GUIDELINES FOR ELECTRONIC THESES, DISSERTATIONS AND REPORTS (ETDR)
Specific questions not addressed in the following guidelines should be directed to the Graduate School. Please see following pages for additional details on graduation procedures, formatting and forms listed below.
PRIOR to the final examination:
Complete Approval to Schedule Final Examination form.
( http://www.k-state.edu/grad/gscurrent/guideforms/index.htm)
Complete online Diploma Information form.
( http://www.k-state.edu/grad/gscurrent/guideforms/index.htm)
After submitting the Approval to Schedule Final Examination form, resolve any problems identified by the Graduate School in the email sent to you. The problems identified are based on an audit of your program of study.
FOLLOWING the final examination:
The following information is located on the ETDR website – Submit your ETDR
http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/
Preparing to submit your ETDR (Electronic Theses/Dissertations/Reports)
Submit signed final examination ballot to the Graduate School, 103 Fairchild Hall.
After all requested changes of major professor and committee are completed on thesis, dissertation or report, convert document to PDF (Adobe Portable Document Format). Instructions for converting your document can be located at: (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/etdr2pdf/index.htm)
Request your major professor to submit signed ETDR ballot to the Graduate School, 103 Fairchild Hall.
Doctoral students need to also submit the required Survey of Earned Doctorate form to the Graduate School, 103 Fairchild Hall. (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/surveyed.htm)
Submitting your ETDR
Register in K-State Research Exchange. (K-REx)
(http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/register.htm)
Submit your ETDR to K-REx. Be certain to use your K-State email. If you do not see a drop down menu when submitting to K-REx, please check the email address you registered with and the email address listed on the Approval to Schedule Final Examination form submitted to the Graduate School. These email addresses should be the same.
After submitting your ETDR, wait for confirmation that your ETDR has been accepted by the Graduate School. Please allow at least three working days for Graduate School staff to review and process a confirmation.
Doctoral students, submit your ETDR to UMI/ProQuest.
(http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/subumipq.htm)
Follow up
Pay appropriate fees to the Cashier’s Office. (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/fees.htm)
Complete ETDR survey. (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/survey.htm)
Complete exit survey. (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/forms/exsurvey.htm)
Update your information for the Alumni Association.
(https://www.k-state.com/view/webForm.aspx?webformId=cc0da8e7fb864f66b05fd2885c73964c)
GRADUATION PROCEDURES AND FORMS
You must provide a copy of your thesis/dissertation/report that has been approved by your major professor to each member of your supervisory committee. Members of your supervisory committee should be the same as your final examination committee. If you have made a change in your supervisory committee, you must submit a Program/Committee Change form (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/gscurrent/guideforms/index.htm) prior to submitting your approval to schedule final examination examination.
All final examinations must be given on the Manhattan campus and when K-State classes are in session. All members of the examining committee are expected to be present throughout the entire examination. In the event that a member of the supervisory committee cannot participate in person, permission must be obtained for a member of the supervisory committee to participate via teleconference or other technology that allows face-to-face interaction. To obtain permission the “Video/Tele Conference Request” form must be completed at least ten working days prior to the scheduled final examination.
http://www.k-state.edu/grad/gscurrent/guideforms/videopermission.htm
APPROVAL TO SCHEDULE FINAL EXAMINATION FORM
The Approval to Schedule Final Examination form must be completed and submitted to the Graduate School at least ten working days prior to the scheduled final examination date. After receipt of the Approval form, the Graduate School will send an email message to the email listed on the Approval form, indicating whether degree requirements have been satisfied. Any problems must be resolved before the final examination ballot or final ETDR ballot will be issued. The final examination ballot for a master student is sent via email to the major professor and for a doctoral student, it is sent to the outside chairperson. All final ETDR ballots are sent to the major professor.
GUIDELINES
Guidelines for formatting the thesis/dissertation/report can be also found at: http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/create/
A dissertation is required of all candidates for the award of a doctoral degree. Its purpose is to demonstrate the candidate's ability to conduct significant original research of a type appropriate to the academic discipline, to analyze the information obtained from the research, and to present the results in a form acceptable to the supervisory committee. A dissertation must be written in a form appropriate to the discipline.
A master's thesis presents the results of an original investigation of a problem or topic approved by the candidate's supervisory committee. Its purpose is to demonstrate the candidate's ability to conduct original research of a type appropriate to the academic discipline, to analyze the information obtained from the research, and to present the results in a form acceptable to the supervisory committee.
