stanford dissertation template

• Future Students
• Current Students
• Faculty/Staff

• Current Students Hub

Doctoral handbook

You are here

• Dissertation Proposal

On this page:

Proposal Overview and Format

Proposal committee, proposal hearing or meeting.

• Printing Credit for Use in School of Education Labs

Students are urged to begin thinking about a dissertation topic early in their degree program. Concentrated work on a dissertation proposal normally begins after successful completion of the Second-Year Review, which often includes a “mini” proposal, an extended literature review, or a theoretical essay, plus advancement to doctoral candidacy. In defining a dissertation topic, the student collaborates with their faculty advisor or dissertation advisor (if one is selected) in the choice of a topic for the dissertation.

The dissertation proposal is a comprehensive statement on the extent and nature of the student’s dissertation research interests. Students submit a draft of the proposal to their dissertation advisor between the end of the seventh and middle of the ninth quarters. The student must provide a written copy of the proposal to the faculty committee no later than two weeks prior to the date of the proposal hearing. Committee members could require an earlier deadline (e.g., four weeks before the hearing).

The major components of the proposal are as follows, with some variations across Areas and disciplines:

• A detailed statement of the problem that is to be studied and the context within which it is to be seen. This should include a justification of the importance of the problem on both theoretical and educational grounds.
• A thorough review of the literature pertinent to the research problem. This review should provide proof that the relevant literature in the field has been thoroughly researched. Good research is cumulative; it builds on the thoughts, findings, and mistakes of others.
• its general explanatory interest
• the overall theoretical framework within which this interest is to be pursued
• the model or hypotheses to be tested or the research questions to be answered
• a discussion of the conceptual and operational properties of the variables
• an overview of strategies for collecting appropriate evidence (sampling, instrumentation, data collection, data reduction, data analysis)
• a discussion of how the evidence is to be interpreted (This aspect of the proposal will be somewhat different in fields such as history and philosophy of education.)
• If applicable, students should complete a request for approval of research with human subjects, using the Human Subjects Review Form ( http://humansubjects.stanford.edu/ ). Except for pilot work, the University requires the approval of the Administrative Panel on Human Subjects in Behavioral Science Research before any data can be collected from human subjects.

Registration (i.e., enrollment) is required for any quarter during which a degree requirement is completed, including the dissertation proposal. Refer to the Registration or Enrollment for Milestone Completion section for more details.

As students progress through the program, their interests may change. There is no commitment on the part of the student’s advisor to automatically serve as the dissertation chair. Based on the student’s interests and the dissertation topic, many students approach other GSE professors to serve as the dissertation advisor, if appropriate.

A dissertation proposal committee is comprised of three academic council faculty members, one of whom will serve as the major dissertation advisor. Whether or not the student’s general program advisor serves on the dissertation proposal committee and later the reading committee will depend on the relevance of that faculty member’s expertise to the topic of the dissertation, and their availability. There is no requirement that a program advisor serve, although very often they do. Members of the dissertation proposal committee may be drawn from other area committees within the GSE, from other departments in the University, or from emeriti faculty. At least one person serving on the proposal committee must be from the student’s area committee (CTE, DAPS, SHIPS). All three members must be on the Academic Council; if the student desires the expertise of a non-Academic Council member, it may be possible to petition. After the hearing, a memorandum listing the changes to be made will be written and submitted with the signed proposal cover sheet and a copy of the proposal itself to the Doctoral Programs Officer.

Review and approval of the dissertation proposal occurs normally during the third year. The proposal hearing seeks to review the quality and feasibility of the proposal. The Second-Year Review and the Proposal Hearing are separate milestones and may not occur as part of the same hearing or meeting.

The student and the dissertation advisor are responsible for scheduling a formal meeting or hearing to review the proposal; the student and proposal committee convene for this evaluative period. Normally, all must be present at the meeting either in person or via conference phone call.

At the end of this meeting, the dissertation proposal committee members should sign the Cover Sheet for Dissertation Proposal and indicate their approval or rejection of the proposal. This signed form should be submitted to the Doctoral Programs Officer. If the student is required to make revisions, an addendum is required with the written approval of each member of the committee stating that the proposal has been revised to their satisfaction.

After submitting the Proposal Hearing material to the Doctoral Programs Officer, the student should make arrangements with three faculty members to serve on their Dissertation Reading Committee. The Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form should be completed and given to the Doctoral Programs Officer to enter in the University student records system. Note: The proposal hearing committee and the reading committee do not have to be the same three faculty members. Normally, the proposal hearing precedes the designation of a Dissertation Reading Committee, and faculty on either committee may differ (except for the primary dissertation advisor). However, some students may advance to Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status before completing their dissertation proposal hearing if they have established a dissertation reading committee. In these cases, it is acceptable for the student to form a reading committee prior to the dissertation proposal hearing. The reading committee then serves as the proposal committee.

The proposal and reading committee forms and related instructions are on the GSE website, under current students>forms.

Printing Credit for Use in GSE Labs

Upon completion of their doctoral dissertation proposal, GSE students are eligible for a $300 printing credit redeemable in any of the GSE computer labs where students are normally charged for print jobs. Only one $300 credit per student will be issued, but it is usable throughout the remainder of her or his doctoral program until the balance is exhausted. The print credit can be used only at the printers in Cubberley basement and CERAS, and cannot be used toward copying.

After submitting the signed dissertation proposal cover sheet to the Doctoral Programs Officer indicating approval (see above), students can submit a HELP SU ticket online at helpsu.stanford.edu to request the credit. When submitting the help ticket, the following should be selected from the drop-down menus for HELP SU:

Request Category :  Computer, Handhelds (PDAs), Printers, Servers Request Type :  Printer Operating System : (whatever system is used by the student, e.g., Windows XP.)

The help ticket will be routed to the GSE's IT Group for processing; they will in turn notify the student via email when the credit is available.

• Printer-friendly version

Handbook Contents

• Timetable for the Doctoral Degree
• Degree Requirements
• Registration or Enrollment for Milestone Completion
• The Graduate Study Program
• Student Virtual and Teleconference Participation in Hearings
• First Year (3rd Quarter) Review
• Second Year (6th Quarter) Review
• Committee Composition for First- and Second-Year Reviews
• Advancement to Candidacy
• Academic Program Revision
• Dissertation Content
• Dissertation Reading Committee
• University Oral Examination
• Submitting the Dissertation
• Registration and Student Statuses
• Graduate Financial Support
• GSE Courses
• Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education (CTE)
• Developmental and Psychological Sciences (DAPS)
• Learning Sciences and Technology Design (LSTD)
• Race, Inequality, and Language in Education (RILE)
• Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education (SHIPS)
• Contact Information
• Stanford University Honor Code
• Stanford University Fundamental Standard
• Doctoral Programs Degree Progress Checklist
• GSE Open Access Policies

PhD students, please contact

MA POLS and MA/PP students, please contact

EDS, ICE/IEPA, Individually Designed, LDT, MA/JD, MA/MBA students, please contact

Stanford Graduate School of Education

482 Galvez Mall Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Tel: (650) 723-2109

• Contact Admissions
• GSE Leadership
• Site Feedback
• Web Accessibility
• Career Resources
• Faculty Open Positions
• Explore Courses
• Academic Calendar
• Office of the Registrar
• Cubberley Library
• StanfordWho
• StanfordYou

Improving lives through learning

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

About Stanford GSB

• The Leadership
• Dean’s Updates
• School News & History
• Commencement
• Business, Government & Society
• Centers & Institutes
• Center for Entrepreneurial Studies
• Center for Social Innovation
• Stanford Seed

About the Experience

• Learning at Stanford GSB
• Experiential Learning
• Guest Speakers
• Entrepreneurship
• Social Innovation
• Communication
• Life at Stanford GSB
• Collaborative Environment
• Activities & Organizations
• Student Services
• Housing Options
• International Students

Full-Time Degree Programs

• Why Stanford MBA
• Academic Experience
• Financial Aid
• Why Stanford MSx
• Research Fellows Program
• See All Programs

Non-Degree & Certificate Programs

• Executive Education
• Stanford Executive Program
• Programs for Organizations
• The Difference
• Online Programs
• Stanford LEAD
• Seed Transformation Program
• Aspire Program
• Seed Spark Program
• Faculty Profiles
• Academic Areas
• Awards & Honors
• Conferences

Faculty Research

• Publications
• Working Papers
• Case Studies

Research Hub

• Research Labs & Initiatives
• Business Library
• Data, Analytics & Research Computing
• Behavioral Lab

Research Labs

• Cities, Housing & Society Lab
• Golub Capital Social Impact Lab

Research Initiatives

• Corporate Governance Research Initiative
• Corporations and Society Initiative
• Policy and Innovation Initiative
• Rapid Decarbonization Initiative
• Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative
• Value Chain Innovation Initiative
• Venture Capital Initiative
• Career & Success
• Climate & Sustainability
• Corporate Governance
• Culture & Society
• Finance & Investing
• Government & Politics
• Leadership & Management
• Markets and Trade
• Operations & Logistics
• Opportunity & Access
• Technology & AI
• Opinion & Analysis
• Email Newsletter

Welcome, Alumni

• Communities
• Digital Communities & Tools
• Regional Chapters
• Women’s Programs
• Identity Chapters
• Find Your Reunion
• Career Resources
• Job Search Resources
• Career & Life Transitions
• Programs & Webinars
• Career Video Library
• Alumni Education
• Research Resources
• Volunteering
• Alumni News
• Class Notes
• Alumni Voices
• Contact Alumni Relations
• Upcoming Events

Admission Events & Information Sessions

• MBA Program
• MSx Program
• PhD Program
• Alumni Events
• All Other Events
• Requirements
• Requirements: Behavioral
• Requirements: Quantitative
• Requirements: Macro
• Requirements: Micro
• Annual Evaluations
• Field Examination
• Research Activities
• Research Papers
• Dissertation
• Oral Examination
• Current Students
• Entering Class Profile
• Education & CV
• GMAT & GRE
• International Applicants
• Statement of Purpose
• Letters of Recommendation
• Reapplicants
• Application Fee Waiver
• Deadline & Decisions
• Job Market Candidates
• Academic Placements
• Stay in Touch
• Fields of Study
• Student Life

The dissertation is the final requirement for the PhD degree.

The research required for the dissertation must be of publishable quality and a significant contribution in a scholarly field. The dissertation is evidence of the candidate’s proficiency and future potential in research.

Students work closely with faculty throughout the program, and especially in the final phase of dissertation research. These faculty members share with the student the exploration of the field, first as advisors and teachers, and later as colleagues joined to advance the science of management.

