instructions.txt

Instructions for using the Rockefeller University's Latex Dissertation Template

This template meets the formatting requirements of the Rockefeller University's graduate program. The full formatting requirements can be found in the Thesis Formatting Guidelines file. Feel free to modify this template to suit your needs while remaining in line with the formatting requirements.  

You may either use an online editor/compiler such as Overleaf (recommended) or compile the LaTeX code on your computer using pdflatex.

To begin using this template, follow these steps:

1. Add your dissertation title, full name, and conferral date (month and year) to titlepage.tex
2. Add your name and conferral year to copyright.tex 
3. Add your dedication to dedication.tex and your acknowledgments to acknowledgements.tex (optional - if you do not want either of these sections, comment out the appropriate lines in thesis.tex)
4. Add your abstract to abstract.tex
5. Fill in the main text of your dissertation in the respective chapter#.tex files. If you need to add additional chapters, you can do so - just remember to include them in the main thesis.tex file.
6. Add any appendices as needed into appendices.tex (optional - if you do not require any appendices, comment out the appropriate lines in thesis.tex)
7. Add references in the BibTeX format to the references.bib file. Cite references using the defined keys in the abstract, main text, and appendices.
8. Upload figures as needed to be included in the main text and appendices.
9. Remove the tutorial chapter when no longer needed by commenting out the line "\input{tutorial.tex}" 

Overleaf (preferred):

Upload the zip folder to Overleaf and select thesis.tex as the file to be compiled. To reduce compile time you may include or exclude chapters from the thesis.tex file by commenting out lines. 

Offline:

To compile the template, using your preferred TeX editor, run the following commands in sequence using the command line:

1. pdflatex
2. bibtex
3. pdflatex
4. pdflatex

Note that occasionally this sequence will need to be run twice in order to correctly update the Table of Contents.