dissertation library based

Dissertations & projects: Literature-based projects

Research questions
The process of reviewing
Project management
Literature-based projects

On these pages:

“As a general rule, the introduction is usually around 5 to 10 per cent of the word limit; each chapter around 15 to 25 per cent; and the conclusion around 5 per cent.” Bryan Greetham, How to Write Your Undergraduate Dissertation

This page gives guidance on the structure of a literature-based project. That is, a project where the data is found in existing literature rather than found through primary research. They may also include information from primary sources such as original documents or other sources.

How to structure a literature-based project

The structure of a literature-based dissertation is usually thematic, but make sure to check with your supervisor to make sure you are abiding by your department’s project specifications. A typical literature-based dissertation will be broken up into the following sections:

Abstract or summary

Acknowledgments, contents page, introduction, themed chapters.

Bibliography/Reference list

Use this basic structure as your document plan . Remember that you do not need to write it in the order it will finally be written in.

For more advice on managing the order of your project, see our section on Project Management.

If you use the template provided on our Formatting page, you will see that it already has a title page included. You just need to fill in the appropriate boxes by typing or choosing from the drop-down-lists. The information you need to provide is:

Type of assignment (thesis, dissertation or independent project)
Partial or full fulfilment information
Subject area
Your name (and previous qualifications if applicable)
Month and year of submission

This may not always be required - check with your tutor.

It is independent of the rest of the report - it is a mini-report, which needs to make sense completely on its own.
References should not be included.
Nothing should appear in the abstract that is not in the rest of the report.
Usually between 200-300 words.
Write as a single paragraph.

It is recommended that you write your abstract after your report.

Contents page with list of headings and page numbers

If you choose not to use the template, then you will need to go through the document after it is written and create a list showing which heading is on which page of your document.

Purpose: To thank those who were directly involved in your work .

Do not confuse the acknowledgements section with a dedication - this is not where you thank your friends and relatives unless they have helped you with your manuscript.
Acknowledgments are about courtesy, where you thank those who were directly involved in your work, or were involved in supporting your work (technicians, tutors, other students, financial support etc).
This section tends to be very brief , a few lines at the most. Identify those who provided you with the most support, and thank them appropriately.
At the very least, make sure you acknowledge your supervisor!!

Purpose: To state the research problem and give a brief introduction to the background literature, provide justification for your research questions and explain your methodology and main findings.

Explain what the problem you will be addressing is, what your research questions are, and why they will help address the issue.
Explain (and justify) your methodology - where you searched, what your keywords were, what your inclusion and exclusion criteria were,
Define the scope of the dissertation, explaining any limitations.
Lay out the structure of the dissertation, taking the reader through each section and providing any key definitions.
Very briefly describe what your main findings are - but leave the detail for the sections below.

It is good practice to come back to the introduction after you have finished writing up the rest of the document to ensure it sets the appropriately scene for subsequent sections.

Should you have a separate literature review chapter?

Not usually , as your project is basically a big literature review, it isn't necessary to have a separate chapter. You would normally introduce background literature in your introduction instead.

However, if your supervisor suggests a separate chapter then it could go at this point, after the main introduction (which would then not include background literature).

For more advice on writing a literature review see the Literature Review pages on this guide.

Purpose: To present the themes you have identified in your research and explain how they contribute to answering your research questions

You will typically have 3-5 themed chapters. Each one should contain:

An introduction to the theme - what things it means and what it incorporates.
How the theme was addressed within the literature - this should be analytical not just descriptive.
A conclusion which shows how the theme relates to the research question(s).

Ensuring your themed chapters flow

Choosing the order of your theme chapters is an important part of the structure to your project. For example, if you study History and your project covers a topic that develops over a large time period, it may be best to order each chapter chronologically. Other subjects may have a natural narrative running through the themes. Think about how your reader will be able to follow along with your overall argument.

Although each chapter must be dedicated to a particular theme, it must link back to previous chapters and flow into the following chapter. You need to ensure they do not seem like they are unrelated to each other. There will be overlaps, mention these.

Some literature-based projects will focus on primary sources. If yours does, make sure primary sources are at the core of your paragraphs and chapters, and use secondary sources to expand and explore the theme further.

