Does my thesis have to be accessible? Yes. The Eu’s Web Accessibility Directive requires that all thesis documents are accessible. Instructions for drafting an accessible thesis are available in the UTUGradu guide > Accessibility.
Can the thesis contain confidential information? No, it cannot. According to the Act on the Openness of Government Activities, a thesis is an official document in the public domain unless specifically provided otherwise (Section 12 of the Constitution of Finland; Section 1 of the Act on the Openness of Government Activities).
How should I proceed if I wish to publish an article of my thesis later on? Ensure that the journal publishing the article allows the publication of the thesis/article in the UTUPub repository as a thesis or as part of one. In these cases, you should discuss the matter with your thesis supervisor.
Who can initiate the UTUGradu process? The supervisor of the thesis, who is a member of staff at the University of Turku or is comparable to teaching and research staff. A docent, doctoral candidate, or a person outside of the University (having no employment relationship / relationship comparable to teaching and research staff) cannot initiate the UTUGradu process.
How do initiate the UTUGradu process for my students? The instructions for initiating the UTUGradu process are available in the UTUGradu guideline.
Which Moodle course should I choose on the UTUGradu initiation form? The supervisor selects the Moodle course meant for submitting theses, which has a Turnitin originality check assignment for checking incomplete theses, a PDF/A validator, and a Turnitin originality check assignment for completed theses.
Can I initiate the process even though the thesis is not ready for submission? No. The UTUGradu process starts only when the supervisor and student decide together that the thesis is ready for submission and no more changes will be made.
What does the UTUGradu Moodle course include? The Moodle course for the UTUGradu process has both the PDF/A validation tool as well as the Turnitin originality check assignment.
How can I get a Moodle course for the UTUGradu process? You can request a Moodle course for the UTUGradu process from www.utu.fi/tilaaturnitin. More instructions for making the request.
Can several supervisors have a shared Moodle course? No, they cannot. The Moodle course used for Turnitin originality checks is always supervisor-specific for the student’s benefit and for data protection purposes.
To which Moodle course is the thesis submitted? On the UTUGradu form, the supervisor selects the Moodle course to which the student will submit their thesis. Once the supervisor initiates the UTUGradu process, the student will receive a link to the Moodle course defined by the teacher in the email sent from UTUGradu.
What should I do if I accidentally submitted my thesis to a wrong Moodle course? The teacher of your Moodle course or the UTUGradu help desk (utugradu@utu.fi) can delete an incorrect submission. After this, you can submit your thesis to the correct Moodle course.
Can a file submitted for Turnitin originality check be deleted if I noticed that I have submitted a wrong file or there is an error in the file? If you notice the wrong file/error right after submitting the file, please contact your supervisor. Your supervisor can delete the file and you can resubmit your thesis. Your supervisor can also return the thesis to you for corrections on the UTUGradu form if they notice that the file is incorrect. However, if the thesis has already been forwarded to the examiners, the submitted file cannot be changed. If necessary, please contact the UTUGradu help desk at utugradu@utu.fi.
Why can’t I convert my file into a PDF/A file? There can be many reasons. Have you read the instructions on how to convert files? Try to convert the file into a normal PDF first, and from there into the PDF/A format. If the conversion fails nevertheless, please contact utugradu@utu.fi.
What should I do if the contents are altered in the converted PDF/A file? Try to convert the file by saving it as a normal PDF file first, and from there into the PDF/A format with the Converter. If necessary, please contact the UTUGradu help desk at utugradu@utu.fi.
Why does the PDF/A validator reject the file I have converted into a PDF/A? The conversion is incomplete and the file does not fulfil the Validator’s requirements even though the file appears to be a PDF/A. Try to convert the file by saving it as a normal PDF file first, and from there into the PDF/A format with the Converter. Read the instructions for converting the files. If the validation is still unsuccessful, please contact utugradu@utu.fi.
Why can’t I submit the thesis for Turnitin originality check? There is a problem in the contents of the PDF/A file, which is why Turnitin cannot read the file as text, i.e. the text has been saved as an image during the PDF/A conversion. Send the original thesis file, e.g. Word file, to UTUGradu help desk at utugradu@utu.fi.
