THESIS/DISSERTATION GUIDELINES

It is the responsibility of the student and the supervisor to ensure that the thesis complies in
all respects to these guidelines.

Updated April 14, 2014

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.1 Thesis Preparation Overview .................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Language ................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 Copyright Permission ................................................................................................................ 4
1.3.1 General Information ........................................................................................................ 4
1.3.2 Obtaining Copyright Permission ...................................................................................... 6
1.3.3 When Permission is not Obtained ................................................................................... 6
1.4 Ethics Approval ......................................................................................................................... 6
1.5 General Format ......................................................................................................................... 6
1.5.1 Organization of the Thesis ............................................................................................... 6
1.6 Templates & Workshops ........................................................................................................... 8
1.6.1 Templates......................................................................................................................... 8
1.6.2 Workshops: Formatting and Citation Programs .............................................................. 8
1.6.2 Workshops: Copyright ..................................................................................................... 8
1.7 Thesis Editing ............................................................................................................................ 8
1.8 General Style ........................................................................................................................... 10
1.8.1 Paper Size & Margins ..................................................................................................... 10
1.8.2 Typeface ......................................................................................................................... 10
1.8.3 Font Size ......................................................................................................................... 10
1.8.4 Justification .................................................................................................................... 10
1.8.5 Spacing/Printing ............................................................................................................. 10
1.8.6 Page Numbers ................................................................................................................ 10
1.8.7 Citation Style .................................................................................................................. 11
1.9 Page Headers .......................................................................................................................... 11

SECTION 2: THESIS SECTIONS ............................................................................ 12

2.1 Frontispieces ........................................................................................................................... 12
2.2 Title Page ................................................................................................................................. 12
2.3 Abstract ................................................................................................................................... 13
2.4 Table of Contents .................................................................................................................... 14
2.5 Epigraph .................................................................................................................................. 14
2.6 Footnotes ................................................................................................................................ 14
2.7 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................ 15
2.8 Manuscript-based Thesis ........................................................................................................ 15

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2.9 Inclusion of Work Previously Published by Candidate ........................................................... 17

SECTION 3: THESIS SUBMISSION ....................................................................... 19

3.1 Prepare for Thesis Submission ................................................................................................ 19
3.2 Approval Page ......................................................................................................................... 19
3.3 Signatures................................................................................................................................ 20
3.4 Supervisors & Department/Programs Copy ......................................................................... 20
3.4.1 Submission of Supervisors copy of thesis to Supervisor .............................................. 20
3.4.2 Submission of programs copy of thesis to Graduate program/Department ............... 20
3.5 Final Submission to FGS .......................................................................................................... 21
3.6 Format Requirements ............................................................................................................. 22
3.6.1 Paper .............................................................................................................................. 22
3.6.2 Corrections ..................................................................................................................... 22
3.6.3 Double-sided Printing .................................................................................................... 22
3.6.4 Illustrations .................................................................................................................... 22
3.6.5 Coloured photographs ................................................................................................... 23
3.6.6 Charts, Graphs, Maps, Etc. ............................................................................................. 23
3.6.7 Oversized pages ............................................................................................................. 23
3.6.8 Overlays ......................................................................................................................... 23
3.6.9 Slides, Video Clips, Film.................................................................................................. 23
3.6.10 Two-Volume Theses ..................................................................................................... 23
3.7 Final Submission to FGS Electronic Submission ................................................................... 25
Before Submission .................................................................................................................. 25
Step 1: Submitting Supporting Documents ............................................................................ 25
Step 2: Convert Your thesis to PDF and Prepare Accompany Materials ................................ 26
Step 3: Activate Your Account ................................................................................................ 26
Step 4: Submit Electronically ................................................................................................. 26
Step 5: Approval by FGS .......................................................................................................... 27
3.8 Delay in Public Release of Theses ........................................................................................... 27
Appendix I Useful Resources................................................................................................ 29

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 Section 1: Thesis & Dissertation Preparation

This guideline uses the term thesis to mean either a thesis or a doctoral dissertation.
1.1 Thesis Preparation Overview

1. Prepare your thesis

2. Defend your thesis
3. Make revisions to your thesis
4. Submit your final thesis to your supervisor
5. Submit your final thesis to the department (check with your department to see if its
required)
6. Submit your final thesis to Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) electronically

Check with your supervisor and department to see their requirements (paper or electronic). More details
on Section 3: Thesis Submission.

1.2 Language

Except in the German Graduate Program, the Department of French, Italian and Spanish,
and in the French program in the Werklund School of Education, all theses must be
submitted in the English language. Thesis title(s) must be written text as opposed to
symbols (Greek alphabets are permitted).

