main.tex

%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
%	PACKAGES AND DOCUMENT CONFIGURATION
%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

% Use `report` class with `USCthesis` package (style file) by Brian P. Gerkey
\documentclass{report}
% [options] can be any of these default/alternative flag:
%   dissertation/thesis, final/proposal, copyright/nocopyright,
%   fussy/sloppy, flushbottom/raggedbottom, clref/opref.
\usepackage[proposal]{USCthesis}

% Packages required by `USCthesis.sty`.
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{tabularx}
% Filler text for formatting. Comment these lines out for real writing.
\usepackage[english]{babel}
\usepackage{blindtext}

\begin{document}

%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
%	TITLE PAGE
%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

% Volume name could be added as option, e.g. `[Volume I]`.
\title{A Very Fancy Dissertation on Dissertation Writing}

\author{Ruda Zhang}

% Committee list is only shown in `proposal` layout.
\committee{A.~Adams & (Chair)\\*
           B.~Bell\\*
           C.~Clausius\\*
           D.~Dirichlet\\*
           E.~Emory & (Outside Member)}

% Submission information is only shown in `final` layout.
\majorfield{Civil Engineering}
\submitdate{April 2016}

%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
%	PREFACE
%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

% The preface environment prints the title page.
\begin{preface}

  % Dedication Page, which is truly unnecessary.
  \prefacesection{Dedication}
    This dissertation is dedicated . . .
     \begin{quote}
         \raggedleft {\em To x, y}\\
         \raggedleft {\em and especially to z.}
     \end{quote}

  % Acknowledgement Page, which is also unnecessary for proposals.
  \prefacesection{Acknowledgements}
    % Better to separate LaTeX structure and content
    \input{acknowledgements.tex}

  \tableofcontents
  \listoftables
  \listoffigures

  % Abstract Page
  \prefacesection{Abstract}
    \input{abstract.tex}
\end{preface}

%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
%	CONTENT STRUCTURE
%-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

% Better to separate LaTeX structure and content
\include{Introduction}

% Research Topic 1
\include{ResearchTopic1}

% More Research Topics
% \include{ResearchTopic2}

% Conclusion and ongoing work
\include{Conclusion}

\begin{singlespace}
  % Bibliography
  \references{plain}{references}

  \appendix
  % Appendices
  \include{appendix_proof}
\end{singlespace}

% In case your dissertation has multiple volumes.
% \addvolumecontents{thesis_part2}
% \addvolumecontents{thesis_part3}
% \addvolumecontents[lof]{thesis_part2}

\end{document}