Why am I unable to select my thesis on the form? Is the file you submitted to Turnitin in the PDF/A format? Did you remember to do the PDF/A validation before submitting your thesis to Turnitin originality check? Did you do the PDF/A validation to the exactly same file that you submitted to Turnitin originality check? See the instructions for the conversion and PDF/A validation.
Can I do the PDF/A validation after I have submitted my thesis for Turnitin originality check? Yes, the PDF/A validation can be done after submitting the thesis, but the file has to be exactly the same that has been submitted to the Turnitin originality check.
Can the supervisor also be the examiner of the thesis? The supervisor can also be the examiner (please note that different subjects can have different practices).
How many examiners the thesis should have? The thesis must have at least two examiners. One of the examiners can be the supervisor. The advance studies theses in Degree Programme in Medicine can have only one examiner.
Can the examiner also approve the thesis? For the transparency of the process, the examiner cannot be the person who approves the thesis. The person who approves the thesis is the Head of Department, Vice Head of Department, or the Dean.
How is a joint evaluation statement entered on the form? The first examiner enters their statement on the form, after which the other examiner(s) can concur with it in their own form segments. See the instructions.
Can both examiners enter the same information on the form? Yes they can.
What is the period for making an appeal on the grade of the thesis? The appeal has to be made within seven days of receiving the examiners’ statement. Appeals made after this period will not be taken into account. However, you can make a written appeal to the Academic Appeals Board within 14 days of receiving the information about the grade.
What information should I include in the appeal? The appeal must contain information on which issue you are appealing against and on what grounds. For example, if you are making an appeal on the grade, you must disclose which grade you find more justified instead of the grade the examiners have suggested and include justifications. In the justifications, you have to refer to the evaluation statement your thesis and specify which parts of the evaluation you disagree with. You can use grade categories and descriptions in the justifications.
What should I do if I am unhappy with the grade but did not have enough time to make an appeal on the form? You can make a written appeal for rectification regarding the evaluation of Master’s thesis or advanced studies thesis or other comparable study attainment to the Academic Appeals Board within 14 days after being informed about the decision.
Who will enter my thesis into the study register? The personnel of your Faculty’s academic and student affairs will enter your thesis into the register.
What should I do if the number of credits on my thesis is incorrect? Please contact the academic and student affairs personnel of your Faculty.
Can I change the publicity of my thesis later on? Yes, after the thesis is published in the publication repository. Please contact the Library at julkaisut@utu.fi.
Can I change the availability of my thesis (e.g. from open to restricted/from restricted to open)? Wait that your thesis is published in the publication repository. After this, please contact the Library (julkaisut@utu.fi).
My thesis includes confidential data – can my thesis be entirely confidential so that it will not be displayed in the publication repository (not even in the restricted availability collection)/so that no one can read it? This is not possible. A thesis is a public document and everyone has the right to access it. The thesis becomes public once it has been approved. The University’s theses are governed by the Act on the Openness of Government Activities.
The contents of my thesis are very confidential and I might get in trouble if someone reads my work. Can the Library “hide” my thesis? This is not possible. The thesis is public. This is governed by the Act on the Openness of Government Activities. Everyone has the right to read the thesis.
I noticed an error in my thesis. Can the text in UTUPub be updated to a corrected version? No – an approved thesis published in UTUPub cannot be altered. Please note that your work has been approved with its errors and those might have influenced the grade. However, you can draft an errata file where you report the errors in your thesis and ask the Library to attach it to your work. The errata must disclose: “After the Master's thesis was approved, the following errors have been identified” The errata can be delivered only after the thesis has been published in UTUPub.
My thesis has been approved several years ago – before the implementation of UTUGradu. However, my thesis interests other people. Can I publish my thesis in UTUPub retroactively? Yes – this is even recommended! Please contact the Library which will draft an agreement for publication in UTUPub. If necessary, the Library will ask you to send the entire text of the thesis to the Library. Contact email: julkaisut@utu.fi.
Who administers UTUPub? UTUPub is technically administrated by the repository service of the National Library of Finland and the University of Turku is responsible for its contents. UTUPub uses open source repository software Dspace, which is used extensively worldwide.