Disquisition Submission and Publication

You've reached a significant milestone—congratulations! As you complete your disquisition and prepare to enter the final format review process, use the appropriate link below to submit your hard work to the Graduate School.

Required Forms and Fee

Before you may submit your disquisition for format review, all of the following items must be received (with all required signatures) by the Graduate School. If any of the items is not received prior to submission, your official submission date will be date on which the last item is received.

• Report of Final Exam
• IRB/IBC/IACUC Compliance form, with any required documentation attached
• Signed Approval Page (DocuSign form)
• Pay disquisition processing fee which includes costs for:
  • Checking the disquisition’s format
  • Uploading the file to the ProQuest database and the NDSU Institutional Repository
  • Graduate writing workshops
  • Consultation services with the Graduate Center for Writers

File Format Requirements

You must submit your disquisition as a single PDF file. If you submit it in any other format (like .doc or .docx), it won't be reviewed until you convert it to a PDF.

We highly recommend writing your disquisition in Microsoft Word. However, you can use other software if you're able to convert your completed document to a PDF on your own.

Need Help with Microsoft Word?

The Instructional Design Center, located in QBB 150, can assist you with Microsoft Word in person or you can explore the resources on their website.

Additionally, check out our "Navigating the Format Review Process" video playlist on the GPS Academy YouTube channel. This playlist includes six "Word Crash Course" videos with formatting tips, a video providing an overview and demonstration of our Word templates and a one video explaining the format review process.

Publication

Publishing your disquisition offers significant advantages that align with North Dakota State University's mission as a land-grant institution to share research broadly. Once approved, publishing your work helps you establish copyright ownership. It also enhances your academic profile as citations from others can benefit your scholarly recognition. Furthermore, making your research publicly available fosters collaboration and connection with other researchers, both within your field and across disciplines.

Public Access and Delayed Release Options

All NDSU disquisitions are typically made publicly available shortly after Graduate School approval. However, you may have specific reasons to delay the release, or "embargo," your disquisition. Common reasons for requesting a delayed release include:

• Patent application review or the protection of proprietary material.
• Inclusion of sensitive information obtained from a data source.
• Plans for academic or commercial publication.

NDSU offers delayed release periods of six months, one year, or two years. This period begins on the final day of the semester in which you graduate. During this approved embargo period, your disquisition will not be accessible to the public, including potential employers and other researchers. If you opt for a delayed release for your doctoral dissertation, your accompanying dissertation video will also be embargoed. Additionally, any printed copies ordered through ProQuest will not be delivered until the requested embargo period concludes.

Requesting and Extending a Delayed Release

To request a delayed release, you must complete and submit the Delayed Release Form to the Graduate School. This form requires approval and signatures from your adviser, department chair or program director, and the graduate dean. When securing these signatures, consult with your adviser and department to confirm the necessity of a delayed release.

If you need to extend an already approved delayed release, you must contact the Graduate School directly and fill out the Delayed Release Extension Form. Please note that only the dean of the Graduate School can approve additional extensions beyond your initial request. You are responsible for tracking your embargo expiration date; the Graduate School will not contact you regarding its expiration, and you are solely responsible for requesting any necessary extensions.