Electronic theses and dissertations as prior publications: what the editors say

An increasing number of colleges and universities throughout the world are adopting electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) as either an option or a requirement for graduate degrees. This movement has resulted in questions about the role of these electronic documents in the world of scholarly communications and publishing. One specific question raised by students and their faculty advisors has been whether or not ETDs would be viewed as prior publications and would, as such, be ineligible for consideration for publication in traditional journals. This article presents survey findings that indicate that, while more study is needed, this concern appears to be largely unwarranted.