Definition of an ETD

An Electronic Thesis/Dissertation (ETD) is an electronic document that explains the research or scholarship of a graduate student. It is expressed in a form simultaneously suitable for worldwide retrieval. The ETD is similar to its paper predecessor. It has figures, tables, footnotes, and references. It has a title page with the author's name, the official name of the university, the degree sought, and the names of the committee members. It documents the author's years of academic commitment. It describes why the work was done, how the research relates to previous work as recorded in the literature, the research methods used, the results, and the interpretation and discussion of the results, and a summary with conclusions.

The ETD is different, however, in that it provides a technologically advanced medium for expressing your ideas. By submitting your ETD, you are participating in the evolution and advancement of the nature of scholarly communication. ETD's may be used with supplemental files, spreadsheets, hypertext links, audiovisuals, and other interactive features far exceeding the print medium." Participation in the Open Archives Initiative, as well as, inclusion in NDLTD, increases visibility and usage beyond that possible with the traditional print document.

All students prepare their ETD by using a word processor or some kind of document preparation system. Submitting your work in electronic format instead of using paper allows you to fully use current and future technology as tools to express your research. Previously submitted ETDs may be viewed here.

If you still have questions regarding the submission of your work using the ETD process, please contact the Division of Graduate Education at (406) 994-4145.

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 10/12/07