• See the Current DEI Report
• Supporting Data
• Research & Insights
• Share Your Thoughts
• Search Fund Primer
• Teaching & Curriculum
• Affiliated Faculty
• Faculty Advisors
• Louis W. Foster Resource Center
• Defining Social Innovation
• Impact Compass
• Global Health Innovation Insights
• Faculty Affiliates
• Student Awards & Certificates
• Changemakers
• Dean Jonathan Levin
• Dean Garth Saloner
• Dean Robert Joss
• Dean Michael Spence
• Dean Robert Jaedicke
• Dean Rene McPherson
• Dean Arjay Miller
• Dean Ernest Arbuckle
• Dean Jacob Hugh Jackson
• Dean Willard Hotchkiss
• Faculty in Memoriam
• Stanford GSB Firsts
• Annual Alumni Dinner
• Class of 2024 Candidates
• Certificate & Award Recipients
• Dean’s Remarks
• Keynote Address
• Teaching Approach
• Analysis and Measurement of Impact
• The Corporate Entrepreneur: Startup in a Grown-Up Enterprise
• Data-Driven Impact
• Designing Experiments for Impact
• Digital Marketing
• The Founder’s Right Hand
• Marketing for Measurable Change
• Product Management
• Public Policy Lab: Financial Challenges Facing US Cities
• Public Policy Lab: Homelessness in California
• Lab Features
• Curricular Integration
• View From The Top
• Formation of New Ventures
• Managing Growing Enterprises
• Startup Garage
• Explore Beyond the Classroom
• Stanford Venture Studio
• Summer Program
• Workshops & Events
• The Five Lenses of Entrepreneurship
• Leadership Labs
• Executive Challenge
• Arbuckle Leadership Fellows Program
• Selection Process
• Training Schedule
• Time Commitment
• Learning Expectations
• Post-Training Opportunities
• Who Should Apply
• Introductory T-Groups
• Leadership for Society Program
• Certificate
• 2024 Awardees
• 2023 Awardees
• 2022 Awardees
• 2021 Awardees
• 2020 Awardees
• 2019 Awardees
• 2018 Awardees
• Social Management Immersion Fund
• Stanford Impact Founder Fellowships
• Stanford Impact Leader Prizes
• Social Entrepreneurship
• Stanford GSB Impact Fund
• Economic Development
• Energy & Environment
• Stanford GSB Residences
• Environmental Leadership
• Stanford GSB Artwork
• A Closer Look
• California & the Bay Area
• Voices of Stanford GSB
• Business & Beneficial Technology
• Business & Sustainability
• Business & Free Markets
• Business, Government, and Society Forum
• Get Involved
• Second Year
• Global Experiences
• JD/MBA Joint Degree
• MA Education/MBA Joint Degree
• MD/MBA Dual Degree
• MPP/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Computer Science/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Electrical Engineering/MBA Joint Degree
• MS Environment and Resources (E-IPER)/MBA Joint Degree
• Academic Calendar
• Clubs & Activities
• LGBTQ+ Students
• Military Veterans
• Minorities & People of Color
• Partners & Families
• Students with Disabilities
• Student Support
• Residential Life
• Student Voices
• MBA Alumni Voices
• A Week in the Life
• Career Support
• Employment Outcomes
• Cost of Attendance
• Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program
• Yellow Ribbon Program
• BOLD Fellows Fund
• Application Process
• Loan Forgiveness
• Contact the Financial Aid Office
• Evaluation Criteria
• English Language Proficiency
• Personal Information, Activities & Awards
• Professional Experience
• Optional Short Answer Questions
• Application Fee
• Reapplication
• Deferred Enrollment
• Joint & Dual Degrees
• Event Schedule
• Ambassadors
• New & Noteworthy
• Ask a Question
• See Why Stanford MSx
• Is MSx Right for You?
• MSx Stories
• Leadership Development
• How You Will Learn
• Admission Events
• Personal Information
• GMAT, GRE & EA
• English Proficiency Tests
• Career Change
• Career Advancement
• Career Support and Resources
• Daycare, Schools & Camps
• U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
• Faculty Mentors
• Current Fellows
• Standard Track
• Fellowship & Benefits
• Group Enrollment
• Program Formats
• Developing a Program
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Strategic Transformation
• Program Experience
• Contact Client Services
• Campus Experience
• Live Online Experience
• Silicon Valley & Bay Area
• Digital Credentials
• Faculty Spotlights
• Participant Spotlights
• Eligibility
• International Participants
• Stanford Ignite
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Operations, Information & Technology
• Organizational Behavior
• Political Economy
• Classical Liberalism
• The Eddie Lunch
• Accounting Summer Camp
• California Econometrics Conference
• California Quantitative Marketing PhD Conference
• California School Conference
• China India Insights Conference
• Homo economicus, Evolving
• Political Economics (2023–24)
• Scaling Geologic Storage of CO2 (2023–24)
• A Resilient Pacific: Building Connections, Envisioning Solutions
• Adaptation and Innovation
• Changing Climate
• Civil Society
• Climate Impact Summit
• Climate Science
• Corporate Carbon Disclosures
• Earth’s Seafloor
• Environmental Justice
• Operations and Information Technology
• Organizations
• Sustainability Reporting and Control
• Taking the Pulse of the Planet
• Urban Infrastructure
• Watershed Restoration
• Junior Faculty Workshop on Financial Regulation and Banking
• Ken Singleton Celebration
• Marketing Camp
• Quantitative Marketing PhD Alumni Conference
• Presentations
• Theory and Inference in Accounting Research
• Stanford Closer Look Series
• Quick Guides
• Core Concepts
• Journal Articles
• Glossary of Terms
• Faculty & Staff
• Researchers & Students
• Research Approach
• Charitable Giving
• Financial Health
• Government Services
• Workers & Careers
• Short Course
• Adaptive & Iterative Experimentation
• Incentive Design
• Social Sciences & Behavioral Nudges
• Bandit Experiment Application
• Conferences & Events
• Reading Materials
• Energy Entrepreneurship
• Faculty & Affiliates
• SOLE Report
• Responsible Supply Chains
• Current Study Usage
• Pre-Registration Information
• Participate in a Study
• Founding Donors
• Location Information
• Participant Profile
• Network Membership
• Program Impact
• Collaborators
• Entrepreneur Profiles
• Company Spotlights
• Seed Transformation Network
• Responsibilities
• Current Coaches
• How to Apply
• Meet the Consultants
• Meet the Interns
• Intern Profiles
• Collaborate
• Research Library
• News & Insights
• Program Contacts
• Databases & Datasets
• Research Guides
• Consultations
• Research Workshops
• Career Research
• Research Data Services
• Course Reserves
• Course Research Guides
• Material Loan Periods
• Fines & Other Charges
• Document Delivery
• Interlibrary Loan
• Equipment Checkout
• Print & Scan
• MBA & MSx Students
• PhD Students
• Other Stanford Students
• Faculty Assistants
• Research Assistants
• Stanford GSB Alumni
• Telling Our Story
• Staff Directory
• Site Registration
• Alumni Directory
• Alumni Email
• Privacy Settings & My Profile
• Event Registration Help
• Success Stories
• The Story of Circles
• Support Women’s Circles
• Stanford Women on Boards Initiative
• Alumnae Spotlights
• Insights & Research
• Industry & Professional
• Entrepreneurial Commitment Group
• Recent Alumni
• Half-Century Club
• Fall Reunions
• Spring Reunions
• MBA 25th Reunion
• Half-Century Club Reunion
• Faculty Lectures
• Ernest C. Arbuckle Award
• Alison Elliott Exceptional Achievement Award
• ENCORE Award
• Excellence in Leadership Award
• John W. Gardner Volunteer Leadership Award
• Robert K. Jaedicke Faculty Award
• Jack McDonald Military Service Appreciation Award
• Jerry I. Porras Latino Leadership Award
• Tapestry Award
• Student & Alumni Events
• Executive Recruiters
• Interviewing
• Land the Perfect Job with LinkedIn
• Negotiating
• Elevator Pitch
• Email Best Practices
• Resumes & Cover Letters
• Self-Assessment
• Whitney Birdwell Ball
• Margaret Brooks
• Bryn Panee Burkhart
• Margaret Chan
• Ricki Frankel
• Peter Gandolfo
• Cindy W. Greig
• Natalie Guillen
• Carly Janson
• Sloan Klein
• Sherri Appel Lassila
• Stuart Meyer
• Tanisha Parrish
• Virginia Roberson
• Philippe Taieb
• Michael Takagawa
• Terra Winston
• Johanna Wise
• Debbie Wolter
• Rebecca Zucker
• Complimentary Coaching
• Changing Careers
• Work-Life Integration
• Career Breaks
• Flexible Work
• Encore Careers
• Join a Board
• D&B Hoovers
• Data Axle (ReferenceUSA)
• EBSCO Business Source
• Global Newsstream
• Market Share Reporter
• ProQuest One Business
• RKMA Market Research Handbook Series
• Student Clubs
• Entrepreneurial Students
• Stanford GSB Trust
• Alumni Community
• How to Volunteer
• Springboard Sessions
• Consulting Projects
• 2020 – 2029
• 2010 – 2019
• 2000 – 2009
• 1990 – 1999
• 1980 – 1989
• 1970 – 1979
• 1960 – 1969
• 1950 – 1959
• 1940 – 1949
• Service Areas
• ACT History
• ACT Awards Celebration
• ACT Governance Structure
• Building Leadership for ACT
• Individual Leadership Positions
• Leadership Role Overview
• Purpose of the ACT Management Board
• Contact ACT
• Business & Nonprofit Communities
• Reunion Volunteers
• Ways to Give
• Fiscal Year Report
• Business School Fund Leadership Council
• Planned Giving Options
• Planned Giving Benefits
• Planned Gifts and Reunions
• Legacy Partners
• Giving News & Stories
• Giving Deadlines
• Development Staff
• Submit Class Notes
• Class Secretaries
• Board of Directors
• Health Care
• Sustainability
• Class Takeaways
• All Else Equal: Making Better Decisions
• If/Then: Business, Leadership, Society
• Grit & Growth
• Think Fast, Talk Smart
• Spring 2022
• Spring 2021
• Autumn 2020
• Summer 2020
• Winter 2020
• In the Media
• For Journalists
• DCI Fellows
• Other Auditors
• Academic Calendar & Deadlines
• Course Materials
• Entrepreneurial Resources
• Campus Drive Grove
• Campus Drive Lawn
• CEMEX Auditorium
• King Community Court
• Seawell Family Boardroom
• Stanford GSB Bowl
• Stanford Investors Common
• Town Square
• Vidalakis Courtyard
• Vidalakis Dining Hall
• Catering Services
• Policies & Guidelines
• Reservations
• Contact Faculty Recruiting
• Lecturer Positions
• Postdoctoral Positions
• Accommodations
• CMC-Managed Interviews
• Recruiter-Managed Interviews
• Virtual Interviews
• Campus & Virtual
• Search for Candidates
• Think Globally
• Recruiting Calendar
• Recruiting Policies
• Full-Time Employment
• Summer Employment
• Entrepreneurial Summer Program
• Global Management Immersion Experience
• Social-Purpose Summer Internships
• Process Overview
• Project Types
• Client Eligibility Criteria
• Client Screening
• ACT Leadership
• Social Innovation & Nonprofit Management Resources
• Develop Your Organization’s Talent
• Centers & Initiatives
• Student Fellowships

Writing PhD Thesis using LaTeX

How to use it .

