Department of Computer Science
Instructions for Students Preparing Honors Theses
2004-05
1.
Paper
Your thesis will be archived, so all copies need to be printed on
high-quality, long-lasting bond paper.
The weight of the paper should be at least 20 lbs. Also, the package should state that the
paper is “archival,” “acid free,” or has a “50 percent rag content,” etc.
2.
Number of Copies
The minimum number of copies is
two: one for the library and one for the Computer Science department. We recommend that you order at least four, so
that you can give one to your thesis advisor and keep one for yourself.
3.
Binding Fees
You are responsible for the binding fees for all copies. Binding fees are payable at the Business
Office cashier. Be sure to get a
receipt.
4.
Margins and
Justification
The left and top margins must be at least 1˝ inches; the right and bottom
margins must be at least 1 inch. The
margins must be consistent on all the pages.
In addition, pages must always be justified on the left, and may also be
justified on the right.
5.
Typesetting and
Word Processing
Use any software (Microsoft Word, LaTeX, etc.) that you are comfortable
with and will give you good results. The
essential requirement is that your thesis is easily legible and that the
appearance of each page shows the same care and attention to detail that you
have invested in the written content.
6.
Arrangement
Normally, each thesis will be arranged in this order, and the pages will or
will not carry numbers as follows:
|
Page Type |
Numbered? |
|
Fly page (blank page for protection in binding) |
No |
|
Abstract |
No |
|
Signature page |
No |
|
Title page |
No |
|
Preface, Acknowledgement, or Foreword page |
No |
|
Table of Contents |
No |
|
List of Tables |
No |
|
List of Figures |
No |
|
Text |
Yes |
|
Bibliography |
Yes |
|
Appendices |
Yes |
7.
Abstract
In addition to appearing at the front of each bound copy, the abstract also
will be used apart from the body of the thesis.
Therefore, it must include the complete title and author information, as
well as the text of the abstract.
8.
Signature and
Title Pages
Examples of the signature page and the title page are attached to these
instructions. Neither of these pages
should be numbered. The signatures on
the signature pages should be in black ink; it is the student’s responsibility
to remind the signatories, or attach a removable reminder note to the signature
page. Even if the signature pages are
prepared at a different time from the rest of the thesis, they should still use
the same typestyle and paper. Every copy
of thesis needs original signatures on the signature page.
9.
Text
The first page of the text is numbered “1” at the bottom center. Subsequent pages are numbered at the upper
right corner. The recommended style
manual is Kate L. Turabian, “A Manual for Writers of Theses and
Dissertations.” The library has multiple
copies, and there are many citation resources online. Text should be double spaced.
10.
Appendices
Appendices are not required, but if there are appendices, the page numbering
from the text should continue through them.
11.
Routing of Approvals
Preparation of your thesis should be done in accordance with the requirements
of the chair of your thesis committee.
The defense should be scheduled sufficiently in advance of the thesis
submission deadline so that adjustments can be made in the thesis, if
required. Once the thesis is approved by
your committee, deliver all copies and a copy of the receipt for the binding
fee to the Office of Academic Affairs.
12.
Electronic
Submission
Last fall, Diane Graves, University Librarian, collaborated with three
other Oberlin Group schools (Carleton, Dickinson, and Middlebury) to develop a
digital archive of Trinity work. Students are asked to sign a Creative
Commons agreement (to protect their rights, but allow the use of the material
in educational settings-properly cited), and permission to place the material
on the site: http://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/about.html. Students must select a license option before
their work can be added to the Digital Commons. We recommend the
following text: “This work is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License. To view a copy of this
license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
or send a letter to Creative Commons,
13.
Other Questions
If you would like to see what a thesis looks like, the department and the
library keep archived copies. If you
have questions about software, ask around—your classmates or faculty members
may be able to provide shortcuts like LaTeX templates. For other questions, talk to your thesis
advisor or the department chair.
1. Sample Title Page (or, download the Word document--ThesisTitlePage.doc)
Thesis Title
Author
A departmental honors thesis submitted to the
Department of
Computer Science at
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for graduation with departmental honors.
Date
__________________________ __________________________
Thesis Advisor Department Chair
_______________________________
Associate Vice President for
Academic Affairs
This work is
licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
License. To view a copy of this license, visit
<http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/> or send a letter to
Creative Commons,