Thesis Binding

Students, did you know that you can still have your thesis professionally bound? Here’s what you need to do: Come to the Library with as many print copies of your thesis as you like. Make sure:

• Everything is in the correct order
• There’s a blank piece of paper on the top and bottom of each copy
• The left hand margin is 1.5 inches (especially important if you have incorporated artwork into your IMP)
• Print out and complete the IMP Binding Request Form.
• Go to the reference desk and chat with the Librarian on duty about time-frames, and cost.

It’s possible, for a modest fee, to have your thesis copy mailed to yourself or loved ones.

For more details snap the QR code above with your smartphone, or visit http://bankstreet.edu/library/how-can-i/have-imp-bound/

ERIC

Come June 1st 2012 all IMPs (theses) will be uploaded as PDFs to “the cloud”. This means for the most part theses will by-pass the library, and will not be entered into the library’s catalog. This also means students will need to apply keywords and descriptors to their theses so others can find them easily.

Some descriptors and keywords will be easy to do, for example:

• program of study
• author’s name
• mentor’s names
• year
• title of thesis

Where some issues may occur is describing the essence of a thesis. Although writing your own descriptors and keywords (what are the differences) is possible, it’s best to use a “controlled vocabulary.” After some deliberation library staff chose the ERIC thesaurus. Its focus is education and most teachers are familiar with this database.

How many keywords and descriptors should you select? We suggest a minimum of five and a maximum of ten. Spend time exploring the ERIC Thesaurus, watch this online tutorial Finding the Right Descriptor, and be methodical.

iBooks Author

This is just out from Apple, and yes we like iBooks Author because it’s so jolly easy to use. It’s designed for textbook writers, but we can see tons of potential for early childhood, special education, bilingual… gosh the list goes on. The hard bit will be writing texts, and collecting images, and thinking about all the amazing, interactive things you’ll be able to do.

OK, so what are the minuses. Commentators have said that if you publish your iBooks Author it has to be through Apples iTunes store, it’s basically an iPad book, and it’s in Apples proprietary “iba” format. If you are not worried about any of this, and you’re not interested in selling your book through iTunes Store, then things will go relatively smoothly for you. It’s possible to export and distribute your book as a pdf or as text.

Maybe you don’t want to use iBooks Author forever, but if you want to make something that looks fairly professional for an IMP (thesis), this seems like a good way to go especially in the light that all IMPs  will be digital starting Summer 2012. If you have a mac give it a try (and if you are die-hard PC fan see our Making Picture Books post) – you have nothing to lose, and it’s free.

Portfolios: Where Are They?

Portfolios? What are they? Can I check them out? Where are they hiding? How are they organized? What’s an artifact? What does a portfolio “look” like? If you’ve asked any of these questions then you are in luck. We have a brand new screencast just for you on things portfolio.

Most portfolios are keep in the Library’s locked area, so you really need to search the catalog, write down the call number, and ask the librarian at the reference desk to get it for you.

If you have your heart set on taking one home, it’s now possible. Go to the back of the library and you’ll find a small number of portfolios between the theses and the Claudia Lewis collection that have been cleared for circulation, i.e., they have met copyright clearance requirements, and have obtained permission to use names or masked identities appropriately.

If you’d like to know a little bit more about portfolios and other IMP options visit the Library’s IMP LibGuides page.

Handing in a Thesis: Part 2

How do I learn more about IMPs (Integrative Master’s Project)? Let me count the ways (thank you Elizabeth Barrett Browning for the inspiration)…

In Person

We get asked a lot of questions regarding theses at the reference desk, which is good. But, there are a number of other ways, and some are just a few mouse clicks away.

Online

There’s a wealth of knowledge on my.bankstreet.edu – look for Integrative Masters Project under the student tab. This really should be your first port of call on the web for all things IMP.

The library also has web pages devoted to IMP topics. You can find them in Library Index A-Z, and Preparing and Submitting Your Thesis (see Resources for Students).

In Print

Recently updated and available from the library’s reference desk, and the graduate suite “A Guide to the Integrative Master’s Project.”

Videos

For all of you visual learners out there the library is putting together a few simple videos on presenting a thesis. Our goal is to demystify the process, and to make handing in a thesis as easy as falling off a log. Here’s Part 1, stay tuned for more!

Here is the long awaited Part 2, outlining what exactly the librarian is checking when a student hands in a thesis to the library.