Email forwarding for @cs.stanford.edu is changing. Updates and details here .

PhD | Thesis Proposal

Main navigation.

The thesis proposal allows students to obtain formative feedback from their reading committee to guide them to a successful, high-quality dissertation. The thesis proposal (a private session only with the student's advisor/co-advisor and reading committee members) should allow time for discussion with the reading committee about the direction of the thesis research.

Thesis Proposal

The student must present an oral thesis proposal and submit the form to their full reading committee by the Spring quarter of their fourth year. The Thesis Proposal form must be filled out, signed, and approved by all committee members. Submit the PDF form to CS PhD Student Services ( [email protected] ). 

The suggested format for the Thesis Proposal presentation should include:

• A description of the research problem and its significance.
• A description of previous work in the area and the "state of the art" before the student's work. 
• A description of preliminary work the student has done on the problem and any research results of that work.
• An outline of the remaining work to be done and a timeline for accomplishing it .

Writing the Thesis

Professor Martha C. Pennington

Elizabethtown college.

GENERAL ADVICE

The 5 most important things for all phd students.

AVOID ISOLATION.

INTERACT WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

COMMUNICATE � TALK AND WRITE � AS A MAJOR PART OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS.  

10 WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS

BE CONNECTED ELECTRONICALLY.

Get on the internet and use the internet. There are vast resources of helpful advice for writing the thesis there, in addition to information resources specific to your field.

GET INVOLVED IN THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY OF YOUR FIELD.

Read other theses. Take all opportunities to go to lectures and conferences.

MAKE A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU ARE.

Build thesis support relationships with one or more other students and meet regularly (at least monthly) to discuss ideas and problems, and to give mutual feedback on writing.

KNOW YOURSELF.

Make a list of own writing problems; work on these, and keep an eye out for them in drafts.

FOCUS YOUR SUPERVISOR�S ATTENTION ON YOUR NEEDS.

Ask your supervisor for specific feedback in the areas you want and need input on.

DEVELOP A DISCIPLINED APPROACH TO YOUR WORK.

Get into a routine pattern, with designated place, time of day, and minimum period of time for work on the thesis. Make sure people around you know not to disturb you during this work.

KEEP YOUR MOMENTUM; DON�T WASTE TIME.

Do not let a week pass without doing something on the thesis. Write regularly (at least weekly), to help develop ideas and create draft material for the thesis -  e.g. written summaries of sources, diary of problems and how they were handled. It is not a good idea to do research work for long periods without writing. Keep in mind that the whole point is to get a written work completed, so you might as well write through the whole process of your PhD study.

CREATE AN ONGOING DIALOGUE.

Ask questions as soon as they arise, and keep asking a question till you feel satisfied that you have a full answer which you understand. Students are often reluctant to pursue things they do not understand. Sometimes this is a matter of not feeling confident to approach the supervisor. Try out questions first on a thesis support �buddy� or other student. Discuss your question in detail, so you will have thought the question through in depth before meeting your supervisor.

ADOPT A SCHOLARLY ATTITUDE AND APPROACH TO YOUR WORK.

Work to a high standard. Be meticulous, avoiding the temptation to take shortcuts. Spend the time and effort needed to do a thorough and careful job of designing, researching and writing your thesis.

BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE A NOVICE AND AN APPRENTICE.

Avoid the common tendency of postgraduate students to think you are an expert in some aspect of research or writing a thesis. Never proceed with research before consulting your supervisor. PhD students always make mistakes when they carry out research without first clearing procedures with a knowledgeable researcher. Common problems are �fatal flaws� in questionnaire design (e.g. wrong type of scale), invalid interview procedure, wrong data type (not appropriate to theory or planned statistical procedures or method of analysis), inadequate sample size or composition.

SPECIFIC ADVICE FOR WRITING THE PhD THESIS

BE CONVENTIONAL IN ORGANISATION AND STYLE.

Follow the conventions of thesis research and writing in your field.

BE ORIGINAL IN WORDS AND CONTENT.

Originality is a key criterion on which a thesis is judged.

LEARN TECHNICAL TERMS AND USE THEM CORRECTLY.

A major part of learning a field is becoming proficient at its terminology.

BE EXPLICIT.

Leave nothing unsaid or implicit, and leave out no words. Bring ideas to the surface and put them into words. Introduce all abbreviations, terms, and new ideas clearly.

GIVE CLEAR INDICATIONS OF STRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIPS.

Link ideas using markers (e.g. conjunctions) of their logical relationships. Use punctuation (especially comma) to show the structure of sentences and their component parts.

BE PRECISE.

Develop a precise idea and then write exactly what you intend. Avoid overgenerality, vagueness, ambiguity, or informality.

UNDERSTATE; NEVER OVERSTATE.

Avoid sweeping generalisations; generalise modestly and carefully. Never exaggerate.

BE CONSERVATIVE.

Do not propose anything without good evidence. Do not go �out on a limb� or make rash statements. Avoid definitive conclusions. Hedge your bets by considering multiple factors.

ARGUE YOUR POINT OF VIEW; DO NOT MERELY STATE IT.

It is not adequate to simply state a point of view. Nor is it adequate to simply make a claim prefaced by �As it is widely believed,�  �As it is well-known,� or simply �Clearly,��.

FAIRLY EVALUATE OTHER WORK AND POINTS OF VIEW.

Discuss other people�s work and points of view, and evaluate them differentially, i.e. assess them as more or less reasonable, more or less similar to your own. Avoid any tendency to �strike down the opposition� or dismiss other work or viewpoints as entirely wrong or unjustified. Remember, you are a novice with only an initial understanding of your field and the work which has preceded yours.

BE CONSISTENT.

Follow a specific convention of style or methodology consistently. Use words with consistent meanings.

BE UP-TO-DATE.

Make your work new and relevant to the present state of your field. Bring your references up to within one year of what you are writing. Do not rely on old notions or methodologies, unless you are explicitly arguing that they need to be revisited and reconsidered.

BE SCRUPULOUSLY HONEST.

Reference all ideas in a way which makes clear exactly where they came from and how you obtained all information from other sources. Avoid referencing sources you have not actually read yourself. State limitations and problems in the research.

USE WRITING AS A THINKING PROCESS.

Keep notes; write ideas as they come to you when reading or thinking.

WRITE CHAPTER DRAFTS IN STAGES.

Do not wait to the end of your research process to write any thesis chapter. Draft thesis chapters as the stages of the research are completed, e.g. 1-Lit Review and Bibliography, 2-Methodology, 3-Results, 4-Discussion, 5-Conclusion, 6-Introduction, Abstract, Contents. Write 3 drafts at a minimum. Draft 1 is a rough draft, for your eyes only; its purpose is to develop and organise your ideas. Draft 2 is to show others, including the supervisor, for comment. Draft 3 is to rewrite and polish the work, based on input from others and your own close and careful reading after at least a two-week gap, so that you will see it with �fresh� eyes and mind.

NEVER WORRY ABOUT LENGTH IN A FIRST DRAFT.

Worrying about length as you are writing will restrict the free flow and development of ideas in an early stage. Once ideas are fully developed, they can be written in a more compact form.

THE STRUCTURE OF A THESIS

A student working towards a higher degree has to function in an academic community as well as in a discipline community made up of those who work in and have knowledge of a particular field or discipline. Each community has its own rules, many of which are implicit not explicit, and ways of functioning which members need to learn and use if they are to be successful. Only by learning and following these community-specific rules and practices can the student become a successful member of an academic or discipline community.

Members of the general academic community have certain expectations about written work. A thesis or dissertation must conform to these to a certain extent, in order to be accepted as a work of the proper type, such as an academic essay. In addition, each academic discipline has certain expectations about written work, based on its own practices, beliefs, and written traditions.

A PhD thesis or dissertation is a longer, deeper, and more detailed work than one written at  Master�s level. More importantly, it is held up to much higher standards of originality and scholarship. Following the advice below will help you to succeed in the thesis writing process.

Below a common or �standard� thesis format is first provided, followed by variations found in recently completed theses from three different fields, none of which follow this format exactly.

COMMON (STANDARD) THESIS STRUCTURE

Title Page Abstract Acknowledgements Contents  Chapter 1:     Introduction to Thesis (usually a short chapter) Chapter 2:     Literature Review Chapter 3:     Methodology  Chapter 4:     Results  Chapter 5:     Discussion / Interpretation Chapter 6:     Recommendations / Future Research (sometimes included in Discussion / Interpretation or Conclusion) Chapter 7:     Conclusion References / Bibliography Appendices

COMPARISONS OF STRUCTURE OF 3 PhD THESES

Computing (A topic in the modeling and processing of a particular type of data)

Chapter Title                                                                         Type

Abstract                                                                                 Abstract

Ch 1    Introduction                                                                Thesis overview

Ch 2    Background and Lit Review                                       Conceptual background, Lit. review

Ch 3    Three Real Problems and Their Models                    Technical content, Problem posing

Ch 4    Theoretical Analysis and Algorithms                        Results

Ch 5    Applications and Experimental Design                     Results

Ch 7    Conclusions and Future Work                                   Conclusions, Summary, Prospect

Linguistics (A study of bilingualism in a particular country)

Abstract                                                                                  Abstract

Ch 1    Introduction                                                                Thesis overview

Ch 2    Background                                                                Historical, etc. background

Ch 3    Overview of conceptual frameworks                     Conceptual background, Lit. review

Ch 4    Language attitudes: Matched guise                           Results

Ch 5    Language diary study                                                 Results

Ch 6    Questionnaire study                                                   Results

Ch 7    Field experiment: Actual language                            Results

Ch 8    Concluding remarks                                                   Conclusions, summary, future research

Tourism (A study on a particular city [X] as portrayed through tourism literature)

Introduction                                                                            Conceptual etc. background, overview

Ch 1    Tourists, Travellers, Sightseers                                 Conceptual and historical background

Ch 2    The Tourist Destination                                             Conceptual background

Ch 3    Sound and Vision                                                       Conceptual background

Ch 4    As Seen On Television                                              Conceptual background, Case studies

Ch 5    Recognising the Recognisable                                   Conceptual background, Case studies

Ch 6    Views of [X]                                                              Results

Ch 7    [X] as The Vanishing Lady                                         Results

Ch 8    The Travel Show                                                        Results

Ch 9    Holiday                                                                       Results

Ch 10 Home Truths From Abroad                                         Conclusions, Summary

Academic Writing: Building a Construction of Ideas

Academic thinking and reasoning involve building a construction of related ideas . Thus, it is only to be expected that the expression of academic thinking and reasoning through language (whether spoken or written) will also involve building a construction of related ideas. The utility of written language for expressing complex thoughts and constructions of ideas resides in its resources for building logical relations , meaning relations , and abstraction .

