\documentclass[leqno]{ndthesis}
% NDthesis.cls written by Jeff Squyres and Don Peterson
% front file by Rebecca Weber, a few iterations removed from
% the original sample thesis files
% [leqno] puts equation numbers on the left; remove it if you don't want that.

\usepackage{amssymb, amsthm, amsmath}
% formerly there was a "natbib" line here, but it was double-spacing
% the bibliography incorrectly, so I took it out.

% to enumerate with roman numerals (i), (ii), etc., and still be able to use \label
% usage: just like enumerate, but with \begin{enumroman} ... \end{enumroman}
% and you'll get nicely lined up lowercase Roman numerals
\usepackage{enumerate}
\newenvironment{enumroman}{\begin{enumerate}[\upshape (i)]}
						{\end{enumerate}}

% put your \newcommands and \renewcommands here

% The following parameter settings eliminate line breaks within
% mathematical expressions.
\global\hbadness=500
\global\tolerance=200
\emergencystretch=.5cm
\binoppenalty=10000 
\relpenalty=10000

% This sets up an environment called labelled theorem which takes a label for the 
% header of a theorem.  Allows for theorem 8.5, e.g., to be numbered as such when 
% it is stated in an earlier section (as a teaser, say).
% usage: give the theorem in its proper place a label, e.g. \label{main}
% in the other location type \begin{labelledtheorem}{Theorem~\ref{main}}
% then the statement of the theorem (it is not copied over automatically, 
% just the number) and then \end{labelledtheorem}
\def\handlabel{}
\newtheorem*{internallabelledtheorem}{\handlabel}
\newenvironment{labelledtheorem}[1]{
  \def\handlabel{#1}
  \begin{internallabelledtheorem}}{\end{internallabelledtheorem}}

% Theorem environments with built-in double spacing.
% use just as you would before, e.g.,
% \begin{corollary} Stuff.
% \end{corollary}
% gives you
% Corollary x.y.z.  Stuff.
% ******* READ THIS:
% the theorem, lemma, claim, proposition, and definition environments 
% allow for references and titling (things to appear in parentheses after
% "Theorem x.y.z") - to get "Theorem x.y.z (Main Theorem).", type
% \begin{theorem}{Main Theorem}
% Note {} instead of [].  This will make it pretty, which is always _very_
% important.
% if you do not have a reference, you _MUST_ put {} after the
% \begin{whichever} statement for all five of those environments.
% otherwise bad things ensue, like if you feed a Mogwai after midnight.
\newcommand{\baseenvskip}{\baselineskip 8mm}
\newtheorem{theor}{Theorem}[section]
\newenvironment{theorem}[1]{\begin{theor}[#1]\baseenvskip}{\end{theor}}
\newtheorem{lem}[theor]{Lemma}
\newenvironment{lemma}[1]{\begin{lem}[#1]\baseenvskip}{\end{lem}}
\newtheorem{clm}[theor]{Claim}
\newenvironment{claim}[1]{\begin{clm}[#1]\baseenvskip}{\end{clm}}
\newtheorem{prop}[theor]{Proposition}
\newenvironment{proposition}[1]{\begin{prop}[#1]\baseenvskip}{\end{prop}}
\newtheorem{defn}[theor]{Definition}
\newenvironment{definition}[1]{\begin{defn}[#1]\baseenvskip}{\end{defn}}
\newtheorem{conj}[theor]{Conjecture}
\newenvironment{conjecture}{\begin{conj}\baseenvskip}{\end{conj}}
\newtheorem{cond}[theor]{Condition}
\newenvironment{condition}{\begin{cond}\baseenvskip}{\end{cond}}
\newtheorem{ques}[theor]{Question}
\newenvironment{question}{\begin{ques}\baseenvskip}{\end{ques}}
\newtheorem{cor}[theor]{Corollary} 
\newenvironment{corollary}{\begin{cor}\baseenvskip}{\end{cor}}
\newtheorem{state}[theor]{Statement}
\newenvironment{statement}{\begin{state}\baseenvskip}{\end{state}}
\newtheorem{notn}[theor]{Notation} 
\newenvironment{notation}{\begin{notn}\baseenvskip}{\end{notn}}
\newtheorem{rmk}[theor]{Remark}
\newenvironment{remark}{\begin{rmk}\baseenvskip}{\end{rmk}}
% this next line numbers the theorems etc. by chapter.section.number
\numberwithin{equation}{section}

% note that to get double spacing within proofs using the \begin{proof}
% ... \end{proof} environment, I was unable to conjure a method besides
% simply going through the chapter files and adding a \baseenvskip 
% after every \begin{proof} -- at least Find/Replace makes it easy!

% Here we go!

\begin{document}

\frontmatter  % all the stuff with Roman numeral page numbers

\work{Dissertation}
\title{Your title here} % all caps
\author{Your name here}
\degprior{B.S., M.S.} % change as appropriate
\degaward{Doctor of Philosophy}
\advisor{Your advisor here}
\department{Mathematics}

\maketitle  % puts the above info into a title page
% recall that you must compile your file in the month you submit it
% so that the title page will have the correct date

\begin{abstract}
I prove a bunch of stuff.
\end{abstract}

\begin{dedication}
To the Math Gods.
\end{dedication}

\tableofcontents

\begin{acknowledge}
I acknowledge cool people.
\end{acknowledge}

\mainmatter  % here start the Arabic page numbers

% your chapters (whose names in this example are chapter1.tex
% etc) must be nothing but content - no headers, no \begin{document},
% no \maketitle, no bibliography, no \end{document}.

% remember to make the chapter titles all caps

% if you do not have separate chapter files, replace the next four lines 
% with the content of your thesis.

\include{chapter1}
\include{chapter2}
\include{chapter3}
\include{chapter4}

\backmatter  % appendices and bibliography; only biblio explained here.

% here we have some bibtex stuff.  If you have a .bib file, put its name
% where I have "thesisbib".  The way to do this is to latex once, 
% bibtex once, and then latex twice.  The first texing asks for the bib
% info, the bibtexing gives it, and then it takes two texings to get
% everything sorted out.  If you don't have bibtex capabilities in the
% editor you're using, you can do it from the command line on a linux
% or unix (or Mac OS X) machine - go to the appropriate directory (of
% course you have to be able to access your thesis material) and type
% (for this document) "bibtex thesisfront" --thesisbib.bib must be in
% the same directory (and ndthesis.cls must be accessible, of course).

% if you do not use bibtex, remove lines two and three below and insert
% your bibliography in the way you usually do it.

\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{\bibname}
\bibliographystyle{plain}
\bibliography{thesisbib}

\end{document}