Purpose: To present the conclusion that you have reached as a result of both the background literature review and the analysis in your thematic chapters

A conclusion summarises all the points you have previously made and it should not include any evidence or topics you have not included in your introduction or themed chapters. There should be no surprises.

It should be about 5-10% of your word limit so make sure you leave enough words to do it justice. There will be marks in the marking scheme specifically allocated to the strength of your conclusion which cannot be made up elsewhere.

Some conclusions will also include recommendations for practice or ideas for further research. Check with your supervisor to see if they are expecting either or both of these.

Reference list

It is good practice to develop a reference list whilst writing the project, rather than leaving it until the end. This prevents a lot of searching around trying to remember where you accessed a particular source. If using primary sources, it also allows you to monitor the balance between primary and secondary sources included in the project. There is software available to help manage your references and the university officially supports RefWorks and EndNote.

For more advice on reference management, see our Skills Guide: Referencing Software

Transcriptions
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If you have information that you would like to include but are finding it disrupts the main body of text as its too cumbersome, or would distract from the main arguments of your dissertation, the information can be included in the appendix section. Each appendix should be focused on one item.

Appendices should not include any information that is key to your topic or overall argument.

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Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation | A Guide to Structure & Content

A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter).

The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes:

An introduction to your topic
A literature review that surveys relevant sources
An explanation of your methodology
An overview of the results of your research
A discussion of the results and their implications
A conclusion that shows what your research has contributed

Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an argument by analysing primary and secondary sources . Instead of the standard structure outlined here, you might organise your chapters around different themes or case studies.

Other important elements of the dissertation include the title page , abstract , and reference list . If in doubt about how your dissertation should be structured, always check your department’s guidelines and consult with your supervisor.

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Acknowledgements, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review / theoretical framework, methodology, reference list.

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation’s title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo. Many programs have strict requirements for formatting the dissertation title page .

The title page is often used as cover when printing and binding your dissertation .

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The acknowledgements section is usually optional, and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you.

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150-300 words long. You should write it at the very end, when you’ve completed the rest of the dissertation. In the abstract, make sure to:

State the main topic and aims of your research
Describe the methods you used
Summarise the main results
State your conclusions

Although the abstract is very short, it’s the first part (and sometimes the only part) of your dissertation that people will read, so it’s important that you get it right. If you’re struggling to write a strong abstract, read our guide on how to write an abstract .

In the table of contents, list all of your chapters and subheadings and their page numbers. The dissertation contents page gives the reader an overview of your structure and helps easily navigate the document.

All parts of your dissertation should be included in the table of contents, including the appendices. You can generate a table of contents automatically in Word.

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If you have used a lot of tables and figures in your dissertation, you should itemise them in a numbered list . You can automatically generate this list using the Insert Caption feature in Word.

If you have used a lot of abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetised list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

If you have used a lot of highly specialised terms that will not be familiar to your reader, it might be a good idea to include a glossary . List the terms alphabetically and explain each term with a brief description or definition.

In the introduction, you set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance, and tell the reader what to expect in the rest of the dissertation. The introduction should:

Establish your research topic , giving necessary background information to contextualise your work
Narrow down the focus and define the scope of the research
Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
Clearly state your objectives and research questions , and indicate how you will answer them
Give an overview of your dissertation’s structure

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your research. By the end, the reader should understand the what , why and how of your research. Not sure how? Read our guide on how to write a dissertation introduction .

Before you start on your research, you should have conducted a literature review to gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic. This means:

Collecting sources (e.g. books and journal articles) and selecting the most relevant ones
Critically evaluating and analysing each source
Drawing connections between them (e.g. themes, patterns, conflicts, gaps) to make an overall point

In the dissertation literature review chapter or section, you shouldn’t just summarise existing studies, but develop a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear basis or justification for your own research. For example, it might aim to show how your research:

Addresses a gap in the literature
Takes a new theoretical or methodological approach to the topic
Proposes a solution to an unresolved problem
Advances a theoretical debate
Builds on and strengthens existing knowledge with new data

The literature review often becomes the basis for a theoretical framework , in which you define and analyse the key theories, concepts and models that frame your research. In this section you can answer descriptive research questions about the relationship between concepts or variables.

