This news item discusses the basics for electronic thesis and dissertation submission at WVU and provides a great launching point to efficiently review the requirements.

For a quick overview of the WVU ETD submission process, start from the appropriate online submission checklist. There are links provided to the online deposit module, filing instructions as well as required forms (included in the “ETD Submission Packet”). For information about format requirements, simply follow the prescribed verbiage on the sample title and abstract pages provided as well as the dual pagination tips listed on page 4 of the submission packet. Otherwise, the University Libraries are very flexible and accommodating regarding the various style manuals in use on throughout the disciplines.

Students may complete online submission of the ETD file(s) and delivery of the forms and fee payment in either order. Additionally, the process may now be completed entirely electronically, including credit card payment. Forms and fee payment may be delivered in person, via postal mail or electronically. The “ETD Submission Packet” is an interactive PDF file in which you may type the information into the form fields and print (or save it if you have access to Adobe Acrobat standard or professional editions). Otherwise, you may print the forms, fill them in and scan them to send by email or fax to (304) 293-4881.

The WVU Office of Graduate Education recommends that students schedule the Oral Defense approximately one month in advance of the final ETD submission deadline date to allow sufficient time for the student to complete post-defense corrections, for committee members to complete final content review, and for the student to create the final PDF (and other approved files) and submit online for the format review at the University Libraries.

Please note that students planning to graduate for the spring 2012 semester will need to submit a PDF (or other approved file(s) online – this must be the post-defense version with corrections completed as requested by the faculty committee) no later than the deadline date of Friday, April 27th at 4pm. However, students should check with their department and college/school for earlier deadlines. Completed forms and fee(s) need to be delivered to the Wise Library by this deadline date as well. Submissions do not need to be approved by the deadline day; they merely need to be in the pending submissions queue. Submissions are generally reviewed within 24 hours of online deposit and often the same day of submission. All submissions received by the deadline day will be reviewed through the following week to clear everyone in time for graduation. If revisions are required, the submission will be “returned” to the student in the deposit system; editorial indications and instructions for online re-submission will be sent in an email notification to the student and committee. Upon completion of requested revisions and conversion to PDF, students simply upload the revised file to their existing online submission entry.

At the time of approval, email notification will be sent to the student, committee members and the college/school coordinator. Approved submissions are generally available within several hours of approval in the WVUScholar institutional repository.

Students who have questions about the format or submissions process or who need additional information may call, chat or make an appointment to discuss with ETD program coordinator John Hagen. Additionally, there is an online self-paced tutorial which provides an excellent overview of the process. The information on pricing and the Survey of Earned Doctorates needs to be updated, but the presentation does give an excellent overview of the process. For current pricing and procedures visit our ETD Submission Checklists.

For technical questions, students should contact WVU OIT consultants or check out their handy workshop handouts covering topics ranging from manipulating Microsoft Word to get your pagination sequence right to creating the final PDF file. All technical services are provided free of charge to WVU students.

Best wishes for your ETD journey at WVU and congratulations to all of our graduates!