Introduction
What is ETD

Step by Step Tutorial
 Before You Begin
Important Guidelines
Set up Word Processor
Word Tips
WordPerfect Tips
LaTeX Tips
Start Writing

Your PDF Document
Convert Document to PDF
Convert Title Page to PDF
Combine PDF Files
Link PDF Files

Submit the ETD
Check & Modify
Log in for Submission

Questions
FAQs

Additional Resources

  • Thesis & Dissertation Guide
  • Policies Regarding Electronic
         Submission
  • Copyright & Intellectual
         Property
  • Complete Steps in the
         Submission Process

    • Tutorial: Important Guidelines
         Grad > ETD > Important Guidelines

    Step 1:

    Read the Thesis and Dissertation Guide AND the Policies Regarding Electronic Submission.

    Step 2:

    Write your thesis or dissertation. Consult the Step by Step Tutorial and ETD website with questions.

    Step 3:

    Master's Students:
    Make sure the Director of Graduate Programs (DGP) for your department or program submits the Request for Permit to Schedule the Master's Oral Examination to the Graduate School by the Graduate Calendar deadline.

    Doctoral Students:
    Make sure the Director of Graduate Programs (DGP) for your department or program submits the Request for Approval to Schedule the Doctoral Oral Examination to the Graduate School by the Graduate Calendar deadline.

    Step 4:

    Master's Students:
    Upon issuance of the Permit to Schedule Master's Oral Examination, the Graduate School will forward the following documents to your DGP: Doctoral Students:
    Upon issuance of the Admission to the Final Doctoral Oral Examination (sample only), the Graduate School will forward the following documents to your DGP:
    • Diploma Order Request for Graduate Students
    • UMI Doctoral Dissertation Agreement
    • National Research Council Survey of Earned Doctorates

    Step 5:

    Register for the appropriate credits in the semester you take the final oral examination.

    Step 6:

    Take the final oral examination.

    Step 7:

    Master's Students:
    When you pass the final oral examination your committee members will sign the Report of the Advisory Committee on the Admission to the Final Master's Oral Examination (sample only) and your committee chair will submit it to the Graduate School.

    Doctoral Students:
    When you pass the final oral examination your committee members will sign the Report of the Advisory Committee on the Admission to the Final Doctoral Oral Examination (sample only) and your committee chair will submit it to the Graduate School.

    Step 8:

    Make the changes in your thesis or dissertation as recommended by your committee.

    Step 9:

    Once the changes have been made, make a copy of the title page and have all members of your committee sign it (Policies Regarding Electronic Submission). You can scan and save your signed title page to include in your file or you can use the original title page without the signatures in your file.

    Step 10:

    Create the PDF file(s): Consult the Step by Step tutorial with questions .

    Step 11:

    Check your PDF file(s) before submitting your thesis or dissertation. Specifically check the following:
    • Did you name the main file etd.pdf? (the thesis/dissertation won't be processed correctly otherwise)
    • Are all PDF file names in lower case letters? (the system is case sensitive)
    • Have you linked your documents together? (you provide the only linking between the documents)
    • Does the title on your Abstract match the title on your Title page?
    • Does your Abstract have a page number? (The Abstract should not have a page number.)
    • Have you included your Biography?
    • Is the page immediately following the Title page numbered as "ii" using lower case Roman numerals?
    • Are the preliminary pages numbered consecutively using Roman numerals?
    • Do the listed items in the Table of Contents match the actual text?
    • Have you included your List of References/Bibliography?
    • Are all your pages numbered consecutively to the end, including any appendices?
    • Have you checked for missing pages, poor font translation, and other anomalies?
    • Are all internal and external multimedia objects and files linked and ready for submission?

    Step 12:

    Deliver the signed title page and the Diploma Order Request for Graduate Students to the Thesis Editor of the Graduate School, in Flex Lab, Module 6, room 1516.

    Step 13:

    Submit your thesis or dissertation electronically.
    1. Find a networked machine running an acceptable internet browser. In order to use the ETD submission system, your browser must support cookies and file uploads. There are currently known incompatibilities with the Macintosh version of Netscape version 3.02, you will need to upgrade if you are using this version.
    2. Log into the ETD Submission System.

    You can submit your ETD to the Thesis Editor before you have made the corrections required by your committee. If you choose to do this, please let the Thesis Editor know that this is not your final copy by placing the word "DRAFT" in the filename of the ETD you submit online.

    Step 14:

    Work with the Graduate School as needed until your thesis or dissertation is accepted. If anything about your ETD needs to be changed before it can be approved, the Graduate School may send you a notice, which is a brief message describing the steps you need to take to complete your ETD. Notices are generally delivered as email messages to whatever author email address you entered for your ETD. Notices may also be sent to your committee chair if there are problems reaching you. Once you receive a message indicating that you have a notice, you should login again and make the requested changes. Once you have made the requested changes, it is very important that you send a response to the Graduate School, so that they will know that your ETD has been updated and is ready to be reviewed again.

    Step 15:

    Upon acceptance of your thesis or dissertation by the Graduate School, you will be notified by e-mail that it has been approved and that the library cataloger has been notified.

    Step 16:

    If not held because of pending publications or copyright, your thesis or dissertation will be on the library server and in the online catalog in approximately 5-7 days.

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