Electronic Thesis & Dissertation (ETD) Guidelines

The University at Buffalo is committed to ensuring equal access to information that is presented online as per UB's Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility Policy. As part of this commitment, university web content must be accessible to everyone, including individuals with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments, with or without the use of assistive technology.

Refer to Microsoft's Accessibility Guide and the UB's ETD Template to help create an accessible document that includes:

• Alternative text for all visuals, including pictures, graphics and charts.
• Meaningful hyperlinked text.
• Logical semantic (heading) structure.
• Logical table structure with proper table headings.
  

Additionally, Deque University offers on-demand, self-paced training on web accessibility, document accessibility, disability etiquette, accessibility testing and more. Through a SUNY agreement, all UB students are eligible to access the full Deque curriculum. The resources below are available through Deque University, and you must log in to access them. Learn more about the Deque University at the University at Buffalo and how to request access.

The ETD Template can be used to help format your document. Keep in mind the following:

• Font and Size: Minimum of 12 characters per inch (or 12 point font). Simple fonts must be used (e.g., Arial, Helvetica, Tahoma).
  
• Margins: All pages should be have a one-inch (1") white margin on all four sides. Only the page number is allowed within the margin.
• Pagination: The title page is to be unnumbered, but should be counted as “page 1”. With the exception of the title page, all of the pages in your document should be numbered, including the principal text, all tables, diagrams, maps, etc. Roman numerals (I, II, III) should be used on the preliminary pages and Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) are used on the pages that follow the abstract.
• Page Numbering Placement: Generally the page number is placed in the upper right, lower right or bottom center of the page. Regardless of where you place the page numbers, be sure they are consistent throughout the document.
• Spacing: Use double-spacing consistently throughout the document, except for long quotations, footnotes and endnotes, which are typically single-spaced. Check your selected style manual for further details on spacing.
• Blank Pages: There should be no blank pages in your document. If you wish to leave a blank page, it must be labeled as follows: “This Page Intentionally Left Blank”.
• Headers: Use the correct heading hierarchy as headings are one of the primary ways screen reader users navigate within a document. There should be no running headers throughout your document.

The ETD Template can be used to help format your (required) title page. Keep in mind the following:

• Do not number the title page. While it is technically Roman numeral i, the number is not displayed on the page itself. 
• The title page must follow the format in the ETD Template.
  
• Be sure to use your department's official name and your full legal name.
  
• The title on your manuscript must match the approved title on your M-form.
  
• When possible, incorporate word substitutes for formulae and symbols.

The ETD Template can be used to help format your document. Your document should adhere the following prescribed order.

• Title page (required).
  
• Copyright page (required). The copyright page is required but you are not mandated to file or pay for a copyright. The date of your defense should be listed on the title page and a copyright page follows the title page in the following format. In the center lower third of the page, just above the bottom margin, type the following (*the Roman numeral ii is to be centered at the bottom of the page).
  

                        Copyright
                  Center your name
            Center the conferral year
                 All Rights Reserved

                              (ii)*

        For reference, a visual of the Copyright page can be found on page ii of the ETD template.

• Dedication and/or acknowledgments pages (optional). If you decide to have an acknowledgment section, be sure not to omit any members of your committee. While this section is optional, if included, it should be numbered with Roman numerals.
  
• Table of contents (required). The table of contents (TOC) page(s) should also be numbered with Roman numerals. Include the dedication/acknowledgment, abstract and any lists within the TOC. Do not include the title page, the copyright page or the TOC page(s). While a TOC is required, it may follow any format acceptable to your advisor and committee as long as it includes all main divisions and subdivisions within your text and the format is consistent.
  
