• Steps in the eTD Submission Process
• Formatting for Submission
• eTD Approval Form

1. Become familiar with the formatting requirements by reading the Thesis Guide carefully(http://www.etd.psu.edu/thesis/thesis.guide.html). All forms can be found online at http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/current/thesis.html
   

2. Activate the intent to graduate on eLion during the semester in which you plan to graduate. For deadlines, go to http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/current/thesis.html.

3. Send a submission form and a draft of the thesis or dissertation (by email) to the Thesis Office by the format review deadline. Send as either a Word or a PDF file to gradthesis@psu.edu. Corrections and detailed instructions will be returned to you within two weeks.

4. Make any changes required by the committee (this can be done either before or after the format review, as long as deadlines are met). Receive approval from the committee in the form of signatures on approval page.

5. Convert thesis or dissertation to a PDF file for final submission and review the thesis one last time to be sure that no further changes are needed. It will not be possible to make corrections after final approval by the Thesis Office.
6. Upload file to the eTD web site and submit supporting materials to the Thesis Office by the final deadline. Supporting materials for doctoral candidates are the signed doctoral approval page, ProQuest/UMI Agreement, Survey of Earned Doctorates, and $70 fee. Supporting materials for master’s candidates are the signed master’s approval page and $17 fee.
   
7. Await verification by e-mail that your eTD has been approved. If changes are required, you will be notified. eTDs will be available on the eTD website after graduation.
8. If bound copies are needed, contact the Multimedia & Print Center in Hostetter Business Services Building (814/865-7544) (http://www.multimediaprint.psu.edu/thesis) or you may use an off-campus source. All copies are the author's responsibility. The Graduate School does not provide copies.

HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS/REMINDERS

• Have you included a one-page vita at the end of the eTD (doctoral only)?
• Are all pages numbered correctly (Roman numerals for the front matter; Arabic numbers for the text and back matter)? Be sure that the text begins on page 1.
• Have you checked your PDF file for missing pages, poor font translation, and other anomalies?
• Are all internal and external multimedia objects and files present?
• Have you included a Table of Contents and a list of each multimedia object type?
• Have you checked your title page for the correct date (month and year of graduation)?
• Have you completed all supporting materials for the Thesis Office (incomplete information may delay the review and approval of your eTD).

After you have written your thesis or dissertation, you must prepare the electronic version for submission. Overall, it is important to submit an eTD that has a consistent appearance throughout.

Global Page Settings
All the pages in your eTD should follow a general form regarding page numbering, margins, and line spacing.

Page Numbering
Except for the title page and vita, all pages in your eTD should be numbered. Page numbers appear in page headers or footers. Consult the manual for your word processor on how to set these up.You may "hide" page numbers on the first page of each section or chapter if you wish.

Number the pages in the front matter with lower-case Roman numerals placed at the top or bottom center or right-hand corner of the page. The title page (page i) and the vita (last page) should not show a page number.

Number all pages through the body and back matter with Arabic numbers (1,2,3, etc.).

The first page of the text, or body, must be page 1.

Margins
All margins for your eTD (left, right, top, bottom) should be no less than 1 inch, but may be more if you choose.

Line Spacing
Line spacing can be either 1 line (single-spaced) or 1-1/2 lines, or double-spaced. Your committee may prefer the working paper drafts to be double-spaced, but smaller spacing is easier to read on a computer screen. A spacing of 1-1/2 may be a compromise that will be accepted by your committee. Please consult them to determine their preference during the draft phase.

The format should emulate an 8-1/2" x 11" page (portrait style). Landscape style is acceptable where necessary to accommodate tables, figures, or other materials. Page numbers on landscape pages may be landscape style as well.

Fonts
For best readability, normal body text should be no smaller than 9pt.

Formatting the Front Matter

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The title page contains the name of the University, thesis title, author's name, and other important information (see example in Thesis Guide). The date that appears on the title page must be the month of the author's graduation (either May, August, or December), followed by the year. The committee page is page ii. The abstract starts on page iii and can be any length (every thesis and dissertation must include an abstract). The table of contents is next, followed by the lists of tables, figures, and multimedia objects, each on a separate page. Finally, acknowledgments appear as the last item in the front matter. See the Thesis Guide for examples and additional information.

Formatting the Body

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The text, or body, of the thesis is usually divided into chapters and often includes introductory and concluding sections, which may or may not be designated as chapters. Subheadings may also be needed within chapters to indicate the orderly progression of topics. In any case, you should decide on an appropriate system of headings and subheadings and apply it consistently throughout the thesis.

Footnotes and/or endnotes may be used. The numbering system for notes may be consecutive throughout the text or may begin again with 1 in each chapter. The format for the notes themselves varies among academic disciplines.

Multimedia Objects

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Multimedia object types include tables, complex equations, graphs, diagrams, digital pictures, digital video, digital audio, virtual reality, and even computer software that you have developed.

Simple objects
Most simple objects like tables, graphs, and diagrams can be embedded in your eTD using your word processor:

1. Put the object at the point of reference or "float" it to the top or bottom of the page or to the top of the next page.
2. Center the object between the left and right margins of the page.
3. Directly below the object for figures and above for tables, center the type and number according to its position in the chapter (e.g., in Chapter 5 we may have Table 5.1, Table 5.2, and Figures 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3).
4. Give the object a concise, descriptive title.

Complex objects
More complex multimedia objects, however, require special treatment. They either do not fit naturally on a page or the file size is too large to fit reasonably within a document. For complex objects, do the following:

1. Place the type and number of the object along with its concise, descriptive title, centered on a line by itself. In parentheses, include the media encoding (e.g., JPEG) and file size (e.g., 1.5 Megabytes).
2. See instructions below on how to connect object titles using the PDF link feature.
3. Be sure to submit each multimedia object file you have linked when you submit your PDF file.

Note that many complex multimedia object types have a simple object version (often called "thumbnail") that is a reduction of the picture or one frame of video. If possible, we recommend that you include this reduction in the main document along with a PDF link to the complex object.

References or Bibliography
Every thesis must include references or bibliography, either in the back matter or at the end of each chapter. You should select and follow a scholarly style manual in your field.

Appendices
Appendices are enumerated alphabetically from A to Z, then AA, AB, and so on. They may be placed either before or after the reference section. Page numbering should be in Arabic numbers, consecutive with the rest of the text or body matter. Do not use page numbers like A-1, A-2, etc.

Vita
Center the word Vita and your name (as it appears on the title page) at the top of the page. Include autobiographical information based on your academic and professional experience in paragraph or resume form. The vita must not be longer than one page in length and should not be numbered. A vita is required in the doctoral dissertation but not in the master's thesis.