How prepared are libraries to support
students in compiling, formatting and
submitting their e-theses?
Sam Kalb
Queen’s University Library
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This presentation will look at ETD templates,
learning resources, and other support services
that the library can offer to help students deal
with the challenges of ETD preparation and
submission.
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ETD Service @ Queen’s
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Background & staffing
Student Support
Thesis templates (styles & macros)
 Instructional materials (guides, online tutorials, q &
a knowledgebase)
 Workshops
 File conversion to pdf
 Student submission
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All theses and dissertations will have to be
submitted to LAC electronically by 2014.
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Library initiative, based on Queen’s DSpace
repository platform (QSpace); working closely
with School of Graduate Studies & Research
Solicited project funding from VP Academic to
customize DSpace for maximum ease of student
authentication and submission
Mandatory e-thesis submission since July 2007
Continuous refinement of submission screens
during 1st year based on queries and feedback from
students
Developed initial Word templates in 2008
@ 480 theses & dissertations deposited annually
Downloads Templates + Guides
ProQuest
Metadata
export
programs
Prepares Thesis (optionally
in QShare: web file sharing
system)
Metadata + thesis to
Dissertations Online
Library Catalogue
QSpace
Metadata with link to
thesis
Converts to PDF
Theses Canada
Deposits thesis in
QSpace ETD Collection
Thesis Officer
Reviews thesis format
Asks student
for format
revisions
Accepts thesis
Deposit
completed
Student receives notice of deposit
Harvests metadata and
thesis
Search for theses
Student
Google Scholar
& other search engines
harvest metadata
System generates link from thesis in ETD collection to a
corresponding dept. thesis collection
If student asked to restrict thesis, access to thesis
blocked for up to 5 years but metadata is publicly
available
Library:
 Scholarly Communication Services Coordinator –
time spent on E-thesis services = .3 fte (1st year: .75
fte)
 .5 fte programmer/analyst dedicated to the QSpace
repository, incl. E-Thesis Service (1st year: 1.25 fte)
 Additional support from liaison librarians, web
development staff, etc.
School of Graduate Studies
 Thesis Coordinator
 Additional support from the Dean, Associate
Deans, etc.
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Library ETD web site (Wordpress) – templates &
resources
Library Instruction
Guides/manuals
 Graduate Studies Expanding Horizons Workshop Series
 Guest lecture in credit course on thesis writing (two
classes annually)
 Online tutorials
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Copyright website & instruction offered by
Copyright Office
School of Grad Studies web site
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Using thesis templates
QShare (optional thesis workspace)
Converting your file to PDF
Submitting your electronic thesis
Questions & Answers
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Answering the same questions and resolving
the same recurring problems one-by-one was
very time-consuming and frustrating for staff
and students
Most people do not use styles and other
advanced word processing features
Queen’s does not provide training for students
on these advanced features
Templates conform with Grad Studies
formatting requirements
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Preparing templates is initially time consuming –
but a good investment
New versions of MS-Word may require minor or
even major changes to the templates
Need to make realistic assessment of software you
will support. Our site clearly states that our
templates only support MS-Word (all versions) for
Windows with some Mac support (2004 & 2011).
Will you include macros to help users with
formatting & how many – macros are most
affected by software and policy changes.
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Styles conform to the Queen’s School of Grad
Studies thesis formatting requirements
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Macros automatically format headings, etc.
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Support only MS-Word (Windows, 2003, 2007,
2010) & (Mac, 2004 & 2011)
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MS-Word Chapter Template: intended to allow
students to work on each chapter as a separate file (if
they wish).
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MS-Word Main Template: contains all of the elements
required for a Queen’s thesis in correct order and
format.
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Benefit: simple template with editing macros; allows student to
keep thesis construction flexible and in relatively small
manageable files.
Benefit: ensures that student includes all required thesis
elements, correctly formatted; contains macros to help with
final compilation.
LaTeX Template: supplied and maintained by graduate
students in the Queen’s School of Computing.
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Benefit: provides sci-tech students with template in the system
they use to compile their theses. Not supported by Library.
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Guides to the Templates
Online Tutorials
Questions & Answers (searchable database)
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Separate manuals for 2003 and 2007/2010 MS-Word
templates
Step by step fully-illustrated guides to all the key
template functions:
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Step 1: Decide which Template you need
Step 2: Downloading the templates
Step 3: Read the Guidelines
Step 4: Styles & Macros
Step 5: What about saving my files?