1.3 Copyright Permission

1.3.1 General Information

Your thesis will be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies electronically to the Vault,
our theses repository, as well as forwarded to Libraries and Archives Canada for inclusion in
their collection. Therefore, it is important that you obtain permissions for all third party
material used in your manuscript.

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

The University of Calgary is committed to compliance with the Copyright Act in all University
publications. Small amounts of text, with proper citation are permitted. However, the
copyright holder of a work has the right to reproduce his work and to adapt his work so you
must seek permission to use any substantial amount of a work e.g. a newspaper article, an
image or photograph, video or audio files.
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The Copyright Office is available to assist in determining the works for which permission
should be requested and the best way to do this. However, the student is responsible for
obtaining written permissions that then should be attached as a separate file with the
manuscript. These requests should be started well in advance, preferably as soon as the
thesis proposal is accepted. Copyright holders are often hard to track down and there are
occasions when permission will be denied so time is of the essence.

General information on copyright and Thesis Copyright Guidelines can be found at

http://lib.dev.tri.ucalgary.ca/copyright

Questions regarding copyright can be directed to the Copyright Offices email:

copyright@ucalgary.ca

LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CANADA

Library and Archives Canada Guidelines state that you must not include:

"Copyrighted material from other sources unless you've received written permission from
the copyright holder(s).

You may have already published a portion of your thesis, for example as a journal article or
part of a book. If you have assigned the copyright to your publisher you need to obtain
written permission to include it in your thesis. Please inform your publisher about the
Theses Non-Exclusive License you have signed with Library and Archives Canada.

If you've written your thesis with a co-author, he or she must sign a separate license.

If your thesis includes material (e.g. a chapter, an article) that has been co-written with
another author(s), you need permission from the author(s) before submitting it to Library
and Archives Canada (via your university) for publication. Please inform the co-author(s)
that you have signed a Theses Non-Exclusive License that authorizes Library and Archives
Canada to reproduce, communicate to the public on the Internet, loan, distribute or sell
copies of your thesis, among other things.

In all cases written permission must accompany your thesis.

You must acknowledge all permissions in your thesis. The written permissions with original
signatures must be submitted as a separate document when you submit the thesis to the
Faculty of Graduate Studies.

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 USEFUL RESOURCES
Visit Canada Copyright Act and Library and Archives Canada Theses Canada for more
information.

1.3.2 Obtaining Copyright Permission

When copyright materials are used in your thesis, you must obtain letters of copyright
permission. Acquiring these letters takes a considerable amount of time; students
requesting such permission should do this well in advance of your thesis submission.

When seeking copyright permission letters, the copyright owner must agree to the terms
listed on the University of Calgary Partial licence.

Copyright permission letters must be included in your thesis as appendices with

signatures removed.

Original copyright permission letters with signatures must also be submitted to FGS as
separate documents.

1.3.3 When Permission is not Obtained1

When letter of copyright permission cannot be obtained, the copyright material must be
removed and a page or a line inserted in its place. This page/line should explain:
o that the material involved has been removed because of copyright restrictions;
o what information the material contained;
o and the source of the material (e.g., providing a link to the original material)

1.4 Ethics Approval

All research involving human or animal subjects must receive ethics approval from the
appropriate University of Calgary Research Ethics Board. Ethics approval must be submitted
as a separate document to Faculty of Graduate Studies. The approval must not be included
in the thesis, nor scanned into an electronic version.

1.5 General Format

1.5.1 Organization of the Thesis
All components in the thesis must be organized in the following order:

o Prefatory pages

1
Draws on University of Albertas Thesis Format Specifications
http://www.gradstudies.ualberta.ca/degreesuperv/thesis/thesisspecs.pdf
6
 Frontispiece or Quote Page (optional)
Title page
Abstract (always page ii)
Preface (optional)
Acknowledgements (optional)
Dedication (optional)
Table of contents
List of Tables (required if any)
List of Figures, Illustrations, Other Graphics (required if any)
List of Plates (required if thesis has any)
List of Symbols, Abbreviations, Nomenclature (required if any)
Epigraph (optional)

o Body of Text

o Endnotes (required if any)

o Bibliography or References

o Appendices (include copyright permission letters with REMOVED signatures, if any)

o Index (Optional)

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1.6 Templates & Workshops
1.6.1 Templates
The University of Calgary IT department and has created templates that allow students to
write their thesis on either word or Latex documents:
http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/resources

NOTE: The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers these links for information only and using one
of these templates does not guarantee all formatting requirements are met. As formatting
requirements may change over time, it is your responsibility to review the various FGS
Thesis Specifications listed in this guidelines and ensure the final formatting meets all
requirements regardless of whether a template is used or not. The Faculty of Graduate
Studies (FGS) is not able to offer technical assistance with computer programs and
templates.

