College of Graduate Studies

Process Overview: Please Read Carefully

Georgia Southern University is in the process of moving to publishing theses and dissertations in electronic format, thus the acronym ETD (Electronic Theses and Dissertations). Read the proposed GSU ETD policy and implementation plan.

An electronic thesis or dissertation (or ETD) is any thesis or dissertation made available in digital (electronic) format. This format allows the works to be made available through the library server or on the Internet quickly.

Advantages to publishing theses and dissertations electronically rather than on paper include:

How do I begin?

  1. All information about the ETD process is located on this site. The Submissions page explains the actual process. This "How do I begin?" section is an overview of the entire process.
  2. Decide on a word processor program to use, and buy a good reference book for the program. You will need to do some sophisticated formatting of your document.
  3. Write your thesis or dissertation with the word processor following the College of Graduate Studies' Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines. See ETD Guidelines on the formatting page. Be sure to read the guidelines manual, Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Student Guide to Preparation and Processing that is found at the ETD web site.  You must strictly adhere to the formatting guidelines.
  4. Defend your work.
  5. You must name your document in a specific way. See the FAQ below.
  6. Convert your document into one single file in the Portable Document Format (PDF). See PDF tutorial page.
  7. Submit the single PDF file to the College of Graduate Studies for format checking. See submission page. Remember to name it correctly!
  8. If formatting errors are found in your document, you must make all corrections in your word processor files, not the PDF file, before submitting your final document.  Before submitting your final document, contact your committee members and ask them if they wish to review the corrected document before your final submission.  If any or all of your committee members choose to review the corrected document before the final submission, you must send them a copy of the ETD as an electronic file attachment to an email; or deliver the file to them on a disk; or send them a paper copy, whichever they request.   If the committee member(s) require additional changes, the changes must be made before the final submission to the College of Graduate Studies.
  9. Submit ETD Release Option Form - If the completed ETD Release Option Form is not received in the College of Graduate Studies by the graduation term Final Submission Deadline, Release Option #1 will automatically be selected.
    10.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I name my document file for submission?

  1. You must name your file in this convention: lastname_firstname_middleinitial_YearSemesterOfGraduation_DegreeAcronym.pdf; i.e. if your name is John J Smith and you were graduating spring 2008 and the degree you were completing was the EDD, your file name would be: smith_john_j_200801_edd.pdf.
  2. DO NOT add the pdf to the file name when naming the file since the pdf suffix will automatically be added to the file when you convert it to a pdf file.
    The acceptable graduation semesters are:
    01 = Spring
    05 = Summer
    08 = Fall
    NOTE: The year will always precede the semester code - (Examples: 200801 = Spring Semester 2008; 200805 = Summer Semester 2008; 200808 = Fall Semester 2008)
  3. Your ETD will not be accepted unless it is named in this convention.

How and where do I submit my PDF document for format check?
  1. Go to the ETD website to sign up for an ETD account.  https://adminservices.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/
  2. Proceed to the Georgia Southern University ETD Account Setup screen.  To set up your ETD account, you must know your Eagle ID number.  Provide all requested information.  You will receive your ETD password from the ETS server.  You will access your ETD account, go to the ETD website and enter your username, which is your GSU email address and enter your password.
  3. Convert your word processor prepared document to a PDF file.
  4. Save and name the file according to the required naming convention.
  5. Submit the PDF document for the format check to the College of Graduate Studies ETD server by using the Upload Thesis/Dissertation for Format Check function at the ETD site.  Follow the upload procedures listed.
  6. Helpful Hint!! - If your file is large:  If your PDF document is greater than 15mb, you may have difficulty uploading the file from your home or workplace without reducing the file size.  To reduce your PDF file size, follow these procedures:

    a.  Open your PDF document in  Adobe Acrobat Professional (available on Campus in
          various computer labs).
    b.  From the File Menu, choose Reduce File Size.  A window will pop up.  Choose "make
         compatible with Acrobat 5 or higher".  Click OK.  This will prompt you to save the file (you
         will have to name it correctly).
    c.  After the File Size is reduced, upload the file to the ETD site by following the procedures
         listed.
     
  7. Remember, your ETD account must have been set up before you can submit or upload your document.

How do I have my document copyrighted?

    1.   Refer to the Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Student Guide to Preparation and
          Processing, page 12.

How will I know when the format check has been completed on my document?
  1. You will receive an email message to your GSU email account stating that the format check has been completed.
  2. Return to your ETD account site and choose "View" Uploaded Document.
  3. Format corrections will be indicated as "notes" in the PDF document returned to you.

