Registrar

Thesis Guidelines

Requirements for Format and Deposit of Theses for Honors

The purpose of the following requirements is to ensure access by interested readers to all theses, portfolios and projects presented in partial fulfillment of degree with honors requirements at Amherst College. 

I.  Format

A.  In general, all questions of format concerning footnotes, bibliographies, tables, appendices, etc., should be answered by consulting a standard authority such as Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Chicago:  University of Chicago Press - Phoenix Books).  Some departments may wish to use the style-sheets issued by the principal journal in their fields.  In such a case, a copy of the style-sheet may be placed on reserve in the library.

B.   The following information should appear on the title page:

  1. Title.
  2. Author.
  3. Statement to read:  "Submitted to the Department of __________ of Amherst College in partial fulfillment of  the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with honors."  For Interdisciplinary majors, the statement should read "Submitted to the Department of Special Programs of Amherst College...."
  4. Name of faculty advisor.
  5. Names of readers (optional).
  6. Date.

C.  To ensure archival preservation, the original thesis copy to be deposited in the College Archives and Special Collections should be on alkaline-buffered bond paper of 20 pound weight.  This paper is supplied in the printers in the Seeley Mudd computer center.

D.   All theses should be bound in black spring binders, with spine left blank for labeling by the library when theses are deposited in the College Archives and Special Collections.  Thus, it is suggested that the left margin be 1 1/2 inches and the remaining margins be 1 inch.  The document as a whole should be single-sided and double-spaced.

E.   As long as the above requirements are met, theses may be prepared using a laser printer.

II.  Deposit

A. The laser printer-produced document is to be submitted to the Registrar's Office on the date announced by the Registrar (See Academic Deadlines).  The paper used must meet the standards described in I. C. above.  Labels are not necessary.  After Commencement, theses are deposited in the College Archives and Special Collections by the Registrar.

B.   Projects involving the plastic arts, film, performing arts, and other similar activities should be represented by photographs of the work, prints of the film, production books, etc.,  accompanied by a statement of purpose prepared in the manner set forth under I. Format above.

C.   If it is economically unfeasible or otherwise impossible to deposit non-written projects, a statement of purpose prepared in the manner set forth under I. Format above should be submitted to the Registrar.

III.  Restrictions

As a condition of candidacy for honors, a student must submit a copy of a printer-produced thesis or comparable work to the Registrar.  For non-written theses, see II. B and C.  Theses are available to members of the Faculty for examination until the meeting of the Faculty.

As part of the requirements for a bachelor's degree with honors, the copy of a student's thesis submitted becomes an official record of the Registrar and thereby the physical property of Amherst College.  Once the Registrar's Office has deposited the theses in the College Archives and Special Collections, public access to them will be permitted in the library.  In exceptional circumstances, access to a thesis may be restricted for a specific period of time.

Students should be aware that this thesis policy applies to the official record copy, which is submitted to the Registrar and deposited in the College Archives and Special Collections; it is the responsibility of the student to become familiar with the policies of academic departments that require separate copies of the thesis.

Copyright in the thesis belongs to the author, including all rights of publication, copying or other reproduction, and paraphrase.  In an effort to protect the author's rights, no photocopy, audio duplicate, or other reproduction of the thesis deposited in the College Archives and Special Collections will be made without the consent of the author, with the following exception: copies of bibliographic citations will be provided upon request, without consent.  (The restriction on photocopying or other duplication does not apply to replacement of material in copies of theses which were originally made with the author's permission and which have been damaged or found to be defective.)  The author may dispose of other copies of his/her thesis as desired and may publish the thesis and register the copyright at any time.

Gregory S. Call
Dean of the Faculty		 Gerald M. Mager
Registrar		 Daria D'Arienzo
Head of Archives and Special Collections

December 2007