SFU Graduate Student Handbook

Postponement of Publication (GGR 1.11.3)

All theses must be published in the SFU online repository.

In some instances a portion of a student’s thesis or dissertation research might involve proprietary or otherwise confidential information. Although some results might need to be summarized in a separate embargoed document, a completely embargoed thesis or dissertation conflicts with scholarly values of peer review and promotion of knowledge and should be avoided.

All theses and dissertations produced to meet Simon Fraser University’s degree requirements are subject to open publication, as per Tri-Council guidelines, and should be capable of standing as academically-complete works.

Students are expected to seek guidance from their supervisory committee whenever there is a possibility that certain findings might be subject to embargo due to fear of persecution or patent pending. In coordination with their committee, students should communicate any anticipated or known restrictions on their research to Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies as soon as possible.

A pre-publication review should be conducted with the supervisor as early as is prudent to avoid the need for restrictions on publication, including acceptable separation of restricted findings into a separate embargoed document.