How to Use KNUST's Thesis Deposition Management System (TDMS)

How to Access TDMS

1. Go to https://thesis.knust.edu.gh/
2. Log in using your KNUST student credentials (e.g. username@st.knust.edu.gh + password — same as your student portal/Outlook)
3. Enter the OTP sent to your registered phone/email
4. If you need to reset your password, visit the student portal

Step-by-Step: Submitting Your Thesis

Step 1: Prepare Your Documents

Before logging in, gather every file you will need — do this days ahead, not minutes before the deadline:

• Your final thesis in PDF format (print to PDF, don't just rename a .docx)
• The thesis approval form signed by your supervisor (scanned, clear and upright)
• A plagiarism report (if required by your department — usually from Turnitin)
• Any supplementary materials (data files, appendices, ethics letters)

Documents checklist:
├── Thesis_Main.pdf        (final, formatted per SGS guidelines)
├── Approval_Form.pdf      (signed by supervisor, scanned)
├── Plagiarism_Report.pdf  (if required)
├── Appendix_Data.xlsx     (optional supplementary)
└── Ethics_Letter.pdf      (if your study required ethics approval)

Step 2: Create a New Submission

After logging in, navigate to the Thesis Submission section. Click "New Submission" and fill in every field carefully:

• Thesis title — copy it exactly as it appears on your approved proposal
• Supervisor name(s) — include your co-supervisor if you have one
• Department and faculty — select from the dropdown, don't type it
• Submission type — Masters or PhD

Step 3: Upload Your Thesis

Upload your thesis PDF and any supplementary files. The system will validate file sizes and formats before accepting uploads. Watch for the green success tick next to each file — no tick means it didn't save.

Step 4: Assign Examiners

You'll be asked to propose both internal and external examiners. The system will send them notifications and track their report timelines automatically.

Step 5: Track Your Progress

Use the dashboard to monitor every stage until congregation:

• Examiner report status (pending/submitted)
• Supervisor approval status
• Any required revisions
• Final graduation approval

Important Deadlines

TDMS submission deadlines align with congregation dates. For March congregations, submissions typically close 2–3 months before. Check the Graduate School website for exact dates each semester — and submit at least 1 week early, because examiners need time to review before final approval.

The TDMS Dashboard, Explained

Your dashboard is the control panel for the whole process. Read it like this:

What Happens After You Submit

Knowing the timeline prevents panic when nothing changes for days:

1. Day 0–3: System notifies your supervisor; they approve or return to draft
2. Week 1: Internal examiner invited; report typically due within 2–3 weeks
3. Week 2–4: External examiner invited after internal report
4. Week 4–8: Both reports consolidated; thesis moves to revision or approval
5. Final: Graduate School signs off for congregation clearance

The Examiner Workflow Explained

Understanding what happens after you hit submit removes most of the anxiety. The pipeline looks like this:

1. Supervisor approves the submission in the system
2. Internal examiner receives an automated notification and uploads their report
3. External examiner does the same, often after the internal report is in
4. If reports request changes, the system moves your thesis to Revisions
5. You re-upload a corrected version; the process repeats until approval
6. Graduate School signs off for final deposition and congregation clearance

Handling Revisions Like a Pro

• Read the examiner report in full before touching the document — feedback is usually grouped by chapter
• Create a revision matrix mapping every comment to your fix:

| # | Examiner comment             | Where (page/§) | My fix              | Done |
|---|------------------------------|----------------|---------------------|------|
| 1 | "Justify sample size"        | §3.2, p. 41    | Added power calc    | ✓    |
| 2 | "Cite recent literature"     | §2.1, p. 12    | Added 3 new refs    | ✓    |

• Highlight changed sections with a yellow revision marker or a change log so examiners can re-check quickly
• Never argue in the thesis — if you disagree with a comment, address it politely in your response-to-examiners letter instead

Document Preparation Pro-Techniques

Make Your PDF Smaller

Large files fail uploads. Use smallpdf.com or Adobe's online compressor, and export images at 150 DPI rather than 300 DPI where possible:

Target sizes:
Thesis PDF (with figures)     ≤ 25 MB
Approval form scan            ≤ 5 MB
Supplementary data            ≤ 10 MB per file

Check the Basics Before Upload

• Page numbers present from page 1
• Declaration page signed and dated
• Table of contents page numbers match the body
• All chapter headings follow the SGS template style (bold, numbered)
• References consistent (APA 7th or your department's approved style)

Comparison: TDMS vs Older Manual Submission

Preparing Your PDF for Maximum Readability

Examiners read your thesis on screen through the TDMS viewer. Make their job easy and your reports kinder:

• Export with bookmarks: in Word, File > Export > Create PDF preserves heading structure as clickable bookmarks automatically
• Embed fonts (File > Options > Save > Embed fonts in the file) so equations and special characters don't corrupt
• Keep figures on the same page as their captions — avoid orphaned images
• Use a heading style for every chapter title so the PDF outline matches your TOC

