Is there a template I can use to write my thesis or dissertation?
Yes. See the instructions posted on this website under Thesis & Dissertation Template.
I’ve written my thesis or dissertation already. Can I still use the template to fix my formatting?
Yes. Though more difficult than simply writing your document within the template, it is possible to attach the thesis/dissertation template to a preexisting document. Instructions are provided on this website under Thesis & Dissertation Template.
Can you check my formatting before I turn in a review copy?
We would love to help! You can contact us any time during your writing process and have us check your document’s formatting. If you submit your document to us, please do not make any changes until we have returned your document. Any future revisions should be made to the file that we have worked on.
How long will it take to get my review copy back?
We process theses and dissertations in the order in which we receive them. We receive the majority in the weeks leading up to the deadline. The sooner you turn in your document, the quicker we will be able to return it to you. If you wait to submit your document until close to the deadline, it can take up to 4-6 weeks before we will be able to process it and return it to you. We receive 40-60 theses and dissertations in a typical semester. Please keep this in mind as you prepare to submit for review.
Why does it take so long?
During a format review, we not only take the time to make sure each work adheres to the Graduate College’s formatting standards, we also cross-check every in-text citation with the list of references and read through each document to make sure that it is both coherent and cohesive.
The deadline to turn in my final copies is in a few days, and I still haven’t received my review copy back to make changes. Will the deadline be extended?
Yes. You will receive an email letting you know that your format review is complete and you will be given a week from the date of this email to make your changes and turn in your final copies.
I don’t agree with one of the suggested changes to my review copy. Am I required to still make the change?
Ultimately, you are the author of your own work. Formatting and reference changes should be followed closely, but if an edit threatens to alter the meaning of a sentence or section, do not make it.
I embargoed my thesis or dissertation, but I just received a letter saying that it has been published. What happened?
A letter is automatically sent to you when your work is added to the ProQuest and ScholarWorks databases; however, this does not mean that your work is available to the public. No one will be able to access the document until the embargoed period is over.