Guidelines for Electronic Dissertations:

How to Create an Electronic Dissertation Suitable for Submission?

This document presents a step by step guide to create PDF files for taught postgraduate dissertations. Students and Departments can follow these steps to convert their individual dissertation word-processed files into PDF files. Students should confirm with their individual Colleges or Departments whether the PDF files should be submitted together with the hardcopy of the dissertation or separately at a later time.

Software Requirement:

Adobe Acrobat 5.0, Adobe Professional 6.0 or latest version, Micosoft Word 2007.

To comply with the Data Privacy Ordinance and the Intellectual Property policy of the University, each taught postgraduate dissertation's PDF file must include the student's name to recognize the student as the owner of the copyright of the material. However, the student's ID number must NOT be included in any part of the taught postgraduate dissertation's PDF file.

Before creating documents in PDF format, you should have source files as described in the section of Format of Electronic Dissertations. Then you may convert each file into PDF format using the following procedures.

Procedure of Creating Documents to PDF Files (using Adobe Acrobat)

1. Access to a PC with Adobe Acrobat installed.
2. From the Program Files, click the item "Adobe Acrobat Professional". This will startup the Adobe Acrobat in the PC.
3. From the File menu, choose "Create PDF" and select "From File.
4. From the File menu, choose "Document Properties", select "Description" on the left pane.
5. Enter the title of the thesis into the Title field and your name into the Author field. This will allow readers of your electronic thesis to know that you are the author of the thesis.
6. Press OK.
7. Enter the filename according to the naming convention under the section in Format of Electronic Dissertations.
8. Click Save.
9. Review your pdf file(s) by using Acrobat Reader.

Procedure of Creating Documents to PDF Files (using Microsoft Word 2007 in Windows VISTA)

1. Access to a PC with Microsoft Word 2007 installed; for example, workstations in LIB Oval or Information Space.
2. Click on "Work Desk" Icon on the desktop, select the the item "Microsoft Office 2007 Professional Plus - Word". This will startup the Microsoft Word 2007 in the PC.
3. From the File menu, choose "Open" and select your document.
4. From the File menu, choose "Prepare", and select "Properties"
5. Enter the title of the thesis into the Title field and your name into the Author field. This will allow readers of your electronic thesis to know that you are the author of the thesis.
6. From the File menu, choose "Save As" and select "PDF or XPS".
7. Enter the filename according to the naming convention under the section in Format of Electronic Dissertations.
8. Click "Publish".
9. Review your pdf file(s) by using Acrobat Reader.

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