A Guide to Finding Dissertations
Dissertations are book-length works based on a PhD candidate's original research that are written as requirements for the doctoral degree. Theses are similar but shorter texts that are written by students working towards Master's and sometimes Bachelor's degrees. Both dissertations and theses offer researchers valuable insights and analysis of all subjects. They can also be useful in leading to other resources as part of your own research.
Click on the tabs at the top of this page for information about specific resources and useful search techniques for finding dissertations. You can also navigate using the "Guide Contents" links on the left side of the page.
If you encounter difficulties in obtaining full-texts of dissertations or theses, consult a librarian. The "Ask A Librarian" instant message widget is located on the left of every page underneath the tabs.
Know what you're looking for (mostly)?
When looking for a specific dissertation, you need some or all of the following:
| • | Author |
| • | Title |
| • | Institution |
| • | Department/University |
| • | Year |
| • | Topic |
Just looking for a certain subject area?
When looking for dissertations in a specific subject area, you may need a variety of search terms and limiters. For example:
| • | Broad: | Psychology |
| • | Focused: | Violence, causes, prevention, attitude, behavior, etc. |
| • | Date: | 1969-1980; after 2001 |
| • | Institution: | Indiana University; University of Oxford |
| • | Department: | Psychology; education |
In general, start your search in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. If you are looking for an IU dissertation and cannot find it in ProQuest, search IUCAT. If it is not in IUCAT, search WorldCat.
