skip to content W3C SVG

Thesis Season!

Publish date: Apr 4, 2022

As we near May, the library wants to remind you of a few things to ensure an easy submission.

We are happy to help and/or guide you through every aspect of submitting. Please do not hesitate to come in or email if you have any questions, we are here to help!

Guide to all things thesis related

Drop-In Hours:
Date: Every Friday
Time: 1-5PM
Location: Library Cafe, 1st floor of the library
Purpose: Assist you with formatting issues, printing, and/or submitting
Appointments: If you think you’ll need more one on one help, you can make an appointment

What we need from you by Wednesday May 11 (feel free to submit early!)

  • Signed Non-Exclusive Distribution License (initialed in both the access and embargo sections by you and your advisor) - Signed Certificate of Approval, printed on archival paper
  • PDF/A copy of properly formatted thesis (consider using the template!), first submitted through our pre-submission form for review, or reviewed by a librarian in-person (and then you will get access to the submission form)
  • If you have chosen open (universal) access and want a bound copy in the Allen Reading Room, a printed copy on archival paper (see below)

You are only required to submit a digital copy of the thesis, though you will still need to turn in a physical copy of the Non-Exclusive Distribution License and the signed certificate of approval form. The distribution license requires you to pick which level of access you are providing to your work:

  • Open: Worldwide distribution via the Internet, or
  • Limited: Local distribution only to authorized users of Whitman’s network (current faculty, staff, and students), or
  • Opt-out: Not available to anyone (but still deposited). This is intended for cases where the topic or the treatment of the topic are sensitive or should not be shared

If you elect to have open access to your thesis, you can choose to print your thesis to be bound and shelved in the Allen Reading Room, where it can circulated. In the past, theses with limited access and opt-out were printed and bound but kept in the archives, but we are ceasing this unsustainable practice.

Forms: Both the Non-Exclusive Distribution License and the Certificate of Approval (2nd page of thesis template) need to be signed by your advisor. The Submission Agreement needs to be signed by any co-authors, even if they are not getting honors. Don’t forget to initial both the access section and the embargo section. The Certificate of Approval needs to be printed on archival paper (see below) and needs your information, advisors name, and correct date filled in. This is still required even if you are not printing your thesis.

Printer: The printer you should use in the library is the one marked 2nd_theses, between the front two public access computers near the WCTS desk. It will be available starting May 4th. Your thesis should be printed one-sided.

Paper: We won’t be putting paper in the printer until the 9th to keep people from accidentally printing non-theses related material on it, but until then you can always go to Kathleen’s office right by the printer (213) from 8-4 M-F. If you are printing at night or on the weekends, the circ desk will have paper as well.

PDF/A: Your thesis needs to be saved as a PDF/A, this can be done on the computers next to the Theses printer using Acrobat. Instructions