Scholarly Project "Plan B" papers

Summary: This procedure describes the process for cataloging and processing  'Plan B' Papers and Scholarly Project titles.

The 'Plan B' Papers and Scholarly Project titles from various departments will be considered sufficiently similar to Masters theses for them to be cataloged with procedures similar to the MSU Theses procedure. For cataloging purposes, these “Plan B” or "Scholarly Project" papers are considered unpublished.

If you don’t have one, you’ll need a Theses stamp from Catalog Maintenance. It is very important to stamp the Theses location on the Plan B and Scholarly Project titles because otherwise Catalog Maintenance and Binding Prep will not know to process them as theses. We expect all or most of the Urban Planning Plan B titles to be unbound; binding may vary with such titles from other departments. Once they have been cataloged, they will go to Catalog Maintenance for barcoding and to Binding Prep for binding, to make them look similar to, but not exactly like regular theses.

1. First, stamp the Plan B or Scholarly Project paper on the same location as regular MSU theses: the upper left hand corner of the verso of the cover. Since the title will only have a Theses location stamp and no number for a fiche copy, Catalog Maintenance staff will know that they do not have to add fiche information to the bib record.

2. Cataloging procedures will be similar to the cataloging of any regular MSU thesis:

• Do not add an LC classification number
• Do add appropriate subject headings
• 049 = EEMT

949 is *i= /loc=th/ty=198/w=cmsthsxxx; (xxx = your initials)

3. First check the local catalog to make sure we do not already have copy. In the unlikely event that you have a duplicate Plan B or Scholarly Project paper, give it to the selector for that subject area. Due to library policy and space constraints, duplicate copies will not be added to the Theses collection.

4. No 502 formal thesis note will be used. In place of the 502 note, use a 500 quoted note. Quote directly from the piece whatever phrase has been used to indicate how the item was submitted.

• For Nursing, the phrase will usually read: Scholarly project submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Nursing, College of Nursing, [date].
• For Urban Planning, the phrase will usually read: A Plan B paper submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Department of Urban Studies."
• For Agricultural Economics, the phrase will usually read: A Plan B research paper submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science, Department of Agricultural Economics."
• Note that these phrases may vary slightly on each piece, so you should transcribe the phrase as it is found on the title page.

5. When you have finished cataloging the piece, give it to Catalog Maintenance. Arrangements have been made with Binding for these Plan B Papers and Scholarly Projects to be bound in traditional black thesis binding (or something very similar).