1.6.2 Workshops: Formatting and Citation Programs

The library also offers free drop in workshop on thesis formatting. Other workshops on
using various citation programs such as Endnote, Refworks, Mendeley, etc, are also offered.
It is strongly recommended that you attend these sessions during the planning stage of your
thesis writing as these tools will greatly enhance the organization of your thesis and allow
you to focus on the content of your thesis.

Please see the link below for a list of workshops:

http://library.ucalgary.ca/workshops

1.6.2 Workshops: Copyright

The library also offers workshops on the topic of copyrights. It is strongly recommended
that you attend one of these sessions during the planning stage of your thesis writing to
avoid any copyright issues.

Please see the link below for a list of workshops:

http://library.ucalgary.ca/workshops

1.7 Thesis Editing2

Students may hire an editor to copyedit their theses, unless their programs calendar entry
prohibits copyediting. The student, supervisor and editor must abide by the following
regulations:
1. Prior to hiring a copy editor, permission from the supervisor(s) must be obtained. An

2
Effective July 1, 2013
8
 agreement outlining the permitted scope of editing must be signed by the student and
the supervisor(s).
2. A disclosure statement is required in the thesis (e.g., a sentence in the preface or
acknowledgment stating that the thesis has been professionally edited)
3. Under no circumstances should the copyediting alter the content, structure or
contribution of the thesis.
Students must check their programs regulations in the Faculty of Graduate Studies
Calendar to see if copyediting is permitted before hiring a copy editor.

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1.8 General Style
1.8.1 Paper Size & Margins
Standard paper size is 8.5 inches x 11 inches (letter size)
Margins on all page are required to be:
Left: 1 inch or 2.54cm (1.5 inch if you wish to bind your thesis)
Right: 1 inch (2.54cm)
Top: 1 inch (2.54cm)
Bottom: 1 inch (2.54cm)

1.8.2 Typeface
Only one single typeface (font), with its italic and bold variants, may be used through the
entire thesis, including the title page, approval page, acknowledgements, bibliography and
appendices. (Exceptions to this can be made for footnotes, subscripts and superscripts, and
for tables, figures or illustrations imported from other sources.)

1.8.3 Font Size

Only twelve-point font size (12 pt) is acceptable. This means that there must be
approximately twelve characters per inch. However, in the case of certain fonts that have a
large x-height (e.g., where a lowercase letter such as x is half or less the height of an
uppercase X), eleven-point may be acceptable.

1.8.4 Justification
A thesis may be fully justified (e.g., have even left- and right-hand margins), or left justified
only (e.g., have ragged right-hand margins). However, the justification must be consistent
throughout the body of the thesis.

1.8.5 Spacing/Printing
All pages of the thesis are required be double or one-and-one-half spaced (including
Abstract, Acknowledgements, Dedication, etc)

Single spaced is only permitted in the cases of extensive Table of Contents, List of Tables,
List of Figures, List of Plates, List of Symbols, Abbreviations, or Nomenclature and when
there are extensive quotations within the body of the text.

Thesis must be printed singled-sided. Double-sided printing is not permitted (see section
3.5.3 for more detailed information).

1.8.6 Page Numbers

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 All pages in the thesis must be numbered, with the only exception of the title page (and the
frontispiece, if applicable).
o All page numbers must be either in the lower centre or on the top or lower right of
the page when the page is viewed in portrait view. The location of the page number
must be consistent throughout the thesis.

Prefatory pages:
o must be numbered with lower case Roman numerals (e.g., i. ii, iii, iv, etc.)
o page i should not appear on the title page
o Abstract is always page ii

Body of thesis:
o Must be numbered with lower case Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.)
o The first page of the text is page 1
o Subsequent pages are numbered continuously including bibliographies, appendices,
and index

See a sample thesis/dissertation

1.8.7 Citation Style

Please consult your program and follow a citation style guide recommended by your
discipline.

1.9 Page Headers

Some citation styles may require page headers (running headers), but you do not need
running headers for a thesis. Page headers (running head) may be used as long as there is a
line across the entire page to separate the header from the text and they must be chapter
headings, not a version of the thesis title or your name.

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 Section 2: Thesis Sections

2.1 Frontispieces

A frontispiece is an optional item in a thesis. If used, it must be placed facing the title page.

2.2 Title Page

All items on the Title Page must follow the model exactly (see Sample
Thesis/Dissertation). You can also use the title page template.

All items on the Title Page must be centred within the margins.