A clause is the minimal component of a written sentence, said to express one complete idea. Frequently, two clauses or more will be joined together or merged in order to express relationships between ideas.

E.g., The point can be debated; it is not universally agreed.

The point is not universally agreed and thus can be debated.

Not all writers share that point of view; nevertheless, it is a common position.

Not all writers share that point of view, although it is a common position. 

         The rebels were infiltrating the government; this occurred before fighting began

          Long before the fighting had begun, the rebels were infiltrating the government. 

Most commonly, the relationships between ideas are shown with the aid of punctuation and specific markers of the meaning and type of relationship intended. The first type of example below is uncommon in a thesis because there are no explicit connections made between the ideas. This makes possible several somewhat different interpretations as to what the writer wishes to emphasise or to argue. In the second of the two examples, the writer makes explicit connections between ideas.

E.g.      The news spread quickly. It was disseminated in a series of pamphlets. These received a wide audience. The public responded by calling for the overthrow of the government.

The news spread quickly , disseminated in a series of widely read pamphlets, which resulted in a call from the public for the overthrow of the government.  

Meaning relations and logical relations can be shown by specific words and order of information.

E.g.      The news spread quickly through a series of widely read pamphlets, which resulted in a call from the public for the overthrow of the government.  

A complex chain of reasoning or cause-and-effect can also be built with the aid of abstraction.

E.g.   The rapid dissemination of the news in a series of widely read pamphlets resulted in a call from the public for the overthrow of the government.

A key aspect of academic writing is the use of complex noun phrases to express complex ideas, discipline-specific concepts and constructs, and technical terms. The latter often consist of complex combinations of three or more words.

Computing         the network node frequency list algorithm

Education          computer-managed learning environments

Nursing              nursing home emergency service personnel

Sociology          regional survey sampling methodology

Some of the types of problems students have in English academic writing are reviewed in the next sections, with reference to published sources. Many of these make references to students coming from certain language backgrounds, and this information is included here though only a few languages are included.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Student writers tend to overuse coordinating conjunctions compared to experienced native writers.

Coordinating Conjunctions - Frequency (% of words) (after Ringbom, 1998, pp. 45-46)

__________________________________________________________________________

                        Native         French             Spanish           Finish              Swedish              Dutch              German

but                     .36                   .66                   .70                   .57                   .58                   .64                     .67     

so                       .16                   .27                   .33                   .30                   .26                   .31                     .31

Alternatives to but : [same clause] yet , however , nevertheless , in contrast ;

[preceding clause] although, even though

Alternatives to so : [same clause] therefore , thus , hence , consequently , as a consequence , as a result ; [preceding clause] since , because

Adverbial Connectors � Overuse and Underuse by Swedish and French Learners of English (as contrasted with native English speakers) (after Altenberg and Tapper, 1998, p. 91)

OVERUSE                                                                             UNDERUSE

Additive                                 moreover                                           

                                                                                                          Resultative                  hence  

                                                                     therefore

                                                                                                                                                            thus

Appositive                              for instance

                                                namely

Contrastive                on the contrary                                   Contrastive                however

                                                                     though

                                                                                                                                                            yet

Corroborative                        of course        

NOTES: 1- Student writers often use moreover as equivalent to simple and . Moreover is properly used to add one reason or step in an argument to another, with the most important reason or step coming last and preceded by moreover . E.g. The method was chosen as that most commonly used in other investigations of similar type. It was, moreover , considered the most effective means of achieving the desired result. The correct meaning would not be given by and or in addition .

    2-      For instance and namely are less commonly used in academic writing than other alternatives. Instead of for instance , use for example and e.g. (which is the Latin abbreviation for �for example�). Instead of namely , use that is or i.e. (which is the Latin abbreviation for �that is�.)

    3-Student writers often use on the contrary as a simple marker of contrast equivalent to but or however . On the contrary has a more specific usage, however, that makes it rare in a thesis. It is to mark a contradiction, i.e., a statement of a  difference of opinion or belief. This usage has been stereotyped in the old Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films, as the bumbling Dr. Watson would often make a statement which the much cleverer Holmes would contradict and set right beginning with, �On the contrary, my dear Watson, ��. E.g. Watson: The thief obviously escaped through the window. Holmes: On the contrary, my dear Watson. Clearly, he could not have escaped that way, as the window has obviously not been opened for quite some time, �

    4- Of course suggests obviousness and thus that there is no need to argue one�s case. It is therefore not a very useful word for a thesis.

Pilot Study of Four Fields

In a pilot study on the current project, our project partner, Dr Ylva Berglund (University of Oxford) carried out lexical analysis on theses from four fields (Computing, Film Studies, Linguistics, and Tourism) as well as PhD student writing samples from each of them. One of the things she looked at was conjunctive adverbs:

additionally, also, consequently, conversely, finally, furthermore, hence, however, indeed, likewise, moreover, nevertheless, nonetheless, otherwise, similarly, then, therefore, thus

The following charts summarise her findings:

Frequency in Different Texts

TTII � Tourism thesis II (Canadian)

TT    � Tourism thesis (British)

TSD � Tourism student draft chapters

TS    � Tourism student samples1+2

LT    � Linguistics Thesis

LS    � Linguistics student samples 1+2

FT    � Film thesis

FS     � Film student sample 1

CT    � Computing thesis (with formulas removed)

CS    � Computing student samples 1+ 2

Proportions in Different Texts 

Evaluation/precision.

Non-expert writers often attempt to win readers to their point of view by strengthening their statements through use of intensifiers such as completely or very :

E.g.      The voyage of the Bounty was a completely misguided adventure.

This is a very difficult question to answer.

Given the conservatism of academic writing, intensifiers should be used sparingly, to avoid overstatement or imprecision.

SCALAR INTENSIFIER CATEGORIES              German learner overuse (%)

( after Lorenz, 1998)

Amplifiers:                 Maximizers ( completely , absolutely , etc.)                28.7

               Boosters ( very , highly , immensely , etc.)                                48.0

Downtoners:   Approximators ( nearly , virtually etc.)                                  20.8

                                    Compromisers ( fairly , pretty , rather etc.)                             35.6

                                    Diminishers ( slightly , a little etc.)                                        64.1

                                    Minimizers ( hardly , scarcely etc.)                                        21.3

___________________________________________________________________

PERSONAL REFERENCE 

Academic style is often impersonal, in the attempt to achieve objectivity and a focus on ideas and information rather than on the writer. Inexperienced writers are prone to overuse first and second person pronouns ( I , we , and you ). In some fields, it is normal for the writer of the thesis to refer to him/herself as I , though it is more common to refer to the writer of the thesis as the researcher and s/he . In disciplines where I may be used to refer to the writer of the thesis, you may also be acceptable to refer to the reader of the thesis. In disciplines where third person reference is the norm, there might be occasions to refer to the reader or the audience for this thesis . However, it is common in the formal style of academic writing for the reader to remain implicit and unmentioned.

The use of plural first person reference we can have many meanings:

E.g.      We can see that �                  we = �the writer and anyone else�, i.e. we = �everyone�

We will see that�                     we = �the writer and the reader�

            We have a tradition of�        we = �the writer and others in the same field�

We showed in this work..          we = �the writer together with other researchers�

We will show that�                  we = �the writer alone�

In the last case, the researcher him/herself is euphemistically referred to as we ; this usage is called the �royal we �, as it is commonly used by royalty to refer to themselves (�We are not amused�). In sum, we can be considered to introduce a degree of ambiguity or imprecision in the thesis and should generally be avoided.

Third person reference ( it , s/he and they ) is by far the most common type in the thesis.

Pronouns - Frequency (% of words)          (after Ringbom, 1998, pp. 45-47)

                        Native             French             Spanish           Finish              Swedish          Dutch              German

1                        .25                   .45                   .36                   .52                   .88                   .41                   1.36

we                      .34                   .81                   .98                   .65                 1.20                   .34                     .41

you                    .08                   .33                   .34                   .34                   .31                   .46                     .72

he                      .26                   .20                   .24                   .24                   .14                   .42                     .38

they                    .66                   .77                   .86                   .63                   .65                 1.07                   .75

it                      . 97                 1.16                 1.26                 1.42                 1.22                 1.14                 1.15

Altenberg, B., and Tapper, M. (1998). The use of adverbial connectors in advanced Swedish learners� written English. In S. Granger (ed.), Learner English on computer (pp. 80-93). London: Longman.

Lorenz, G. (1998). Overstatement in advanced learners� writing: stylistic aspects of adjective intensification. In S. Granger (ed.), Learner English on computer (pp. 53-66). London: Longman.

Ringbom, H. (1998). Vocabulary frequencies in advanced learner English: a cross-linguistic approach. In S. Granger (ed.), Learner English on computer (pp. 41-52). London: Longman.

Stanford University PhD Thesis Template (suthesis-2e.sty)

Stanford University PhD thesis style (suthesis-2e.sty) LaTeX template. This is unofficial so you should always double check against the Registrar's office rules; see http://library.stanford.edu/research/bibliography-management/latex-and-bibtex

This template contains an example of use to help you get started, and further documentation can be found within the suthesis-2e.sty file.

Get in touch

Have you checked our knowledge base ?

Message sent! Our team will review it and reply by email.

Email: 

(Stanford users can avoid this Captcha by logging in.)

Theses and dissertations

Result includes all theses and dissertations — from all sources — held in the Stanford Libraries and Digital Repository.

To show Stanford work only, refine by Stanford student work or by Stanford school or department .

Search Constraints

Refine your results, stanford student work.

