The answer to this question depends somewhat on the nature of the contract, but nearly every academic publisher allows for material published in their journals to be repurposed and included as part of its author’s thesis or dissertation. You should first consult the author rights clauses of your publishing agreement, paying close attention to any language having to do with your right to use the article text and supplemental materials (images, data, etc.) in a thesis or dissertation. Alternatively, you consult Sherpa/Romeo, a public database of publisher copyright policies, to ensure that the journal you initially published in allows for reuse of your content in your thesis. Some publishers may require you to secure written confirmation (via letter or email) from the journal editors before your thesis can be made publicly available; others may require that particular language be included as part of your thesis’s citation that acknowledges the previously published material. If you have any questions, consult the ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) Coordinator in your college.
After you submit your thesis or dissertation to UH through the Vireo system, staff in UH Libraries will run a copyright clearance process to ensure that your document, including any previously published material, does not infringe on copyright. After this clearance process, your thesis or dissertation will be made publicly available through the UH Institutional Repository.
