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Thesis / Dissertation Formatting Manual (2022)


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FAQ

I have questions about:

Submitting Your Manuscript

How do I submit my manuscript?
Once you are certain that your manuscript is complete and properly formatted according to the guidelines presented in the UCI Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Manual, follow the steps outlined on the Submitting Your Manuscript page of the manual.

Do I have to pay any fees when I submit my thesis/dissertation?
Please see the Graduate Division's webpage on filing fees.

ProQuest does not require any payment for you to submit your thesis/dissertation. However, it provides several optional services that require additional fees.

  • You can choose to publish your thesis Open Access with ProQuest for a fee. This is not recommended, as the University of California already provides and Open Access service for you through eScholarship automatically.
  • You can request that ProQuest register your copyright for you. This is not required. You may elect to register a copyright at a later date if you choose to do so. More information about registering your copyright is on the University of California Copyright website. 
  • You can purchase printed copies of your manuscript from ProQuest. This is not required. You are free to use any commercial service to print your thesis/dissertation, and many services charge less than ProQuest and have a faster delivery time (ProQuest will take 3-6 months to deliver your printed manuscript).

Do I have to use my legal name when submitting my manuscript?
No. You may use a lived or preferred name. This will be the name associated with this publication, and your name on your manuscript and your name as entered into the ProQuest submission form should match.

Deadlines

What are the filing deadlines?
You can view the current filing deadlines on the Graduate Division website.

Is it possible to obtain an extension to the submission deadline?
UCI Libraries is unable to provide any extensions. The deadlines are set by the Graduate Division, and the library does not have any influence over these deadlines.

How do I rush or expedite the review of my manuscript?
UCI Libraries cannot accommodate any expedited manuscript reviews or pre-submission critiques. We review manuscripts in the order they were submitted and cannot support rushed reviews. Please plan accordingly.

Pre-Submission Critiques

What is a Pre-Submission Critique?
When you request a Pre-Submission Critique, you are requesting that a UCI Libraries staff member reviews your manuscript's formatting prior to you submitting it.

Most critiques occur electronically. You can request a critique by uploading your manuscript to the Pre-submission Critique form. You will receive feedback on your formatting via email within 2 business days.

What do you look at in the pre-submission critique?
During a pre-submission critique, UCI Libraries look at:

  • the order of your preliminary pages
  • page numbering
  • inclusion of all required elements, including acknowledgement of copyrighted materials
  • formatting of preliminary pages and titles in the main body of your paper

UCI Libraries does not:

  • read entire manuscripts
  • comment on content of your manuscript
  • edit grammar
  • review citations

All decisions about the content of your thesis/dissertation should be made by you and your thesis/dissertation committee.

If you need writing support, visit the UCI Center for Excellence in Writing and Communication.

Can I get my final confirmation email from a Pre-Submission Critique?
No. If you are submitting your thesis/dissertation electronically, your final confirmation email can only come from ProQuest.

Once you upload to ProQuest, it may take up to 2 business days to receive the final confirmation email. This process cannot be rushed, so plan accordingly.

Are Pre-Submission Critiques required?
No. The pre-submission critique is an optional service offered by the UCI Libraries to assist you in ensuring your manuscript meets proper publication guidelines.

Formatting

Do you have templates to help me with formatting? 
Yes. Please consult the Templates page for downloadable templates. The Annotated Template may also be helpful in understanding the formatting requirements.

What order do my preliminary pages need to appear in?
Consult the Preliminary Pages section of the Manual for information about page order and examples of each page. 

Can I use a previous edition of the UCI Formatting Manual?
No. You must follow the current edition of the UCI Thesis/Dissertation Formatting Manual. All PDF versions are out-of-date as of January 2020.

Final Paperwork

Where can I find the paperwork I need to submit to Graduate Division?
All final degree paperwork is submitted via the official Graduate Division DocuSign forms

How do I determine the correct, official name of my degree?
The most up-to-date listing of degrees offered by UCI can be found in the General Catalogue or the Registrar's Major/Degree Database. When filling out your paperwork, writing the title page of your manuscript, and registering on ProQuest, use the official UCI title of your degree.

*if you have any other questions about your final paperwork, please contact Graduate Division.

Publishing and Accessing Your Thesis

Where will my thesis be published?
Your thesis will be published open access in eScholarship, and will eventually be cataloged in UC Library Search and Worldcat, in accordance with the University of California Policy on Open Access for Theses and Dissertations.

What if I don't want my thesis published right away?
If you plan to publish your work elsewhere, you can request that ProQuest or the UCI Libraries withhold your manuscript for a period of 6 months or 1-6 years. This is requesting an embargo, and it means that your manuscript will not be cataloged for the UC Irvine Libraries collection, published online through eScholarship, nor published by ProQuest in their databases until after the embargo period concludes. See the Embargoes section of the Manual.

Is there a way to prevent my thesis from being published indefinitely?
No. There is no way of making your submitted manuscript "dark." Regardless of if you submit your manuscript on paper to the Archives, or electronically to ProQuest, your manuscript will eventually be discoverable to researchers once an embargo period clears. If you have questions or concerns, please email gradthesis@uci.edu

If I want print copies of my thesis, do I have to order from Proquest?
No. You may order print copies of your thesis from any thesis printing/binding service, since you have a PDF of your manuscript (Google "thesis binding" to see various vendors). If you choose to order through Proquest, please know that it will take approximately 3-6 months before you receive your print thesis, and your print copies will be mailed to the address you provided in the Contact section of your Proquest submission.