The methodology chapter or section describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to assess its validity. You should generally include:

The overall approach and type of research (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic)
Your methods of collecting data (e.g. interviews, surveys, archives)
Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
Your methods of analysing data (e.g. statistical analysis, discourse analysis)
Tools and materials you used (e.g. computer programs, lab equipment)
A discussion of any obstacles you faced in conducting the research and how you overcame them
An evaluation or justification of your methods

Your aim in the methodology is to accurately report what you did, as well as convincing the reader that this was the best approach to answering your research questions or objectives.

Next, you report the results of your research . You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Only report results that are relevant to your objectives and research questions. In some disciplines, the results section is strictly separated from the discussion, while in others the two are combined.

For example, for qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, the presentation of the data will often be woven together with discussion and analysis, while in quantitative and experimental research, the results should be presented separately before you discuss their meaning. If you’re unsure, consult with your supervisor and look at sample dissertations to find out the best structure for your research.

In the results section it can often be helpful to include tables, graphs and charts. Think carefully about how best to present your data, and don’t include tables or figures that just repeat what you have written – they should provide extra information or usefully visualise the results in a way that adds value to your text.

Full versions of your data (such as interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix .

The discussion is where you explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research questions. Here you should interpret the results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data and discuss any limitations that might have influenced the results.

The discussion should reference other scholarly work to show how your results fit with existing knowledge. You can also make recommendations for future research or practical action.

The dissertation conclusion should concisely answer the main research question, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your central argument. Wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you did and how you did it. The conclusion often also includes recommendations for research or practice.

In this section, it’s important to show how your findings contribute to knowledge in the field and why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known?

You must include full details of all sources that you have cited in a reference list (sometimes also called a works cited list or bibliography). It’s important to follow a consistent reference style . Each style has strict and specific requirements for how to format your sources in the reference list.

The most common styles used in UK universities are Harvard referencing and Vancouver referencing . Your department will often specify which referencing style you should use – for example, psychology students tend to use APA style , humanities students often use MHRA , and law students always use OSCOLA . M ake sure to check the requirements, and ask your supervisor if you’re unsure.

To save time creating the reference list and make sure your citations are correctly and consistently formatted, you can use our free APA Citation Generator .

Your dissertation itself should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents you have used that do not fit into the main body of your dissertation (such as interview transcripts, survey questions or tables with full figures) can be added as appendices .

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Dissertation Example

The dissertation, a hefty piece of academic writing, is an opportunity for the student to showcase their scholarly capabilities and intellectual understanding by delving deeply into a subject of their choosing. Regardless of the topic, the dissertation allows demonstrating several core competencies, including:

The capacity to define and delineate a research question
Identify the key issues that pertain to it
Locate or generate pertinent information
Assess its credibility and relevance, and
Rigorously weigh the evidence from all angles

Ultimately, a well-crafted dissertation presents a compelling and convincing argument that synthesizes the relevant information and evidence, arrives at a sound and defensible conclusion, and presents the results of the work in a lucid, compelling, and organized manner.

Get 3+ free library-based dissertation topics absolutely free.

This article will cover all you need to know about library-based dissertations. Review the provided library-based dissertation examples to get a comprehensive insight into how it works.

Example 1: To Assess How Entrepreneurship and Innovation can Enhance Patient Safety Techniques-Case in the Healthcare Sector of the UK

Example 2: Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Interpersonal Skills (IPS): The Moderating Role of Attachment Style (AS)?

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What is a Library-Based Dissertation?

A library-based dissertation, mostly known as a literature review or secondary research , is a genre of academic dissertation that forgoes empirical research or experimentation. Instead, it involves an extensive and discerning analysis of existing literature and research on a particular topic.

The author carefully reviews and synthesizes the literature, which may encompass academic articles, books, reports, and other publications, with a view to discerning gaps, inconsistencies, or controversies in the extant research.

Having analyzed and synthesized the literature, the author provides their clear-sighted evaluation, based on which they draw insightful conclusions. The primary objective of a library-based dissertation is to demonstrate a profound and nuanced understanding of the existing literature on a required topic and to offer recommendations and insights for future research in the field.

Key Elements of Dissertation

The library-based dissertation's structure is the same as the other dissertation types, except for extensive research.