All items on the Title Page must be at least double-spaced. This includes the title and the
name of the graduate program.

The name of the University must be in uppercase letters.

The title of the thesis as it appears on the Title Page MUST BE IDENTICAL to the title
found on the Approval Page and on the Report of Final Oral Examination including the
capitalization and punctuation.

The title of the thesis must be in upper- and lowercase letters.

The full title of the thesis cannot be longer than 240 characters (including letters and
spaces).

The spine title cannot be longer than 41 characters (including letters and spaces).

The word by must be in lowercase letters.

The name of the author must be in upper- and lowercase letters, and identical in both
places on the title page. Shortening or changing the name in the copyright area is
unacceptable. The name used must be the authors legal name as it appears in the
University of Calgary records.

The full name of the degree for which the thesis is presented must be written out, e.g.,
DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS, DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE, DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF
PHILOSOPHY.

In the case of an interdisciplinary degree, the Title Page remains the same except for the

12
 degree and department sections. The home graduate program should be listed first and
the other graduate program second. In this situation, the wording shall read:

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE

STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE INTERDISCIPLINARY DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE
(DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, MASTER OF ARTS)

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

and
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN MEDICAL SCIENCE

The full, official name of the graduate program must be written out, e.g., GRADUATE
PROGRAM IN PSYCHOLOGY, GRADUATE PROGRAM IN GEOMATICS ENGINEERING.

There is a comma between CALGARY and ALBERTA.

There is a comma between the name of the month and the year. This date must be the
month and year the final copy of the thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Graduate
Studies.

The universal copyright symbol () must appear to the left of your name, as indicated in
the sample.

There is no comma between the name and the year. The year must be the year that the
final copy of the thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

2.3 Abstract

Abstracts in theses presented by candidates for Masters degrees must be no longer than
150 words.

Abstracts in theses presented by candidates for doctoral degrees must be no longer than
350 words.

Hyphenated words or words separated by a slash are considered two words.

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2.4 Table of Contents

The Table of Contents must include a listing of all items in the thesis. See General Format
for the order in which items must be listed. Everything, except the title page and
frontispiece, including the Table of Contents itself, must be listed in the Table of Contents.
(See Sample Thesis/Dissertation.)

Headings and sub-headings must be consistent between the Table of Contents and the body
of the text. Although in the Table of Contents headings may be shortened to fit space
requirements, the wording must be consistent enough that the reader will know that the
correct heading, figure or table has been reached. All capitalization, punctuation,
abbreviations, etc., must be consistent amongst the titles in the Table of Contents and Lists
of Tables and Figures, and the actual titles as they appear in the body of the text.

2.5 Epigraph

An epigraph is an apt quotation that precedes the text of a chapter or of a book. Epigraphs
should be indented twenty spaces from the left margin. Quotation marks are not used. The
author and title of the source must be cited below the quotation. Further bibliographical
information is optional for widely known authors and works and can be supplied in a note.

Example:

The last years of the eighteenth century are broken by a discontinuity similar to that
which destroyed Renaissance thought at the beginning of the seventeenth.

Michel Foucault, The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences

2.6 Footnotes

Footnotes may be placed at the foot of the page (footnotes proper), in a group at the end of
a chapter (called Notes), or grouped at the end of the thesis before the bibliography
(called Endnotes). If notes or endnotes are collected at one place in the thesis, their
location must be shown in the Table of Contents by title and page.

The student should check for any departmental requirements concerning the placing of
footnotes.

Footnotes may be in a font smaller than the text of the thesis.

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2.7 Bibliography

Any approved bibliographic/reference format may be used, but must be used consistently
throughout. If an alphabetical format is used, strict order must be maintained. Generally, an
author who has published a work on his/her own precedes any listing with multiple authors
(e.g., a work by Smith, J. would precede a work by Smith, J. and F. Jones). Multiple works by
one author (or one set of authors) should be listed chronologically or in reverse chronology
in order of publication. The general rule is to list items in alphabetical order first, then in
chronological order within the alphabetization.

There must be a single, unified bibliography in the thesis. It is not permissible to put
individual listings at the end of each chapter in lieu of a full bibliography. If there are items
other than printed works, such as works of art, in the listing, this section should be called
References, rather than Bibliography.

2.8 Manuscript-based Thesis3

Two formats of thesis are available to students: traditional thesis and manuscript-based
thesis. With permission from their supervisor(s)4, students may choose to compose their
theses in the manuscript-based thesis format where the research may be presented as a
collection of papers of which the student is the primary author. These papers must have a
cohesive, unitary character making them a report of a single program of research.

