The CLAS Linux Group have posted this information on behalf of others. This information is likely dated. Use at your own risk.

What is it?

uithesisXX.sty is a style file (or "package") for use with LaTeX 2e. It serves as a template for a mathematical/statistical Ph.D. thesis at the University of Iowa. It is designed to help you comply with Graduate College formatting requirements. (The 'XX' represents the version number).

It is an alternative to the use of LaTeX software such as "Scientific Workplace/Word". Here are some features of each:

uithesisXX.sty and your own LaTeX 2e code-writing:

• much greater control over formatting and fine-tuning
• lack of dependencies: your code will be directly usable on ANY system with a LaTeX compiler
• many journal editors require submission of LaTeX code, and yours will be ready to go!
• can be as friendly as a familiar word-processing environment, with the right tools

Scientific Workplace:

• "WYSIWIG"' word processing environment similar to Microsoft Word that mostly avoids the necessity of "programming" (you don't need to learn LaTeX, although it would help) uses a style (available somewhere at the UI - I don't know where) similar to uithesisXX.sty but designed for Scientific Word can save your document as LaTeX code, but it is sloppy and VERY difficult to use since it depends on its own system files.

POP QUIZ: Which method do you think I prefer?
Actually, whatever method works best for you IS the best method. Scientific Workplace certainly makes more sense if you find programming unpleasant or too time-consuming. I'm a computer geek, so I opt for the programming. But hopefully I can help you use uithesisXX.sty even if you're not a computer geek. Unfortunately I don't have much experience with Scientific Workplace, so the best I can do is recommend that you ask around for advice on how to follow that route.

If used correctly (I'll show you how), uithesisXX.sty can be a great time-saver. Believe it or not, Graduate College formatting requirements are a blessing, not a curse. Once you have the right template to guide you, the requirements make sense and free you from stressful formatting decisions.

History: uithesisXX.sty was originally created and maintained by the Mathematics department, under the supervision of Ken Atkinson, for LaTeX 2.09. It was converted to LaTeX 2e by Larry Peterson (former math graduate student). Then I (John Castelloe) made some changes and additions (eg., adding support for tables and appendices).

Get it here

Download this file to your computer and save it for later use:

uithesis03.sty (current version, 0.3)

(previous versions were not named: I am considering the original version as 0.1 and Larry Peterson's version as 0.2)

How to use it

Detailed documentation is interspersed in the uithesisXX.sty file itself-- it's there if you need it. Since it's easiest to learn by example, I've provided a "skeleton thesis" to get you started, adhering to my recommended styles (it's certainly not the only way to do things, though!).

There are several plans of attack from here:

Download the skeleton thesis files, hope they are self-explanatory, and get started right away
Walk through a strategy of how to create a thesis from scratch (includes listings of skeleton thesis files)
Learn how to coerce a thesis already in progress into a format suitable for use with uithesisXX.sty.