm or digital reproductions.

iv. Electronic copy of the certificate of approval from the Research Ethics Board, if one was obtained for the thesis or dissertation.

v. Electronic copies of copyright permission forms, if required.

d. Once submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, the PDF copy of the thesis or dissertation will be forwarded to the University Archives. The theses will be made available in the University’s Institutional Repository, where it may eventually be harvested by the Library and Archives Canada Thesis program.

18.  Major Research Project (MRP) Handling

a. The Major Research Project (MRP) must be submitted using the formatting requirements found in the Format Procedures sheet, available online at the University Archives web site. The formatting requirements include but are not limited to:

ii. Margins: 1” (2.5 cm) margins on all sides. All text, including page numbers, images, and charts must be within these margins.

iii. Abstract (may be single spaced) must be a maximum of 300 words. Should bear the title Abstract and include the name of the author, the title of the MRP, and the date of publication.

iv. The title page must include the names of all advisors/examiners but cannot contain any original signatures.

c. If a student wishes to have their MRP available on the University’s Institutional Repository, they must prepare an electronic copy of their MRP, in PDF format (see the “Format Procedures” sheet for more information) and submit it as an email attachment sent to [email protected] .

d. If submitting an MRP for the University’s Institutional Repository, the following forms must be submitted to the Saint Mary’s University Archives as electronic attachments (see the Format and Binding Procedures sheet for details):

i. Signature page.

ii. Electronic copy of the certificate of approval from the Research Ethics Board, if one was obtained for the MRP.

iii. Electronic copy of the copyright permission forms, if required.

e. Once the forms and electronic copy of the MRP are submitted to the Saint Mary’s University Archives, it is checked to ensure it meets all required standards, including formatting requirements, required forms, etc. The electronic copy will be made available in the University’s Institutional Repository. 

19.  Times-for-Completion of Graduate Programs

a. The normal academic year of the FGSR is composed of three 4-month semesters running from September 1 to August 31.  Full-time students will normally complete their studies through a series of consecutive 4- month semesters. (e.g., three semesters will constitute 12 months of continuous full-time study; six semesters will constitute 24 months of continuous full-time study).

b. The FGSR has established normal minimum (often referred to as residency period) and maximum completion times for each program (see following table). Normally, Full-Time (FT) students will complete their program within the defined time periods. For Part-Time (PT) students, the minimum period will be double that defined for FT students.

Minimum and Maximum Time for-Completion of Graduate Programs

Time-for-completion for Full-time and Part-time refers to students’ status when admitted into programs and applies throughout their programs, regardless if their status changes during the programs.

Full-time “lock-step” program with defined courses in a prescribed sequence.

Part-time “lock-step” program with defined courses in a prescribed sequence.

NA = Not Applicable

c. If a student (FT or PT) does not complete the program within the minimum period, they must be registered as a FT Continuing or PT Continuing student until they complete the program, provided they do not exceed the maximum time for completion of a program (see Regulation 8, above).

 d. If a student (FT or PT) does not complete their program within the maximum period, they are not entitled to continue their program, unless they have applied for and been granted an Extension to their graduate program (see Graduate Academic Regulation 20).

20.  Extensions to Graduate Programs

a. Circumstances may sometimes justify an extension to a student’s graduate program beyond the normal maximum time-for-completion identified above. An extension to a graduate program may be considered under any of the following conditions which have interfered with the student’s ability to complete her/his Program within the normal maximum time-for-completion:

(i) Illness, family strife, or unforeseen family responsibilities

(ii) Pursuit of an employment opportunity which makes a positive contribution to the student’s Graduate Program

(iii) Unforeseen difficulties in pursuit of the thesis research beyond the control of the student. Note:  In cases (i) and ii) above, it is highly preferable that students apply for Leave of Absences from their Programs at the time of the incident/situation.

