The Dissertation Publication Process

(courtesy of Alicia Morris, former Dissertation Assistant)

WHAT ARE THE STEPS INVOLVED IN COMPLETING MY DISSERTATION AFTER MY FINAL DRAFT HAS BEEN APPROVED?

1. Dissertation Office sends your dissertation to the proofreader. This must occur ASAP once your final draft approval forms have been submitted to the Dissertation Office. Your manuscript MUST be submitted no later than the day of your defense. (1-month average turnaround.)

2. Dissertation Office returns your proofread manuscript to you to make corrections. (We expect the corrections to be completed within 3 months of receipt.)

3. Dissertation Office spot-checks your dissertation to make sure that corrections have been made. (2-weeks average turnaround. Most students receive their dissertations back for a second round of corrections.)

4. Dissertation Office approves final edits of your dissertation. (1-week average turnaround.)

5. Dissertation Office sends dissertation to printers to make the spiral copies of your dissertation and cotton-bond duplications that will be sent to the bookbinder.(10-day average turnaround.)

6. Dissertation Office ships out spiral copies of dissertation as per student request, (1-week average turnaround) and sends duplications to bookbinder (3-6 week average turnaround).

7. Dissertation Office distributes hardbound dissertations to Pacifica Library and students. (1-week average turnaround.)

8. Dissertation Office sends original versions of dissertations to Proquest to be microfilmed and copyrighted. (6-10 week average turnaround.)

9. Dissertation Office archives student file and dissertation.

HOW MANY DISSERTATIONS DO I ORDER?

Pacifica requires that you order 2 hardbound dissertations:

1 copy for yourself.
1 copy for the Pacifica Library reference section
(this copy will not circulate).

Pacifica buys 2 dissertations:

1 hardbound copy to circulate from the Pacifica Library.
1 spiralbound copy for the Pacifica Library at the Ladera campus.

FYI: You may order as many additional copies as you like.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

Spiral copies: $4.50 for comb binding and $.04 per page.
(A 200-page dissertation would cost $4.50 + $8 = $12.50 each.)

Hardbound copies: $45.00 for binding and $.10 per page.
(A 200-page dissertation would cost $45 + $20 = $65 each.)

SHOULD I GIVE A COPY TO MY COMMITTEE MEMBERS?

Many students like to gift their committee members with a copy of their dissertation, but it is not required or expected. Some choose to give their committee members a hardbound copy, some choose to give a spiral copy, some students only buy the required number of copies. There is no fixed etiquette here.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DISCOUNT OFFER THROUGH PROQUEST (THE COPYRIGHT COMPANY) AND THE COPIES ORDERED THROUGH PACIFICA?

The Dissertation Office offers higher quality hardbound editions of dissertations, which are printed single-sided and hand bound from our bookbinder in Oregon. It is the requirement of our office that students order 2 hardbound copies of their dissertation through our printer and binder.

Proquest prints their copies double-sided on lower quality paper and uses lower quality materials for their hardbounds. Their prints are made from the microfilm version of your dissertation. The softbound copies are smaller and also printed double-sided. Some students prefer to order their softbound copies through Proquest because they are more compact. However, note that if you are working with color documents, the Proquest hardbound and softbound dissertations are printed only in black and white.

Also note: due to the chronology of our publication process, orders through Proquest will be received much later than orders through the Dissertation Office.

WHAT IF I CHOOSE TO INCORPORATE COLOR IMAGES IN MY DISSERTATION?

Pacifica does not print color copies of your work. If you are using color images in your work, it is your responsibility to provide the Dissertation Office with a set of color copies for every dissertation you order, as well as a set for the copies ordered by Pacifica. Your original set does not count because that copy is sent to be microfilmed and copyrighted and then archived it it’s original form. These color copies must be on high quality archival paper such as 100% cotton bond.

To cut cost, some students choose only to provide color copies for the hardbound versions of their work, and to have their spirals printed in black and white. This is also acceptable.