Don't get me wrong: I think you're raising excellent issues.  This is a
difficult problem.

I'm curious about how brief the descriptive language can be.  Do
universities have written policies on this?  Say 25 pages?

Also, I don't think some of the creative new work will be able to be
captured by summaries.  As an example, take a look at Keith Dorwick's print
dissertation and compare that to this online ETD.  No comparsion.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Beaven [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 4:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: ETDs are we rushings?


On Mon, 22 Jan 2001, Moxley, Joseph wrote:

> Thanks for that language.  Interesting.  So could the account of (e.g,
sound
> recording, video recordings, motion picture films,
> slides ects.) take say 5 or 10 pages at Purdue?

I have seen descriptions of a program, transcripts of recordings, take up
many pages in the appendices.  If a person today, does a video
or a program on a CD, you can view the CD or video you do not have to read
the appendices if you don't wish to.  The program or transcript of the
video will be there tomorrow when we have passed that technology.  There
are theses/dissertations here that have old real to real, and other
older formats that we can no longer handle to view at Special Collections,
yet the transcripts of the program can still be read in the appendices if
someone wants to know what is there.


>
> If the CD has an impact now is that bettter than a dissertation that is
> never read?

The point is, having the T/D both in electronic format allowing faster and
better access today and in text format spelling everything out keeps that
information for tomorrow.

James Beaven
Library Assistant V
Special Collections, Archives, and Thesis Deposit
Purdue University