University of Tasmania, Australia

• Allowing the Library to communicate your thesis online and providing the data to Trove (or other systems) does not constitute prior publication in a scholarly sense.

• There may be some theses that would be better reported first in journal articles. A temporary restriction would enable such publication while preserving the principle of scholarly access.

• Theses can be embargoed for up to 24 months using the University's system. Similarly, for the small number of theses that might be turned into books, there is usually no issue as books are highly unlikely to be published in the original form without significant revision (and your thesis upon which the book is based can be embargoed for up to 24 months if necessary).

• Putting scholarly work online for free (self-archiving or UTAS ePrints) is now an accepted practice. The majority of publishers are content for authors to do this and still be published, however a small number of publishers still do not allow self archiving of articles derived from theses. If a publisher demands the thesis to be taken down, all you would need to do is request removal of your thesis from the digital repository.

• If there are some circumstances in which parts of theses must be permanently restricted (e.g. sacred, secret, commercial-in-confidence and national security content) an option is to place sections that need to be restricted in an appendix that is not included in the repository. This allows access to the main argument and findings while protecting confidential data.

• Making your thesis publicly available could have implications in relation to patents. If you have produced a thesis that contains patentable material please contact the Research Office Commercialisation Unit (ROCU)

Examples of Access Statements for different restriction options

1. Open access including online:

'This thesis may be reproduced, archived, and communicated in any material form in whole or in part by the University of Tasmania or its agents, and may be made available for loan and copying and communication in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968.'

2. Restricted for two years, and then allowed to be communicated online open-access:

'This thesis is not to be made available for loan or copying for two years following the date this statement was signed. Following that time the thesis may be reproduced, archived, and communicated in any material form in whole or in part by the University of Tasmania or its agents, and may be made available for loan and copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968.'

3. The hard-copy in the Library can be lent, but no online version:

'This thesis may be made available for loan. Copying of any part of this thesis is prohibited for two years from the date this statement was signed; after that time limited copying is permitted in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968.'

Theses Permissions Forms which must accompany the thesis electronic files

1. UTAS Higher Degree Research Candidates (ie completing students) use the Graduate Research Thesis Access Form [PDF 105.4KB].

For questions, contact the Graduate Research Office.  Private Bag 105 Hobart TAS 7001 or  301 Sandy Bay Rd, Sandy Bay Campus ph. (03) 6226 8559

2. UTAS Graduates (ie past candidates, post-graduation) use the Library Thesis Repository Form[108.6 KB].

For questions, contact the UTAS Library ePrints section at e.prints@utas.edu.au or phone (03) 6226 1895.

• Submitting your thesis
• Benefits of putting your thesis online
• All about theses
• Browse UTAS Theses online
• Search the national Trove database