A master's report is generally shorter than a thesis, and it may present the results of a more limited original investigation. Alternatively, it may review the state of a particular scholarly or scientific problem, or especially in the case of professional programs or applied disciplines it may describe a project appropriate to the discipline.
A thesis/dissertation/report should be sufficiently complete to allow an independent investigator or scholar to repeat or verify the work leading to the author's results and conclusions. In certain cases, when manuscripts prepared for publication are to be used, the terseness required by the page restrictions of professional journals may prevent authors from meeting this condition with their publishable manuscripts alone. In such cases, the thesis/dissertation/report must include additional materials (in appendices, if desired) that will ensure independent reproducibility; e.g., tables, descriptions of methods of unproductive or unsuccessful explorations, derivations, and so forth.
An abstract is a summary of the thesis/dissertation/report to inform prospective readers about its contents. As a brief summary of the candidate's principal research findings, the abstract should state the problem being investigated and outline the method of investigation, the results obtained, and the conclusions reached. In writing the abstract, candidates should keep in mind that it functions chiefly as a guide to students and scholars surveying research in their field. As such, it should provide a concise guide to the entire study it represents. The abstract should not include internal headings or parenthetical citations of items listed in the bibliography/list of references. Figures and tables should not appear in the abstract.
Remember accuracy and consistencies are important matters. These qualities make the thesis/dissertation/report a usable research tool for other readers.
STYLE AND CONTENT
A thesis/dissertation/report should be written in a style appropriate to the discipline represented. The faculties of individual departments or programs may establish policies regarding style for their students. In the absence of detailed specifications, the student's committee is responsible for defining the style used. Form, organization, and bibliographical style may be that of pertinent professional publications. The writer may find the following guides helpful:
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2001. (http://apastyle.apa.org/)
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertation. 6th ed. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press, 1996.
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 6th ed. Modern Language Association of America, 2003. (http://english.ttu.edu/Kairos/1.2/inbox/mla_archive.html)
Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed. University of Chicago Press, 2003.
FORMATTING
Templates are located at: http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/template/
Following is the required arrangement of final PDF file:
The PDF file must be only one file and named FirstnameLastnameYYYY.pdf (Ex: JohnDoe2007.pdf)
Theses/Dissertations/Reports must be in the following order when submitting electronically, unless noted as optional or not applicable.
Doctoral students only:
- Abstract title page - –Begin counting pretext pages here, but do not place a number on this page. The title must be the same as listed on the title page.
- Abstract – This page appears twice for doctoral students. This page should be no more than 350 words. Do not use any type of symbols on this page. This page is included in the pretext page count, but there should not be a page number on the page.
Continue as listed below.
Master and doctoral students:
- Title page –This page is included in the pretext page count, but there should not be a page number on the page. For doctoral students, the title must be the same as listed on the abstract title page.
- Copyright page (Optional if not copyrighting.) – This page is included in count, but not numbered.
- Abstract – This page should be no more than 350 words. Do not use any type of symbols on this page. Included in count, but not numbered.
- Table of Contents –Begin showing pretext page numbers with lower case Roman numerals at bottom margin. All entries in the table of contents must match the text according to wording and page numbering.
- List of Figures - Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- List of Tables – Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- List of Symbols – Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- List of Abbreviations -Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- Nomenclature – Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- List of Supplemental Files (multimedia objects or files). – Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- Acknowledgements (Optional) –Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- Dedication (Optional) –Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- Preface (Optional) –Page numbers are still Roman numerals.
- Introduction – The first page is numbered with Arabic numeral 1. All sections, from the first page to the last page, should be numbered consecutively.
- Text/Chapters –The text should be divided into parts and/or chapters. Continue Arabic numbers.
- Conclusion –Continue Arabic numbers.
- References and/or bibliography – Continue Arabic numbers.
Appendix or Appendices, as needed – Continue Arabic numbers.
MARGINS
All margins will be 1”. If the thesis/dissertation/report is printed to be bound for personal use, the left margin of the final PDF should be at least 1.5”.
TITLE PAGE
You must use the name as it is recorded officially at Kansas State University. Author and title will appear in upper case. Greek letters, chemical names, and other unusual characters will be spelled out.
