Why, Oh Why, Do Students Embargo Their ETDs? - USETDA 2021 Conference
Channel: USETDA
Date: 13/03/2022

Why, oh why, do students embargo their ETDs?

Becky Thoms
Utah State University Libraries

Rebecca Nelson
Utah State University Libraries
Digital Initiatives Assistant

Abstract

Despite evidence to the contrary, many graduate students, and their advisors, believe that embargoes are necessary to protect their publishing prospects. At one large, public research institution, the library staff watched in dismay as semester after semester, students would indicate the need for an embargo and cite future publication as the reason. Follow up conversations with the students would frequently reveal a lack of understanding about embargoes and the reasons for them as well as miscommunication between advisors and students. In an effort to address this problem, the library clarified the language in the embargo forms, removing future publication as an option, and revised the email messages sent to students to include questions to encourage students to consider reasons for pursuing an embargo and whether or not it was necessary in their circumstances. While this approach did open the door for discussions that often resulted in students recognizing that an embargo was not, in fact, necessary, the frequency of embargo requests remained consistent from semester to semester. After discussing the issue with select advisors as well as library liaisons to departments that frequently requested embargoes, the library staff decided to design an embargo workshop targeted to both graduate students and their advisors. The workshop is scheduled for spring 2021 and will be promoted by the School for Graduate studies to all departments. Liaison librarians will also share this opportunity in their communications with faculty and graduate students. From the questions generated at the workshop, marketing materials will be developed to specifically target the concerns of students and advisors, and the hope is that by providing them with this information, they will make more informed decisions about embargoes. This presentation will include an exploration of the embargo data at this institution, descriptions of workflow adjustments, and a debrief about the embargo workshop and its outcomes.

Keywords

ETD; embargo

United States Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Association.

USETDA 2021 Conference Proceedings: https://www.ocs.usetda.org/index.php/USETDA/USETDA2021

https://www.usetda.org/