I. Introduction

Overview of the research question or topic of interest
Explanation of the reasoning behind the study

II. Literature Review

Comprehensive analysis and synthesis of current literature on the topic
Inclusion of recent research, theories, concepts, and methodologies relevant to the research question
Identification of any gaps, controversies, or inconsistencies in the literature
Critical evaluation of the current state of research in the field

Get a detailed analysis of the literature review for your assistance here .

III. Methodology

Outline of the methodology used in conducting the literature review
Description of the search strategy, databases, keywords, and inclusion/exclusion criteria utilized to identify relevant literature

IV. Analysis and Discussion

Presentation of the author's critical perspective and evaluation of the literature
Discussion of themes or arguments found in the literature and how they relate to the research question

V. Conclusion

Summary of the primary findings from the literature review and the author's critical evaluation
Recommendations for future research
Highlighting any areas requiring further investigation

VI. References

List references cited in the literature review section using a consistent citation style.

Check out this article to properly add references in your dissertation.

How to Write References? Best Tips and Referencing Style Examples

A library research dissertation should exhibit a comprehensive and critical comprehension of the existing literature on a topic and provide insights and recommendations for future research.

Check out these library-based or literature-based dissertation examples.

Example 1: The Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Treating Anxiety Disorders

Introduction: Provides an overview of anxiety disorders and the need for effective treatments. Outlines the research question and objectives.

Literature Review: Analyzes the existing literature on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a treatment for anxiety disorders. Discusses the key concepts and theories of CBT and its effectiveness in reducing anxiety symptoms. Identifies gaps and inconsistencies in the literature and critically evaluates the current state of research.

Methodology: Outlines the search strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria used to identify relevant literature.

Analysis and Discussion: Presents the author's literature analysis and synthesizes the key findings. Highlights the effectiveness of CBT in treating anxiety disorders and identifies areas where further research is needed.

Conclusion: Summarizes the findings of the literature review and provides recommendations for future research on the topic.

Example 2: The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health

Introduction: Provides an overview of the relationship between social media and mental health in adolescents. Outlines the research question and objectives.

Literature Review: Analyzes the existing literature on the impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Discusses the key concepts and theories related to social media use and mental health outcomes. Identifies gaps and inconsistencies in the literature and provides a critical evaluation of the current state of research.

Methodology: Outlines the search strategy and inclusion/exclusion criteria for identifying relevant literature.

Analysis and Discussion: Presents the author's literature analysis and synthesizes the key findings. Highlights the potential negative effects of social media on adolescent mental health, including increased rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Identifies areas where further research is needed.

Example 3: The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Effective Leadership

Introduction: Provides an overview of the importance of effective leadership and the potential role of emotional intelligence in leadership. Outlines the research question and objectives.

Literature Review: Analyzes the existing literature on emotional intelligence and leadership. Discusses the key concepts and theories related to emotional intelligence and effective leadership. Identifies gaps and inconsistencies in the literature and critically evaluates the current state of research.

Analysis and Discussion: Presents the author's literature analysis and synthesizes the key findings. Highlights the importance of emotional intelligence in effective leadership and its potential impact on organizational performance. Identifies areas where further research is needed.

To summarize, a library-based dissertation or literature review allows students to contribute substantially to their academic discipline by critically examining existing literature on a particular subject. This dissertation form demands a meticulous literature evaluation, highlighting gaps and controversies and offering an original perspective and critique.

By sticking to the key components of a library-based dissertation, students can present a well-structured and persuasively argued work that showcases their academic proficiency and contributes to the scholarly discourse. Ultimately, a literature review presents a chance for aspirants to display their research abilities and make a meaningful impact in their academic field.

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Open Access Theses and Dissertations

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OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions . OATD currently indexes 7,242,730 theses and dissertations.

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We’re happy to present several data visualizations to give an overall sense of the OATD.org collection by county of publication, language, and field of study.

You may also want to consult these sites to search for other theses:

Google Scholar
NDLTD , the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. NDLTD provides information and a search engine for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), whether they are open access or not.
Proquest Theses and Dissertations (PQDT), a database of dissertations and theses, whether they were published electronically or in print, and mostly available for purchase. Access to PQDT may be limited; consult your local library for access information.

How to find resources by format

Why use a dissertation or a thesis.

A dissertation is the final large research paper, based on original research, for many disciplines to be able to complete a PhD degree. The thesis is the same idea but for a masters degree.

