What are the minimum standards?
The minimum standards for the submission of dissertations, theses, and selected projects are a set of guidelines established by the University to ensure that all such works are consistent in format and style.

Where do I get a copy of the minimum standards?
They are available at the BYU Graduate Studies Web site or click here to view and print the PDF version.

What's the purpose of adding the college dean into the approval process?
The signature of the dean, signifying acceptance for the college, gives him or her the opportunity to review the works of students in the college.

Is someone at Graduate Studies making sure I meet these style guidelines?
Graduate Studies does not review dissertations, theses, or selected projects. Each department is responsible for ensuring that the works presented by its degree candidates meet the University's and discipline's style and submission requirements. To avoid the unnecessary expense of having to retype or reprint your work, please check it carefully against the standards before submitting it to your department for approval or making copies.

Which happens first – paper or ETD?
You should have your paper document go through all approvals (committee, department, college dean) for content, then create the ETD once your content has been approved. Please see the very helpful checklists for thesis or dissertation submission, each of which gives a step-by-step guide for the process of document submission for graduation clearance.

How do I prepare my thesis or dissertation for electronic submission (as an ETD)?
Students submit their theses or dissertations as one or more PDF (portable document format) files. These are usually generated using Adobe Acrobat software, which retains all formatting information about a document while providing an electronic structure that allows for the addition of multimedia information. At present, this is the natural choice since documents prepared with many widely used software programs and document preparation systems can be converted easily to PDF files. Some of the popular document preparation systems being used include Microsoft Word (most common), Corel Word Perfect, Claris Works, TeX, LaTeX, and any other that can output to a print file (postscript), which can then be easily converted to PDF file format. For more detailed information on how to prepare your thesis or dissertation, go to the BYU ETD website at http://etd.byu.edu (see "Creating an ETD").

Where can I get help converting my thesis or dissertation into a PDF?
Instructions and a short training video can be found online here.

How do I submit the electronic version (ETD) of my thesis or dissertation?
The ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) is similar to its paper predecessor, however, rather than printing a hard copy for submission to Graduate Studies and the Lee Library, the thesis or dissertation is printed to a Portable Document Format (pdf) file for electronic submission. The submission is done electronically through the on-line ETD Submission Form. For more detailed information on how to submit your thesis or dissertation, go to the BYU ETD website at http://etd.byu.edu (see "Submitting an ETD") The topics on the Submission Web page provide detailed information on the submission process.