Non-Traditional Theses - Examples, News and Research - Library at University of Calgary

Why Non-Traditional?

Towani Duchscher’s doctoral thesis, Imprinted Beneath Our Skin (2018), is a strong example of a non-traditional thesis that integrates dance, poetry, photography, and pedagogical documentation as part of an arts-based inquiry into the hidden curriculum.

While the thesis was archived as a PDF, it included embedded multimedia, specifically video components intended to be experienced alongside the written work. This raised important questions about how best to preserve and present this multimedia content for long-term access.

Preservation & Access Considerations

We originally used private video links, with the videos hosted in our AV repository, to provide access within the text while preventing indexing by search engines. These static links worked until a hosting platform upgrade broke them—highlighting the fragility of non-persistent URLs. When discovered, we minted DOIs for each video and embedded these into an updated version of the PDF. This allows video links to be maintained independently of the thesis file, reducing the burden of version tracking and future-proofing access.

This case highlighted two core strategies for handling video in PDF-based theses:

Embed videos directly in the PDF
- Pros: Keeps everything together; immediate access for readers
- Cons: Increases file size; complicates preservation of embedded formats
Link to externally hosted videos as separate preserved objects
- Pros: Allows individual preservation and monitoring; can use DOIs for persistence
- Cons: Users must leave the PDF; metadata must maintain relationships between components

We ultimately chose the second approach—embedding DOI links in the thesis—to improve sustainability and flexibility.

View the Thesis

Duchscher, T. M. (2018). Imprinted beneath our skin: An arts-based murmuration inquiry into the somatic lessons of the hidden curriculum. [Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary]. https://hdl.handle.net/1880/106933

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New resource: Preservability Self-Assessment Tool and updated Guidelines for Preservability in New Forms of Scholarship

New York University Libraries, in collaboration with partners including CLOCKSS, Portico, and several university presses, have released updated Guidelines for Preservability in New Forms of Scholarship and a new Preservability Self-Assessment Tool. These resources are designed to help scholars and institutions evaluate and enhance the long-term viability of complex, digital, and multimodal scholarly works.Scholars are increasingly using digital technologies to express their research in innovative ways. These include publications with embedded visualizations, multimedia, datasets, maps, complex interactivity, or dependencies on third-party platforms like YouTube or Google Maps. While these formats offer rich opportunities for scholarly communication, they also pose significant challenges for long-term preservation.To address these challenges, NYU Libraries led a multi-institutional, Mellon-funded project, Enhancing Services to Preserve New Forms of Scholarship. The project brought together preservation organizations (CLOCKSS, Portico, and the libraries of NYU and the University of Michigan) and publishers (NYU Press, Michigan Publishing, UBC Press, Stanford University Press, and University of Minnesota Press). Together, they studied enhanced digital publications, identified which features can be preserved at scale, and developed practical guidance for scholars, publishers, and preservation staff.At UCalgary, if you’re considering a non-traditional thesis format, we recommend consulting with Libraries and Cultural Resources early in your process. We can help you consider preservation from the outset—whether you're embedding media, linking to datasets, or designing interactive elements.Learn more: https://libguides.ucalgary.ca/theses/non-traditional/describe-archive ...

Imprinted Beneath Our Skin: A Preservation Case Study

Why Non-Traditional?Towani Duchscher’s doctoral thesis, Imprinted Beneath Our Skin (2018), is a strong example of a non-traditional thesis that integrates dance, poetry, photography, and pedagogical documentation as part of an arts-based inquiry into the hidden curriculum.While the thesis was archived as a PDF, it included embedded multimedia, specifically video components intended to be experienced alongside the written work. This raised important questions about how best to preserve and present this multimedia content for long-term access.Preservation & Access ConsiderationsWe originally used private video links, with the videos hosted in our AV repository, to provide access within the text while preventing indexing by search engines. These static links worked until a hosting platform upgrade broke them—highlighting the fragility of non-persistent URLs. When discovered, we minted DOIs for each video and embedded these into an updated version of the PDF. This allows video links to be maintained independently of the thesis file, reducing the burden of version tracking and future-proofing access.This case highlighted two core strategies for handling video in PDF-based theses:Embed videos directly in the PDFPros: Keeps everything together; immediate access for readersCons: Increases file size; complicates preservation of embedded formatsLink to externally hosted videos as separate preserved objectsPros: Allows individual preservation and monitoring; can use DOIs for persistenceCons: Users must leave the PDF; metadata must maintain relationships between componentsWe ultimately chose the second approach—embedding DOI links in the thesis—to improve sustainability and flexibility.View the ThesisDuchscher, T. M. (2018). Imprinted beneath our skin: An arts-based murmuration inquiry into the somatic lessons of the hidden curriculum. [Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary]. https://hdl.handle.net/1880/106933...

