ETD Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about submitting to Emory Theses and Dissertations? Here are answers and links to more detailed information.
Submissions
Are videos available that can help me know what to do?
Yes! The ETD Instructional Videos page has a series of YouTube videos including a demo of submission process.
Whom do I contact if I have problems submitting my thesis or dissertation?
Use this online help form for problems with the electronic submission process and the ETD website.
- For any other questions about using the ETD submission system, also try our instructions page.
- For general questions about submitting your thesis or dissertation, contact your school or program.
- For problems creating a PDF, consult the technology support staff in Emory Center for Digital Scholarship (located on the 3rd floor of Woodruff Library), MediaLab, Student Technology Support (located on the 1st floor of Woodruff Library), or your department.
Can I make changes to my ETD record after I submit it?
The PDF and other files you upload to the ETD site must be identical to those submitted to your school or program for approval. Your school administrator or ADAP must approve your requests to alter your files. If your school/program requests changes to your record, you will receive an email message stating that your record has been reverted to draft status. You can then replace files and edit your original submission record. Once you have made the requested changes, clikc "review and submit" to resubmit your record for approvel. Do not create a new record. Contact ETD staff for help if necessary.
Can I submit audio-visual files with my document?
Yes, but you must submit sound, video, and animation files separately. Do not embed them in your PDF document. You may include images and illustrations in your PDF. For information on which file types work best for archiving, see our Accessibility Best Practices guide (PDF).
You may experience difficulty uploading large files to the repository. If this happens, contact the Scholarly Communications Office for help.
If your audio-visual file is your primary document, you will still need to upload a PDF file of the distribution agreement to complete your submission.
Will my work be submitted to UMI/ProQuest?
Emory University submits dissertations to the ProQuest/UMI Dissertations and Theses Database. The terms of that submission are explained in the ETD submission forms, and the access restrictions you choose in Emory's ETD system will be mirrored in the ProQuest database.
If you restrict access to your abstract, notify ProQuest soon after graduation to request that your abstract not be included in Dissertations Abstracts. You must contact ProQuest directly at disspub@proquest.com. Provide your name, your dissertation’s title, your school (Emory University), and, if possible, the publication number. If you need to speak with someone at ProQuest, call 1-800-521-0600, ext. 2.
Administrative
What is the deadline for my ETD submission?
Your school and program set your ETD submission deadline. If you are unable to meet it, you must contact your school administrator or ADAP for permission to submit your work late.
How does my committee approve my thesis or dissertation?
Your committee will sign a paper document that you will submit to the appropriate administrative contact in your school or program.
What if my advisor or I will apply for a patent based on the research in my thesis or dissertation research?
If your document contains inventions or discoveries with commercial application that warrant patenting, consult with the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) before submitting your thesis or dissertation. You can contact OTT at (404) 727-2211.
Can I include copyrighted images, illustrations, sound files, and/or datasets with my submission?
In some cases, you need permission from rights holders to use materials that are not your original work. Getting permission is time-consuming. Start the process well before publication. For more information on copyright and your thesis or dissertation please see the Frequently Asked Copyright Questions. If you have additional questions, please contact Emory Libraries' Scholarly Communications Office at scholcomm@listserv.cc.emory.edu.
How do I cite something appropriately in my thesis or dissertation?
For help with citation best practices, Honors College, Laney, and Rollins students can contact their department's subject librarian for assistance. Candler students can reach out to the Pitts Theology Library.
Technical
How do I create an electronic, PDF copy of my thesis or dissertation?
We recommend you create your PDF using Adobe Acrobat Professional. You can easily "save as pdf" if your original document is created in Microsoft Word. If you are having any trouble converting your manuscript to PDF the Adobe Acrobat Professional program is available in Emory Center for Digital Scholarship (located on the 3rd floor of Woodruff Library), MediaLab, Student Technology Support (located on the 1st floor of Woodruff Library), and possibly in your department. You may also purchase a copy of the software through Emory University.
Access
How do I get a bound copy of my thesis or dissertation?
The Library no longer collects bound copies of theses and dissertations. Authors interested in having bound copies of their thesis or dissertation produced for themselves, their committee members, or their department/program libraries can consult the vendors below.
Vendors
Although we have examined the work of the vendors listed on this page, we cannot endorse any particular entity. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list. We encourage authors to explore a variety of vendors in order to obtain copies of their theses and dissertations at a price and quality that meets their satisfaction.
How will people access my dissertation?
If you do not restrict, or "embargo" your thesis or dissertation for a time, your PDF will be available on the web in its entirety. It will be accessible through the ETD website and through internet search engines. Your document will also have a permanent URL associated with it that you can share with others. Records are typically published after the registrar processes your degree (generally 4-6 weeks after commencement).
Can I restrict access to my dissertation?
Yes, you can embargo your work, which restricts public access for a specified period of time. For additional information, please see our Access Restrictions page.
General
Why do we need an ETD repository?
The ETD repository provides convenient access to important products of the university – master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and undergraduate honors theses. The repository offers web-based access to these documents, increasing the visibility of our scholars and fulfilling our mission to contribute to academic scholarship. Submission to the ETD repository is a mandatory step for graduation.
Is the submission process time-consuming or complicated?
No. You will likely complete the submission process in less than 30 minutes.