They are often considered scholarly sources since they are closely supervised by a committee, are directed at an academic audience, are extensively researched, follow research methodology, and are cited in other scholarly work. Often the research is newer or answering questions that are more recent, and can help push scholarship in new directions.

Search for dissertations and theses

Locating dissertations and theses.

The Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global database includes doctoral dissertations and selected masters theses from major universities worldwide.

Searchable by subject, author, advisor, title, school, date, etc.
More information about full text access and requesting through Interlibrary Loan

NDLTD – Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations provides free online access to a over a million theses and dissertations from all over the world.

WorldCat Dissertations and Theses searches library catalogs from across the U.S. and worldwide.

Locating University of Minnesota Dissertations and Theses

Use Libraries search and search by title or author and add the word "thesis" in the search box. Write down the library and call number and find it on the shelf. They can be checked out.

Check the University Digital Conservancy for online access to dissertations and theses from 2007 to present as well as historic, scanned theses from 1887-1923.

Other Sources for Dissertations and Theses

Center for Research Libraries
DART-Europe E-Thesis Portal
Theses Canada
Ethos (Great Britain)
Australasian Digital Theses in Trove
DiVA (Sweden)
E-Thesis at the University of Helsinki
DissOnline (Germany)
List of libraries worldwide - to search for a thesis when you know the institution and cannot find in the larger collections
ProQuest Dissertations Express - to search for a digitized thesis (not a free resource but open to our guest users)

University of Minnesota Dissertations and Theses FAQs

What dissertations and theses are available.

With minor exceptions, all doctoral dissertations and all "Plan A" master's theses accepted by the University of Minnesota are available in the University Libraries system. In some cases (see below) only a non-circulating copy in University Archives exists, but for doctoral dissertations from 1940 to date, and for master's theses from 1925 to date, a circulating copy should almost always be available.

"Plan B" papers, accepted in the place of a thesis in many master's degree programs, are not received by the University Libraries and are generally not available. (The only real exceptions are a number of old library school Plan B papers on publishing history, which have been separately cataloged.) In a few cases individual departments may have maintained files of such papers.

In what libraries are U of M dissertations and theses located?

Circulating copies of doctoral dissertations:.

Use Libraries Search to look for the author or title of the work desired to determine location and call number of a specific dissertation. Circulating copies of U of M doctoral dissertations can be in one of several locations in the library system, depending upon the date and the department for which the dissertation was done. The following are the general rules:
Dissertations prior to 1940 Circulating copies of U of M dissertations prior to 1940 do not exist (with rare exceptions): for these, only the archival copy (see below) is available. Also, most dissertations prior to 1940 are not cataloged in MNCAT and can only be identified by the departmental listings described below.
Dissertations from 1940-1979 Circulating copies of U of M dissertations from 1940 to 1979 will in most cases be held within the Elmer L. Andersen Library, with three major classes of exceptions: dissertations accepted by biological, medical, and related departments are housed in the Health Science Library; science/engineering dissertations from 1970 to date will be located in the Science and Engineering Library (in Walter); and dissertations accepted by agricultural and related departments are available at the Magrath Library or one of the other libraries on the St. Paul campus (the Magrath Library maintains records of locations for such dissertations).
Dissertations from 1980-date Circulating copies of U of M dissertations from 1980 to date at present may be located either in Wilson Library (see below) or in storage; consult Libraries Search for location of specific items. Again, exceptions noted above apply here also; dissertations in their respective departments will instead be in Health Science Library or in one of the St. Paul campus libraries.

Circulating copies of master's theses:

Theses prior to 1925 Circulating copies of U of M master's theses prior to 1925 do not exist (with rare exceptions); for these, only the archival copy (see below) is available.
Theses from 1925-1996 Circulating copies of U of M master's theses from 1925 to 1996 may be held in storage; consult Libraries search in specific instances. Once again, there are exceptions and theses in their respective departments will be housed in the Health Science Library or in one of the St. Paul campus libraries.
Theses from 1997-date Circulating copies of U of M master's theses from 1997 to date will be located in Wilson Library (see below), except for the same exceptions for Health Science and St. Paul theses. There is also an exception to the exception: MHA (Masters in Health Administration) theses through 1998 are in the Health Science Library, but those from 1999 on are in Wilson Library.