Step 6: OK, I'm ready to write! (i.e. working with the chapter
templates)
Step 7: Setting up the Front Matter
Step 8: Assembling Chapters with the Front Matter
Step 9: Creating Landscape Pages
Step 10: Update the Table of Contents, List of Figures & Illustrations,
and List of Plates
Appendix 1. Editing, Navigation, Formatting and Selecting Shortcuts
2007/2010 Guide
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Guides to the Templates
Online Tutorials
Questions & Answers (searchable database)
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Created using Adobe Captivate
Follow the sequence of instructions in the
Guide to the Templates
Demonstrate the functions / features described
in the Guide
No tutorial is longer than 3 minutes; most are
one minute or less
Online Tutorials
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Guides to the Templates
Online Tutorials
Questions & Answers (searchable
knowledgebase)
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Contains all of the questions submitted by grad
students and the answers supplied since the
service began in 2007
Our Web Development Librarian
recommended Wordpress for its functionality
and easy to use
Essentially a blogging program, Wordpress
provided me with the tools to both design the
desired knowledgebase and host the ETD web
site.
Web Page
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Page function: used to prepare my basic ETD
web page
Post function: used to add each set of Q&As
Categories function: used to identify
categories for each posting
Tag function: used to flag additional terms in
postings for greater search granularity
Search function: accommodates a full text
search feature at the top of the web page as
well as a query by Category (as drop down in
sidebar and as a list at bottom of the page.
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Where to find the online resources?
Brief presentation on:
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Save-guarding/sharing your files (QShare)
Conversion to PDF (Adobe Professional)
Depositing your thesis in QSpace
Why use thesis templates?
Styles & Macros
Writing a chapter with the template
Setting up the Front matter
Assembling your final thesis document
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As more instructional resources were added,
attendance at ETD workshop diminished
Focus moved to making students aware of the
resources and their importance by:
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Liaison Librarians incorporating this information
into the resources workshops they offer in the Grad
Studies Expanding Horizons Workshop Series
staff in Grad Studies, providing this information to
students when they will be most receptive (after they
have finished their course work)
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There will always be a few students each year
who will have problems preparing their theses
with or without the templates and instructional
materials.
These students will require individual support
– in a few cases throughout the whole process
of preparing their thesis.
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Using thesis templates
QShare (optional thesis workspace)
Converting your file to PDF
Submitting your electronic thesis
Questions & Answers
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QShare “is an on-line file storage, distribution and
sharing solution for the Queen’s community. It
provides a secure, web-based file space where your
thesis can be securely stored and, if desired, shared
with your thesis advisor and others – anywhere,
anytime. QShare Personal accounts are available
free of charge to all Faculty, Staff and Graduate
Students of Queen’s University.”
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Using thesis templates
QShare (optional thesis workspace)
Converting your file to PDF
Submitting your electronic thesis
Questions & Answers
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“A single PDF file of the finalized thesis or
dissertation is required for submission. Each
student is responsible for converting their own
document to PDF format and verifying the PDF
version for accuracy. The thesis must be printable.
So, do not password protect the submitted PDF.
Supplementary multimedia files may also be
submitted with your PDF file.”
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“Adobe Acrobat Pro is mounted on all of the
Queen’s Library computers. You can convert your
thesis directly from within the workstation’s copy
of MS Word. Queen’s only supplies and supports
PDF conversion via Adobe Acrobat.”
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Using thesis templates
QShare (optional thesis workspace)
Converting your file to PDF
Submitting your electronic thesis
Questions & Answers
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The submission process is sufficiently simple
that few students need more than the few line
on the web page
Instructions on each screen have been refined
based on past experience
There is also a step-by-step instruction sheet to
walk the student through the whole
submission process for those who need it.
Guide to depositing your thesis in QSpace
Automatic authentication of registered Queen’s
grad students via LDAP + student information
system
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A student may restrict access to their thesis by
simply ticking the box and indicating the
reason on the 1st submission screen. The
embargo is automatically lifted after five years
unless the student requests that it be lifted at an
earlier date.
System supplied student name and file type
cannot be changed by student
Student contact
information stored
separately from thesis
record to generate print
copies
Added to thesis
metadata record
degree
Master
supervisor
Joe Smith
department
Biology
Queen’s ETD Resource Page:
http://www.queensu.ca/etheses/
QSpace Repository:
https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/
QSpace Coordinator
Email: qspace@queensu.ca
Thesis Coordinator
Email: thesis@queensu.ca
Sam Kalb
kalbs@queensu.ca