Although manuscript-based theses often contain published articles, or articles which have
been accepted for publication, the inclusion of these papers does not guarantee that the
thesis will pass the thesis examination.

Definition of manuscript-based thesis:

A manuscript-based thesis, by the faculty of Graduate Studies definition, is a collection of
manuscripts that have been submitted to reputable peer-reviewed Journals in the students
field of study, and may have already been published, or accepted for publication. The thesis
must include an introduction (chapter 1) followed by the papers (normally, a paper is a
stand-alone chapter) and a concluding chapter.
If a student chooses to present their thesis in the manuscript-based format, the thesis must
conform to the following:

Formatting:

3This Document draws heavily on similar policies in use at McGill University and Stanford University.
4Your program may have a more rigorous policy. Please ensure that your manuscript-based thesis also
meet the program requirements.
15
 All papers must be reformatted so that they conform to the formatting requirements
outlined in this document.
If each paper has its own reference list, the bibliography at the end of the thesis need
not report those items. However, if differing citation styles were used in the included
papers, they must be reformatted so that only one citation style is used throughout the
entire thesis.

Chapters:
The thesis needs to be more than a collection of manuscripts. There must be an
introductory chapter that a) provides an overview of the separate chapters (papers) and
b) integrates the general themes of the research and paper included. The introductory
chapter may also include additional literature review relevant to the thesis topic that
does not appear in the chapters (papers).
In the case where multi-authored paper(s) have been included, a statement of
contribution to clarify students and all co-authors contributions must be provided in
the introductory chapter.
All components must be integrated into a cohesive unit with a logical progression from
one chapter to the next. The thesis must have connecting texts to provide logical
bridges between each chapter. Continuity and cohesiveness are key elements in the
manuscript-based thesis.
A concluding chapter integrating the findings of the individual chapters (papers) must
also be provided.

Authorship:
The student must have done the majority of the writing, and be the primary contributor
to the research, of all papers included in the thesis.
In cases where all members of the supervisory committee also appear as co-authors of
the papers used, an additional member who has not co-authored the papers must be
added to the examining committee.
Multiple-authored papers cannot be used in more than one thesis.
In cases where two students have worked collaboratively on projects and contributed
equally, it is recommended that both students write traditional format theses,
identifying their individual contributions.

Copyright:
In the case of already published works, the student must obtain permission from the
publishers before including papers in her/his thesis. (letters of Permission must be
submitted to FGS as supporting documents)
The student must obtain permissions from each co-author in the case where multi-

16
 authored papers are used. (letters of permission must be submitted to FGS as
supporting documents)
Publishers and copyright holders must a) agree to the terms outlined in the University of
Calgary Non-Exclusive Distribution License, b) be made aware that all University of
Calgary Theses are also achieved by the Library and Archives Canada (LAC), and c) be
made aware that University of Calgary Theses may be submitted to ProQuest (currently
at the students discretion)

2.9 Inclusion of Work Previously Published by Candidate

This section is the old guidelines for manuscript-based thesis. Refer to the new guidelines
(section 2.8) if you have just begun your thesis writing.

It is common practice in many disciplines that students publish the results of their research
as published manuscripts (e.g., in journals or conference proceedings) during the course of
their thesis studies. The Faculty of Graduate Studies believes this is important both to the
students career development, and as an appropriate and timely way to disseminate
information.

The material published in this way can be used as part of a Masters or doctoral thesis.
However, a thesis should be a coherent document and therefore the inclusion of previously
published work should normally be made in one of the following two ways:

(1) If material from the manuscripts and/or papers is used in various sections of the thesis,
it should be fully integrated into the thesis document. Data, results, figures, tables, pictures,
etc., from the published manuscripts can be included in the thesis with proper referencing.
Substantial portions from published manuscripts should not be included without permission
from the publisher.

(2) If the thesis includes complete manuscripts and/or papers, each with their own
reference list, the bibliography at the end of the thesis need not report those items.
Introductory and concluding chapters that explain how these separate manuscripts fit
together into a unified body of research will be required. The introductory chapter should
provide an overview of the separate chapters and integrate them; the concluding chapter
should show how the results of the several papers relate to one another. Other sections
can also be included as needed.

Where material previously published (or in press) by the candidate is included as part of the
thesis in either one of the two ways described above, it is the candidates responsibility (i)
to ensure that permissions from copyright holders are obtained, (ii) to clarify his/her own

17
contributions in multi-authored publications, and (iii) to provide in a preface to the thesis,
full citation(s) to those publications.