Expanding Knowledge Landscapes: Rethinking the Graduate Thesis

What does it mean to expand the landscape of thesis creation, assessment, and output? At the University of Calgary, a Teaching and Learning Grant funded an interdisciplinary team to explore exactly that by examining how non-traditional theses are reshaping graduate student experiences, mentorship, and institutional support.Led by Dr. Mairi McDermott (Werklund School of Education), the team included librarians Christie Hurrell, Bart Lenart, Laura Reid, and Kathryn Ruddock, along with graduate students Abigail Williams and Sefat Rimpu. Together, they investigated how students and faculty navigate—and sometimes push against—the conventional boundaries of thesis research at UCalgary.Key Insights from the ProjectThe team found that while non-traditional work is quietly happening, it often comes with emotional complexity: uncertainty, hesitation, but also determination and care. Students pursuing creative or interdisciplinary theses develop a nuanced understanding of academic norms and face structural barriers that are frequently invisible within traditional format pathways. Among the findings:Faculty and students alike benefit from a clearer articulation of what’s possible in thesis formats, particularly through early communication and mentorship. Students exploring non-traditional paths often feel isolated; being in dialogue with others in similar positions was profoundly validating. Existing metadata standards and discovery systems—locally The Vault, UCalgary’s thesis repository—limit visibility and reuse of non-traditional work.To address these barriers, the team launched this Non-Traditional Thesis LibGuide, offering practical tools, campus contacts, and examples to help students navigate alternative thesis paths from ideation to dissemination.Wider Reach and Ripple EffectsThe project engaged over 130 survey respondents and 22 focus group participants from across the university. The data revealed a broad interest in—and struggle with—non-traditional work, cutting across disciplines from Education and Arts to Engineering and Medicine.Figure 1, below, shows supervisor and graduate student experience with non-traditional theses across faculties, highlighting the interest across disciplines. Figure 2 illustrates the range of non-traditional forms our faculty and students have encountered or supported, from creative and performance-based work to data visualization and virtual reality.Beyond the survey and guide, the team published a journal article on collaborative writing in this interdisciplinary space and presented at the Taylor Institute’s 2025 conference. The research also directly informed the development of UCalgary’s new Doctoral Program in Transdisciplinary Research.Figure 1. Experience with Non-Traditional Theses by Faculty. This chart displays the number of faculty and graduate students across UCalgary faculties who have competed, supported, or expressed interest in non-traditional theses via our study survey. It demonstrates both experience and emerging interest across disciplines.Figure 2. Experience with Non-Traditional Thesis Forms. This chart breaks down the types of non-traditional thesis work encountered by graduate students and supervisors. Next StepsAs our interdisciplinary team found, this work must move forward concurrently on multiple fronts and multiple disciplines. Looking forward, the team hopes to convene a community of practice to connect graduate students and supervisors invested in creative and interdisciplinary work. They are also developing and advocating for richer, more inclusive metadata guidelines to support discovery of non-traditional theses.This wasn’t about making non-traditional theses the new norm. It was about ensuring the viability of diverse ways of knowing and researching—and helping students find the mentorship and systems they need to succeed.This project is a powerful reminder that changing systems starts with seeing and listening to what’s already unfolding at the margins. ...

Creative Writing Theses

Why Non-Traditional? Creative writing theses may be considered non-traditional because it includes original creative work like a novel or poetry along with a critical refection component, differing from regular monographs. Students often elect to request a withhold to have adequate time to publish their creative portion of their thesis in a suitable venue post completion. The critical reflection may come in different forms, like an "exegesis".While this form may be more popular in some disciplines, like English, it may be less well-used in other disciplines. Suggestions for searching in The Vault: Try browsing English masters and doctoral theses. ExamplesDelaney, T. (2020). Dispersal: A Novel (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/1880/111933.Peters, S. (2014). 59 Glass Bridges: A Novel (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1539. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24623...

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Imprinted Beneath Our Skin: A Preservation Case Study

Why Non-Traditional?

Preservation & Access Considerations

View the Thesis

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