FONT AND SPACING
Standard 12 or 10-point font size is preferred, but non-standard fonts and size may be used if they are fully legible and acceptable to the committee and the Graduate School. The font and size should be consistent throughout the document. Standard double spacing for the text is preferred, 1. 5 is acceptable. Long quotations, footnotes, multi-line captions, and bibliographic entries may be single-spaced. Double spacing should be used between footnotes and bibliographic entries. The font and spacing should be sufficient for someone reading the document on a computer screen. If the document is printed, the reader needs to be able to see what is shown without difficulty.
PAGINATION
Page number default is bottom margin. Begin numbering pages as Roman numbers with the abstract title page through the table of contents. (Arrangement described above.) The page count starts with the title page for doctoral students, and title page for master students, but the numbers are not actually displayed until the first page of the table of contents. Arabic numbers are used starting with the first page of Chapter 1 through the end of the manuscript. All page numbers should be at least 1” from the edge of the page. All page numbers in the thesis/dissertation/report (whether Roman numerals or Arabic numerals) should be placed in the same location on each page: bottom margin.
FOOTNOTES AND ENDNOTES
Use Arabic numerals to indicate a note in the text. Notes may be numbered in one of two ways: either consecutively throughout the entire manuscript or consecutively within each chapter and must be consistent throughout the document. Notes can be placed at the bottom of the page (footnotes), at the end of a chapter, or at the end of the document (endnotes). Once chosen, the notation style must be consistent throughout the document. Notes to information within tables should be placed directly below the table to which they apply, not at the bottom of the page along with notes to the text.
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS TITLE PAGE
The history program is closely affiliated with the Department of History, thus the notation of Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences on the title page. The graduate programs in food sciences, security studies, genetics and biochemistry are interdisciplinary programs and are not affiliated with a specific department. The title page department name should be listed as follows depending on your specific interdisciplinary program:
Food Science Institute
Security Studies Interdepartmental Program
Genetics Interdepartmental Program
Biochemistry Interdepartmental Program
The department of the major professor should be typed under his/her name. The college reference should not be listed.
AUTHOR’S PUBLISHED MANUSCRIPTS
If approved by the student's committee, previously published manuscripts in the author's name may be incorporated, if it meets the general requirements for permanence, copying, and binding. Such printed material may be incorporated with supplementary typed or reproduced copy as needed. Any tables or figures in the previously published materials must be numbered in accordance with the rest of the dissertation. It must be paginated consistently with the rest of the document. Only one page number may appear on each page and that is the page number within the final document. Documents must not include material restricted from publication.
USING PUBLISHED DOCUMENTS AS MODELS
Candidates should be cautious about using copies of documents shelved in the library as format models. Some of these works contain errors, and others may reflect earlier practice. Where the guidelines in this publication are not sufficient, students should contact the Graduate School staff for more detailed information.
MICROFILMING, COPYRIGHTING, SEQUESTRATION AND PATENTS
UMI/PROQUEST
Doctoral students are required to submit a PDF version of their dissertation to UMI/ProQuest. UMI/ProQuest maintains the Dissertation Abstracts database, which provides access to dissertations back to 1861. Many dissertations are accessible online at no cost. For others, copies of dissertations can be purchased through UMI/ProQuest. Students are paid royalties on the sale of their dissertations. UMI/ProQuest also provides archival storage of your dissertation, ensuring that it will remain accessible far into the future.
There is a charge of $55 for submitting to ProQuest, payable at the K-State Cashiers Office, 211 Anderson Hall. http://www.k-state.edu/controller/cashiers/
In keeping with Kansas State University’s UMI/ProQuest agreement, the Graduate School provides one copy of the dissertation to UMI/ProQuest.
SURVEY OF EARNED DOCTORATES FOR THE NATIONAL OPINION RESEARCH CENTER-UNIV. OF CHICAGO
The basic purpose of this survey is to gather objective data about doctoral graduates. These data are important in improving graduate education both at your home institution and beyond. Often, decisions made by governmental and private agencies to develop new programs, or to support present ones, are based in part on the data developed from this survey. All information you provide will be treated as confidential.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION
For a thorough overview of copyright issues, see the excellent manual, Copyright Law & Graduate Research, written by Kenneth D. Crews. Dr. Crews is a professor in the Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis and director of the Copyright Management Center at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. He has written extensively on copyright policies and fair use at U.S. research universities.
Please see the ETDR website – Writing Your ETDR – Copyright for more information and options available. Included on the website are details on including a copyright page in your ETDR, options for registering your ETDR for copyright and using copyrighted material in your ETDR. (http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/create/cpyrthome.htm)
SEQUESTRATION
The purpose of sequestration is to delay for a limited time public dissemination of patentable or otherwise proprietary or sensitive materials. Prior to the final defense, the student and his/her major professor may request that the University act to protect the student's rights concerning the dissertation, thesis, or report by temporarily sequestering the work. Approval must be obtained from the Dean of the Graduate School at least 30 days prior to graduation.
