Sydney Digital Theses

What is Sydney Digital Theses ?
What about plagiarism?
If I include the full-text of my thesis with Sydney Digital Theses will I be able to publish part of it as a journal article later?
What about publishing my thesis as a monograph if I include the full-text of my thesis with Sydney Digital THeses?
What are the University Regulations?
Who can copy my thesis now?
Why should I present my thesis electronically?
How do I lodge my thesis electronically?

What is Sydney Digital Theses Program?

Sydney Digital Theses is a digital archive of PhD and Masters (Research) theses awarded at the University. Sydney Digital Theses is a member of the Australasian Digital Theses Program which is a national program that provides electronic versions of theses produced by the postgraduate research students at Australian universities..

The University of Sydney was one of the original participants in the initial project which was funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) - Research Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities (RIEF) Scheme grant (1997/1998).

What about plagiarism?

Unfortunately plagiarism happens. While it occurs with print material many researchers feel that their work is more vulnerable in electronic form as it is easy to copy in the digital environment. While this may be true and while there are certain settings that can be used to make an electronic document more secure, it is really very difficult to prevent a determined plagiarist.

Some researchers believe that making their work widely available via the Internet constitutes a form of protection. They argue that if more people are aware of the existence of their thesis and are able to access the full-text, then the possibility of another researcher successfully plagiarising their material is decreased.

They also argue that a hard copy thesis that may only be known to a few individuals and kept in the collection of one library is far more likely to be successfully plagiarised than one, which is widely available on the Internet.

In the end you will have to make up your own mind on this issue. 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. It may make it a little easier for an unscrupulous researcher to plagiarise your work but remember that plagiarism has always happened even in the pre-electronic world.

If I include the full-text of my thesis with Sydney Digital Theses will I be able to publish it later?

Many research students hope to publish all or part of their thesis after it has been accepted. They are concerned that making the full-text of their 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. Journal articles are usually based on a chapter or section of a thesis.

Some major journal publishers such as Elsevier have already accepted electronic publication of theses and are quite happy to publish articles based on these theses. However, some publishers insist on first publication and may well reject an article based on a thesis made available on the Internet. To be totally sure about this issue it would be wise for you to check the policy of relevant journal publishers.

What about publishing my thesis as a monograph if I include the full-text of my thesis with Sydney Digital Theses?

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. In general output from university presses is declining and it is becoming increasingly difficult to publish an academic monograph especially in Australia. Publishing your thesis on the Internet may well be the easiest way of disseminating your research.

Some argue that making a monograph available on the Web does not affect the market for a monograph. They believe that most people will not want to read a full book on screen or print the entire work. They suggest 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 University Regulations?

The University Regulations regarding theses are outlined in the University Calendar and in the Academic policy of the University regarding Higher Degree Theses. Information can also be obtained from the SUPRA 2000 Thesis Guide.

In brief, the 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. In addition, the Senate Regulations still require that an archival copy of the thesis on acid free paper be lodged with the University Library.

Who can copy my thesis now?

Except where an exemption has been granted, the University requires that any thesis deposited with the Library be immediately available for use. (The grounds for such exemption are outlined in the Academic Policy for Higher Degree Theses).

Under the current copyright regulations the Library is free to make a copy of a thesis, in whole or in part, if this is requested by an individual for the purposes of research, criticism or review.

Why should I lodge my thesis electronically?

Print theses are difficult to access and costly to copy, and your research will end up being underutilized. Electronic submission means that with your permission, researchers from all over the world can access your thesis from the web. You can improve the value of your thesis by adding colour graphics, animation, video and audio clips, and hypertext links to related literature. This will help promote you and your research,  and the process will give you valuable experience in the area of electronic publishing.

How do I lodge my thesis electronically?

You can lodge a copy of your thesis at the site Depositing Your Digital Thesis. You will find information about the requirements, and an easy form to complete the basic information required by the thesis database.