Important Note About This Template

This may time out on Overleaf

This LaTeX template was implemented to the best of my ability to be as close as possible to the given Word templates. There may be some differences; please consult your professors/supervisors in case there are any issues or discrepancies.

Some features are still to be implemented in future updates.

If you encounter any problems or have suggestions for improvements, please open an issue in the repository.

This was heavily inspired by the work of https://github.com/joaomlourenco/novathesis/ ; the file structure and organization is similar however the latex code itself was started from scratch.

Usage Guidelines

Using Overleaf:

Make sure you compile using pdfLaTeX:

Click on the Menu button on Overleaf:

Select pdfLaTeX:

Using VSCode:

Tested using the LaTeX Workshop extension.

Add the following entries to "latex-workshop.latex.recipes": []

{
   "name": "pdflatex -> bibtex -> pdflatex * 2",
   "tools": [
         "pdflatex",
         "bibtex",
         "pdflatex",
         "pdflatex"
   ]
},
{
   "name": "latexmk (lualatex)",
   "tools": [
         "lualatexmk"
   ]
},

Important - What to Modify

1. DO modify the content files in the Contents/ directory

   • This is where your actual thesis content should go
   • Each section should be placed in the appropriate file as shown in the directory structure

2. DO set the thesis options in Thesis_ROOT.tex as shown in the "Setting Thesis Options" section

   • This configures your thesis metadata (author, title, etc.)

Important - What NOT to Modify

1. DO NOT modify the following template files:

   • imsthesis.cls - The class file defining the document structure
   • Any .sty files in the _setup/ directory
   • These files control the formatting and functionality of the template

2. DO NOT modify the structure of Thesis_ROOT.tex beyond setting the options

   • Unless you have advanced LaTeX knowledge and understand the consequences

Modifying template files may break functionality, cause compilation errors, or result in a document that doesn't comply with institutional requirements. If you need to make advanced customizations, consider creating a local style file that you can load after the template.

Nova IMS Thesis Template

A LaTeX template for thesis/dissertation documents at NOVA Information Management School (IMS).

Overview

This template provides a standardized format for academic works at NOVA IMS, including master theses, doctoral dissertations, and other academic reports. The template handles formatting, structure, and styling according to NOVA IMS guidelines.

Files Structure

• Thesis_ROOT.tex - Main document file that structures the content
• imsthesis.cls - Class file that defines the document structure
• _setup/imsoptions.sty - Package that manages document options and metadata
• _setup/imsstyles.sty - Defines styles for the document
• _setup/imscommands.sty - Contains utility commands
• _setup/imspages.sty - Defines page layouts and special pages

Quick Start

1. Edit Thesis_ROOT.tex to set your thesis options
2. Write your content in the respective chapters in the Contents/ folder
3. Compile the document using pdfLaTeX (important if using Overleaf)

Setting Thesis Options

The template uses a key-value system for document options. Set these in the main file:

\documentclass{imsthesis}

\setthesisoptions{
  author={Your Full Name},
  title={Your Thesis Title},
  subtitle={Optional Subtitle},
  supervisor={Supervisor's Name, Title (PhD), Affiliation},
  programacronym={MDSAA},
  programfullname={Data Science and Advanced Analytics},
  programspecialization={Business Analytics},
  sdgvalues={4,9,13},
  keywords={Keyword 1; Keyword 2; Keyword 3},
  language={EN},
  build={pdflatex},
  date={15-06-2025},
  draft=true,
  worktype={Master Thesis}
}

Available Options

Option	Description	Default Value
author	Your full name	"Author Name"
title	Thesis title	"Paper Title"
subtitle	Optional subtitle	"" (empty)
supervisor	Supervisor info including credentials	"Supervisor Name"
programacronym	Program acronym (e.g., MDSAA, MGI)	"MDSAA"
programfullname	Full program name	"Data Science and Advanced Analytics"
programspecialization	Specialization (if applicable)	"" (empty)
sdgvalues	UN Sustainable Development Goals numbers (1-17)	"" (empty)
keywords	Keywords for your thesis (semicolon separated)	"" (empty)
language	Document language: EN or PT	"EN"
build	LaTeX engine: LuaLaTex or pdfLaTeX	"pdflatex"
date	Submission date (DD-MM-YYYY)	\today
draft	Draft mode (true/false)	true
worktype	Type of work	"Master Thesis"

Document Structure

The template follows a standard academic document structure:

frontmatter
  - Title page
  - Abstract
  - Acknowledgments
  - Table of contents
  
mainmatter
  - Introduction
  - Literature Review
  - Methodology
  - Results
  - Discussion
  - Conclusion
  
backmatter
  - References
  - Appendices

Directory Structure

The template is organized with the following directory structure:

Contents/
├── 0_FrontChapters.tex
├── 1_MainChapters.tex
├── 2_BackChapters.tex
└── Chapters
    ├── 0_Frontmatter
    │   ├── 0_Glossaries.tex
    │   ├── 1_Statement_Integrity.tex
    │   ├── 2_Dedication.tex
    │   ├── 3_Acknowledgements.tex
    │   └── 4_Abstract.tex
    ├── 1_Main
    │   ├── 1_Introduction.tex
    │   ├── 2_Literature_Review.tex
    │   ├── 3_Methodology.tex
    │   ├── 4_Results_Discussion.tex
    │   ├── 5_Conclusions.tex
    │   ├── 6_Limitations.tex
    │   └── figures
    │       └── nova-ims-logo.png
    └── 2_Backmatter
        └── Appendix_A.tex

Each section of your thesis should be placed in the appropriate file within this structure. The main chapters files (0_FrontChapters.tex, 1_MainChapters.tex, and 2_BackChapters.tex) input the individual chapter files from their respective directories.

Special Commands

Command	Description
\imspagecover	Generates the cover page
\imspagetitle	Generates the title page
\imspagefront	Generates frontmatter pages
\imspagekeyws	Displays keywords and SDG icons
\imspagebegin	Marks the beginning of content
\imspageback	Generates backmatter pages

Optimization for Overleaf

To improve compilation performance on Overleaf:

1. Use selective compilation during development:

   \includeonly{Contents/chapter-you-are-working-on}

2. Set manual compilation in Overleaf settings rather than automatic

3. Consider using draft mode for graphics during development:

   \usepackage[draft]{graphicx}

UN Sustainable Development Goals

The template can display icons for the UN Sustainable Development Goals relevant to your work. Specify them using the sdgvalues option with numbers from 1-17.

Example: sdgvalues={4,9,13} will display icons for:

• Goal 4: Quality Education
• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• Goal 13: Climate Action

Language Support

The template supports both English (EN) and Portuguese (PT). Set the language option to switch between these. The language affects auto-generated text throughout the document.

Tips for Use

1. Development Mode: Keep draft=true during development for faster compilation
2. Bibliography: Add your references to .bib files in the Bibliography folder
3. Chapter Structure: Organize your chapters in separate files in the Contents folder
4. Selective Compilation: Use \includeonly to compile only chapters you're working on
5. Precompiled Preamble: On Overleaf Pro, use the precompiled preamble feature for faster compilation

License

This template is licensed under the LaTeX Project Public License (LPPL) version 1.3c. The LPPL is the standard license used by most LaTeX packages and templates, including those in the core LaTeX distribution.

What the LPPL Means for Users

• You can use this template freely for any purpose, including commercial use
• You can distribute unmodified copies of this template
• You can modify the template for your own use
• If you distribute modified versions, you must:
  • Clearly identify your modifications
  • Include information on how to obtain the original version
  • Use a different name to avoid confusion with the original template

See the LICENSE file for complete license details.