ADT - Australasian Digital Thesis Program

Deposit/submission form

To setup locally:
This page is currently .../~thesis/cgi-bin/etd.cgi
Please rename this to .../~thesis/{institution code}-cgi/etd.cgi
Example: .../~thesis/QU-cgi/etd.cgi (for Queensland University; etc.)

The form at a glance: is relatively straightforward and should not present too many problems to the author/student or agent. It is recommended that the thesis is converted to PDF before the deposit/submission form is used. Then it is just a matter of completing the form, there is a preview of the form details before moving on to upload the PDF files. The preview is designed for the author/agent to double check the accuracy of the input, if certain fields are missed there is an automatic prompt and proceeding to the next stage is not permitted until this is fixed. The form also provides 3 options regarding viewing theses -

1. Unrestricted Access; the default option as well as the ADT preferred option;
2. Restricted to campus/authenticated user group;
3. All access restricted for a defined period according to local institution.

All fields in the form are mandatory except Committee/Supervisor information. When satisfied with the preview, the next step is to upload the PDF files [see Project Administration & Standards]. Uploading the files is relatively simple using the standard Browse function. The files along with the HTML are then sent to the designated directory on the appropriate server.

PLEASE NOTE: see Metadata standard; in particular 'Note on use of ADT deposit/submission form in relation to metadata' for important information on dealing with tags & diacritics in relation to metadata.

Administration page:

To setup locally:
This page is currently .../~thesis/adt-root/
Please rename this to .../~thesis/adt-{institution code}
Example: .../~thesis/adt-QU (for Queensland University; etc.)

Admin at a glance: comprises 6 elements and is where the 'work' of approving, updating, adding & deleting files and ultimately publishing the thesis into the public view. Included in these elements are 4 separate directories each with a separate function - Deposit directory, Approve directory, Restricted directory and the Public directory.

The elements and their functions are as follows:

• Deposit directory: contains ADTs that have been deposited. This is the directory where the HTML (full details as per the form) and PDF (uploaded thesis files) are sent via the Deposit/Submission form. The ADT administrator checks that the thesis/es have arrived intact and to standard, and when satisfied Approves them. This puts them into another directory ready to make public. Adding and/or deleting files as well as complete rejection of a submission is also possible at this stage if required. This step can be carried out by authorised staff (eg - the Academic Supervisor; or designated library staff). Academic supervisor could do the approval when submission of electronic only versions of theses is permitted by the Institution.
  
  All theses submitted no matter the restriction chosen go into this directory. When approved theses automatically move to other directories.
• Approved directory: contains ADTs that have been approved and are ready to be published into the public domain, or restricted to campus view.
  • if approved to go public his will result in generating a public HTML version of the form (bib details, abstract) with the PDF files appended.
  • if restricted to campus/authenticated view only, same as above. HTML details available public however appended files not viewable ex-campus unless authenticated, and viewable without restriction within campus. This requires local authentication and/or IP filtering.
  This can be done by the cataloguer if/when it becomes a true electronic only submission.
• Restricted directory: contains ADTs that have been approved but are completely restricted. This directory is for theses that have an approved restriction period according to the rules of the local institution. They will sit in this directory until ready to be released into the public domain. For theses to be placed into this directory approval by the Institution is required and double checked by the administrator. At the appropriate date of release 'Approving' these will move them on to the appropriate directory.
• Public directory: contains viewable ADTs. This is the view when a thesis has been released into the public directory. The software distinguishes between theses for worldwide release and those restricted to campus access only. When a thesis is released for worldwide access, the PDF files go into a sub-directory called .../public if it is to be restricted to the campus only then it will go to a sub-directory called .../restricted
• Help: access the help available to students. This points to the various help screens and links that are in place to help the students learn about the self submission process. This can be whatever the administrator wants it to be.
• ADT log file: This logs all steps in the Deposit/Submission process. To aid in looking at these logs there is also a log search tool at …/cgi-bin/etd-find.pl

Note #1: the student and administrator (or supervisor, cataloguer etc.) are automatically notified by email where appropriate during the various processes. Again, these are variables and can be changed to go to whoever is desired. There is also a Questionnaire that goes with the Deposit/Submission form. Similarly the results can be sent to whoever is desired.

It is important to be aware of where the automated email notification is sent and that this is acted upon when necessary. Remember that while the software is designed for the actual self submission of electronic/digitised theses we are not actually doing this. We are actually depositing copies of electronic theses (that have already being submitted for award through the traditional process). In essence we are doing it retrospectively. As a result some of the features of the software will not be fully utilised until we have a situation of real-time self submission of an electronic thesis.

Note #2: some theses will not be able to be wholly available in the public view. Some reasons for this are parts are not able to be digitised (eg.. specimens; rock samples); certain sections cannot be published due to copyright (eg.. images) or other reasons (eg.. commercial, libel, possible cultural sensitivities). Under these circumstances - partial theses can be depositied/submitted. The simplest convention is for a sentence to be added at the end of the abstract saying part of the thesis is not available and to contact the relevant institution. Sensitive material that can be digitised could be placed in an altogether separate restricted directory. Currently this would have to be done by hand at the local institution, with access to this managed locally. A new version of the ADT software would look at addressing partial access issues. For the future.

Note #3: the software also generates DC metadata out of the deposit/submission form. This is gathered onto one central server to form the distributed database. Metadata is currently gathered on a daily basis, with each gathering refreshing/rewriting the complete database.