Thesis Assistance: Templates and Resources for Preparing and Submitting

Find an SFU Thesis:

• Summer 2010 onward
  Alumni see also After Submitting
• all theses available online (prior to Summer 2010)
• all SFU theses in catalogue
• more info

Find a thesis from other (non-SFU) universities:

• click here

Thesis Assistant's Schedule/Calendar:

• How to submit your Thesis Package to the Library
  please make an Appointment or come during Drop-in times
• Get help with troubleshooting issues with your document
  please follow the instructions on getting help
• When Workshops are offerred
  on using the template; finetuning/troubleshooting;
  tables, images, high quality output
  please register via SLC's website

2. Help & Documentation
(Start Here Early, Fixes as You
Go, and Complete before
coming with thesis to Library)

General Information

Best Practices
   ♦ for Grad Students
   ♦ for Departments 

Workshops
   ♦ by Thesis Assistant
   ♦ SLC Workshops

Thesis Templates
   ♦ Why use the template?
   ♦ MSWord Templates
     • Other Word Templates
     (Landscaped tables &
      Extra-lg bi-fold pages)
   ♦ LaTeX Template
   ♦ Open Office Users  

Help and Support
   ♦ with Writing (SLC) or
      books on writing theses
   ♦ your Liaison Librarian
   ♦ RefWorks/Write-n-Cite

FAQs
   ♦ Graduate Students
   ♦ Departments
   ♦ Undergraduates
 

Thesis Assistant's Workshops &
Workshop Handouts
SLC Workshops page

  ♦ General Information
  ♦ Citing/Referencing
    (Liaison Librarian help)
  ♦ Copyright permissions
  ♦ over-sized (11"x17") pages
  ♦ Hiring a Formatter/Editor
  ♦ Footnotes/Endnotes
  ♦ Tables/Figures/Equations
  ♦ Images/Scanning 
  ♦ Landscaped pages
    (Tables, Figures, Images, etc.)
  ♦ Page-numbering trouble
  ♦ Setting PDF preferences
  ♦ Statistical Symbols
  ♦ Video Files and DVDs

See also:
  ♦ Help & Support Services
  ♦ LaTeX & Common Errors

Deadline Dates
    ♦ Apply for Graduation
       (early to mid final semester)

Forms
1. Supervisor Revision Memo
    ♦ See your grad assistant (GA) for this.
    ♦ must be signed/dated by Super.
    ♦ If date signed by supervisor is older
      than 3-weeks at submission (or
      no date), GA dates/signs, hand-
      prints name/position/dept also.
    ♦ must have an orig. signature
      when student brings to Th.Office 
    ♦ not necessary for M.Pub, Approval
      page with 2-member committee,
       or "Supervisory Committee"s
2. Partial Copyright Licence (PCL)
    ♦ Your online PDF will be protected 
    from being edited.
    ♦ Academics advocate "Print&Copy",
    which helps others when quoting 
    your work. Some choose "PrintOnly,"
    which at least allows others to print
    and type your words. "Read Only"
    makes it quite difficult for others to
    quote/cite your work.
    ♦ old template and Latex (no page #),
      new template (p. iv)
    ♦ after thesis printed, insert after
     Approval page in ARCH copy;
     however, if your downloaded
     Nov2011 template, switch this page
     this page with the PCL page
     (already in your file).
3. Declaration of PCL
    ♦ old template and Latex (no page #),
      new template (p. iv)
    ♦ after thesis printed, insert after
     Approval page in CRIC copy;
     however, if your downloaded
     Nov2011 template, this page is
     not needed (already in your file).
4. Ethics Statement (copy of letter/form
    required—see more info—must be in
    theses requiring human and/or animal
    ethics approval)
    ♦ no page #
    ♦ print/insert after PCL page in thesis
5. Theses Non-Exclusive Licence
    (often referred to a LAC Licence)
      We need 1 of the following versions
      completed. 
    ♦ fill-in by hand completely
       (sign with ink, hand-in /w thesis)
    ♦ fill electronically, sign manually
       (sign with ink, hand-in /w thesis)
    ♦ sign via digital signature
       (electronic sig., hand-in & upload)
    NB. Please enter full degree--e.g., 
       Master of Arts (not "Masters", MA, 
       or "Doctorate") AND 
       DegreeAwarded=DefenceDate
    ♦ see also Library Archives Canada
6. Copyright Permissions
7. Postponement of Publication 
    ♦ patent pending, publication in
      process, persecution 
    ♦ applied for by Senior Supervisor
    ♦ submit to DGS' office for approval
    ♦ applies to all print & digital versions
    ♦ 1 year limit
    ♦ must be reapplied-for each year
    ♦ submit approved form when
       submitting your thesis to the Library

DGS pages and University Policies
1.  Digitization of Theses: 
     Issues, Costs and Benefits
2. Thesis Defences
    ♦ Preparation for Examinations
    ♦ Examinations (Defence)
    ♦ Degree Completion   
3. Ethics  & Intellectual Property 
    ♦ Academic Honesty and Policy S10.01
    ♦ Research
    ♦ Ownership Intellectual Property
    ♦ Links to Policies
    ♦ Other Resources
4. Publication of Thesis 
    (Graduate General Regulations)

Deadline Dates
Submission Hours
   ♦ Can't come in person?

3-Steps to Submission
1. Check Your File for Errors
2. Register Online
3. Compile Your Thesis Package

Requirements & Organization
1. Overall Layout / Spec's.
2. Document Structure
3. Common Errors
    ♦ Title Page (no page number)
    ♦ Approval Page (page = ii)
    ♦ Abstract (page = iii or, if
     you downloaded Template
     Nov2011 onward, p. iv)
    ♦ Dedication
    ♦ Acknowledgements
    ♦ Table of Contents
    ♦ List of Tables
    ♦ List of Figures
    ♦ Preface or Executive Summary
       (if applicable) 
    ♦ Chapter 1 or Introduction
      (page = 1)
    ♦ References
    ♦ Appendices
      • whenever possible, include
        appendices in thesis file

AFTER SUBMISSION

After Submitting
    ♦ Errors in your thesis?
    ♦ Personal / Dept. Bound Copies
    ♦ if you wish, attend Convocation
    ♦ Fees/Tuition Refunds
    ♦ SFU theses, copyright