Archival copies (non-circulating)

Archival (non-circulating) copies of virtually all U of M doctoral dissertations from 1888-1952, and of U of M master's theses from all years up to the present, are maintained by University Archives (located in the Elmer L. Andersen Library). These copies must be consulted on the premises, and it is highly recommended for the present that users make an appointment in advance to ensure that the desired works can be retrieved for them from storage. For dissertations accepted prior to 1940 and for master's theses accepted prior to 1925, University Archives is generally the only option (e.g., there usually will be no circulating copy). Archival copies of U of M doctoral dissertations from 1953 to the present are maintained by Bell and Howell Corporation (formerly University Microfilms Inc.), which produces print or filmed copies from our originals upon request. (There are a very few post-1952 U of M dissertations not available from Bell and Howell; these include such things as music manuscripts and works with color illustrations or extremely large pages that will not photocopy well; in these few cases, our archival copy is retained in University Archives.)

Where is a specific dissertation of thesis located?

To locate a specific dissertation or thesis it is necessary to have its call number. Use Libraries Search for the author or title of the item, just as you would for any other book. Depending on date of acceptance and cataloging, a typical call number for such materials should look something like one of the following:

Dissertations: Plan"A" Theses MnU-D or 378.7M66 MnU-M or 378.7M66 78-342 ODR7617 83-67 OL6156 Libraries Search will also tell the library location (MLAC, Health Science Library, Magrath or another St. Paul campus library, Science and Engineering, Business Reference, Wilson Annex or Wilson Library). Those doctoral dissertations still in Wilson Library (which in all cases should be 1980 or later and will have "MnU-D" numbers) are located in the central section of the third floor. Those master's theses in Wilson (which in all cases will be 1997 or later and will have "MnU-M" numbers) are also located in the central section of the third floor. Both dissertations and theses circulate and can be checked out, like any other books, at the Wilson Circulation desk on the first floor.

How can dissertations and theses accepted by a specific department be located?

Wilson Library contains a series of bound and loose-leaf notebooks, arranged by department and within each department by date, listing dissertations and theses. Information given for each entry includes name of author, title, and date (but not call number, which must be looked up individually). These notebooks are no longer current, but they do cover listings by department from the nineteenth century up to approximately 1992. Many pre-1940 U of M dissertations and pre-1925 U of M master's theses are not cataloged (and exist only as archival copies). Such dissertations can be identified only with these volumes. The books and notebooks are shelved in the general collection under these call numbers: Wilson Ref LD3337 .A5 and Wilson Ref quarto LD3337 .U9x. Major departments of individual degree candidates are also listed under their names in the GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT programs of the U of M, available in University Archives and (for recent years) also in Wilson stacks (LD3361 .U55x).

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What is a thesis?

What is a dissertation, getting started, staying on track, thesis abstract, lit(erature) review.

A thesis is a long-term project that you work on over the course of a semester or a year. Theses have a very wide variety of styles and content, so we encourage you to look at prior examples and work closely with faculty to develop yours.

Before you begin, make sure that you are familiar with the dissertation genre—what it is for and what it looks like.

Generally speaking, a dissertation’s purpose is to prove that you have the expertise necessary to fulfill your doctoral-degree requirements by showing depth of knowledge and independent thinking.

The form of a dissertation may vary by discipline. Be sure to follow the specific guidelines of your department.

PhD This site directs candidates to the GSAS website about dissertations , with links to checklists, planning, formatting, acknowledgments, submission, and publishing options. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus . Consult with your committee chair about specific requirements and standards for your dissertation.
DDES This document covers planning, patent filing, submission guidelines, publishing options, formatting guidelines, sample pages, citation guidelines, and a list of common errors to avoid. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus .
Scholarly Pursuits (GSAS) This searchable booklet from Harvard GSAS is a comprehensive guide to writing dissertations, dissertation-fellowship applications, academic journal articles, and academic job documents.

Finding an original topic can be a daunting and overwhelming task. These key concepts can help you focus and save time.

Finding a topic for your thesis or dissertation should start with a research question that excites or at least interests you. A rigorous, engaging, and original project will require continuous curiosity about your topic, about your own thoughts on the topic, and about what other scholars have said on your topic. Avoid getting boxed in by thinking you know what you want to say from the beginning; let your research and your writing evolve as you explore and fine-tune your focus through constant questioning and exploration.