Formatting5
Manuscripts can be stand-alone chapters in a thesis, or parts of a chapter. However, the
thesis must be more than a collection of manuscripts. All components must be integrated
into a cohesive unit with a logical progression from one chapter to the next. In order to
ensure the thesis has continuity, connecting texts that provide logical bridges preceding and
flowing each manuscript are mandatory.

Text of the manuscripts that are included as part of the thesis must conform to the
formatting requirements in this document.

5
Draws on guidelines developed by the Department of Community Health Sciences
http://www.ucalgary.ca/communityhealthsciences/program-updates/guidelines-manuscript-based-thesis
18
 Section 3: Thesis Submission

3.1 Prepare for Thesis Submission

Usually it is recommended that you format your thesis during the process of thesis writing.
Once you have completed the content of your thesis and your supervisor/supervisory
committee indicates that your thesis is acceptable for defence, you should check the format
of your thesis to ensure all formatting are done according to the specifications listed in
Section 1.

Once you have successfully completed your oral examination and make necessary changes
to your thesis, you may start the process of thesis submission.

3.2 Approval Page

The approval page template can be downloaded here:

http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/ethesis

All items on the Approval Page must follow the model exactly.

You must enter your thesis title on the approval page. The title of your thesis on the
Approval Page must be exactly the same as the title of the thesis on the Title Page.

The Approval Page must be submitted as a separate document when the student submits
the thesis to Faculty of Graduate Studies. DO NOT INCLUDE THE APPROVAL PAGE IN THE
THESIS.

If there are more examiners than will fit on one column on one page, a second column
should be used. Under no circumstances should the Approval Page extend beyond one
page.

Examiners signatures should include all those listed on the Notice of Oral Examination
except for Observers and the Neutral Chair. External readers must be indicated, but do not
sign the Approval Page. The name of the Neutral Chair should not be listed on the approval
page.

All signatures must be obtained prior to submitting the Approval Page to the Faculty of
Graduate Studies. Original signatures are preferred. However, under exceptional
circumstances, scanned documents with signatures may be accepted.

19
3.3 Signatures

When submitting the thesis to Faculty of Graduate Studies, all documents containing
signatures (e.g., Copyright permission, Ethics Approval, Approval Page) must be submitted
separately. In addition, students must provide a list of where else in the thesis original
signatures, if any, appear. This list will enable the University Archives and Library and
Archives Canada to comply with the Federal Privacy Act.

3.4 Supervisors & Department/Programs Copy

Each supervisor and department may request a final copy of the thesis. It is your
responsibility to consult your supervisor and department to see their requirements. The
student is responsible for the cost of reproducing the required number of copies of the
thesis, and for having copies bound, as required.

3.4.1 Submission of Supervisors copy of thesis to Supervisor

The format in which the final version of the thesis is submitted to the supervisor after
the oral examination has been successfully completed is a matter for the supervisors
discretion. The supervisor may, for example, accept an electronic copy of the thesis or
insist on a bound paper version. The binding requested may be hardcover, softcover, or
spiral binding with soft covers. A list of binderies that understand the University of
Calgary binding requirements can be found on the Fgs web:
http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/resources
If the supervisor or the program requires a hardcover version, copies are bound in
buckram, in the colour appropriate to your department, with a spine title not exceeding
41 characters (including all letters and spaces), your name and the convocation year,
printed in gold.

3.4.2 Submission of programs copy of thesis to Graduate program/Department

Each department/program must have a policy that states whether or not it will collect
the final versions of theses after successful completion of the oral examination, and, if
theses are collected, the format or choice of formats in which the thesis must be
submitted to the program. The program may accept theses in a variety of formats or
insist upon a single format such as bound hardcopy or electronic. Check the thesis
submission policy of your department. The program need not sign the Departmental
Recommendation for Convocation for Thesis Students form until the thesis has been
received in the format required by the program. Program copies must not include the
Approval Page with original signatures.

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3.5 Final Submission to FGS
Starting September 29th, 2012, electronic submission to the Vault, the University of Calgary
Theses Repository, is mandatory for all graduate students.

21
3.6 Format Requirements
3.6.1 Paper
White bond paper of uniform size (8-1/2 x 11 or 21.5 cm x 28 cm, letter size) and weight
(16 or 20 lb or 75 gsm) must be used throughout the thesis, except for such charts and
diagrams as necessary. Recycled paper can be used if it is as white as white bond paper,
without any flecks, and of the required size and weight.

3.6.2 Corrections
Corrections or changes made to the thesis after the oral examination must be made in a
manner that conforms to the original style of the thesis as submitted to the examiners.
Clumsy erasures and informal corrections are not acceptable.

