Guide to CaltechTHESIS

There is currently no Institute requirement for senior theses to be deposited into CaltechTHESIS.  However, individual students or faculty may want to do so.  The database is fully capable of handling them.   Please check out other pages in this Libguide for related information that could apply to adding a senior thesis.

If you have any questions, please contact the Library!

FAQ

• Is there a senior thesis template I can use?
  • No.  There isn't one specifically for senior theses.  However you are are welcome to use one of the Word or LaTeX templates created for PhD theses, and to modify it as needed for your purposes.
• Are there any examples of senior theses I can view?
  • Yes.  Check out CaltechTHESIS senior thesis records.  Not every thesis record has viewable files, however, so check out a few records.
• Do I need approval from my advisor?
  • Yes. The Library will need an email from the advisor approving the deposit and release of the thesis.  This can be sent to thesis@library.caltech.edu.
• Can I restrict access to my thesis?
  • Yes.  We do allow temporary restricted access or full embargoes for thesis files if the advisor recommends it.  The easiest way to do that is for the advisor to fill out the PhD thesis embargo form of their choice, adding a note in the form indicating that it’s for a senior thesis, and for how long they would like the restriction or embargo to last.  The form does not need to go through the same approval process as for PhD theses, but its use makes it easier for the advisor to fill out all the necessary information for the Library.

Advisors must approve the deposit of a senior thesis into CaltechTHESIS.  A simple email of approval sent to the Library is enough to satisfy this requirement.

Instructions on uploading your senior thesis to CaltechTHESIS

• ​​Log in to CaltechTHESIS with your IMSS credentials.
• In the Manage Deposits screen, click on "Submit a Thesis" to get started.  Fill out the metadata fields in each screen of the submission form, moving from one to the next using the buttons at the top of the form.  
  • Starred metadata fields are required.
  • In the Description screen, your Defense Date can be the date you turned in the final copy of your senior thesis.
  • In the Advisor/Committee screen, remember to add your advisor's email address in the Advisor field.
    • If you do not have a committee, add "None" to the first Family Name and Given Name fields in the Committee area.
  • In the Division/Option screen, if you have a double major or minor, you can choose multiple entries in the list by hitting the CTRL key in PCs, or the equivalent in other computers.
• Upload TWO (2) files:  both the PDF copy of your final thesis AND the original source files (pre-PDF) into the Upload Files screen.
  • Click Choose File to start uploading your file(s). 
    • Once uploaded, click on Show Options next to each file entry.
    • In Content, choose the appropriate option from the pull-down menu.
    • If you are uploading multiple files, briefly describe the contents of the file(s)s in the Description field for each entry.
  • If your original thesis includes multiple files, zip them together and deposit the zip file.  This is true for both TeX and Word, as well as other generating software.  Choose the Content option "Archival Material", and add "Source files" to the Description field.
• Upload any copyright or permissions documents. 
  • Briefly describe the contents of the file(s)s in the Description field for each entry (Click "Show Options" to see the field).
• Data sets can be loaded or linked to as supplementary material. 
  • We highly recommend adding your datasets to CaltechDATA and linking them back to your thesis record. 
    • You can add the links in the "Related URLs" field in the Description screen.
  • If you decide to add them to CaltechTHESIS, upload them as zipped files if they are extremely large (>100 Mb - use your judgment).
• Deposit your record for review and approval by the Library.