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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prepare Your ETD

 

Formatting Your ETD

In order to graduate, your thesis or dissertation must conform to the formatting standards set out by the university before we accept it in the WVU Research Repository. Except for the following specifications, any discipline-specific style manual may be used at the Committee Chair’s discretion.

For assistance with writing your thesis or dissertation, reach out to the  Eberly Writing Studio. 

   1. Title Page

  • The title page is the first page of your thesis or dissertation and must strictly follow the title page template, including all specified information and formatting. Avoid adding, altering, or omitting any details from the template.  
    • Suppress the page number on the title page. This is considered page i, but it will not appear on the page.
    • Do not add a running head or any logos to the title page.

   2. Abstract Page 

  • The second page of your thesis or dissertation is the abstract. Your abstract page must contain all of the information within the  abstract page template.
    • Abstract page must have a heading with the word “Abstract”, the document title, and the author’s name. 
    • Suppress the page number on the abstract page. Although the abstract counts as page ii, the number should not be visible. If the abstract spans two pages, consider them as pages ii and iii, but ensure neither page displays a page number.
    • Single space the abstract.
    • Do not add a running head or any logos to the abstract page.

   3. Front Matter 

  • Front matter (preliminary pages like Table of Contents and Acknowledgments) must be numbered in lower case Roman numerals (iii, iv, v...). 
    • Page numbers on the title page and abstract are suppressed, so while they still count as pages i and ii of the preliminary pages, their page numbers will not be displayed. 
      • For example, if your first three pages consist of the title page, a one-page abstract, and the dedication, the dedication page will be the first to display a page number, numbered as iii.
      • Continue numbering using lower case Roman numerals on your front matter until the first page of your paper.

    • **Page numbers i and ii should not appear on your ETD.**

    For help with formatting, we have instructions for formatting your page numbers with  Microsoft Word, and  Google Docs. Please note that the Microsoft Word instruction are for Word 365, and should work for Word 2016 but may not work for earlier versions of Word.  

   4. Table of Contents

  • Your document must include a table of contents. It should be included with any other front matter and will have a lower case Roman numeral as its page number.  

   5. Body

  • The body of your document (Chapter 1 or Introduction, for example, through end of document) must restart the page numbering at "1" and be numbered as Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4...). 

ETD Forms

ETD submissions must include completed and signed copies of the following forms. These forms will be uploaded into the supplemental files section when you submit your ETD.

  1.    Committee Signature Form - Required for All Submissions

    • All ETD submissions must include a WVU Libraries committee signature form.

      This form is specific to the libraries and is not the same as the oral defense form or shuttle sheet.

      The student and all members of the committee who attend the defense in person should sign the Signature Form.  Electronic signatures are accepted.

      If the student or any members attend the defense remotely, they may either email to the student or committee chair a scanned copy of the Signature Form containing only their own signature (physical or electronic) or email to the chair of the committee an email message expressing their approval. If possible, the forms and messages should be combined into one PDF file.

  2.    Survey of Earned Doctorates - Required for PhD, EdD, and DMA Graduates Only

    • All doctoral students completing a PhD, EdD, or DMA, must take the Survey of Earned Doctorates and upload the Certificate of Completion with your other ETD materials to the Research Repository. During the survey, you are free to skip any questions by simply moving to the next question.

  3.    Embargo Form - Only Required if You are Requesting an Embargo 

    • When a student submits an embargo request form, the embargo restricts the full-text copy of your thesis or dissertation from public view.

      There are two types of embargoes: one year embargoes and permanent embargoes. One year embargoes start at the date of submission, and may be renewed annually by contacting the WVU Libraries. They are typically granted to authors who have a pending publication or patent based on their work.

      Permanent embargoes may only be selected for individuals completing an MFA-Creative Writing program or for projects that contain sensitive Export Controlled information. The full text of the ETD will not be available for download or access without permission from the original author, and the WVU Export Control Office when applicable.