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 41,360
• Doctor of Education (EdD) 1,155
• Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) 778
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) 411
• Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) 278
• Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) 1
• Unspecified 1
• Master of Arts (MA) 9,070
• Engineer 2,080
• Master of Science (MS) 1,630
• Unspecified 361
• Master of the Science of Law (JSM) 282
• Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) 129
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) 76
• Master of Laws (LLM) 17
• Master of Education (EdM) 10
• Master of Legal Studies (MLS) 8
• Undergraduate honors thesis 1,200
• Unspecified 536
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) 4
• Unspecified 187
• Student report 357

Stanford school or department

• School of Education 5,644
• Department of Electrical Engineering 4,930
• Department of Chemistry 2,572
• Department of Mechanical Engineering 2,264
• Graduate School of Business 1,922
• Department of Physics 1,763
• Department of History 1,562
• Department of English 1,431
• Department of Economics 1,405
• Department of Psychology 1,319
• Department of Music 1,251
• Computer Science Department 1,241
• Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1,213
• Committee on Graduate Studies 1,117
• Department of Political Science 1,049
• Department of Biological Sciences 932
• Department of Applied Physics 922
• Department of Mathematics 900
• Department of Civil Engineering 897
• Department of Materials Science and Engineering 867
• At the Library 123,990
• Online 42,791

Resource type

• Archive/Manuscript 102
• Book 137,283
• Journal/Periodical 1
• Music recording 2
• Music score 200
• Software/Multimedia 1
• Sound recording 4
• Microfilm 2,612
• Microfiche 592
• Videocassette (VHS) 4
• Videocassette 2

Current results range from 1508 to 2024

• [Missing] 123
• Archive of Recorded Sound 31
• Art & Architecture (Bowes) 499
• Business 1,174
• Classics 245
• David Rumsey Map Center 1
• Earth Sciences (Branner) 4,487
• East Asia 414
• Education (Cubberley) 223
• Engineering (Terman) 10
• Green 5,012
• Hoover Institution Library & Archives 2,146
• Lane Medical 4,255
• Law (Crown) 4,155
• Marine Biology (Miller) 818
• Media Center 2,455
• Music 1,010
• Philosophy (Tanner) 342
• SAL1&2 (on-campus storage) 1,411
• SAL3 (off-campus storage) 86,906
• Science (Li and Ma) 41
• Special Collections 46,766
• Stanford Digital Repository 15,656
• English 91,800
• German 31,579
• French 4,091
• Latin 1,852
• Spanish 1,384
• Swedish 1,110
• Dutch 1,073
• Chinese 763
• Russian 303
• Portuguese 295
• Italian 184
• Turkish 180
• Greek, Ancient (to 1453) 151
• Finnish 128
• Greek, Modern (1453- ) 97
• Carnoy, Martin 205
• Ramirez, Francisco O. 180
• Zare, Richard N. 163
• Harris, J. S. (James Stewart), 1942- 142
• Wender, Paul A. 138
• Cutkosky, Mark R. 137
• Horne, Roland N. 136
• Khosla, Chaitan, 1964- 134
• Kenny, Thomas William 130
• Miller, D. A. B. 129
• Waymouth, Robert M. 127
• Alonso, Juan José, 1968- 125
• Brongersma, Mark L. 123
• Pauly, John (John M.) 122
• Boxer, Steven G. (Steven George), 1947- 121
• Fayer, Michael D. 121
• Fan, Shanhui, 1972- 120
• Salleo, Alberto 120
• Saraswat, Krishna 120
• Horowitz, Mark (Mark Alan) 118

