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https://github.com/agude/UMN-PhD-Thesis-Template

The LaTeX thesis template provided by the University of Minnesota, with various improvements.
https://github.com/agude/UMN-PhD-Thesis-Template

latex latex-template phd-thesis-template thesis-template university-of-minnesota

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The LaTeX thesis template provided by the University of Minnesota, with various improvements.

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README 

        
# University of Minnesota PhD Thesis Template



This repository contains an updated version of the UMN PhD Thesis Template.



## Prerequisites



### Build Locally



To build the thesis locally, on Ubuntu 18.04, you will need to install:



```bash

# Install the required packages

sudo apt-get install \

texlive-latex-base \

texlive-latex-extra \

texlive-fonts-recommended \

texlive-pictures \

texlive-science \

```



You can then build the thesis with `make`:



```bash

make

```



This will produce a `thesis.pdf` in the root directory of your repository,

along with all the intermediate build files. You can instead run:



```bash

make tidy

```



To just produce the PDF.



### Build On Github



The easiest way to build the PDF is to use [Github Actions][actions]. This

will build the thesis and produce a PDF all within Github. The repository

already contains the correct configuration files, but you will need to enable

actions in Github.



[actions]: https://help.github.com/en/actions



Once this is done, you can click on the _"Actions"_ tab at the top of the

repository on Github.



Actions page 



There you'll see a list of build jobs. The ones with green check marks have

completed successfully. Clicking on one will bring you to the build page,

where there will be a section titled **Artifacts**. Click on "Compiled Thesis"

to download a zip file containing the PDF.



Artifact download 



## Additional Packages



The thesis template comes with some useful additional packages. They are

described below.



### `cleveref`



[`cleveref`](https://www.ctan.org/pkg/cleveref?lang=en) is a package designed

to make cross referencing easier. Unlike `\ref`, `\cref` automatically adds

the prefix required for the object being referenced. For example,

`\cref{fig:my_fig}` will produce text like "figure 1" whereas

`\ref{fig:my_fig}` would simply produce "1" and require you to fill in the

"figure".



Additionally, `cleveref` can handle multiple references at once.

`\cref{fig:my_fig,fig:my_fig2}` produces "figures 1 and 2".



In the [main thesis file](thesis_masters.tex), the following is set:



```latex

\newcommand{\creflastconjunction}{, and } % Always use the serial comma

```



This includes the serial comma in lists, so that

`\cref{fig:my_fig,fig:my_fig2,fig_other_fig}` produces "figures 1, 2, and 3"

instead of "figures 1, 2 and 3".



Additionally, the package is passed the option `noabbrev` which causes it to

print the full prefix instead of an abbreviation ("figure" vs "fig.").



### `SIunitx`



[`SIunitx`](https://www.ctan.org/pkg/siunitx?lang=en) formats SI units. It

provides the `\SI{}` command, which is used as follows:



```latex

\SI{3.8}{\tesla}

\SI{14}{\kilo\tonne}

\SI{14.6}{\meter\squared}

\SI{8}{\tera\eV}

```



There are various abbreviations for units (such as `\SI{8}{\TeV}`) and the

formatting of the numbers can be controlled in detail. Additionally, it

provides `\SIrange{1}{5}{\meter}` which produces "1m to 5m" and

`\SIlist{1;2;3}{\kelvin}` which produces "1K, 2K, and 3K".



The package also provides `\num{12345}` which will format numbers (just like

`\SI`) but without adding units. The previous example produces "12,345" for

instance.



In the [main thesis file](thesis_masters.tex), the following default options

are set:



```latex

% Configure the siunitx package

\sisetup{

    group-separator = {,}, % Use , to separate groups of digits, like 12,345

    list-final-separator = {, and } % Always use the serial comma in \SIlist

}

```



`group-separator` makes the package separate groups of digits with commas (so

12,345.0), and `list-final-separator` uses the serial comma in lists ("1K, 2K,

and 3K", not "1K, 2K and 3K").



The way in which units are displayed can also be redefined, as has been done

`\electronvolt` in [the macros file](my_definitions.tex):



```latex

% Define a better looking eV by moving the V slightly left

\DeclareSIUnit\electronvolt{e\hspace{-0.08em}V}

```



### `booktabs`



[`booktabs`](https://www.ctan.org/pkg/booktabs?lang=en) adds options to make

nicer tables. It defines `\toprule`, `\midrule`, and `\bottomrule` which add

rules of varying thickness and with additional vertical space.



An example table using these commands is shown below. The `@{}` removes extra

space on the end of the tables (so that the rules start and end flush with the

text instead of hanging over) and the `\spacerows{1.2}` command is defined in

[the macros file](my_definitions.tex) and adds extra space between the rows.



```latex

\begin{table}[h]

    \centering

    \spacerows{1.2}

    \begin{center}

        \begin{tabular}{@{}l r@{}}

            \toprule

            Mode         & Fraction $\left( \Gamma_{i} / \Gamma \right)$ \\

            \midrule

            $\Ztoqq$     & $69.91 \pm 0.06\%$ \\

            $\Ztoee$     & $3.363 \pm 0.004\%$ \\

            $\Ztomumu$   & $3.366 \pm 0.007\%$ \\

            $\Ztotautau$ & $3.370 \pm 0.008\%$ \\

            $\Ztonunu$   & $20.00 \pm 0.06\%$ \\

            \bottomrule

        \end{tabular}

        \caption{

            Selected decay modes of the Z boson.

        }

        \label{table:z_decays}

    \end{center}

\end{table}

```