Guidelines for the Preparation of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

These are the steps to take for submitting an electronic dissertation. Check with your advisor and departmental staff for details of their specific requirements. Some requirements for printed dissertations do not apply to electronic dissertations and are highlighted here.

1. If you wish, sign up for a seminar on preparing and submitting ETDs (see the Calendar). The best time is the semester before you plan to graduate.
2. Fee exemptions: the usual $10 binding fee for Masters theses does not apply for electronic submission.
3. File an application for graduation with your college office by the end of the first week of classes of the semester you expect to graduate. 
4. If you wish to request a delay in publication of your dissertation or thesis because of a publisher agreement or patent application, download the form and take it to your advisor.
5. After successfully defending your dissertation or thesis, make any required final corrections. Make certain the approval signature page includes the names as well as the titles of the people who will be signing the page. Place each name just below or next to the line that person will sign.
6. Convert the final corrected copy to PDF format (see the PDF How-To). Avoid free software or web services that may insert advertisements into your document. Do not password the file or add other forms of security to it.
7. Print two copies of the approval signature page mentioned in step 5, take them to your advisor with the final copy of the document, and obtain all needed signatures. There is no need to print copies of the abstract since you will be submitting it online.
8. Go to the OhioLINK ETD Center (http://www.ohiolink.edu/etd ) and select "Submission form for your complete, finalized ETD." Soon after making your submission you should receive an email confirming it.
9. Get in touch with your College or School. Confirm receipt of your submission, submit the signed signature pages, and submit any additional paperwork required. Doctoral graduates should download all or part of the ProQuest/UMI packet on our forms page when one or more of the following apply:
   - you are requesting copyright registration (extra $65 charge mentioned above)
   - you are ordering copies from UMI at the author discount rate
   - you included previously published material in your dissertation or thesis
   In the first two cases you will need to provide a money order made out to UMI to cover the charges.
   In the third case you will need to include a copy of the reprint permission letters.
10. Be prepared to resolve any outstanding issues with the format of your electronic dissertation after your College or School reviews the online submission.
11. You should receive another email when your submission has been approved.