Call number

• 000s - Computer Science, Knowledge & Systems 65
• 010s - Bibliography 10
• 020s - Library & Information Sciences 6
• 030s - Encyclopedias & Fact Books 1
• 050s - General Serials & their Indexes 6
• 060s - Associations, Organizations & Museums 139
• 070s - News Media, Journalism, Publishing 25
• 090s - Manuscripts & Rare Books 18
• 100s - Philosophy 38
• 110s - Metaphysics 34
• 130s - Parapsychology & Occultism 22
• 150s - Psychology 298
• 160s - Logic 22
• 170s - Ethics 20
• 180s - Ancient, Medieval & Eastern Philosophy 116
• 190s - Modern Western Philosophy 205
• 200s - Religion 7
• 210s - Philosophy & Theory of Religion 1
• 220s - The Bible 39
• 230s - Christianity & Christian Philosophy 18
• 240s - Christian Practice & Observation 4
• 260s - Christian Organization, Social Work & Worship 39
• 270s - History of Christianity 95
• 280s - Christian Denominations 123
• 290s - Other Religions 60
• 300s - Social Sciences, Sociology & Anthropology 255
• 310s - Statistics 19
• 320s - Political Science 206
• 330s - Economics 649
• 340s - Law 200
• 350s - Public Administration & Military Science 83
• 360s - Social Problems & Social Services 96
• 370s - Education 2,460
• 380s - Commerce, Communications, Transport 150
• 390s - Customs, Etiquette, Folklore 38
• 400s - Language 64
• 410s - Linguistics 12
• 420s - English & Old English 111
• 430s - German & Related Languages 94
• 440s - French & Related Languages 60
• 450s - Italian, Romanian & Related Languages 8
• 460s - Spanish & Portugese Languages 10
• 470s - Latin & Italic Languages 96
• 480s - Classical & Modern Greek Languages 18
• 490s - Other Languages 37
• 500s - Natural Sciences & Mathematics 81
• 510s - Mathematics 90
• 520s - Astronomy & Allied Sciences 11
• 530s - Physics 100
• 540s - Chemistry & Allied Sciences 197
• 550s - Earth Sciences 565
• 560s - Paleontology Paleozoology 92
• 570s - Life Sciences, Biology 153
• 580s - Plants (Botany) 118
• 590s - Animals (Zoology) 241
• 600s - Technology 1
• 610s - Medicine & Health 541
• 620s - Engineering & Allied Operations 89
• 630s - Agriculture & Related Technologies 46
• 640s - Home & Family Management 4
• 650s - Management & Auxiliary Services 1
• 660s - Chemical Engineering 26
• 670s - Manufacturing 1
• 680s - Manufacture for Specific Uses 1
• 710s - Civic & Landscape Art 1
• 750s - Painting & Paintings 1
• 790s - Recreational & Performing Arts 3
• 800s - Literature & Rhetoric 93
• 810s - American Literature in English 76
• 820s - English & Old English Literatures 753
• 830s - Literatures of Germanic Languages 644
• 840s - Literatures of Romance Languages 387
• 850s - Italian, Romanian & Related Literatures 21
• 860s - Spanish & Portuguese Literatures 78
• 870s - Italic Literatures, Latin literature 179
• 880s - Hellenic Literatures Classical Greek 116
• 890s - Literatures of Other Languages 49
• 900s - History & Geography 21
• 910s - Geography & Travel 131
• 920s - Biography, Genealogy, Insignia 18
• 930s - History of Ancient World to ca. 499 57
• 940s - History of Europe 352
• 950s - History of Asia, Far East 30
• 960s - History of Africa 14
• 970s - History of North America 190
• 980s - History of South America 16
• 990s - History of Other Areas 8
• California 3
• Federal 2,721
• AC - Collections, Series, Collected Works 48
• AE - Encyclopedias 4
• AM - Museums, Collectors & Collecting 10
• AS - Academies & Learned Societies 86
• AY - Yearbooks, Almanacs, Directories 2
• AZ - History of Scholarship & Learning. The Humanities 2
• B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion 1,889
• BC - Logic 66
• BD - Speculative Philosophy 135
• BF - Psychology, Parapsychology, Occult Sciences 605
• BH - Aesthetics 41
• BJ - Ethics, Social Usages, Etiquette 107
• BL - Religions, Mythology, Rationalism 372
• BM - Judaism 177
• BP - Islam, Bahaism, Theosophy, etc. 171
• BQ - Buddhism 231
• BR - Christianity 711
• BS - The Bible 728
• BT - Doctrinal Theology 348
• BV - Practical Theology 314
• BX - Christian Denominations 1,139
• C - Auxiliary Sciences of History 1
• CB - History of Civilization 26
• CC - Archaeology 15
• CD - Diplomatics, Archives, Seals 22
• CE - Technical Chronology, Calendar 10
• CJ - Numismatics 23
• CN - Inscriptions, Epigraphy 23
• CR - Heraldry 32
• CS - Genealogy 36
• CT - Biography 25
• D - History (General) 606
• DA - Great Britain (History) 153
• DB - Austria, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Slovakia (History) 148
• DC - France (History) 300
• DD - Germany (History) 1,602
• DE - Greco-Roman World (History) 31
• DF - Greece (History) 183
• DG - Italy, Malta (History) 271
• DH - Low Countries, Belgium, Luxembourg (History) 40
• DJ - Netherlands (Holland) (History) 48
• DJK - Eastern Europe (General History) 3
• DK - Russia, Soviet Union, Former Soviet Republics, Poland (History) 344
• DL - Northern Europe, Scandinavia (History) 255
• DP - Spain. Portugal (History) 82
• DQ - Switzerland (History) 87
• DR - Balkan Peninsula (History) 154
• DS - Asia (History) 1,304
• DT - Africa (History) 673
• DU - Oceania (South Seas) (History) 39
• DX - Romanies (Gypsies) (History) 9
• E - America, United States (General History) 852
• F - United States, British, Dutch, French, Latin America (Local History) 819
• G - Geography, Atlases, Globes, Maps 84
• GA - Mathematical Geography, Cartography 9
• GB - Physical Geography 100
• GC - Oceanography 102
• GE - Environmental Sciences 22
• GF - Human Ecology, Anthropogeography 51
• GN - Anthropology 375
• GR - Folklore 92
• GT - Manners & Customs 81
• GV - Recreation. Leisure 135
• H - Social Sciences (General) 124
• HA - Statistics 9
• HB - Economic Theory, Demography 450
• HC - Economic History & Conditions 859
• HD - Industries, Land use, Labor 2,543
• HE - Transportation & Communications 430
• HF - Commerce 1,748
• HG - Finance 619
• HJ - Public Finance 257
• HM - Sociology 233
• HN - Social History & Conditions 336
• HQ - Family, Marriage, Gender & Sexuality 643
• HS - Societies: Secret, Benevolent, etc. 28
• HT - Communities, Classes, Races 220
• HV - Social Pathology, Social & Public Welfare, Criminology 450
• HX - Socialism, Communism, Utopias, Anarchism 277
• J - Political Science (Legislative & Executive papers) 15
• JA - Political Science (General) 87
• JC - Political Theory 271
• JF - Political Institutions & Public Administration (General) 65
• JK - Political Institutions & Public Administration (U.S.) 83
• JL - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Canada, Latin America) 60
• JN - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Europe) 574
• JQ - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area) 242
• JS - Local Government, Municipal Government 123
• JV - Colonies & Colonization, Emigration & Immigration 128
• JX - International Law 390
• JZ - International Relations 68
• K - Law 552
• KBM - Jewish Law 8
• KBP - Islamic Law 40
• KBR - History of Canon law 143
• KBT - Canon law of Eastern Rite Churches in Communion with the Holy See of Rome 1
• KBU - Law of the Roman Catholic Church. The Holy See 265
• KD - Law of England & Wales 44
• KDC - Law of Scotland 1
• KDK - Law of Ireland (EIRE) 1
• KDZ - Law of America, North America 9
• KE - Law of Canada 18
• KEB - Law of British Columbia 1
• KEO - Law of Ontario 1
• KEQ - Law of Quebec 2
• KF - Law of the U.S. 314
• KFA - Law of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas 1
• KFC - Law of California, Colorado, Connecticut 14
• KFD - Law of Delaware, District of Columbia 1
• KFF - Law of Florida 1
• KFG - Law of Georgia 1
• KFI - Law of Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa 3
• KFM - Law of Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana 8
• KFN - Law of Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota 11
• KFO - Law of Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon 1
• KFT - Law of Tennessee, Texas 4
• KFU - Law of Utah 1
• KFV - Law of Vermont, Virginia 4
• KFW - Law of Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming 2
• KFX - Law of Individual U.S. cities 5
• KG - Law of Latin America 11
• KGB - Law of Costa Rica 3
• KGC - Law of El Salvador 1
• KGD - Law of Guatemala 4
• KGF - Law of Mexico 31
• KGH - Law of Panama, Panama Canal Zone 2
• KGR - Law of Dutch Leeward Islands, Dutch West Indies (Netherlands Antilles), Dutch Windward Islands, French West Indies, Grenada 1
• KHA - Law of Argentina 9
• KHC - Law of Bolivia 3
• KHD - Law of Brazil 10
• KHF - Law of Chile 12
• KHH - Law of Colombia 55
• KHK - Law of Ecuador 10
• KHN - Law of Guyana 1
• KHP - Law of Paraguay 1
• KHQ - Law of Peru 4
• KHS - Law of Suriname 1
• KHW - Law of Venezuela 11
• KJ - History of law: Europe 8
• KJA - Roman Law 77
• KJC - Europe: Regional Comparative & Uniform Law 76
• KJE - Europe: Regional Organization & Integration 59
• KJJ - Law of Austria 7
• KJK - Law of Belgium, Bosnia and Hercegovina (Federation), Republika Srpska 1
• KJM - Law of Bulgaria, Croatia (Kingdom), Croatia (1992- ) 3
• KJP - Law of Czechoslovakia (to 1993), Czech Republic (1993- ) 3
• KJR - Law of Denmark 6
• KJS - Law of Estonia 1
• KJT - Law of Finland 6
• KJV - Law of France 88
• KJW - Law of French Regions, Provinces, Departments 4
• KK - Law of Germany 531
• KKA - Law of East Germany 11
• KKB - Law of German states and provinces (A-Pr) 24
• KKC - Law of German states and provinces (Ps-Z) 16
• KKE - Law of Greece 6
• KKF - Law of Hungary 3
• KKH - Law of Italy, Kosovo 10
• KKI - Law of Latvia 1
• KKM - Law of the Netherlands 16
• KKP - Law of Poland 5
• KKR - Law of Romania 1
• KKT - Law of Spain 16
• KKV - Law of Sweden 16
• KKW - Law of Switzerland 119
• KKX - Law of Turkey 7
• KKY - Law of Ukraine 1
• KKZ - Law of Yugoslavia. Serbia and Montenegro (to 2006) 1
• KL - History of Law, The Ancient Orient 17
• KLA - Law of Russia, Soviet Union 8
• KLP - Law of Ukraine (1919-1991), Zakavkazskaia͡ Sots͡ialisticheskaia͡ Federativnaia͡ Sovetskaia͡ Respublika (to 1936) 1
• KLS - Law of Kyrgyzstan 1
• KMC - Law of the Middle East, Southwest Asia: Regional comparative and uniform law 2
• KMJ - Law of Iraq 1
• KMK - Law of Israel 15
• KMM - Law of Jordan, West Bank 2
• KMP - Law of Lebanon 2
• KMQ - Law of Oman, Palestine (to 1948) 1
• KNF - Afghanistan 1
• KNN - Law of China 9
• KNP - Law of Taiwan 13
• KNQ - Law of China (People's Republic, 1949- ) 23
• KNR - Law of Hong Kong (to 1997) 2
• KNS - Law of India 9
• KNW - Law of Indonesia, East Timor 3
• KNX - Law of Japan 21
• KPA - Law of Korea. South Korea 5
• KPL - Law of Pakistan 1
• KPM - Law of the Philippines 6
• KPP - Law of Singapore 2
• KQC - Africa: Regional comparative and uniform law 5
• KQE - Africa: Regional organization and integration 1
• KQH - Law of Angola 2
• KQJ - Law of Benin 1
• KQW - Law of Cameroon 4
• KRM - Law of Egypt (United Arab Republic) 17
• KRX - Law of Ghana 8
• KSA - Law of Guinea 1
• KSK - Law of Kenya 6
• KSR - Law of Madagascar 1
• KSW - Law of Morocco 3
• KTA - Law of Nigeria 6
• KTD - Law of Rwanda 2
• KTG - Law of Senegal 3
• KTL - Law of South Africa, Republic of 16
• KTQ - Law of Sudan 1
• KTT - Law of Tanzania 1
• KTU - Law of Togo 1
• KTV - Law of Tunisia 2
• KTX - Law of Congo (Democratic Republic) 4
• KU - Law of Australia 4
• KVE - Law of Pacific area jurisdictions: Regional comparative and uniform law: Regional organization and integration. Pacific area cooperation 1
• KZ - Law of Nations 151
• KZA - Law of the sea 11
• KZD - Law of outer space 3
• L - Education 12
• LA - History of Education 466
• LB - Theory & Practice of Education 843
• LC - Special Aspects of Education 617
• LD - Individual Educational Institutions: United States 117
• LE - Individual Educational Institutions: America (except U.S.) 5
• LF - Individual Educational Institutions: Europe 51
• LG - Individual Educational Institutions: Asia, Africa, Oceania 11
• M - Music 34
• ML - Literature on Music 3,041
• MT - Musical Instruction & Study 184
• N - Visual Arts 552
• NA - Architecture 573
• NB - Sculpture 263
• NC - Drawing, Design, Illustration 69
• ND - Painting 726
• NE - Print Media 62
• NK - Decorative Arts, Applied Arts, Decoration & Ornament 186
• NX - Arts in General 42
• P - Philology, Linguistics (General) 684
• PA - Classical Philology, Greek & Latin Languages & Literatures 1,590
• PB - Modern Languages, Celtic Languages 36
• PC - Romance Philology & Languages 571
• PD - Germanic Philology & Languages 249
• PE - English Philology & Language 485
• PF - West Germanic Philology & Languages 438
• PG - Slavic, Baltic, Albanian Languages & Literatures 466
• PH - Uralic, Basque Languages & Literatures 79
• PJ - Oriental Philology & Literature 335
• PK - Indo-Iranian Philology & Literature 157
• PL - Languages & Literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania 662
• PM - Hyperborean, Indian & Artificial Languages 140
• PN - Literature (General) & Journalism 1,294
• PQ - French, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese Literature 1,471
• PR - English Literature 1,152
• PS - American & Canadian Literatures 524
• PT - German & Germanic Literatures 2,543
• Q - Science (General) 113
• QA - Mathematics 1,235
• QB - Astronomy 115
• QC - Physics 515
• QD - Chemistry 650
• QE - Geology 1,393
• QH - Natural History, Biology 156
• QK - Botany 234
• QL - Zoology 555
• QM - Human Anatomy 27
• QP - Physiology 303
• QR - Microbiology 83
• R - Medicine (General) 194
• RA - Public Aspects of Medicine 185
• RB - Pathology 12
• RC - Internal Medicine 224
• RD - Surgery 51
• RE - Ophthalmology 10
• RF - Otorhinolaryngology 2
• RG - Gynecology & Obstetrics 34
• RJ - Pediatrics 32
• RK - Dentistry 4
• RL - Dermatology 3
• RM - Therapeutics, Pharmacology 27
• RS - Pharmacy & Materia Medica 27
• RT - Nursing 19
• RZ - Other Systems of Medicine 3
• S - Agriculture (General) 123
• SB - Plant Culture 86
• SD - Forestry 29
• SF - Animal Culture 51
• SH - Aquaculture, Fisheries, Angling 27
• SK - Hunting Sports 6
• T - Technology (General) 100
• TA - Engineering, Civil Engineering 185
• TC - Hydraulic Engineering 27
• TD - Environmental Technology, Sanitary Engineering 88
• TE - Highway Engineering, Roads & Pavements 10
• TF - Railroad Engineering & Operation 4
• TG - Bridge Engineering 6
• TH - Building Construction 26
• TJ - Mechanical Engineering & Machinery 83
• TK - Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Nuclear Engineering 157
• TL - Motor Vehicles, Aeronautics, Astronautics 81
• TN - Mining Engineering, Metallurgy 265
• TP - Chemical Technology 94
• TR - Photography 29
• TS - Manufactures 33
• TT - Handicrafts. Arts & Crafts 8
• TX - Home Economics 37
• U - Military Science (General) 65
• UA - Armies 141
• UB - Military Administration 48
• UC - Maintenance & Transportation 5
• UD - Infantry 1
• UF - Artillery 5
• UG - Military Engineering, Air Forces, Military Astronautics 27
• UH - Other Military Services 3
• V - Naval Science (General) 11
• VA - Navies 19
• VB - Naval Administration 1
• VE - Marines 1
• VG - Minor Services of Navies 1
• VK - Navigation, Merchant Marine 8
• VM - Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering 7
• Z - Bibliography, Library Science, Information Resources 348
• ZA - Information Resources (General) 2
• Education 940
• Geology 918
• English language 829
• Animals 680
• Catholic Church 669
• Mexican Americans 641
• Materials Science 585
• Geology, Stratigraphic 519
• German language 470
• Agriculture 451
• French language 397
• German literature 379
• Theater 311
• World War, 1914-1918 302
• Physics Of Elementary Particles And Fields 295
• Thesis/Dissertation ✖ [remove] 137,574
• Academic Dissertations 4,165
• Academic theses 3,802
• Books 3,605
• Government document 3,380
• Manuscripts, Print 2,154
• Thèses et écrits académiques 2,147
• Print Reproductions 1,703
• thesis 1,685
• Technical report 1,485
• Manuscripts, Typescript 1,364
• Academic Dissertation 1,236
• Archival Materials 927
• Index not Present 768
• Pamphlets 637
• Manuscripts, Handwritten 511
• History 491
• Germany 6,072
• United States 4,677
• California 1,942
• France 1,817
• China 1,799
• Japan 1,058
• Great Britain 888
• Switzerland 662
• Germany (West) 631
• Allemagne 478
• Soviet Union 454
• Netherlands 424
• England 405
• 20th century 1,926
• 19th century 1,292
• 18th century 730
• 17th century 401
• 16th century 344
• To 1500 235
• Early modern, 1500-1700 207
• Middle English, 1100-1500 171
• Old English, ca. 450-1100 165
• Middle High German, 1050-1500 161
• 1933-1945 158
• 1918-1933 149
• 500-1400 121
• 1918-1945 115
• To 1300 109
• Middle Ages, 600-1500 108
• Cretaceous 81
• Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600 80
• Revolution, 1789-1799 73

Organization (as author)

• Stanford University. School of Education 5,594
• Stanford University. Department of Electrical Engineering 4,932
• Stanford University. Department of Chemistry 2,572
• United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information 2,505
• Stanford University. Department of Mechanical Engineering 2,266
• Stanford University. Graduate School of Business 1,907
• Stanford University. Department of Physics 1,763
• Stanford University. Department of History 1,563
• Stanford University Department of English 1,431
• Stanford University. Department of Economics 1,406
• Stanford University. Department of Psychology 1,321
• Stanford University. Department of Music 1,251
• Stanford University. Computer Science Department 1,232
• Stanford University. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1,213
• Stanford University. Committee on Graduate Studies 1,117
• Stanford University. Department of Political Science 1,049
• Stanford University. Department of Biological Sciences 933
• Stanford University. Department of Applied Physics 922
• Stanford University. Department of Mathematics 900
• Stanford University. Department of Civil Engineering 898

%{search_type} search results

137,574 catalog results, online 1. a chicken coop with(out) a door: the fifth era of hong kong civic education [2024].

