Macquarie University Digital Theses Program
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Macquarie University Theses Program?
Is it mandatory to submit my thesis electronically?
Who is eligible to deposit an electronic copy of their thesis?
What if I completed my thesis before the Digital Theses Program began?
What are the benefits of submitting an electronic copy of my theses?
Why not just use my website to display an electronic version?
Will there be more risk of someone plagiarising my work if it is available on the web?
How do I know whether there are any copyright issues related to my thesis?
Will I be able to publish the results of my thesis if it's in Macquarie's Digital Theses Program?
What about publishing my thesis as a monograph if I include the full-text of my thesis in an online digital collection?
What are the University Regulations?
Who can copy my thesis now?
How do I convert a Word file to PDF?
What are the acceptable file formats?
What is the Macquarie University Digital Theses Program?
The Macquarie University Digital Theses Program is a collection of digital versions of Macquarie University Higher Degree Theses deposited with the Library. Records of the theses are included in the Library's Catalogue and are also available:- in Macquarie University ResearchOnline, the open access digital collection of the University's research and scholarly output
- in the Australasian Digital Theses (ADT) Program if they are Doctorate and Masters by Research theses
Is it mandatory to submit my thesis electronically?
Not at the present time. However, there is an expectation of a high rate of voluntary submission.Who is eligible to deposit an electronic copy of their thesis?
You are eligible to deposit a copy of your thesis if:- your thesis has been approved
- you completed a Masters degree or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.)
- you completed your degree at Macquarie University
What if I completed my thesis before the Digital Theses Program began?
If you have an electronic copy of your thesis it can be submitted to the Macquarie University Digital Theses Program which means it will also be included in Macquarie University ResearchOnline.What are the benefits of submitting an electronic copy of my theses?
- an electronic theses has a greater potential readership than a thesis stored in hard copy, it can be read in any country at any time of the day
- an electronic thesis is cited more often than a hard copy version and has greater research impact
- it is also protected from destruction by disasters such as fire or flood because it is stored in Macquarie University ResearchOnline's secure digital environment
Why not just use my website to display an electronic version?
The Library uses commercial software that is specifically designed for storing digital objects. It has the following advantages over a website:- Availability - a thesis in the Library's repository is sent to other repositories such as ADT, Google Scholar and OIASTER and is more accessible to academic searches. The thesis is assigned persistent identification so that a link (URI) to the thesis will always be current regardless of what machine or directory the thesis is stored on.
- Preservation and Security - specific preservation and metadata standards are adhered to so the digital objects can be viewed well into the future and are easily migrated to new systems with no loss of data. The thesis will also be protected by a thorough data protection policy to ensure backup and security. Storing your electronic thesis outside the repository may make it more vulnerable to loss or tampering.
- Access Rights - the ability to view or hide the thesis in a repository can be tightly controlled.
- Document Presentation - the repository can deliver additional viewing tools to enhance the viewing of the thesis. It can also create various relationships between digital objects such as images, video and sound files to create an enriched presentation.
- Searching - the repository has powerful database indexes that are created from standardised metadata and a full text extraction. This allows full text searching and controlled searching similar to a library catalogue. The search results can be sorted, limited and emailed in a citation format.
- State of the Art Systems - the repository will be upgraded regularly with new developments to ensure all of the above features and more are continually enhanced.
Will there be more risk of someone plagiarising my work if it is available on the web?
Plagiarism will always be a concern. While it can occur with print material, some researchers feel that their work is more vulnerable in electronic form because copying in a digital environment is inherently easy. Many participating thesis authors consider publishing on the web in ADT for all to see (with document security applied), a strategy for counteracting plagiarism and that a thesis lying in obscurity in a university library is possibly more susceptible. Incorporating your thesis into the ADT database will bring your work to the attention of a greater range of interested readers, will publicise your research and has the potential to enhance your professional reputation. Publishing to the web may make it a little easier for an unscrupulous researcher to plagiarise your work but it will also make it easier for them to be caught. Remember that plagiarism has always happened even in the pre-electronic world. If you have further concerns please contact the Macquarie University Copyright CoordinatorHow do I know whether there are any copyright issues related to my thesis?
Check Macquarie's information on copyright, and talk to Macquarie University's Copyright Coordinator. Parts of your thesis may be subject to copyright and access may be applied to whole or part of the work. Please ask your Liaison Librarian if you would like further information.Will I be able to publish the results of my thesis if it's in Macquarie University's Digital Theses Program?
Yes, however you should check with the publisher's details about their policies. Many publishers have no objection but it is important to check. The concern is that making the full-text of a thesis available on the Internet will be seen as "publishing" the work and may then make it ineligible for later publication. In practice if a thesis is published it is rarely exactly the same as the thesis presented for examination, as journal articles are usually based on a chapter or section of a thesis. The following URL might be useful in finding a publisher’s details: http://www.nla.gov.au/libraries/resource/bookpub.html. If there is a chance of publication, one strategy is to restrict access until a publisher can be found. In the case of relevant pre-existing contracts, you must consult with the publishers. Helpful material on this issue can be found on the NDLTD site.- "Publishers and the NDLTD" http://www.ndltd.org/info/
- "Statement About Publications" http://www.ndltd.org/info/pubs.en.html
- "Guidance for Students Curious about Placing ETDs in a Digital Library Available to the Web" http://www.ndltd.org/publishers/colinday.en.html.
What about publishing my thesis as a monograph if I include the full-text of my thesis in an online digital collection?
A thesis and a monograph published subsequently are rarely identical. Monographs are often based on a thesis but are usually re-written to include new information such as comments from examiners and reviewers and to incorporate new information. It is worth remembering that the market for many academic books is extremely small and publication is often economically marginal. The Internet may well be the easiest way of disseminating your research. Some argue that Internet availability may even increase the eventual sales of the printed work by raising awareness of its existence. Again it would be wise to check your publisher's policy on this issue.What are the Macquarie University Regulations?
Check the Higher Degree Theses Guidelines and the Library's Digital Thesis submission guidelines.In brief Macquarie University allows candidates to submit their thesis either in hard copy, or in electronic format. Those intending to submit material in electronic format however need to give early notice of their intention and a hard copy may still have to be provided at the examiner's discretion.