Are you a master’s or doctoral student? If so, it is likely that you will be conducting research as part of your studies. At some point, you may be writing a thesis, report, or dissertation to record your work to share with the profession and the world. K-State has made available templates (in Microsoft Word and LaTeX) for students to use, in order to ensure that they include all required information in the proper formatting.
“Getting Started with ETDR Templates” is an online training on Zoom from 1 – 2:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 25.
Optimally, students would use the templates early on, when they are proposing their research, in order to have a structured document for the proposal. Others may use the template at the end once all their work has been done, by transferring the text, data visualizations, tables, and other contents into the correct template.
Online Training Focuses
This training achieves the following:
- Provides an overview of the ETDR sequence [drafting of the document, its review and revision, its transcoding to a .pdf format file, its submittal to K-REx, its review by the academic professor and committee, the review by the Graduate School for proper formatting, and the finalization of the submission of the thesis, report, or dissertation into K-REx (and the continuance of the submittal of the doctoral dissertation to ProQuest)]
- Reviews the online resources available to K-State’s graduate students for their Electronic Theses, Dissertations, and Reports (ETDRs).
- Offers direct consultations through K-State’s IT Help Desk (helpdesk@ksu.edu, 785-532-7722, ServiceNow)
- Introduces the respective Microsoft Word and LaTeX templates to participants and how to use them effectively
- Describes the importance of having an updated operating system and software (Microsoft Word and LaTeX editor instance)
- Explains how to process digital imagery for proper level of resolution (for fidelity)
- Demonstrates how to infuse accessibility into the document with alternate text
- Shows how to use captions for digital imagery and data tables
- Shows how to troubleshoot a document (thesis, report, or dissertation) for critical formatting and navigational functionality and other issues
The respective documents will require different source citation methods based on the area of study for the student. These vary by time, with the latest versions (editions) required.
Technologies are always changing. The current templates may require output through the O365 online version of Word for the navigation to work for Windows (in some cases) or output through Adobe Acrobat DC. For Microsoft Word on Mac, the Adobe Acrobat DC software (commercial license) is required. [As of October 25, 2021, the issue seems to have been fixed by Adobe.]
Other Online Resources
There is an updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section available online. ETDR help is also available through the Graduate School. Some light tips for formatting the ETDR are available. An ETDR formatting checklist may be used. There is a downloadable handbook as well.
Questions
This training will not be recorded in HRIS. No registration is required. All are welcome! Return participants are always welcome, too. It is hoped that students can take the lead on processing their own ETDRs as much as possible.
Please access the event via Zoom.
If there are questions, please email shalin@k-state.edu or call 785-532-5262. Thank you for your interest.
