Open Access Publishing
Publishing an openly available copy in the PSU repository is strongly encouraged. Making your work available on an Open Access basis increases the visibility of your work and removes barriers for researchers not affiliated with well-funded libraries. This often results in increased citations to Open Access works.
If you would like to make your thesis or dissertation openly available, please print and sign the permission form above and return it with your submission. This permission form requests a non-exclusive license to publish your work electronically. That means that you retain all of your copyrights and are free to enter into agreements to publish this work or another version of it elsewhere.
In some situations there may be reasons not to make a thesis or dissertation available immediately. Research that includes personal information of research subjects, a patentable discovery, or is undergoing peer review for journal publication may need to be restricted in some way. In these cases either an embargo or partial redaction may be appropriate. More information on these situations as well as restriction options can be found in the FAQs below.
Please check the FAQ to answer your questions and then direct queries to psu-lamson-thesis-submissions@plymouth.edu or Alissa Helms.
FAQs
What do I need to submit in order to publish my dissertation/thesis?
You will need to complete the Lamson Library Dissertation/Thesis Submission In-take Form first before contacting us to finalize your publication. This form will prepare you for the following requirements:
One digital PDF version of your work
At least 2 printed copies of your work + any requested personal copies
Signed permission forms for ProQuest and Summit Repository
Payment options for personal copies and shipping
How do I submit a digital PDF version of my work?
You can email the file to psu-lamson-thesis-submissions@plymouth.edu or you can deliver a flash drive when you attend your publishing appointment. Please note flash drives will not be returned. They are stored with your publication information.
How much will it cost to get copies of my dissertation/thesis?
Plymouth State University covers the cost of two bound copies: one for the Writing Center and the other for the Spinelli Archives. If you would like to order extra personal copies, they cost $20.00 each. There is an additional $15 flat rate shipping charge if you would like those personal copies shipped to a permanent address.
You are welcome to pick up your personal copies at Lamson Library for free. We will notify you through your permanent email address when they arrive to arrange a time for pickup. Please note that bound copies may take up to 6 months to process and you may have moved away from the area by then.
Where can I print copies of my dissertation/thesis?
You can print copies of your dissertation or thesis anywhere you want.
Please print your copies single sided.
We strongly recommend using a LaserJet printer instead of an inkjet printer. Inkjet-printed items have a higher risk of fading or smearing in the binding process.
We also recommend printing on 60/24 lb. weight paper. Examples include, but are not limited to, Lynx, Hammermill, and Southworth.
You are welcome to print in color or in black & white.
Our recommendation is that you utilize a printing service like Staples or the UPS store.
Why is binding going to take so long?
To get the best rates, we batch our shipments to the bindery. Your thesis or dissertation will not go to the bindery until we have met the minimum number for batch shipping. Please allow up to six months before expecting your personal print copies to arrive.
What is the Summit Institutional Repository?
The Summit Institutional Repository is where Plymouth State University houses a treasury of research and scholarly work generated by PSU faculty, students, and staff. Your work will be uploaded to this repository and made available to students, faculty, and staff with log-in credentials.
If you would like the general public who access the Summit Institutional Repository to be able to find your work as well, you will need to sign the Open Access Permission Form.
Open Access Permission Form: Summit Institutional Repository Open Access Permission.pdf
You can expect to find your work in the repository 4-6 weeks after submitting your work at your publishing appointment. If you have concerns, please contact psu-lamson-thesis-submissions@plymouth.edu or Alissa Helms [LINK].
Why am I also giving permission to ProQuest to publish my thesis/dissertation?
In addition to your work being uploaded to the Summit Institutional Repository, Plymouth State University pays for your work to be uploaded to the Dissertations & Theses Global database via ProQuest. This will make your dissertation available to anyone affiliated with a library that subscribes to this database (generally large academic libraries).
If you are interested in making your work more widely available via ProQuest, you will need to sign the ProQuest Thesis/Dissertation Permission Form.
ProQuest Permission Form: Proquest 2024-2025 Publishing Agreement.pdf
How do I pay for my personal copies and/or shipping?
You are welcome to pay for personal copies ($20.00 ea.) and optional shipping ($15.00 flat rate) via an online portal or in person using cash, check, or money order.
Checks and money orders should be made out to Plymouth State University. You should bring these payments with you when you attend your publishing appointment with the Lamson Acquisition team.
The online pay portal can be found here: https://plymouth-usnh.nbsstore.net/academic-fees
When can I schedule a publishing appointment?
You can schedule a publishing appointment with the Lamson Acquisition team after completing the Lamson Library Dissertation/Thesis In-Take Form. Completion of this form will signal that you have taken all the necessary steps to be ready to drop off your printed copies, sign any final permissions, and make any required payments.
Although this appointment should be your final step, we are able to answer questions at any point in your process at psu-lamson-thesis-submissions@plymouth.edu.
Why might someone want to restrict access to their thesis or dissertation?
You may need to restrict access when a thesis or dissertation contains sensitive information, for example personal details about individuals involved in the research. If applicable, consult the application and approval of the Institutional Review Board for guidance on what limitations are appropriate.
If your thesis or dissertation contains a patentable discovery, you may wish to restrict access. To successfully patent an invention, it must not have been previously published or presented.
If your work is currently undergoing or is likely to undergo a peer review process or you are developing a journal article based on the thesis or dissertation, you might consider an embargo. Open availability of the work would threaten a blind peer review process.
What are the options for restricting access to my thesis or dissertation?
Embargo: A publication delay of usually 6 months to 2 years may be appropriate while journal articles derived from a thesis or dissertation are undergoing the peer review process or when a patent application is pending. Longer embargoes are possible but not encouraged.
Redaction: Removing parts of the thesis or dissertation may be appropriate in cases where sensitive personal information is involved.
I am planning to submit an article to a journal based on the work described in my thesis or dissertation. Will making my thesis or dissertation openly available interfere with this process?
It is not unusual for an author to derive one or more journal articles from the work of their thesis or dissertation in order to share their discoveries in a more succinct way. You should always be upfront with the journal editor about the relationship between the article and your thesis or dissertation, but generally open access thesis or dissertation publication is not an impediment to journal publication.
Theses/dissertations and journal articles have very different requirements, formats, and audiences. Because significant edits to sections of a thesis or dissertation are likely in order to produce an article, there is generally not a “self-plagiarism” problem with this practice. However, one possible concern is that an open access copy of a dissertation, especially one that shares a title with the article, makes it impossible to guarantee a blind peer review process for the article. If you or your editor have concerns about this, consider placing an embargo on your thesis or dissertation.
Someday I might want to turn my manuscript into a book. Does this count as previous publication?
As most works undergo significant editing and changes in format before becoming a book, most publishers do not consider an open access copy of a thesis or dissertation an impediment to subsequent publication of a book based on that thesis or dissertation. (2011 Survey of Publishers)