Evaluating the Effects of Workshops and Consultations on the ETD Review Process

Abstract

In Fall 2014 North Dakota State University began holding ETD workshops and individual formatting consultations in an effort to reduce negative student experiences with the Graduate School's ETD format review, such as extended revisions and poor understanding of the submission requirements. The ETD workshop explained the review process, including prerequisites, submission procedures, and format guidelines. Individual consultations focused on working directly with students to improve their ETD formatting during scheduled meetings (either online or at the Graduate School office). While optional, workshops and consultations have been well-attended, with 97 students attending workshops and 128 attending consultations in 2018. Using information collected from ETD format reviews, including initial submission quality and number of review iterations to approval, this presentation examines the effects of workshops and consultations on student experiences with the NDSU Graduate School's format review process.