I think its really important to have a format that is archivable, perhaps
one that's relatively close to the source document, which is one reason why
eXtensible Markup Language was appealing to us. We have also continued to
require a paper summary--with lists describing technical matter--as an
archival "backup" to ETDs, which is consistent with the way we've accepted
MFA theses in art, dance, and theater, where the performance is the thesis.
--William Welburn
At 04:13 PM 1/22/01 -0500, Kraemer, Beth wrote:
>I agree with Jim that archiving is a significant issue that has not been
>adequately addressed by many institutions moving ahead with ETD programs.
>We are implementing ETDs at the University of Kentucky, with paper back-ups
>for at least the first year. During that time, we'll be investigating and
>arguing about format to minimize possible loss in the future. Right now, we
>are accepting PDF documents, which I am arguing against because they are not
>easily converted to other formats. [PDF is a great deliverable format, but
>it's not right for archiving.] Archiving these documents will be an active
>process - convertibility has to be considered. Institutions that choose
>migratable formats and provide adequate warnings to ETD authors will have
>the best chance to avoid data loss or costly, labor-intensive recovery
>efforts. We'll always be balancing ease of production with ease of
>migration. Most institutions seem to put more weight on the former and I
>think that's a mistake. --Beth Kraemer
>
> -----Original Message-----
>From: Moxley, Joseph [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 3:39 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: ETDs are we rushings?
>
>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?
>
>
>What good is it to have a program or something in the back of a thesis in
>a CD or DVD format that in 10 years no one will be able to view.
>
>If the CD has an impact now is that bettter than a dissertation that is
>never read?
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Jim Beaven [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 3:20 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: ETDs are we rushings?
>
>
>On Mon, 22 Jan 2001, Moxley, Joseph wrote:
>
>Joseph,
>
>
> > What do you propose to do with a theses or dissertation that deviates from
>a
> > linear text, one that uses multimedia and so on.
>
>"When the content of a thesis consist primarily of other than printed
>material (e.g, sound recording, video recordings, motion picture films,
>slides ects.), you should include a written account of the development,
>location and use of such materials."
>
>If a person writes a computer program, in the back he can have a CD with
>the program on it, but the program must be written out in the Appendices.
>What good is it to have a program or something in the back of a thesis in
>a CD or DVD format that in 10 years no one will be able to view.
>
>Yes it takes up more room and time. It will help insure that information
>that we do today will be here tomorrow.
>
> >
> > Would you prefer to have an animation rich, visual, nonlinear dissertation
> > that is read by thousands or a linear document that is read by the
> > dissertation chair and skimmed by other committee members?
> >
> > Your concerns are warranted. I don't know the solution to archiving, but
> > I'd rather see new dissertation genres that will be well read than what
> > we've been doing
> > ***********************************
> > Joseph M. Moxley, Ph.D.
> > Professor of English
> > University of South Florida
> > http://dmi.usf.edu/moxley
> > v: 813 974 9522
> > f: 813 974 2270
>
>
>James Beaven
>Library Assistant V
>Special Collections, Archives, and Thesis Deposit
>Purdue University
William C. Welburn
Assistant Dean for
Graduate Student Services
The University of Iowa
Graduate College
205 Gilmore Hall
Iowa City, IA 52242
Phone: (319) 335-3493
Fax: (319) 335-2806
|
