PDF Help and Instructions

The Office of Research site provides a number of PDF (portable document format) documents. Adobe Reader is needed to view these documents. To install this free application, click here and follow the instructions on the Adobe site. Your browser requires a plug-in to view PDF documents which will be installed in Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer when you install Adobe Reader.

Once Adobe Reader is installed, you have two options to view PDF files from this site:

Option 1 - SAVING PDF FILES TO YOUR PC
Download the PDF to your computer for viewing or printing, now or at later date. Saving a larger file to your hard drive is the best option, particularly if you do not have a fast Internet connection.

Netscape:
1) Before accessing the document, place your cursor over the link of the PDF document that you wish to save.
2) Right-click the link and an option panel will pop up.
3) Select "Save Link As..." This will open your "Save Document" panel.
4) Before saving, verify that the document name has a ".PDF" extension. (Note: most systems do this automatically.) If not, add it.
5) Click "Save" to save a copy of the document, taking care to recognize where you saved the PDF file.
You may then open it within Acrobat Reader.

Microsoft Internet Explorer:
1) Place your cursor over the link of the PDF document that you wish to save.
2) Right-click the link and an option panel will pop up.
3) Select "Save Target As..." This will open your "Save Document" panel.
4) Before saving, verify that the document name has a ".PDF" extension. (Note: most systems do this automatically.) If not, add it.
5) Click "Save" to save a copy of the document, taking care to recognize where you saved the PDF file.
You may then open it within Acrobat Reader.

Saving PDF files to Macintosh
1) While holding down the Command key and the Control key, click the link of the document you wish to save.
2) This will cause an option panel to pop up.
3) Select "Save Link As..." This will open your "Save Document" panel.
4) Before saving, verify that the document name has a ".PDF" extension. (Note: most systems do this automatically.) If not, add it.
5) Click "Save" to save a copy of the document, taking care to recognize where you saved the PDF file.

Option 2 - OPENING PDF FILES IN YOUR WEB BROWSER (both PC and Macintosh)
Opening PDF files in your web browser (both PC and Macintosh)

Netscape or Internet Explorer:
Once you have Acrobat Reader installed, you may simply click on the link for the PDF file and the file should open within your browser.
Caution! Attempting to open a very large PDF or using an older browser may result in complications. Revert back to Option 1 should you encounter problems.
Download times will vary, depending on your Internet connection and other personal hardware issues. If you experience any problems with PDF documents, upgrading your browser and/or PDF viewer to the latest version usually solves the problem. If after upgrading your software you are still unable to view PDF documents click here to view Adobe's help section.