• Lists of tables, figures, illustrations, charts and graphs (optional). Follow the format used for your TOC. Use a separate page for each type of list. Be sure to number with the appropriate Roman numerals.
• Abstract (required). The abstract page should be numbered with the appropriate Roman numeral. An abstract of your thesis or dissertation is required. It should be a succinct and concise narrative description of your work. Briefly state your topic or problem, describe the procedures and methods you used and summarize your findings or conclusions. Do not use tables, graphs or figures in your abstract.
• Chapters or main divisions of the document (required). The text should be double-spaced and each page must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number 1. As you turn the content of your research into a professional document, be sure to use a writing style appropriate to your subject and discipline. The document also needs to consistently follow acceptable standards of punctuation, spelling and format. Be sure chapter titles and subheadings follow your style manual. It is best to include tables or other illustrative materials as necessary in the main body of the document when they are essential to the text.
• Subheadings. For clarity and flow, it is best not to begin any subheadings or other divisions on separate pages unless the preceding page is filled. If the subheading falls at the very end of a page, move it to the next page unless at least two lines of text can follow the subheading on that page. Be sure to keep subheadings consistent in position and style throughout the document.
• Footnotes/Endnotes. Place footnotes, if used, at the bottom of the appropriate page, at the end of each chapter or at the end of the document. Refer to the style manual you have chosen. Notes are usually single-spaced. If you group your notes at the end of each chapter, begin them on the first page following the text of that chapter. Also begin the first page in each note section with the heading “Endnotes to Chapter___” or “Notes to Chapter___.”
• Appendix (if applicable). Appendices are used when you wish to add materials (such as charts, graphs, surveys, etc.) not essential to the text. The appendix is generally placed before the bibliography or references section, and after the last page of the last chapter of text. These pages also need to be numbered. Remember to include a list of appendices in your preliminary pages if you have more than one appendix.
• Bibliography or references (required). The bibliography or list of references should be single-spaced for each entry and then double-spaced between entries. Group all entries in strict alphabetical order or in another way that seems appropriate to your research and helpful to your readers. Be sure to use the format that is consistent with the format style approved by your advisor and committee. These pages must be numbered as well.

Final Check: Review your document carefully to be sure it is correctly formatted, that all spelling and grammar is correct, and that the document is totally free of errors. Check that there are no blank pages, omitted paragraphs or missing sections. Be sure the preliminary pages of your document are in the proper order and the pagination is correct. Run the accessibility checker on your document (i.e., Accessibility Checker in MS Word or ACE by Daisy Consortium if EPUB).

Electronic submission of your thesis or dissertation in PDF format is mandatory. When converting your document to PDF, select "Save as PDF" to preserve the accessibility. Avoid printing to PDF. Use Quartz to convert to PDF and ProQuest's PDF convesion tool to preserve accessibility. Printing and scanning the document should also be avoided. When you are ready to submit your PDF document, go to the ETD Administrator website.

Write your document as you normally would any other research paper while keeping in mind the following tips on how to format your thesis or dissertation in a PDF-friendly manner, to ensure that your later conversion from MS Word, LaTeX, etc., will go smoothly. Refer to the ProQuest Support Center for more tips and helpful hints.

• Spacing and pagination: Use tabs instead of a series of spaces to align text. Insert page breaks instead of a series of paragraphs to start a new page. Use section breaks to change the format between pages in the document. Use line spacing instead of using enter or return to create space between lines. 
• Graphics: JPEG, TIFF, PNG or other appropriate file formats can be added. When possible, it is best to use a high resolution such as 600 dpi. Avoid using graphic editors that are part of a word processor. Ensure that all graphics have alternative text.
• Equations: Microsoft Word users should not use Word's Equation Editor. Instead, use MathType to create MathML in Word or MathML Cloud to create a PNG image with good alternative text, and Symbol font, along with superscripts and subscripts to create equations.
• Orientation: Portrait, rather than landscape, orientation is preferred. Utilize standard 8 ½” x 11” page size. Avoid including multiple book pages on one single PDF page, as this will diminish appearance and printing quality.
• Supplemental files (optional): Supplemental files (images, data, etc.) that are an integral part of the thesis or dissertation, but not part of the full-text should be uploaded along with your PDF during the submission process. Supplemental files should be titled according to the following naming convention: Supplemental_File_Title (i.e., no spaces or punctuation marks in the file name. You may use dashes or underscores).