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Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Prepare Your ETD

 

Formatting Your ETD

To graduate, your thesis or dissertation must meet the university's formatting standards before it can be accepted into the Research Repository @ WVU.  Apart from the following specifications, any discipline-specific style manual may be used at the Committee Chair’s discretion.

We strongly recommend reviewing all formatting requirements on this page before submitting your ETD to help ensure a smooth approval process. Required forms are listed at the bottom of this page.

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.
    • Word limits are not imposed.
    • 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.

    • Important: Page numbers i and ii must not appear anywhere in your ETD. Submissions that include these page numbers will not be approved and will be returned for correction.

    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 is 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...). 
Browse recent theses and dissertations to view formatting examples:  https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/

Accessibility Notice (Spring 2026):
Students are encouraged to make their ETDs accessible; however, accessibility will not be reviewed for Spring 2026 submissions. Accessibility requirements are anticipated in future semesters. For best practices, see:  https://wvats.cedwvu.org/how-to-accessible-documents/


📄 ETD Forms

ETD submissions must include completed and signed copies of the following forms. 

Click each heading below to see details.

  WVU Libraries ETD Committee Signature Form - Required for All Submissions
  • All ETD submissions must include a WVU Libraries ETD Committee Signature Form. This form is specific to the Libraries’ publishing process 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 committee 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 committee 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.
🎓 Survey of Earned Doctorates – Required for PhD, EdD, and DMA Graduates Only (Click to view)
  • Doctoral students completing a PhD, EdD, or DMA must take the Survey of Earned Doctorates and upload the Certificate of Completion.
  • You may skip questions by moving to the next question.
🏫 Campus-Only Access Form – Only Required if You Are Requesting Campus-Access Only (Click to view)
  • Campus-Only ETDs are available only to WVU students, staff, and faculty via login.
  • Campus-Only Access Form must be signed by the student’s advisor.
  • See the Submit Your ETD page for detailed info on web distribution options.
🔒 Embargo Form – Only Required if You Are Requesting an Embargo (Click to view)
  • Embargoes restrict the full-text copy of the student’s ETD from public view.
  • One-year embargo for patent/funder confidentiality: 1-Year Embargo Form signed by the advisor.
  • Permanent embargo for export control: Permanent Embargo Form signed by the advisor and export control officer.
  • See the Submit Your ETD page for more details.