Formatting

How hard is it to format my thesis myself?

That depends on the complexity of your work. You must be familiar with your department reference style, the DTM formatting rules, and be an adept Microsoft Word user with regard to the Thesis Template (i.e., you must know how to import your document into the template, apply/remove template styles, change page orientation without losing proper pagination placement, generate a table of contents, work with different types of page breaks, etc.).

If you are concerned about getting the DTM formatting rules right and graduating on time, you may want to consider the formatting services offered by Montezuma Publishing.

I am using Montezuma Publishing or a professional, approved formatter to format my thesis. What can I do to speed up the process to make sure I graduate on time?

1. Don’t delay/plan ahead -- Finish your thesis and get committee approval as soon as possible to provide enough time for formatting and approval--it often takes longer than you think. Waiting two to three weeks before the final deadline to submit your thesis will put your graduation at risk.
2. Know your reference style -- Reference issues can prevent your thesis from being formatted and approved on time, remember:
   • References cited in-text must be cited on the reference page and vice-versa
   • Provide all information for each reference (e.g., author names, titles, publication year, publisher name, page numbers, etc.)--you can never provide too much information.
     
3. Cite figures, tables and appendices -- All figures, tables and appendices must be cited in-text at least once (e.g., “See Figure 1”). Also make sure each figure has a caption and each table and appendix has a title.

I am going to format my thesis myself. How much time should I set aside for this process?

In general, you should plan to spend a minimum of two weeks formatting your thesis. You will need time to (1) learn how to apply the formatting rules contained in the DTM, (2) understand how the Thesis Template works along with the embedded formatting styles, (3) do the actual formatting, and (4) proofread and edit your thesis.

What are the top 10 mistakes people make when formatting their theses?

1. Reference errors
   • Sources on the reference page are not cited in the text, or vice versa
   • References are incomplete or do not follow department-required style
2. Title and Signature Pages
   • Student’s name doesn’t match what is on record with the university
   • Name of degree, professor’s names and/or department names are misspelled or incorrect
3. Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures
   • Page numbers are missing or incorrect
   • List of figures includes source information in caption
4. Pagination
   • Page numbers are either missing, out of order, or placed on the page incorrectly
5. Headings
   • Heading level hierarchy is not followed (i.e., a second-level style heading precedes a first-level style heading)
   • There are not enough subdivisions to justify moving to another heading level (note: all divisions of text must yield at least two subdivisions)
6. Tables and Figures
   • Not numbered correctly
   • Missing captions (figures) or titles (tables)
   • Appear before they are cited in the text
7. Excessive Bottom Margins
   • Bottom margin exceeds the 2-to-3 blank line allowance for each page
8. Editorial Style Errors
   • Lines or pages are broken in odd places
   • Block quotations and/or enumerated lists are not formatted correctly
9. Appendices
   • Appendices are not identified in text
   • The labeling sequence is incorrect
   • The cover sheet is missing or is incorrectly formatted
10. Template Abuse!
    • The template is altered which affects the entire document in adverse ways

Do you have instructions on how to import my thesis into the template or how to make an automatic Table of Contents?

Yes. Follow this link to learn how to insert an existing thesis into the template or this link to learn how to generate a TOC automatically.

Do you have any information on the Chicago Author-Number System?

Yes. Follow this link to learn about the Chicago Author-Number system.

Copyright

Whose name should I put on my copyright page: My name or my professor's name?

You need to have your name on the copyright page in the same manner as it is on the title and signature pages. For more information on publication rights, please see the Copyright Policy located in the Policy section of this website.

Deadlines

What are the deadlines this semester and can you explain what they are?

See the Review page; it contains a calendar of deadlines for this semester with explanations of each of deadline.

Do we need to take the without-risk deadline seriously?

YES! Never count on graduating if you submit after that deadline.

What are my chances for having my thesis reviewed in time to graduate this semester if I submit it after the without-risk deadline?

Your chances of having your thesis reviewed after the without-risk deadline depend on how many theses have been submitted ahead of yours. Additionally, if your thesis is reviewed and returned to you with needed corrections, this will decrease your chances of graduating on-time as your work will need to be revised and reviewed again.

You can increase your chances of getting your thesis approved by using Montezuma Publishing or a professional, approved formatter or using the thesis template and following the DTM formatting rules precisely.

Do you have any idea how many people will be submitting their theses this semester?

• Over the years, the number of thesis submittals has been rising. Using the spring 2009 semester as an example, please note the following statistics: Total theses submitted: 249
• Total submitted before the without risk deadline: 69
• Total submitted during the at risk timeframe: 155
• Total submitted after completion deadline:25

Signature Page

Does the signature page need to be on special paper (100% cotton or other acid-free paper)?

No. Although an original signature page is required at the time of submission, a scanned and re-printed copy will be bound with your manuscript. For more information on the printing requirements, read Section 5.4 in the DTM.

Ink Color: One of my professors signed in blue ink. Will I have to get a new signature page signed?

Black ink is strongly recommended, but blue ink is acceptable as long as the signature is dark enough to be clearly read.

If I use the signature page provided in the Thesis Template, will everything be automatically formatted correctly?

No. The page is formatted for you, but you must type in your name and thesis title correctly as well as your faculty member's names and their department names correctly. Also, the order in which the faculty names appear must be correct and in the same order as on the Thesis Committee Form. The instructions for this are in the DTM.

Submission Procedures

I'm not in San Diego; can I have someone else deliver it for me or mail in my signature page?

Yes, you can have someone deliver the signature page to Montezuma Publishing, Industrial Technology, room 104, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 4 PM. You may also mail your signature page to:

What happens after I submit my thesis?

After your thesis is submitted, it will be put in line with other theses and will be reviewed in order of submission. If the thesis passes review, it will proceed to the publishing phase. If it does not pass, the thesis will be returned to you with comments regarding revisions that are necessary to bring the work into compliance with the university’s formatting rules. You will then need to resubmit your thesis once you complete your revisions, beginning the review process again.