Pre-upload PDF sanity check:
□ Bookmarks/outline present (Ctrl+K in most PDF readers)
□ Fonts embedded (no missing-glyph boxes)
□ Page numbers run 1 → end without gaps
□ Figures ≤ 150 DPI for file size; ≤ 300 DPI if colour-critical
□ File opens and scrolls cleanly in the TDMS viewer

Dealing With Slow Examiners

Examiners are professors with full schedules; delays happen. The professional playbook:

1. Wait one full cycle (2–3 weeks) before any nudge — the system's own timeline
2. Check the dashboard — if it still says "pending", contact the Graduate School, not the examiner directly
3. Keep your supervisor in the loop — a quiet word from them often moves a report faster than anything you can do
4. Never email the examiner yourself — the school handles examiner correspondence

What Examiners Look For

Examiner reports typically evaluate five things — check your thesis against all of them before uploading:

• Research problem clarity — is the gap and the aim stated in the first 3 pages?
• Methodological rigour — sample, instruments, analysis and limitations justified
• Data integrity — results match your tables; no unexplained numbers
• Critical discussion — findings compared with literature, not just reported
• Scholarly presentation — consistent style, complete references, no typos

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

• Uploading a .docx instead of PDF — the system rejects non-PDF main theses; use File > Save as PDF in Word.
• Wrong examiner contact details — double-check the external examiner's official email; a bounce delays your report by weeks.
• Ignoring the status dashboard — a thesis can sit in "pending" for days while you wait on an email that never comes.
• Leaving the approval form unsigned — the system blocks final submission without it.
• Submitting on deadline day — server load spikes; submit 1 week early.

Ready-to-Use Templates

Template 1: Response-to-Examiners Letter

Dear Examiner,

Please find below our point-by-point response to the comments on my
thesis titled "[THESIS TITLE]". All changes are highlighted in the
revised manuscript.

Comment 1 (Methodology, §3.2): "Justify sample size"
Response: We added a power analysis (α = 0.05, power = 0.80) on
page 41, showing the sample of n = 132 is adequate.

Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME], [DEPARTMENT], KNUST

Template 2: Email to the School of Graduate Studies

Subject: TDMS query — [STUDENT ID] — [THESIS TITLE]

Dear School of Graduate Studies,

I submitted my thesis on TDMS on [DATE] (Submission ID: [ID]).
The status has shown "pending" for [X] days. Kindly advise if any
action is needed from my side.

Regards,
[YOUR NAME], [PROGRAMME], [STUDENT ID]

Template 3: Supervisor Check-In Before Submission

Subject: Final review before TDMS submission — [THESIS TITLE]

Dear [SUPERVISOR],

I plan to submit my thesis on TDMS on [DATE]. Before I do, could
you please confirm:
1. The approval form has been signed and I may scan it
2. The title below matches my approved proposal:
   "[THESIS TITLE]"
3. Whether my department requires the plagiarism report upload

Thank you for your guidance through this process.

Regards,
[YOUR NAME] | [STUDENT ID]

The Congregation Countdown Plan

Work backwards from congregation day to protect yourself from late surprises:

Congregation day:            [DD Month YYYY]
  T-minus 8 weeks:   TDMS submission deadline (confirm exact date)
  T-minus 7 weeks:   Submit your thesis (never on the last day)
  T-minus 4–6 weeks: Examiner reports arrive; start revisions
  T-minus 3 weeks:   Re-upload revised PDF; track to "Approved"
  T-minus 1 week:    Confirm with department you're on the list
  T-minus 1 day:     Pick up gown / confirm clearance letter

The Complete Submission Checklist

• Deadline confirmed on the Graduate School website — target 1 week early
• Final thesis exported to PDF, ≤ 25 MB, formatted to SGS template
• Approval form signed by supervisor and scanned clearly
• Plagiarism report included if your department requires it
• Supplementary files (data, ethics letter) gathered and renamed
• External examiner contact verified — correct name, department, and email
• New submission created — title, supervisors, department, faculty, type all correct
• Uploads confirmed — green tick on every file
• Dashboard bookmarked — checking twice a week until approval
• Revision matrix ready — in case reports request changes
• Congregation eligibility confirmed with your department office

Troubleshooting FAQ

• "Can't log in?" — Use the same credentials as your Outlook email. Reset at apps.knust.edu.gh/students/Account/ForgotPassword if needed.
• "OTP not arriving?" — Check spam/junk folders. Ensure your phone number and email are up to date in the student portal.
• "Upload failing?" — Check file size limits. Split large PDFs using tools like smallpdf.com and keep images at 150 DPI.
• "Examiner says they never got the invite?" — Ask the Graduate School to re-send the notification; confirm the examiner's correct email first.
• "My thesis is stuck on pending" — Use Template 2 above to email SGS with your Submission ID, then follow up by phone if it stays pending a week.
• "I need to change my title after submission" — Email SGS with your Student ID and the exact change; never edit the title field yourself once examiners are assigned.
• "The system dropped my files" — Re-upload and confirm the green tick appears. Save the confirmation screenshot as evidence for the helpdesk.
• "Need help?" — Submit a ticket at helpdesk.knust.edu.gh or visit UITS at the Casely Hayford Block.

Extra Resources