Writing your Columbia GSAS dissertation with LATEX

This page is geared for Columbia University GSAS students that intend to write their dissertation with LATEX. The LATEX style used here is customized for students of the Department of Biomedical Informatics, but are useful for other GSAS students as well*. The style complies with the 2003/2004 GSAS dissertation requirements. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of using LATEX

Advantages

• No formatting required. The style automatically turns your write-up into a GSAS-compliant dissertation.
• Separation of writing and formatting/rendering: Any simple text editor is able to work with LATEX; low memory requirement while editing text, as images are rendered separately.
• Version control when used in conjuncture with CVS.
• Great for working with mathematical formulas (especially when using specialized ("upscale") LATEX editors**).

Disadvantages

• Learning curve: As in any other programming language, it takes some time to learn the intricacies of the LATEX language. LATEX offers most of the features that are included in MS Word; but finding the solutions to some specific formatting problem can be quite complicated. Given the time-constraints when writing a thesis, this can be quite frustrating
• Upscale LATEX editors are not free.
• No straightforward integration of biobliographic programs such as Endnote.

I provide the style and instructions AS IS. I can not guarantee that they work with your setup or that they produce the desired results. Also, I will not be able to answer any questions that may arise when writing your thesis with this style (I unfortunately don't have time). In my experience, using some good LATEX guide*** is all you need to answer such questions. The style is based upon prior work by Dinesh Das, Erez Zadok and Shu-Wie F Chen. Feel free to improve the style further!

*The title and signature pages may have to be changed.

** I highly recommend SCIENTIFIC WORKPLACE by MacKichan Software

*** I recommend: "A guide to LATEX" by Helmut Kopka & Patrick W. Daly (Addison-Wesley)

Installation Instructions (for Windows)

Install a latex compiler, such as MiKTEX (http://www.miktex.org/)

Install the DBMI_LATEX folder.

Compiling Your Thesis

In the DBMI_LATEX folder, locate the SCRIPTS subfolder. Double-click on the compile.bat icon. The compilation results in a cuthesis.ps postscript file. The README file in the SCRIPTS subfolder contains some further information on how to use the style.

last updated: 2/20/04