• Coloma, Isabelle Rose (Author)
• August 22, 2024

Online 2. "A Different Kettle of Fish": OPEC's Impact on Oil Nationalization, Political Accountability, and Governance [2024]

• Nicolson, Bailey (Author)
• May 15, 2024; May 15, 2024; May 15, 2024

Online 3. A fully-coupled hydromechanical continuum model for anisotropic and partially saturated porous media considering evolving anisotropy [2024]

• Ip, Chui Yee Sabrina, author.
• [Stanford, California] : [Stanford University], 2024.

Online 4. A genetic crossing approach to stickleback and primate evolution [2024]

• Behrens, Veronica Cecile, author.

Online 5. A genome-wide and brain-wide statistical investigation into the cellular and genetic architectures of mood disorders and suicidal behaviors [2024]

• Salem, Madeleine (Author)
• August 21, 2024; June 6, 2024

Online 6. A Kinetic Inductance Parametric Amplifier for Quantum Sensing [2024]

• Rosenfeld, Ethan (Author)
• June 9, 2024; June 2024

Online 7. A laser-induced airborne sonar system for remote underwater imaging and communication [2024]

• Fitzpatrick, Aidan James, author.

Online 8. A light stung the darkness: spatiality and acoustics as compositional strategies [2024]

• Daglik, Engin, author.

Online 9. A Logical Theory of Analogy via Common Abstraction [2024]

• Nakas, Filippos (Author)
• June 4, 2024; [ca. 2023]

Online 10. A Model for Brain Reoxygenation-induced Injury Using Human Cortical Organoids [2024]

• Gurwitz, Emily (Advisor)
• May 3, 2024

Online 11. A novel motif in calcimembrin/C16orf74 dictates multimeric dephosphorylation by calcineurin [2024]

• Bradburn, Devin Austin, author.

Online 12. A Social Network Analysis of the Feminist Sex Wars [2024]

• Ruedas, Andrea (Author)
• April 3, 2024

13. A Split Operating System Architecture for Data Center Servers [2024]

• Humphries, John Tigar, author.
• purl.stanford.edu
• Google Books (Full view)

Online 14. A Tavola con la Famiglia: The Family Meal, Body Image, and Eating Disorders among Italian Adolescent Females [2024]

• Zarrow, Rachel (Author)
• March 27, 2024

Online 15. a_blurred_fluxx_00.avi: Blackqueer Self-Becoming through Lo-Fi and D-I-Y Aesthetics [2024]

• Osawemwenze, Osadolor (Author)
• June 7, 2024; May 10, 2024

Online 16. The absolute body : critical choreographies at the end of the skin [2024]

• Golomb, Sariel, author.

Online 17. Access to health care in jail : perspectives from people living inside [2024]

• Allen, Sophie Anne, author.

Online 18. Accessing the Threat: Chinese and South Korean Memory Chip Sector [2024]

• Lee, Myung Hoon (Leo) (Author)
• June 7, 2024; [ca. April 2024]; June 7, 2024

Online 19. Acquisition and use of information to improve coordination and efficiency in digital markets and supply chains [2024]

• Mantegazza, Giacomo, author.

20. Adaptive Inference Systems: Concept, Theory, and Applications [2024]

• Hor, Soheil, author.

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Capstone and thesis submission (undergraduate honors, master's)

There’s a forever home for your capstone, honors thesis, or master’s thesis—archived in the Stanford Digital Repository and accessible online via SearchWorks, the library catalog. It’s free and the process takes just a few minutes.

Start your deposit today  

Who is eligible

• Stanford undergraduate students who have produced a senior capstone project, honors thesis, or similar culminating work are welcome.
• Stanford master’s students outside of the School of Engineering who have written a thesis may deposit their work.
• The Stanford Digital Repository (SDR) is a service available to all Stanford students, faculty, and staff who produce research, scholarly works, or institutional records of long-term value. 

What to expect

• Once you log in, look for the name of the capstone or thesis collection on your dashboard. (Don’t see it on the dashboard? Check with your program contact to request depositor access to the collection.)
• After you submit, your deposit may be queued for review and approval. If so, you will receive a notification when the review is completed. On approval, your deposit will be available online at a persistent URL (PURL) and will be findable in SearchWorks, too.
• Go ahead and share your PURL with your friends and family, and add it to your resume, too!

Watch this brief overview video demonstrating how to deposit your work into the SDR.

More helpful resources

• Dissertation and thesis submission (PhD, JSD, DMA, engineering master's)  
• Guide to student publishing
• Directory of student works collections in the SDR
• SDR services website

Questions? 

Reach out to the SDR team by email .

Stanford Law School's Theses and Dissertations Collection

• Early Thesis and Dissertation of Stanford Law School, 1929 to 1956
• Theses and Dissertations of Stanford Law School,1970-1995
• Stanford Program in International Legal Studies’ Theses, 1996 to 2010
• Stanford Law School’s Dissertations, 1996 to 2010
• Stanford Program in International Legal Studies Theses, 2011 to 2025

Collection Description

This collection contains Stanford Law School Students’ theses and dissertations written to fulfill the academic requirements for advanced degrees.   Historically, the collection of Theses and Dissertations were produced as part of the requirement coursework for receiving a Master of Laws (1933-1969), a Juris Doctor (1906-1932), or a Doctor of Jurisprudence.  

Currently, works received from students are produced under two different graduate programs.  Thesis are works were produced as part of the requirement for the Stanford Program in International Legal Studies (SPILS). SPILS was established in 1995 by Professors Lawrence Friedman and Thomas C. Heller, to educate international students, lawyers, judges, public officials, and other professionals trained in the study of law outside the United States.  Students in the SPILS Program are required to do interdisciplinary research that affects the global community.  The culmination of this program is a research project that each individual student develops over the course of the year under a faculty advisor, after which the earns a Master of the Science of Law degree.  The research project must demonstrate the student's ability to employ empirical methods of investigation and must addresses issues in the international community or within a specific country.  These can cover a large range of topics that analyze legal cultures, legal reforms, or public policy.  

Dissertations are produced under Doctor of Science of Law program or JSD.  The JSD program as we know it was revised for the Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1969 is designed for students who are interested in pursuing an academic career. Doctor of Science of Law Students are selected from the Stanford Program in International Legal Studies and those who have a postgraduate degree in Legal Studies.

All materials in this collection were donated by individual authors to the Stanford Law Library's Special Collections.

Collection Identity Number: LAW-3781

Finding Aid prepared by

Robert Crown Law Library Stanford, CA 94305-8610 Phone: 650.723-2477

• Last Updated: Jun 4, 2024 10:36 AM
• URL: https://guides.law.stanford.edu/c.php?g=1087208

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

• Publications
• Audio Examples

Introduction

Lyx has convenient change tracking features, graphic format conversion, and spell check, making it a nice front end to Latex. Here I have posted a Lyx skeleton file to start a thesis. Most of the preamble settings should work as is so all you need to do is edit the commands in the top level file, and write your thesis in Lyx. Obviously this file comes with no warranties or guarantees.

This Lyx template uses the suthesis-2e.sty style available at http://help-csli.stanford.edu/tex/suthesis/

Lyx thesis template download

A template for use with Lyx is available here: suthesis-lyx.zip . Top level document is thesis_toplevel.lyx. Modify this document with your own information. Default settings are singled sided and 12 pt font. Change these settings in Document->Settings. Change latex options in the preamble section. Add additional suthesis as ERT (evil red text, raw Latex code) in Lyx.

Included as an example are Abstract, Acknowledgements, Chapter1 and Appendix1 sections. Bibliography is included using jos.bib as an example.

Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics Department of Music, Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-8180, USA

Dissertation Defense

The following steps are meant to help you begin thinking about your defense, dissertation, and eventually graduation. Please contact the Student Services Office if you have any questions about the process or requirements.

Planning Your Dissertation Defense

Steps for planning your defense.

Meet with your committee and determine a date and time. Some faculty travel extensively, so it is a good idea to start this process early.

Once you have a confirmed time, contact the Student Services Office. They will help in booking rooms for both the public and closed door sessions.

Tip : Some faculty travel extensively, so it's a good idea to start this process early. Room reservations can also be tricky depending on the time selected. The more notice you can provide, the more likely one of your top choices for rooms will be available.

Your chair must be someone outside of the department who is an Academic Council member. Your Oral Examination Committee must have a total 5 members including the University Chair. If you need help finding one, your advisor and other committee members should be able to help. University policy regarding chairs and your committee can be found in the  Stanford Bulletin .

Deliver a draft of your dissertation to each of your committee members 30 days prior to your defense. Some committee members may prefer just an emailed draft, however others may prefer a paper copy so be sure to check on preferences of each of your committee members!

Bring your University  Oral Examination Form  to the Student Services office (Gilbert 118 or via email) at least 2 weeks before your defense. The Student Services Office will bring this back to you or your advisor at your defense.

If you’d like the Student Services Office to create and post flyers for your defense, please send them a picture to use and your title 2 weeks before your defense.

Following your defense, please turn in the University Oral Examination Form to the Student Services Office as soon as possible.

Dissertation Submission

Submit your dissertation.

The following needs to be done, in order, to complete the dissertation submission process:

Visit the e-dissertation/thesis center in Axess  

This is often your advisor, but can be any Academic Council member on your committee. They will need to log in to Axess and approve your dissertation before the deadline once you’ve uploaded your dissertation.

Turn in your signed signature page and title page to the Student Services Center at Tresidder (see the guidelines PDF for formatting instructions).

Signatures must be actual ink signatures on acid-free paper.  Only your reading committee should be included on your signature page. Do NOT include your defense chair or any committee members only present for the defense.

Upload and submit your dissertation.

