Converting Your Document to PDF
Your disquisition should be submitted as a single PDF (.pdf). While you may already be familiar with making PDFs from Word, LaTeX, or other platforms, some methods of creating PDFs will leave out required accessibility features, such as bookmarks and structure tags.
On this page, you will find instructions on how to create a PDF from Word or LaTeX with its accessibility features intact. More information on these features and requirements can be found on our digital accessibility page.
Converting Word Documents to PDF
When you convert your document to a PDF from Word, required features can be lost if you use 3rd party plugins or print your document to PDF. Instead, convert your document to PDF using Word's built-in PDF exporter. To export your document:
- Navigate to File -> Export -> Create PDF/XPS Document.
- Click the Investigate Accessibility button to perform a preliminary check for issues like missing alt-text.
- If there are no items listed under "Errors" in the Accessibility Checker pane, return back to File -> Export -> Create PDF/XPS Document and click the Create PDF/XPS button.
- In the Publish as PDF or XPS dialog box, click Options.
- Set "publish what" to "document". Do not export your document with markup enabled. Note that "document showing markup" is enabled by default and you may need to set this option whenever your export to PDF.
- Enable both "create bookmarks using headings" and "document structure tags for accessibility".
- Click Publish to save your document in your desired location.
In addition to the export method, you can also use "Save As" from File -> Save As or hotkey F12. In the Save As dialog box, change the file type to PDF and check the options as in step 4 above, then save in your desired location. Once exported, check your PDF's accessibility readiness with the PDF Accessibility Checker or a PDF editor.
Page Contents
- Converting from Word
- Converting from LaTeX
Related Pages
Converting from LaTeX to PDF
At this time, we do not recommend using LaTeX to draft your disquisition. While the platform offers many advantages, PDFs produced from LaTeX currently lack requisite accessibility features.
For example, if your document includes display or in-line equations, you will be required to create alt-text for each item tagged as <formula>. While these restrictions can be somewhat circumvented in Word by using Unicode characters to create equations, no workaround is available yet for LaTeX.
Additionally, the PDF engine in your LaTeX platform may not generate structure tags for your document; LuaTex is recommend by the LaTeX Tagging Project, but your template or packages may not be compatible. If you are unsure whether your template produces tagged PDFs, download the PDF Accessibility Checker and use it on a sample PDF. Another option is using Overleaf's proprietary tagging package, though compiling your final document will require a subscription. You can also tag your PDF manually in a PDF editor; see our knowledge base entry on digital accessibility for our full guidelines, including a list of computers with licenses for Adobe Pro and links to video tutorials.
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Disquisition Site Map |
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Preparing to Graduate |
Graduate School Policies • Templates & Forms • Pre-submission Requirements • Submit Your Disquisition | |
DQKB |
General Requirements | Accessibility • Section Order • Font • Headings • Page Numbers |
| Prefatory Material | Title Page • Approval Page • Table of Contents • List of Tables, Figures, Etc. • List of Abbreviations/Symbols • List of Appendix Tables, Figures, Etc. | |
| Disquisition Body | Paragraph Text • Equations • Tables, Figures, Etc. • References / Citations • Appendices • Landscape Pages | |