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Convert to PDF - All Word versions - Mac and PC

The text of your thesis, dissertation, or report must be submitted in the Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). There are several ways to convert a Microsoft Word document to PDF. For best results, K-State students should use computers that have both Word and Adobe Acrobat Professional installed. Computers with this configuration are available in the Media Development Center (MDC). Note: Adobe Acrobat Professional is not the same as the free Adobe Reader software.

It is not recommended that you use the Save As PDF option available in Word. This method does not properly handle fonts within the PDF document.

Off-campus students who do not have access to a computer with Word and Acrobat Professional should contact the IT Help Desk for assistance.

The instructions below are for Word 2007 and Acrobat 8 Professional. Both programs are installed on computers in the MDC. Even if you used a different Word version or a Macintosh computer, you can use the computers in the MDC to convert to PDF.

Flash Drive

If you brought your Word document to the MDC on a flash drive, follow these steps:

1. Open your file in Word.
It's best to open your file directly from your flash drive.
2. Click the Acrobat tab at the top of the Word window.
3. Click Preferences. The Acrobat PDFMaker dialog box will open.
4. On the Conversion Settings menu, click Standard ETDR.
5. Click OK to close the Acrobat PDFMaker dialog box.
6. In the upper left corner of the Word window, click Create PDF.
7. On the Save Adobe PDF file as: dialog box, go to the directory where you want to save the file. It’s best to save the file directly to your flash drive.
8. Be sure Save as type is set to PDF files.
9. In the File name box, type a file name. Required format for file names is FirstnameLastnameYear (example: SusanMiller2008). Click Save.

The PDF conversion process may take a few minutes. When completed, the PDF document will open in Adobe Acrobat Professional. Review the PDF version carefully, with particular attention to images, tables, special characters, and page numbers. When you're finished, exit Word and Acrobat.

E-mail Attachment

If you e-mailed your Word document to yourself as an attachment, first save your Word document to the T: drive, then complete the steps shown above. Save your completed PDF file to the T: drive. After you e-mail the PDF file to yourself, be sure to delete your Word and PDF files from the T: drive.