What do I do after I receive my format checked document?
  1. Open the document returned to you and open your word processor saved document.
  2. Make the corrections in your word processor document.
  3. When all format corrections have been completed, again save and convert the corrected document as a PDF file using the required naming convention.

Will my committee have to review my document again after I have made changes following the format check and before the final submission?
  1. Contact your committee and ask each member if they want to review the document again before your final submission.
  2. If any member or members of your committee wish to review your ETD after you have made format corrections and before submitting the final document, send the member(s) a copy of your corrected file as an email attachment; or on a hard disk, or as a hard copy, which ever they prefer.
  3. If the committee recommends other changes, you will need to include those changes before your final submission.
  4. If they do not, you are ready to submit the final version of the document.

Do I have to have my document format checked again after it has been done the first time?
  1. No, it is your responsibility to review your format checked document carefully and make needed changes. Remember, this is your document and any errors that are not corrected will always remain in the document once it been finally submitted.
  2. If you choose to re-submit the document for a second format check, you may do so following the same format check procedures as listed above.  Be sure that the document is resubmitted by the format check deadline stated at the COGS web site.

When do I submit my final version?
  1. After you have made all corrections, convert the document to a PDF file and save it according to the required naming convention.
  2. Submit the final document in PDF format to the College of Graduate Studies ETD using the Upload Thesis/Dissertation for Final Submission function at the ETD site.  Follow the upload procedures listed.
  3. Remember, your ETD account must have been set up before you can submit.
  4. Be sure that the final document is submitted by the final ETD submission deadline stated at the COGS website - Important Dates.
  5. When your final document has been uploaded to the ETD server, you will receive an email message stating that your final ETD has been uploaded to the ETD site.

How will I know when my final document has been fully verified (approved) by all committee member?

    1.   You will receive an automatic notification that states that your ETD has been approved by all
          Committee members.


May I make any corrections in my final electronically submitted thesis or dissertation after the document is submitted and accepted by the College of Graduate Studies?
  1. No.  No changes are permitted.  It is very important that you carefully review your document and make all needed corrections before the final submission.

Am I required to have any paper (hard) copies made of my final document?

  1. No

Am I required to have any hardbound copies made for my department and committee members?
  1. No

What do I do if I want to have some hard copies made and where is that done?
  1. Hard copies must be made at the Eagle Print Shop on the GSU campus. Eagle Print Shop will only make copies from the final document that has been submitted to and accepted by the College of Graduate Studies and that has been verified (approved) electronically by all members of your committee.
  2. If you wish to have hard copies made, send an email message to the College of Graduate Studies etd@georgiasouthern.edu stating that you wish to have your file released to the Eagle Print Shop.
  3. COGS will not forward the file to the print shop until all committee members have verified the document.
  4. You may not have hard copies of your document made if you requested sequestration of our document.
  5. You must directly arrange with Eagle Print Shop for the number of copies you want and paper type. See the ETD Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Student Guide to Preparation and Processing for additional information regarding paper copies.
  6. You must pay Eagle Print Shop directly for any duplication charges.
  7. YOU MAY NOT take a copy of your document to an outside vendor to have it duplicated.

If I want to get hard bound copies, may I do so?
  1. Yes, you may. The paper copies must be made at Eagle Print Shop (see above).
  2. The current binding cost is $12 each and is done through the GSU Library.
  3. Payment for binding must be made to the GSU Business Office (Deal Hall) and must be made before delivering the sets to the Library.
  4. You are responsible for picking up the printed sets to be bound from Eagle Print Shop and delivery to the library along with a copy of the payment receipt for the binding change. The Library will not accept the sets for binding without documentation of the binding charge payment.
  5. After hard bound copies are returned to the Henderson Library from the bindery, the library will send the hard bound copies to your department office.  You must make arrangements to pick up your hard bound copies from your department office.
  6. The contact person is Charles Skewis, Collection and Resources Services Department in Henderson Library. (912-478-5115).

May I have someone else pick up my printed copies?
  1. Yes, you may. You will need to provide written authorization to give to the print shop for release of the printed sets to another person.

May I have someone else take my printed copies to the library for binding if I want hard bound sets?
  1. Yes, you may. You will need to provide them with a copy of the binding charge payment receipt to give to the library along with the sets.
  2. Only sets printed at the Eagle Print Shop will be accepted for binding.

May I have copies of my document made if I have requested that the document be sequestered?
  1. No, you may not. Remember, a document may not be released if it is sequestered.