So you want to write a MALAS thesis! Episode 6, the publishing…

So You Want to Write a MALAS Thesis! Episode 6, The Publishing
Katelyn May, MALAS Alum

Deep breath, I know this has been a lot of info to take in. Seems daunting? It certainly can be, and even with all the excellent advice this blog gives you, the publishing process can still be confusing. My biggest piece of advice is to try to prepare for this as much in advance as you can, as meeting deadlines is crucial to graduating in the time frame you want. There are three deadlines to make note of: Submission, Publication, and Avoiding Re-enrollment. The exact dates of these deadlines will depend on which semester you are working in, be it Fall, Spring, or Summer. Let’s take a closer look at these:

1. Submission: By this date you will have to have had your committee approve the final draft of your thesis and have all editing completed. At this point, you will not be able to make any content changes to your thesis. You must also pay your Review fee. 

-If you meet this deadline, Montezuma Publishing guarantees that they will review your thesis and return it to you for any corrections that might need to be made at least one week prior to the Publication deadline. 

-If you have to resubmit your thesis, your thesis will be given priority over others that may have been submitted after the submission deadline, but will have to undergo another full review. 

-Meeting this deadline gives you the best chance of graduating in that semester, however it is possible to submit your thesis after this date. 

2. Publication: By this date, your thesis must pass Review and be approved by Montezuma Publishing. You must also pay all publishing fees. 

-If you miss this deadline, you will not be able to graduate that same semester. 

-As I said, you may make your thesis submission later than the submission deadline, but your thesis will not be given priority for Review, a process that can take 3-4 weeks. You have to pass the Review process in order to be published. 

3. Avoid Re-enrollment: If your thesis does not meet the publishing deadline, you will have to re-apply to graduate, however if your thesis has been submitted and you have paid all of your fees, you will not have to enroll in course 799B (essentially the thesis extension course). 

Now let’s quickly talk about your options when it comes to Editing and Formatting, because yes, you do have options! There are 3 choices when it comes to the Editing and Formatting steps. You can either: do it yourself like a boss, hire a freelancer, or hire the OG Montezuma Publishing. If you’re looking into the freelance option, Grad Affairs has a list of recommended freelancers I’d strongly recommend choosing from.

Be aware, in terms of formatting, just because you hire a professional freelancer does not guarantee that your thesis will automatically pass Review. How can you get this reassuring guarantee? Hire Montezuma Publishing themselves. Because they are the ones who will approve or deny the review of your thesis, they know exactly what is required in order to pass. You will pass the Review stage if you take this option. This is not to dissuade you from taking a stab at formatting your thesis yourself or hiring a freelancer, however these options may be slightly riskier in that there is no guarantee that your thesis will pass Review on the first attempt. Subsequent review attempts may mean missing the publication deadline and delaying graduation. Still, Montezuma Publishing provides free templates and resources to help you tackle this step on your own if you choose. In regards to Editing, there is less risk involved, as this stage is more based on the quality of your thesis’ content. As long as you are satisfied with your thesis and it has been approved by your committee, you don’t really need to hire anyone to edit it for you.  

I think that’s enough, don’t you? I know it’s so much to take in; I’d say working with Montezuma Publishing is the most difficult part of the thesis process just because there are strict requirements and deadlines to meet in order to actually publish your work and graduate with your awesome M.A. in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Just remember the ingenious, creative, cultural pioneer that you are and know that you’ve just completed something truly wonderful and oh-so well deserved. 

Congratulations on the publication of your Master’s thesis!

More New Groovy Graduate Students Joining MALAS, Fall 2021!

More new groovy graduate students joining MALAS, Fall 2021! https://malas.sdsu.edu/grad_bios/

Posted by MALAS, the Master of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences at SDSU on Tuesday, July 6, 2021

So you want to write a MALAS thesis! Episode 5, the review…

So you want to write a MALAS thesis!  Episode 5, the review…

Katelyn May, MALAS Alum

 

We’re getting closer to that finish line, which means you will soon be a published writer! Woohoo! But how do you actually get your masterpiece bound in print? Well, let me introduce you to someone I like to call, Montezuma Publishing. 

Now, this phase of the thesis process is going to be far more technical and structured with specific deadlines and criteria to meet than the writing phase. To be fully transparent, this is where I think a lot of people get tripped up or confused because up until this point you probably know almost nothing about Montezuma Publishing, or at least have had little-to-no interaction with them. This is normal, and there are resources available to help guide you through this stage, like this thesis Q&A video. There is also a live Q&A session hosted each semester which provides really useful info. However, Montezuma Publishing has a lot on their plate and they will not seek you out or remind you of deadlines, so be aware of when any info sessions are and, most importantly, know when things are due!

I hear you saying, “This is a lot, can you give me an overview of the process?” Well, since you asked nicely…

1. Edit your thesis: Once you have finished writing, read, re-read, and then re-re-read your thesis at least one more time for good measure. Make sure you’re satisfied with everything, being sure to check for any content changes you might want to make, correct spelling and grammar, ect. Soon you will not be able to make any changes to your content. 

2. Have your committee formally approve your thesis by signing off on all paperwork. 

Pro tip!: Don’t wait until close to the submission deadline to have your committee give their final OK of your work. Generally you should give them at least two weeks to read each draft you present them, including the final one. 

3. Get that doc looking sharp! Your thesis will have to conform to SDSU and MALAS’s guidelines. This step in particular might be the hardest of all, as Montezuma Publishing has strict formatting guidelines you must meet in order for your thesis to pass Review.

 

4. Speaking of which, now your thesis gets reviewed! Review is done by Montezuma Publishing exclusively, where they will decide if your text meets all standards and requirements, particularly formatting. 

5. Montezuma Publishing will make good on their name and publish your thesis, with a copy being sent to the library and made available through SDSU online as well. Bill of course will want a copy as well to commemorate your epic achievement and to show off to future MALAS scholars.

6. Time to graduate! You will have to pay certain publishing fees, and once that is done, Montezuma Publishing will alert Grad Affairs that you have successfully completed the publication of your thesis, at which point you will be cleared to graduate.