b. A student applying for an Extension should submit a written request on the appropriate FGSR form (available on http://fgsr.smu.ca/ ) to their Program Coordinator. The request should include a letter of support from the student’s research Supervisor or Supervisory Committee, together with a letter describing in detail the reasons for the requested Extension and supporting documentation, where applicable, certifying the facts surrounding the request. After the Program Coordinator has reviewed and approved the Extension application, it will then be forwarded to the FGSR.  The decision of the Dean of the FGSR is final and (s)he will notify the student of the decision on their application.

c. Extension to a Program will be for a maximum of 1 year in length per request. Extensions can be granted only twice for Master’s programs and only three times for PhD programs. Students at or beyond their normal maximum Program period who are denied Extensions will not be able to continue their Graduate Programs.  Students who do not complete their Programs within the maximum number of allowable Extensions will not be able to continue their Graduate Programs. Extensions will not be granted retroactively to a student who has failed to register for one or more previous semesters and is beyond their normal maximum Program period.

21.  Leave of Absences

Leave of Absences from graduate programs for periods of up to a maximum of 1 year (3 semesters) may be granted. Leaves of Absences can be granted only twice for Master programs and only three times for PhD programs. Requests for a Leave of Absence (forms available from the FGSR office and website) must be supported by documentation explaining exceptional personal circumstances which would prevent research and/or coursework being undertaken during the period of time for which the leave applies. The decision of the Dean of the FGSR is final. If a leave of absence is granted, the student is considered to be inactive in the program during the period of exemption and must pay the appropriate fees. Time spent away from one’s graduate program while on a Leave of Absence, does not contribute to the time-for-completion. Students are expected to apply prior to or during the term for which the leave will take place. Students returning from a leave of absence must re-activate their status by filing an application for Visiting, Upgrading and Reactivation Students (available from the FGSR office and website). Reactivation of a student’s program must be approved by the Program Coordinator and the Dean of the FGSR.

Print Options

Send Page to Printer

Print this page.

Download Page (PDF)

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

Graduate School

Thesis and Dissertation Information

All graduate students who are doing a formal thesis or dissertation must follow PSU policies regarding committee appointments, defense procedures, formatting requirements, and submission procedures.

These pages are intended to guide students through these various processes.  Please review them carefully and feel free to contact us with questions at [email protected] or 503-725-8410, Option 2.

For committee, defense, and graduation questions, contact your processor in the Graduate School: Brenda Fugate, [email protected] or (503) 725-5230 - master's students with PSU ID numbers ending 00-49 Andrea Haack, [email protected] or (503) 725-8460 - master's students with PSU ID numbers ending 50-99 Roxanne Treece, [email protected] or (503) 725-5241 - all doctoral students

For thesis/dissertation formatting and submission questions, contact the Format Editor at  [email protected] .

Committee Appointments

The timing for the appointment of master’s and doctoral committees is quite different.  Doctoral committees are appointed early in the process, shortly before the proposal defense. Master’s committees are appointed much later, approximately one term before the final defense.

A student’s thesis or dissertation committee is appointed with the GO-16 form . The GO-16 webpage provides full information about eligibility requirements for committee members.

For doctoral students, the GO-16 should be submitted to the Graduate School a minimum of six weeks before the anticipated date of the proposal defense. For master’s students, the GO-16 submission deadlines are based on the intended term of graduation ( view the deadlines ).

If an already appointed committee needs to be revised, contact the Graduate School for assistance.

Defense Procedures and Deadlines

PSU policies regarding thesis and dissertation defenses apply to:

• A master’s student’s final defense
• A doctoral student’s proposal defense (sometimes called a prospectus or colloquium) and final defense 

Students must deliver a final draft of their document to their entire committee no fewer than 14 days before the defense date.

A defense may only be scheduled during the regular academic terms; for summer, this is the eight-week Summer Session. View final defense deadlines for the current academic year . A final defense after these deadlines will result in graduation in a subsequent term.

A thesis or dissertation defense must take place in a meeting with the student and the entire, appointed committee. While it is expected that all members should be physically present, remote participation is permitted under specific conditions . It is incumbent on students and faculty to know that the committee has actually been approved by the Graduate School and who the appointed members are before any proposal or final defense is held. If there are questions about whether a committee has been approved or who the appointed members are, contact the Graduate School.

