Thesis Template

This is a LaTeX template for my PhD-thesis.

Structure

The following folders and files are part of this document:

├── .auxiliary /
├── .git /
├── build / 
├── content /
|   ├── chapters /
|   |   ├── abstract.tex
|   |   ├── acknowledgments.tex
|   |   ├── appendixA.tex
|   |   ├── appendxiB.tex
|   |   ├── chapter01_Introduction.tex
|   |   ├── chapter02_Methods.tex
|   |   ├── chapter03_Results.tex
|   |   ├── chapter04_Conclusion.tex
|   ├── 00frontmatter.tex
|   ├── 01main.tex
|   ├── 02appendix.tex
|   └── 03backmatter.tex
├── figures /
|   ├── ...
|   └── ...
├── settings / 
|   ├── biblatex-mnras.bbx
|   ├── biblatex-mnras.cbx
|   ├── thesis.sty
|   ├── thesis-bibliography.bib
|   ├── thesis-config.sty
|   └── thesis-glossaries.tex
├── .gitignore
├── .latexmkrc
├── thesis.xmpdata
├── thesis.tex
└── README.md

• .auxiliary: The files that are created while compiling the document. They can be ignored.
• build: The output files, including the pdf are placed here.
• content: The document is divided into five parts. These are the .tex files directly in this folder. They define the rough style and load the real content from the .tex files in the chapter/ folder.
• figures: The figures that are used in the thesis. Ideally as .pdf or .pgf, but some are also .jpg.
• settings: The style files for this document:
  • biblatex-mnras.bbx: bibliography style (similar to MNRAS).
  • biblatex-mnras.cbx: citation style (similar to MNRAS).
  • thesis.sty: This file defines the style of the document.
  • thesis-bibliography.bib: The file with the references used in the document.
  • thesis-config.sty: This file contains extra commands specific for this document.
  • thesis-glossaries.sty: This file contains the abbreviations for this document.
• .gitignore: Handles the interaction with git (like ignoring auxiliary files).
• .latexmk: It is complex to compile the document. Therefore latexmk is used. This file defines the steps
• thesis.xmpdata: The file that contains the metadata for the PDF.
• thesis.tex: The main tex file that is compiled.

Compile

This document requires you to run pdflatex, makeglossaries and biber. It is easiest to let latexmk decide how many runs are required. A .latexmkrc file provides helps with that and also writes the auxiliary files into the .auxiliary folder to avoid cluttering of the main workspace.