Electronic Theses & Dissertations

PDF (Portable Document Format) is the de facto standard for the secure and reliable distribution and exchange of electronic documents and forms around the world. PDF files capture all elements of a printed document as an electronic image that you can view, navigate, print, or forward to someone else. A PDF file will usually (but not always) look and print out exactly like its paper counterpart, with the proper fonts, tables, graphs, and pictures.

Adobe Systems developed the PDF standard and provides the premiere package for creating and manipulating PDF files. Adobe Acrobat is the software used to create PDF files and is separate and distinct from Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free but can be used only to view—not to create—PDF files.

If you have Acrobat installed on your computer or have access to one that does, creating a PDF file from your word processing program is as simple as selecting the appropriate button on the print menu and then carefully checking the resulting PDF file for errors in translation.

The PQ website has a detailed PDF tutorial. PQ also offers a free PDF conversion tool when you are logged in to the submission section. With this tool you upload your word processing file and typically within 15-30 minutes receive an e-mail to which is attached a PDF file of your manuscript. Using the conversion tool is especially convenient if you do not have ready access to Acrobat.

WARNING: Do not assume that if your final Word document was correct, the PDF also will automatically be correct. Occasionally, PDF files contain errors that have occurred during the conversion from Word. Check each page of the final PDF document before you submit it. In particular, look at page numbers, symbols, charts, graphs, and any graphic files you imported into your document.

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