Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD)
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Workshop
Each Fall and Spring semester, the Office of Graduate Studies in Lawrence offers an ETD workshop that is broadcasted live to the KUMC campus. See the Office of Graduate Studies Events webpage to find the date for the next scheduled workshop. The workshop is designed for graduate students at any stage of the thesis (master's students) or dissertation (Ph.D.) process. Various aspects of formatting and the basics of copyright are covered.
Recording of ETD Workshop
Visit this page to watch a recording of the March 2018 ETD Workshop.
Watch a recording of the March 2021 ETD Workshop.
Formatting Requirements and Resources
Below are the resources for formatting your thesis/dissertation to meet KUMC standards required for publication and graduation. Students must use their respective template, which is included below. There are also visual support guides to aid students' understanding of the formatting guidelines.
- KUMC Formatting Guidelines
- KUMC Thesis Template (master's students)
- KUMC Thesis Visual Support Guide (master's students)
- KUMC Dissertation Template (Ph.D. students)
- KUMC Dissertation Visual Support Guide (Ph.D. students)
If you have questions about these materials, please contact the gradstudiesoffice@kumc.edu.
Formatting Requirement for Previously Published Works in Thesis or Dissertation
If any portion of the thesis or dissertation has been previously published or has already been submitted for publication, the student must contact a research librarian in the Research and Learning Department for A.R. Dykes Library to discuss the proper style citation for each publication instance. Copyright issues related to the previously published work(s) will also be discussed. You may contact Dykes librarians either by e-mail at dykesresearch@kumc.edu, by phone
Inclusion of Tables or Figures (or other visual components) from another source in your Dissertation
Inclusion of a table or figure (or other visual component) from another source is acceptable. However, proper permission must be obtained for its use because it is not your original work, and it must also be properly cited. You are required to contact a research librarian to discuss permissions and copyright related to their use, and the librarian will advise on the proper style citation to be used for each instance. You may contact Dykes librarians either by e-mail at dykesresearch@kumc.edu, by phone
Formatting Assistance
Paul Thomas, Library Associate at the Watson Library on the Lawrence campus, provides technical assistance with formatting tools in Word. He provides his services to graduate students on both the Lawrence and medical center campuses. Questions regarding the formatting requirements and the template can be directed to the Office of Graduate Studies at gradstudiesoffice@kumc.edu.
Research and Copyright Resources
A.R. Dykes Library offers several online research guides covering topics like EndNote (recommended citation tool for theses and dissertations), Open Access, Remote Access to Library Resources, and more.
Two specific guides for students writing a thesis or dissertation are:
- Publishing Research - this guide covers tools for publishing research and includes important information regarding the Copyright Transfer Agreement. The transfer of copyright is required in the publication process.
- Dissertations & Theses: Using your Published Articles - this guide provides directions on using previously published articles as one or more chapters in the student's thesis or dissertation.
The Dykes librarians are available to consult with students on their research from brainstorming to publishing. They can provide individual guidance in the areas covered by the research guides. Planning ahead and utilizing the expertise and resources provided by the librarians will ensure ethical scholarly conduct and will help achieve publication goals. You may contact Dykes librarians either by e-mail at dykesresearch@kumc.edu, by phone
Submitting Thesis or Dissertation to ProQuest
The University of Kansas requires that all students whose degree programs require defense of a thesis or dissertation must publish their research in order to fulfill degree requirements. The publication requirement is satisfied by submitting the Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD) to ProQuest.
Your thesis or dissertation should meet all of the formatting requirements indicated in the preceding paragraphs on this web page. Before you submit your thesis or dissertation, gather the following:
- The Subject Category or Categories under which your research falls - ProQuest's list of Subject Categories
- Between 6 and 8 keywords to be used as search terms within ProQuest
- Your abstract
- Any documentation of copyright permissions you have been granted, if necessary
- Your credit card, if you would like ProQuest to file your copyright on your behalf (optional) - discuss this option with your thesis/dissertation committee chair in advance
- Your signed ETD Release Form, to ensure your embargoes match - see ETD Release Form below
Click here to begin the electronic submission process to ProQuest.
ETD Release Form
A signed ETD Release form is required in order for an electronic version of the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation to be included in KU ScholarWorks. KU ScholarWorks is the University's digital repository for scholarly work created by KU faculty, staff and students. The signed ETD Release form is submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies at the time the thesis or dissertation is uploaded to ProQuest. The ability to request an embargo of the thesis or dissertation to delay availability due to patents pending, sensitive data or pending publication is incorporated as a section of this form.
Embargo and Embargo Renewal (delayed release)
An embargo to delay availability of the thesis or dissertation due to patents pending, sensitive data or pending publication may be requested at the time the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation is uploaded to ProQuest. The initial embargo request is made on the ETD Release Form described in the preceding paragraph. An embargo may be requested for up to two years in length and is renewable at the end of the designated embargo term. To request an embargo renewal, complete this Embargo Renewal Form at least one month prior to the expiration date of the current embargo. The author must also contact ProQuest directly to renew ProQuest's embargo of the copy of the work that is in their database. Contact information: email disspub@proquest.com or phone
Binding Thesis or Dissertation
Purchasing bound copies for personal or departmental use is optional. Check directly with department regarding departmental requirements to provide a bound copy (this varies by department). Click on this link for the KU Libraries recommendation for binders that can bind hard-cover or soft-cover copies of theses or dissertations and additionally offer print-from-electronic file services. These binders follow the ANSI/NISO Library Binding standard.
Doctoral Completion Survey (DCS) for Ph.D. Candidates
All Ph.D. candidates must complete the Doctoral Completion Survey the semester they graduate. Please use the DCS link to access the survey. The DCS is comprised of questions from the Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED) and from the American Association of Universities Data Exchange (AAUDE). The SED is a federal agency survey conducted by a consortium of federal agencies to track the productivity and quality of graduate and professional training in the United States. The AAUDE membership is comprised of AAU institutions that participate in the exchange of data/information to support decision-making at their institution.
Viewing KUMC Theses and Dissertations
To view previously published theses and dissertations in ProQuest's theses and dissertations database go to Current Research @ KU (KUMC campus only) OR Dissertations & theses @ University of Kansas (KU Lawrence campus only). This database is the same for both KUMC and the Lawrence campuses, however, due to differences in licensing, it is accessed through different links. When viewing previously published theses and dissertations in this database, please be aware that KU Graduate Studies formatting requirements change over time so the formatting utilized on older theses or dissertations may not conform to current formatting requirements. You may also view previously published KUMC theses and dissertations in KU ScholarWorks, a digital repository for scholarly work created by the faculty and staff of the University of Kansas.For more information, contact kuscholarworks@ku.edu.
Deadlines for Thesis and Dissertation
The Office of Graduate Studies Calendar on the graduation information page indicates the deadlines for thesis or dissertation defense and submission of ETD materials.
Graduation Checklist
This page contains the graduation checklist and also includes detailed information regarding graduation.
Dissertation and Thesis Formatting Checklist
This checklist is a tool for committee chairs and program directors to thoroughly review dissertations and theses to ensure formatting meets ProQuest and Graduate Studies requirements.