Formatting Requirements

All theses and dissertations must meet Graduate School formatting requirements . We encourage students to review the formatting requirements early in the thesis or dissertation process; it is much easier to properly format the document to these specifications from the beginning as opposed to changing all the formatting when preparing for submission. 

Submission Procedures and Deadlines

Graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation must submit the final version of their document to the Graduate School. The final version is the document that has been approved by each of your committee members after all required post-defense edits have been made. The final version must also conform to the Graduate School's formatting requirements.  

Students often need to make formatting revisions after initial submission of their final thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School. If you have met the Thesis/Dissertation Submission deadline for your intended term of graduation, but need to make additional formatting revisions, you can still graduate in that term provided you submit the required revisions by the individualized deadline provided by the Graduate School during your format review. 

All theses and dissertations are submitted electronically to the Graduate School. For electronic thesis and dissertation (ETD) submissions, PSU uses the ProQuest ETD Administrator . Students will need to create an account through this system to submit their ETDs. We have created submission instructions for using the ProQuest ETD Administrator that guide you through the steps of creating an account and submitting your ETD.

ETD submission deadlines for the current academic year are available here . A submission after these deadlines will result in graduation in a subsequent term.

There are two paper forms that students are required to submit to accompany their ETDs. Neither of these forms have specific due dates, but you should aim to submit them to the Graduate School at approximately the same time you submit your ETD through the ProQuest ETD Administrator. You cannot be certified for graduation without submitting these completed forms to the Graduate School: 

• The Thesis Signature Page (for master's students) and Dissertation Signature Page (for doctoral students) are used for your committee to formally approve the final, post-defense copy of your ETD.
• The ETD Access Form is used to grant the PSU Library the non-exclusive right to make your ETD available through the Digital Repository.

PhD students must also complete the online Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED). (EdD students do not complete the Survey.) Please register and complete the survey via the survey page on the SED website . The registration process will ensure that you fill out the correct survey based on the graduation month and year you provide during the registration process. When you register for the survey, an email will be sent to you that will allow you to access the survey. Once you have completed the survey, a confirmation email will be sent to the Graduate School. View the student brochure , or explore the SED website for more detailed information.

The Graduate School will contact you after we have performed the initial format review of your ETD. Any required formatting revisions must be completed (and resubmitted through the ProQuest ETD Administrator) before you can be certified for graduation.

Once you have graduated, no further changes can be made to your ETD. You were graduated in part because this document was approved by your committee and the Graduate School. Your ETD therefore becomes part of your academic record and cannot be changed after graduation, even to correct typos.

Doctoral students only : Please note that you cannot participate in the Spring PSU Commencement ceremony unless you have been certified for graduation by the Graduate School. Again, we will be in touch.  

Read what our clients have to say about our writing essay services!

If you can’t write your essay, then the best solution is to hire an essay helper. Since you need a 100% original paper to hand in without a hitch, then a copy-pasted stuff from the internet won’t cut it. To get a top score and avoid trouble, it’s necessary to submit a fully authentic essay. Can you do it on your own? No, I don’t have time and intention to write my essay now! In such a case, step on a straight road of becoming a customer of our academic helping platform where every student can count on efficient, timely, and cheap assistance with your research papers, namely the essays.

• Admission/Application Essay
• Annotated Bibliography
• Argumentative Essay
• Book Report Review
• Dissertation

Customer Reviews

Some attractive features that you will get with our write essay service

Grab these brilliant features with the best essay writing service of PenMyPaper. With our service, not the quality but the quantity of the draft will be thoroughly under check, and you will be able to get hold of good grades effortlessly. So, hurry up and connect with the essay writer for me now to write.

Niamh Chamberlain

Once your essay writing help request has reached our writers, they will place bids. To make the best choice for your particular task, analyze the reviews, bio, and order statistics of our writers. Once you select your writer, put the needed funds on your balance and we'll get started.