ABSTRACT

ETDs help students gain a new perspective on scholarship by encouraging them to step beyond the traditional role of being electronic document consumers to become electronic document creators, who author and self-archive the documents they compose. The role of electronic document creator also allows students to extend the way in which they present and disseminate their research by utilizing technological skills and tools, some of which may be new to the student. However, while ETDs offer students significant advantages over traditional theses and dissertations, the rate at which students adopt this innovation may vary considerably. Additionally, as with any innovation, the success level of implementation is contingent on the acceptance and utilization of the process by the target community, which in this case is students.