This  video  that will walk you through the upload process.

Guidelines for formatting, etc.

Registrar’s Office site for all dissertation information

Submission Deadlines

The entire process must be complete and dissertation approved by the Registrar’s Office by the following deadlines: Autumn Quarter 2021 – Friday, December 7, 2021 at 12:00pm Winter Quarter 2022 – Friday, March 19, 2022 at 12:00pm Spring Quarter 2022 – Wednesday, June 4, 2022 at 12:00pm Summer Quarter 2022 – Friday, August 27, 2022 at 12:00pm

Be sure that you also apply to graduate in the quarter you’re submitting! To file your application through Axess: Select "Apply to Graduate" from the drop down menu on the Student Center Academics tab and complete the entire application to graduate process.

CCSRE Graduate Dissertation Fellowship

21-22 Dissertation Fellows cohort from left to right, Kiara Sanchez, Jasmine Reid, and Beka Guluma / Photo by Heidi M. López

Funded by the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences, the CCSRE Graduate Dissertation Fellowship provides financial and intellectual support to outstanding advanced Stanford doctoral students whose dissertations address issues of race and ethnicity. The fellowship program provides an intellectual community for students working to complete their dissertations and encourages comparative scholarship that traverses and challenges disciplinary boundaries.

Applications for the CCSRE Graduate Dissertation Fellowship for AY 2024-25 are now closed. Please check back again next year.

Meet the people.

Neida Ahmad

Candice Jeehae Kim

Chepchirchir Tirop

Checklist: Submitting My Dissertation or Thesis

Main navigation.

The following checklist includes all items that should be prepared in order to complete the submission of your dissertation or thesis, using the Axess Dissertation and Thesis Center  

We recommend that you take all necessary steps in order to upload your dissertation or thesis in time to meet all of the applicable posted deadlines and give your Final Reader plenty of time to approve the dissertation or thesis once it has been uploaded.

Prior to Online Submission

• Enroll in the quarter for which you intend to submit
• File online “Application to Graduate” through Axess by the appropriate deadline.
• Note:  if a committee member is missing, or has been assigned an incorrect role, meet with your department who maintains reading committees and changes permitted within policy.
• For thesis: The name of your Thesis Advisor and designate them as your Final Reader.
• Submit the Reading Committee Signature Page requirement in the Axess eForms platform, following the published instructions .
• Confirm with your department that your candidacy is valid through your degree conferral date.
• Confirm with your department that you have completed all required university milestones, especially the university orals milestone.
• Review Copyright Considerations for Authors of Electronic Theses and Dissertations . Discuss embargo and other release options with your co-authors and advisor before preparing the submission online.
• For students submitting a dissertation: Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates .

During Online Submission 

Ensure your electronic dissertation or thesis is formatted following these guidelines:

• One electronic copy of the dissertation or thesis in PDF format.
• For D.M.A Composition students, score page size is 11" x 17".
• Type size 10, 11, or 12 point. Smaller fonts are acceptable for tables, captions, etc. 
• Font style is New Times Roman. If applicable, mathematic/scientific notation fonts are embedded in the PDF file.
• Line spacing of dissertation or thesis text is 1.5 or 2.
• Margins are 1.5 inches on the binding edge and 1 inch on all other sides.
• Text is divided correctly.
• Title page is formatted correctly.
• No signature page ii or copyright page iii is included (Axess automatically inserts a copyright and augmented signature page during submission).
• Pagination begins with the first page of the Abstract, which should be page “iv”; or, if formatted for double-sided printing with the Abstract to appear on the right page, then pagination begins with a blank page as page "iv". Pagination is continuous and placement of numbers is consistent throughout the manuscript.
• The dissertation or thesis is ready-for-publication in appearance. All pages and sections are in order.
• The dissertation or thesis contains no unnumbered pages, except for the title page which is not paginated, but is assumed page 'i'.
• PDF file size does not exceed 1 GB.
• PDF file has no encryption or other security measures applied.
• One version of the abstract, containing no special text formatting or HTML, entered into an online submission form.
• File size(s) do not exceed 1 GB. 
• Short description or label is applied to each file after upload. 
• Maximum 20 supplemental files.
• Agree to Stanford University publication license.
• Optional: Limit amount of dissertation or thesis content available via third-party distributors.
• Optional: Creative Commons license selected and applied.
• Optional: Delayed release (embargo) of the dissertation or thesis.
• Written permission from the appropriate copyright holder(s) to reproduce any copyrighted material in the dissertation or thesis. Each letter is formatted and uploaded as a single PDF file. Maximum 10 permission files.

After Online Submission

• Confirm via Axess that your designated Final Reader certifies the submission by noon of the final submission deadline date .
• For students submitting a dissertation, if you haven't done so already: Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates .

Recent searches

Institutions, conferences, journals gallery.

40,000+ journal templates to choose from for your next paper

Flexible pricing plans that caters to everyone’s needs

Journal Submission

Get accepted in top journals.

For Publishers

Streamline publishing process with automated workflows

Client Stories

Read what our clients have yielded with our products and services

Convert from Word

Word file to JATS XML, PMC XML, DOAJ XML and more

Convert from PDF

PDF file to SciELO XML, CrossRef XML and more

Convert from JATS XML

JATS XML to Redalyc XML, DataCite XML and more

Adhere to standard of all global publishing bodies

Compliance for medical journals in PubMed database

Generate standardized XML for SciELO indexed journals

Template for Stanford Thesis — Template for authors

— or sign up using email —

Template for Stanford Thesis

Guideline source: View

All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Use of these names, trademarks and brands does not imply endorsement or affiliation. Disclaimer Notice

Approved by publishing and review experts on SciSpace, this template is built as per for Template for Stanford Thesis formatting guidelines as mentioned in Stanford author instructions. The current version was created on and has been used by 115 authors to write and format their manuscripts to this journal.

SciSpace is a very innovative solution to the formatting problem and existing providers, such as Mendeley or Word did not really evolve in recent years.

- Andreas Frutiger, Researcher, ETH Zurich, Institute for Biomedical Engineering

What to expect from SciSpace?

Speed and accuracy over ms word.

With SciSpace, you do not need a word template for Template for Stanford Thesis.

It automatically formats your research paper to Stanford formatting guidelines and citation style.

You can download a submission ready research paper in pdf, LaTeX and docx formats.

Time taken to format a paper and Compliance with guidelines

Freedom from formatting guidelines

One editor, 100K journal formats – world's largest collection of journal templates

With such a huge verified library, what you need is already there.

Easy support from all your favorite tools

Automatically format and order your citations and bibliography in a click.

SciSpace allows imports from all reference managers like Mendeley, Zotero, Endnote, Google Scholar etc.

Frequently asked questions

1. can i write template for stanford thesis in latex.

Absolutely not! Our tool has been designed to help you focus on writing. You can write your entire paper as per the Template for Stanford Thesis guidelines and auto format it.

2. Do you follow the Template for Stanford Thesis guidelines?

Yes, the template is compliant with the Template for Stanford Thesis guidelines. Our experts at SciSpace ensure that. If there are any changes to the journal's guidelines, we'll change our algorithm accordingly.

3. Can I cite my article in multiple styles in Template for Stanford Thesis?

Of course! We support all the top citation styles, such as APA style, MLA style, Vancouver style, Harvard style, and Chicago style. For example, when you write your paper and hit autoformat, our system will automatically update your article as per the Template for Stanford Thesis citation style.

4. Can I use the Template for Stanford Thesis templates for free?

Sign up for our free trial, and you'll be able to use all our features for seven days. You'll see how helpful they are and how inexpensive they are compared to other options, Especially for Template for Stanford Thesis.

5. Can I use a manuscript in Template for Stanford Thesis that I have written in MS Word?

Yes. You can choose the right template, copy-paste the contents from the word document, and click on auto-format. Once you're done, you'll have a publish-ready paper Template for Stanford Thesis that you can download at the end.

6. How long does it usually take you to format my papers in Template for Stanford Thesis?

It only takes a matter of seconds to edit your manuscript. Besides that, our intuitive editor saves you from writing and formatting it in Template for Stanford Thesis.

7. Where can I find the template for the Template for Stanford Thesis?

It is possible to find the Word template for any journal on Google. However, why use a template when you can write your entire manuscript on SciSpace , auto format it as per Template for Stanford Thesis's guidelines and download the same in Word, PDF and LaTeX formats? Give us a try!.

8. Can I reformat my paper to fit the Template for Stanford Thesis's guidelines?

Of course! You can do this using our intuitive editor. It's very easy. If you need help, our support team is always ready to assist you.

9. Template for Stanford Thesis an online tool or is there a desktop version?

SciSpace's Template for Stanford Thesis is currently available as an online tool. We're developing a desktop version, too. You can request (or upvote) any features that you think would be helpful for you and other researchers in the "feature request" section of your account once you've signed up with us.

10. I cannot find my template in your gallery. Can you create it for me like Template for Stanford Thesis?

Sure. You can request any template and we'll have it setup within a few days. You can find the request box in Journal Gallery on the right side bar under the heading, "Couldn't find the format you were looking for like Template for Stanford Thesis?”

11. What is the output that I would get after using Template for Stanford Thesis?

After writing your paper autoformatting in Template for Stanford Thesis, you can download it in multiple formats, viz., PDF, Docx, and LaTeX.

12. Is Template for Stanford Thesis's impact factor high enough that I should try publishing my article there?

To be honest, the answer is no. The impact factor is one of the many elements that determine the quality of a journal. Few of these factors include review board, rejection rates, frequency of inclusion in indexes, and Eigenfactor. You need to assess all these factors before you make your final call.

13. What is Sherpa RoMEO Archiving Policy for Template for Stanford Thesis?

• Pre-prints as being the version of the paper before peer review and
• Post-prints as being the version of the paper after peer-review, with revisions having been made.

14. What are the most common citation types In Template for Stanford Thesis?

15. How do I submit my article to the Template for Stanford Thesis?

16. can i download template for stanford thesis in endnote format.

Yes, SciSpace provides this functionality. After signing up, you would need to import your existing references from Word or Bib file to SciSpace. Then SciSpace would allow you to download your references in Template for Stanford Thesis Endnote style according to Elsevier guidelines.

with Template for Stanford Thesis format applied

Fast and reliable, built for complaince.

Instant formatting to 100% publisher guidelines on - SciSpace.

No word template required

Typset automatically formats your research paper to Template for Stanford Thesis formatting guidelines and citation style.

Verifed journal formats

One editor, 100K journal formats. With the largest collection of verified journal formats, what you need is already there.

Trusted by academicians

I spent hours with MS word for reformatting. It was frustrating - plain and simple. With SciSpace, I can draft my manuscripts and once it is finished I can just submit. In case, I have to submit to another journal it is really just a button click instead of an afternoon of reformatting.