ETD Submission Checklist

Submitting your thesis or dissertation this year? Here is a checklist of the steps involved. All of these steps MUST be completed by the deadline!

Attend the ETD Informational Session during Graduate Student Orientation (Aug/Jan).
Define your thesis or dissertation topic and begin your research.
Decide what software you will use to write your ETD (e.g., Microsoft Word, LaTeX).
Write your thesis or dissertation, using proper word processing techniques. Consult the helpful hints available on the ETD Web site, and visit the CCC Training Web site if you feel you need more training with Microsoft software.
Present or defend your work. Helpful hint - bring a copy of your title page for your committee to sign.
Discuss availability options for your ETD with your advisor (World access? WPI-only? No public access? Mixed?) Be sure that you are clear on your advisor's expectations - some departments or advisors might require you to provide them (not the library) with paper copies.
Make any necessary changes to your document following your presentation/defense.
Convert your thesis or dissertation to PDF (preferably PDF/A). Need help?
Submit your ETD via the online ETD submission system. You may wish to read this help file. In the process,

you will enter information about the work, including your name, department, the category of the work (e.g. thesis or dissertation), the title and abstract, and list your advisors.
you will refer the work to your advisor or committee for approval. Your advisor may want to have the pdf file which you will submit, so that it can be compared to the pdf you submit in the approval process. That will assure that the uploaded document compares to the previously agreed one.
you will print a copy of the approval form, which will declare the availability of your work, for you and your advisor to sign.

Drop off, mail or fax your signed copies of ETD Approval Form and title page to the Graduate Coordinator.**
If you are filing a dissertation, you must see Judy Fallon in the Library if you wish to obtain a UMI Dissertation form and go to Accounting to pay your fee. See Special Procedures and Rules for Dissertations.
When your ETD is approved, you and your committee will be notified via e-mail. You can upload and delete files for ETD via the Web site until it is approved and included in the collection.

** If for some reason you must leave the Worcester area before you are finished, we strongly recommend that you file your paperwork before departing - we'll hold it for you until you submit your file(s)!

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Last modified: Apr 29, 2008, 16:42 EDT