3.6.3 Double-sided Printing

Although most students choose to print all copies of their thesis single-sided, copies for the
Department, the Supervisor and the student may be printed on both sides of the paper. If
this is done, the following rules must be followed:
The first page of the thesis must be on a recto page (right-hand side of an open manuscript).

The recto pages must have a 3.8 cm (1-1/2 inch) margin on the left side of the page to allow
for binding. The page numbers must be on the top right-hand side of the page, within the
prescribed one-inch margin.

The verso pages (left-hand side of an open manuscript) must have a 3.8 cm (1-1/2 inch)
margin on the right-hand side of the page to allow for binding. Paper used for double-sided
copies must be heavy enough that no printing shows through from one side to another.

3.6.4 Illustrations
Because many microfiche readers do not permit the rotation of images, illustrations should
be positioned as the main text (the type reading across the 8-1/2 inch dimension). If figures
or tables cannot be printed in the same direction as the text, they can be rotated to
landscape orientation in such a way that the top of the figure is oriented to the inside (1-1/2
inch margin side) and the caption placed at the bottom (along the right-hand side of the
page). The page number must appear in the usual place (i.e., at the top right-hand corner of
the page, one inch in from the right and one inch down from the top).
Illustrated material will reproduce well if drawn in dark, opaque ink. On a microfilm, colours
appear as varying shades of gray. Therefore, labels and symbols should be used rather than
colours to identify the lines of a graph, e.g., cross-hatching, provides sharper contrast to
shaded areas to indicate countries on a map.

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3.6.5 Coloured photographs
Library and Archives Canada will microfilm coloured photographs and plates provided that
these are well mounted and have good resolution. They will not, however, microfilm
coloured photographs or plates in which colour is significant (i.e., green indicates a low
temperature, red indicates a hot temperature; blue indicates 500 psi, red indicates 400 psi,
yellow indicates 300 psi, etc.).

3.6.6 Charts, Graphs, Maps, Etc.

The use of charts, graphs, maps and tables that are larger than the standard page should be
avoided. Photographically reduced pages are acceptable if they are clearly legible. If
oversized pages are used, they will be microfilmed in sections so that they read from left to
right and top to bottom.

3.6.7 Oversized pages

Oversized pages can be included in the thesis as foldouts, but they must be folded to no
more than eight inches (21.5 cm) wide to avoid being cropped in the bindery. Consult with
the bindery about the proper method of folding these pages. The inclusion of this material
can add significantly to the cost of binding.
Oversized pages may be placed in a pocket at the end of the thesis. They must then be
referred to in the body of the thesis as being in a pocket, and listed as such in the Table of
Contents.

3.6.8 Overlays
Overlays must be carefully aligned with underlying maps or charts. In order to produce the
most legible image, the underlying sheet is filmed alone. The overlay is then placed on the
underlying sheet and both are filmed together.

3.6.9 Slides, Video Clips, Film

Slides, video clips and film will not reproduce on microfilm. If these media forms are
essential to a thesis, they must accompany the unbound thesis copy sent to the University
of Calgary Archives.

3.6.10 Two-Volume Theses

For very long theses, for which more than one bound volume is required:
Each volume must have its own prefatory pages.
The Title Page and Abstract must be in the first volume.
Each additional volume must contain a Table of Contents, a List of Tables, and a List of
Figures, etc., to cover the portion of work found in that particular volume.

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Page numbering of the body of the thesis must flow consecutively from one volume to the
next.

When the appendices are bound in a separate volume, this volume must have a title page
duplicating that of the main volume, but with the addition of the word Appendix or
Appendices just below the title of the thesis. The word Appendix or Appendices as
well as the short title must then appear on the spine. Numbering of the appendices must
flow in sequence from the first volume.

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3.7 Final Submission to FGS Electronic Submission
Before Submission
Please check your thesis for correct formatting and proofread your thesis carefully before
attempting to submit your thesis. You cannot make any changes to your thesis after it has
been approved by FGS.

To submit electronically, your thesis must be in a single PDF file format and submit it to the
Vault, the University of Calgary Theses Repository.

NOTE: Your thesis will be harvested by Library Archives Canada.

Step 1: Submitting Supporting Documents

Supporting Documents must be submitted prior to submitting your thesis to the Vault. Your
submission will be declined if the forms are not received in advance.

The FGS will not review and approve your thesis without all required forms. Complete and
submit the following documents to the FGS Office (MLT213) either in person or by courier.
All supporting documents must be submitted as a package, the FGS will not accept forms
in parts. All forms must be received no later than 4:30pm on the deadline date.