If the dissertation, thesis, or report does not contain material believed to be patentable, the student's major professor should send a request of sequestration directly to the Dean of the Graduate School. If the dissertation, thesis, or report does contain material believed to be patentable, the student's major professor notifies the University Patent Advisory Committee. The chairperson of the University Patent Advisory Committee notifies the major professor of the committee's decision. The major professor sends a letter to the Graduate School requesting sequestration.
If approved by the Dean of the Graduate School, the Graduate School defers electronic submission of the dissertation, thesis, or report. In place of electronic submission, a disk or CD of the PDF file(s) is submitted to the Graduate School. The disk or CD is stored in a secure location in the Graduate School during the period of sequestration. However, this procedure involves no delay in the conferral of the degree. The student whose dissertation, thesis, or report has been approved for sequestration still deposits with the Graduate School the normal fees for graduation. These fees cover the cost of microfilming by UMI/ProQuest, if applicable, at the time of degree completion.
Sequestration is normally limited to four years. Nevertheless, under compelling circumstances that require continued protection, the Dean of the Graduate School may approve further sequestration at the student's or major professor's request on a year-by-year basis for an additional three years.
If the request for sequestration is approved, the Graduate School provides the student a preliminary receipt for the required disk or CD after it is submitted. After the sequestering period, Graduate School provides the student and major professor a receipt indicating the ETDR file(s) have been made available through K-State Research Exchange and submitted to UMI/ProQuest.
As long as the disks or CD remain in the secure location within the Graduate School, access to them may be obtained only with the student's and major professor's written permission authorizing the type of access. On each occasion when the document is reviewed, it will not leave the Graduate School and the user must sign a form on the same day on which he or she uses them indicating he/she had access to the document.
At the end of the sequestration period, the University has the right to disseminate information from the dissertation, thesis, or report as an original contribution to knowledge. For the dissertation, publication normally will be accomplished by electronically submitting the work to UMI/ProQuest for microfilming.
PATENTS
The patent system in the United States, as elsewhere, has as its purpose "to promote the progress of science and useful arts." This is certainly a goal of higher education as well and in no way conflicts with the purposes of Kansas State University. The filing of a patent application opens the door to commercial use, whereas the simple act of disclosing the invention to the public frequently acts as a bar to commercialization. The interests of the public are best served in many cases by the act of obtaining patent protection so that the invention may be developed for public use.
The policies of the Kansas Board of Regents provide that all inventions developed under university auspices belong to the university, except as reserved through agreements with outside sponsors. To handle such matters the Kansas State University Research Foundation (KSURF) was established, and it retains counsel for patent prosecution, executes licenses for production, and distributes royalties to inventors. Those who may have questions about the potential patentability of their work should consult with the KSURF, KEC Building, 1500 Hayes Dr., Manhattan, KS 66502-5068. The phone number is (785) 532-5720.
BINDING INFORMATION FOR PERSONAL COPIES
If paper copies of the manuscript are desired, it is the student’s responsibility to send the order form, manuscript(s) and payment directly to the binding company of choice. For further information see http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/bound.htm.
Check List
Complete the following steps in the order shown below. If you plan to sequester your ETDR, see the sequestration instructions prior to the submission process. Sequestration information and instructions are located at: http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/sequester.htm
For all forms and information listed below, you may find more in depth information located at: http://www.k-state.edu/grad/etdr/submit/
Preparing to submit your ETDR:
- Deliver your final examination ballot to the Graduate School, 103 Fairchild Hall.
- Convert your completed ETDR to PDF format.
- Deliver your ETDR ballot to the Graduate School, 103Fairchild Hall.
- If you are a doctoral student, submit Survey of Earned Doctorate form to the Graduate School.
Submitting your ETDR:
- Register in K-State Reseasrch Exchange (K-REx).
- Submit your ETDR to KRE-x.
- Wait for confirmation that your ETDR has been accepted.
- If you are a doctoral student, submit your ETDR to UMI/ProQuest.
Follow-up steps:
- Pay appropriate fees to the Cashier’s Office.
- Complete ETDR Survey.
- Complete the exit survey.
- Update your information for the Alumni Association.
Congratulations!