Learn about ETDs

What is an ETD?
Advantages of ETDs
Other ETD Websites
Copyright Issues

What is an ETD?

An electronic thesis or dissertation (an ETD) is a document that serves as the formal record of a graduate student’s research.

An ETD is much like a traditional paper thesis or dissertation. It has the same components—a title page, an approval page, an abstract, the text of your paper (including figures and tables), notes, and references. It describes the research project, outlines the research methodology, places the project in the literature of the discipline, and provides an analysis and interpretation of the findings.

An ETD is also different. Obviously, it is an electronic document or file, typically available via the Web. This “new” format has significant advantages for authors, institutions, and users.

Advantages of ETDs

Authors, institutions, and users all benefit from ETDs.

For authors, ETDs offer greater flexibility in the presentation of their research and, possibly, reduced preparation costs. ETDs can be created using any word processing software or document preparation package; the resulting document is then converted to an electronic file. The electronic format makes it easier to manage illustrations, such as tables, charts, and photographs, and also makes it possible to include new kinds of illustrative materials, such as video or audio clips and multimedia files. ETDs can also cost less to produce because the need to produce multiple copies on high quality paper is eliminated.

For institutions, ETDs mean lower storage and maintenance costs and the opportunity to showcase graduate research on a broader scale. The library usually serves as the official repository for an institution’s theses and dissertations. Paper copies are bound and shelved in the library’s collections. By eliminating the need to bind and store a physical copy, the ETD saves space and money for the library. More importantly, the ETDs’ availability via the web means greater exposure for the institution’s graduate programs.

For users, ETDs allow easier access, via the web, to current research in their field. Graduate research is typically underutilized because it can be difficult to locate and access. ETDs, again because they are available via the web, make it easier for users to find and access the content. This ease of access obviously benefits the user, but it also benefits the author through greater access to his or her research, the institution through greater exposure for its own research and graduate programs, and scholarship in general.

Other ETD Websites

The following websites contain useful information about ETDs and other institutions’ ETD programs.

Networked Library of Digital Theses and Dissertations: an international organization devoted to the promotion of ETDs. The site contains information, links to research on ETDs, and a search engine for searching ETDs across multiple sites.

OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center : OhioLINK is the official repository for ETDs produced by its member institutions.

University of Cincinnati ETD Website: UC is a leader in the field of electronic theses and dissertations in Ohio.

West Virginia University ETD Website: West Virginia is also a leader in the field of electronic theses and dissertations.

Virginia Tech ETD Website: Virginia Tech was a pioneer and remains a leader in the field of electronic theses and dissertations.

Copyright Issues

Copyright law both protects your work as an author and governs your use of others’ copyrighted material in your thesis or dissertation. The following sites provide useful information about copyright issues.

Copyright Law and Graduate Research: This manual was produced by Proquest (formerly UMI) as an aid to graduate students engaged in research projects.

United States Copyright Office: The official site of the U.S. Copyright Office contains basic information on copyright and copyright registration.

WSU Libraries Copyright Resources: This website offers basic information on copyright.

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