DTM Updates
This page contains updates to the current edition (11.1) that have not yet been published, as well as a description and links to the 11.0 edition updates.
UPDATES TO EDITION 11.1 (Unpublished)
The following updated formatting regulations take effect immediately, but will be not be published until the next edition of the DTM is printed:
Theatre Arts (MA / MFA)--Effective Spring 2008: The departmental style guide has changed from Turabian to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed. Theses that have been formatted using Turabian for source documentation will be allowed to keep that formatting as long as those theses are completed and submitted to the Office for Graduate Affairs by the end of the current spring semester.
Thesis Length and Line Spacing-- Effective July 25, 2006: Because the hardcover binding process is significantly more difficult for manuscripts of less than 40 pages, the bindery has notified Montezuma Publishing that an extra charge will be assessed for theses shorter than 40 pages. In addition, there is not adequate space on the spine for the title when a thesis is less than 25 pages. Therefore, if your thesis is less than 40 pages long when formatted at 1.5 spacing (standard in the templates), we recommend that you use double spacing for your thesis. Both the Word and Latex templates can be modified for double spacing.
Thesis Title Page--Effective October 1, 2005, SDSU has approved the reflection of degree concentrations (but not specializations) on thesis title pages. So, for example, a title page in the past with the degree:
Master of Arts / in / Art (slash marks indicate new line)
could now read:
Master of Arts in Art / with a Concentration in / Studio Arts
With regard to format, the degree name which had taken up 3 lines in the past will now be on the first line. The second line will introduce the concentration followed by the title of the concentration on the third line. The degree name shown on both versions of the Abstract should match the title page, i.e., it will also include the concentration if it is reflected on the title page. The degree name on the Abstract pages will take up either one or two lines depending on length (see <
The addition of the degree concentration on the thesis title page (and abstract) is not mandatory. However, it is now allowed and we expect most students to take advantage of the clarity this provides, especially as it relates to future employment.Television, Film, and New Media Production--The style guide changed from MLA to Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th ed.
Dissertation Abstracts-- Abstracts for all doctoral dissertations (including the SDSU/USD Ed.D.) must not exceed 350 words to comply with University Microfilms International (UMI) guidelines for dissertation publication.
UPDATES TO EDITION 11.0 (Published in Ed. 11.1)
The 11.0 edition contained several significant errors that were corrected in Ed. 11.1 as follows:
Figures 3.1 & 3.2 (pp. 31 & 32) had not been revised to conform to the new formatting regulations.
Figure 4.3 contained an error in the "Heading 5" instructions.
Several errors were corrected in Table 2.3.
Figure 5.11 was revised for clarification.
Also, between September and December, some information changed and new information needed to be added as follows:
- The copy requirement for Women's Studies
changed to DL/E and Bioengineering was added.
- Table 2.1 was revised to add new information for the bioengineering
degree.
- An entry for electronic media was added to the index.
The changes from Ed. 11.0 to 11.1 are contained in this pdf file--please download and print these pages to update your manual. There were also a number of editorial changes made throughout the manual that were not significant and, therefore, are not presented here.
Last Revised 3-25-08