Mandatory:
1. Thesis Submission Cover Sheet
2. Thesis Title page (as it appears in your thesis)
3. The Approval Page with signatures (see section 3.2 & 3.3)
4. Departmental Clearance for Convocation for Thesis Students Form
5. Library Archives Canada Theses Non-Exclusive License

If Applicable:
6. Thesis Withhold Form
7. Ethics/Animal Protocol approval with original signatures
8. Copyright Permission Letter(s) with original signatures
9. ProQuest Distribution Agreement
10. A digital copy of your thesis in .pdf (in a CD/DVD)

(Forms may be found on the FGS website: http://grad.ucalgary.ca/current/thesis/ethesis)

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 If under special circumstances that you are not able to submit your forms in person, the FGS
will only accept forms mailed to us via courier at the following address:

ATT: Monica Gollaz Mena

Faculty of Graduate Studies
MacKimmie Library Tower, Room 213
844 Campus Place
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T2N 1N4

After you have submitted your forms, please proceed with electronic submission of your
thesis. The thesis must be submitted to the Vault no later than 11:59pm (MST) on the
deadline date to be considered to have met the deadline.

Step 2: Convert Your thesis to PDF and Prepare Accompany Materials

Check the Electronic Thesis Submission Manual for more details.

Step 3: Activate Your Account

Go to The Vault, the online theses repository, (http://theses.ucalgary.ca) to active your
account.

Select Activate your account/Resent your password and enter the preferred email address
you have indicated in the student information system as your account name. An email will
be sent to you, follow the instructions to activate your account.

First time user need to Activate your account

Step 4: Submit Electronically

Please proofread your thesis carefully prior to submitting. Once your

thesis is approved, changes will NOT be allowed.

Do you need a withhold? All theses will be released on the convocation

date if withhold is not requested and approved prior to submission. (see
section 3.8)

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 Go to The Vault, the online theses repository, (http://theses.ucalgary.ca)
Login to start your e-thesis submission.
The submission is easy and intuitive to use, if you need any instructions on how to submit
your thesis to the vault, please see the Electronic Thesis Submission Manual.

Step 5: Approval by FGS

Upon receiving the complete submission, FGS staff will review your electronic thesis to
ensure that it meets the required specifications, and all supporting documents are received.
Depending on the review, the FGS will either,

1. Approve your submission; an email notification of approval will be sent to you.

(Your thesis will be released and be made available to view after your convocation.
Please note that submitting and receiving approval for your thesis is partial fulfillment of
your graduation requirements, please continue to check your graduation summary in
your student centre to ensure that you have completed all the graduation requirements
and are cleared for convocation),

Or

2. Decline your submission. An email from FGS will be sent to you; you will be required to
make any modifications instructed by the FGS and resubmit via the Vault.

ATTENTION:

Please note that your thesis submission is not complete and you are not
cleared for graduation until you have received a final email confirming the
approval and you have met all other requirements to graduate.

Thesis must be submitted to the repository no later than 11:59pm (MST) on

the deadline date to be considered to have met the deadline.

3.8 Delay in Public Release of Theses

The University of Calgary is a publicly funded institution and much of our research is
sponsored by government funding. As such, the University has an obligation to ensure that

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this research is available for the benefit of the public at large, for example, through the
University of Calgarys online repository. However, in some circumstances where it would
be detrimental to the author or the sponsor of the thesis research to have the thesis made
publicly available immediately upon completion, the copyright owner of a thesis may
request that it be withheld from public distribution for a period of time. Valid reasons to
withhold a thesis from public distribution include:

1. A contract between the research sponsor and the University specifies a period of
confidentiality (normally up to two years; proof of contract is required)
2. Applying for a patent (normally up to two years; proof of application is required)
3. Enabling publication in a scholarly venue (normally up to five years; a publication
plan is required)
4. Publishing of the creative portion of a creative work (normally up to five years with
the possibility of extending to duration of copyright; supporting document such as
proof of contract, letters from the publisher are required). Controlled access to the
complete thesis will be available through the University of Calgary Archives after the
initial withhold period.

A Thesis Withhold Form may be obtained from the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Once the
appropriate signatures have been obtained, and the Dean of Graduate Studies has
approved the request, the copyright owner of the thesis, the department and the University
of Calgary Archives will receive copies of the form. Once the withhold period expires the
thesis will be sent to Library and Archives Canada, and will also be made available to the
public. In the event that a withhold is requested to be released earlier than scheduled, a
memo must be supplied explaining the reasons for such a request and must demonstrate
consent from all related parties.

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Appendix I Useful Resources

Useful Resources:
Sample Thesis/Dissertation
How to Apply for Graduation
Canada Copyright Act
University of Calgary Library - Copyright
Library Archives and Canada
University of Calgary Theses Repository - The Vault