Converting your Document to PDF
Before beginning this process, make sure to look at the checklist located at the end of the Thesis/Dissertation Handbook!
Required formats include:
- For formatted documents: Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). PDF files should have all fonts embedded and may not disable printing or text access. PDF files being uploaded to OhioLINK must be unlocked (no security options selected).
- For video: Adobe recommends any multimedia that is H.264 compliant (MPEG-4). This is a video compression standard, which provides high-quality video at relatively smaller file sizes. AVI, MP4, or MOV files are all H.264 compliant.
- For high-resolution images: TIFF, or JPEG and for lower-resolution images, PNG.
- For spreadsheets or data files: Comma-separated values (.CSV) or other delimited text is best for viewing but .xlsx is accepted.
- OhioLINK will not accept executable binary files when alternatives are available.
- OhioLINK strongly discourages the use of HTML unless authors take considerable care in ensuring that their markup conforms to published standards and that their use of links and online images can stand alone in the ETD Center.
After converting your manuscript to PDF, you will need to:
- Fill in the Document Properties
- i.e., Author’s name, title of document, subject, a minimum of three keywords separated by semi colons
- Embed the fonts
- Set your bookmarks
- Bookmarks must include the preliminary pages, the major chapters, the bibliography and all appendices. When setting your bookmarks make sure the pages are set to open at the top of the page
- Make the document accessible
- For your convenience here are some instructions and videos for all of the Acrobat Professional requirements.
- Instructions for Adobe Pro DC - Written instructions with screen shots
- Combine Files, Document Properties and Organize Pages
- Bookmarks, Editing a Document and Embedding the Fonts
- Check Accessibility and Accessible Figures
- Acccessible Tables, Headings and LaTeX Issues
- Problems with Embedding the Fonts? Have a Windows 11 system? Try this workaround.
- Instructions for Adobe Pro DC - Written instructions with screen shots
- For your convenience here are some instructions and videos for all of the Acrobat Professional requirements.
The computer labs on campus have this software available for you to use. You may download a one week free trial . To purchase this product, please use the same link and choose Acrobat Pro which cost $19.99 per month. If you wait until closer to the deadline, you will find it will take us over a week to check your document due to the number of submissions so please understand that purchasing the product may be necessary.
Updated: 10/08/2025 05:04PM