Handing in a Thesis: Part 1

It’s that time of the year and people are busily adding their finishing touches to their theses. It’s always a happy moment when we can sign off and forward:

“Independent Study Final Completion and Library Acceptance Form,”  to the registrar.

We’ve been getting quite a few questions lately regarding theses. So, we thought it might be a good idea to post some of the more frequently asked ones on our blog.

Q1: How many copies do I need to give to the library?

A1: Two, one will be bound and added to the collection (the circulation copy), the other will be put into a manila envelope unbound and placed in the “locked area,” (the archival copy) – it’s a back-up copy in case the bound copy becomes damaged or lost. If you want a copy for yourself (a personal copy), then you should present three copies (or more).

Q2: How much does a personal copy cost?

A2: They’re $15:00 each. There’s a choice of colors, and you can have either gold or white lettering on the spine. Circulating copies are always dark green. You’ll need to fill out a “Request for Binding of Personal Copy of Independent Study,” form.

Q3: I’ve heard we have to use “acid free” paper – is that true?

A3: Yes, you have to use acid free paper. Over time paper that is not acid free tends to crumble. The good news is that most paper today is acid free. The paper in the library’s copiers is acid free. If in doubt, check the packaging of the paper you are thinking of using (see above).

Thesis Call Numbers

I guess we hear this several times a day, “I’ve got the call number for this thesis, it’s checked in, but I can’t find it.” OK, here’s the scoop:

Think of  T in the call number above as a mnemonic device for theses, just as JB is a reminder for juvenile biographies. The second line identifies the year the thesis was completed and presented to the library. The third line which is the important part of the call number is a combination of letters and numbers. The first letter (always upper case) and set of numbers that follow is called a cutter-sanborn number.  In the example above S378 stands for anyone whose surname begins with Schrei. The last letter (always lower case) in this example w indicates the first word in the thesis’ title.

Believe it or not, it is much easier to re-shelve books that are organized in this way, and now that you know it will be much easier for you to find a thesis in the future.

Writing a Children’s Book

A request we’ve been getting recently at the reference desk is “Can you show me some picture books students have done as part of a thesis?”

OK, this is how to do it!

Select subject alphabetical from the left-hand catalog search box, and then type  children’s stories in the right-hand box. You should get a result list of 378 titles (this number will rise as more theses are added to the collection). In the top right-hand corner of the page you’ll see sort by and limit by boxes. Choose publication date in the sort by box so you’ll get the latest titles at the top of your result list and then select theses* in the limit by box. Don’t forget to click on the title of items you are interested in to make sure they are checked in.

To locate theses go to the rear of the library – they’re on your left and bound in green. Librarian’s tip: theses are organized by the last set of letters and number, in the example above Y29u.

Making Picture Books

Something we see a lot of in the library are handmade picture books, nearly always as part of a thesis. They are often inserted without page numbering in the middle of a thesis, and are usually made on MS Word with photocopied images drawn by either the author or children, occasionally photographs are used. But, with the advent of digital cameras things are changing.

Bank Street student Roberta Koeppel made the picture books below as part of her thesis project to help prepare pediatric patients and their caregivers for a Video EEG (electroencephalogram) monitoring procedure. If you want to look at Roberta’s work the call number is T 2005 K89d.

Today, there are a number of options out there for making very professional looking picture books. Some are online websites where you upload images and write to a server – they can be a little slow, but for many people they are a good option because you can work on your book from any computer. Some online sites you might want to explore are:

shutterfly

snapfish

lulu

kodakgallery

Other options are to download a book making program to your computer and to work on the desktop. Examples of such programs are:

iphoto

blurb

mypublisher

picaboo

The good thing about these programs is that they are a little more stable. It’s only when you’ve finished creating your book that you have to deal with uploading to a site to get it printed.

No matter which program you use having a good camera counts – resolution is everything. There’s nothing worse than placing an image on a page and then to get the dreaded yellow triangle (poor resolution icon). One way of overcoming this is by making the image size smaller.

If you are thinking of making a book, but need a little help getting started, the library is planning some small group workshops next semester using blurb.

The Theses Have Moved

A common question we get at the reference desk is “Where are the theses?” and “Can I take them out?” The routine answer has been “They’re down the back, on the RIGHT, and yes, you can check them out (for two weeks).”

Lindsey and Frank moving theses

Well, the theses are now down the back on the LEFT. They have more space, and are easier to browse. We’ve also decided to give circulating portfolios their own place. They’re in the same area as the theses, but their blue bindings make them easy to spot. Both theses and portfolios may be checked out for two weeks, and renewed five times.

Theses in new location