Get a sense of the broader picture before you narrow your focus and attempt to frame an argument. Read, skim, and otherwise familiarize yourself with what other scholars have done in areas related to your proposed topic. Briefly explore topics tangentially related to yours to broaden your perspective and increase your chance of finding a unique angle to pursue.

Critical Reading

Critical reading is the opposite of passive reading. Instead of merely reading for information to absorb, critical reading also involves careful, sustained thinking about what you are reading. This process may include analyzing the author’s motives and assumptions, asking what might be left out of the discussion, considering what you agree with or disagree with in the author’s statements and why you agree or disagree, and exploring connections or contradictions between scholarly arguments. Here is a resource to help hone your critical-reading skills:

https://guides.library.harvard.edu/sixreadinghabits

https://youtu.be/BcV64lowMIA

Conversation

Your thesis or dissertation will incorporate some ideas from other scholars whose work you researched. By reading critically and following your curiosity, you will develop your own ideas and claims, and these contributions are the core of your project. You will also acknowledge the work of scholars who came before you, and you must accurately and fairly attribute this work and define your place within the larger discussion. Make sure that you know how to quote, summarize, paraphrase , integrate , and cite sources to avoid plagiarism and to show the depth and breadth of your knowledge.

A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have.

The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed. The project can feel daunting or even overwhelming unless you break it down into manageable pieces and create a timeline for completing each smaller task. Be realistic but also challenge yourself, and be forgiving of yourself if you miss a self-imposed deadline here and there.

Your program will also have specific deadlines for different requirements, including establishing a committee, submitting a prospectus, completing the dissertation, defending the dissertation, and submitting your work. Consult your department’s website for these dates and incorporate them into the timeline for your work.

Accountability

Sometimes self-imposed deadlines do not feel urgent unless there is accountability to someone beyond yourself. To increase your motivation to complete tasks on schedule, set dates with your committee chair to submit pre-determined pieces of a chapter. You can also arrange with a fellow doctoral student to check on each other’s progress. Research and writing can be lonely, so it is also nice to share that journey with someone and support each other through the process.

Common Pitfalls

The most common challenges for students writing a dissertation are writer’s block, information-overload, and the compulsion to keep researching forever.

There are many strategies for avoiding writer’s block, such as freewriting, outlining, taking a walk, starting in the middle, and creating an ideal work environment for your particular learning style. Pay attention to what helps you and try different things until you find what works.

Efficient researching techniques are essential to avoiding information-overload. Here are a couple of resources about strategies for finding sources and quickly obtaining essential information from them.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/reading_criticism.html

https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/learning-strategies/reading-techniques

Finally, remember that there is always more to learn and your dissertation cannot incorporate everything. Follow your curiosity but also set limits on the scope of your work. It helps to create a folder entitled “future projects” for topics and sources that interest you but that do not fit neatly into the dissertation. Also remember that future scholars will build off of your work, so leave something for them to do.

An abstract is a short (approximately 200-word) summary or overview of your research project. It provides enough information for a reader to know what they will find within the larger document, such as your purpose, methodology, and results or conclusion. It may also include a list of keywords. An abstract is an original document, not an excerpt, and its contents and organization may vary by discipline.

A literature review establishes a set of themes and contexts drawn from foundational research and materials that relate to your project. It is an acknowledgment that your scholarship doesn’t exist in a vacuum. With the review, you identify patterns and trends in the literature to situate your contribution within the existing scholarly conversation.

What is a literature review? A literature review (or lit review, for short) is a critical analysis of published scholarly research (the "literature") related to a specific topic. Literature here means body of work, which traditionally was done in written form and may include journal articles, books, book chapters, dissertations and thesis, or conference proceedings. In the case of design, however, literature has an expanded breadth since the body of work is oftentimes not represented by words. A design review may include plans, sections, photographs, and any type of media that portrays the work.

A literature review may stand on its own or may be inside a larger work, usually in the introductory sections. It is thorough but not exhaustive--there will always be more information than you can reasonably locate and include. Be mindful of your scope and time constraints and select your reviewed materials with care. A literature review

summarizes the themes and findings of works in an area
compares and contrasts relevant aspects of literature on a topic
critically assesses the strengths and omissions of the source material
elaborates on the implications of their findings for one's own research topic

What does a literature review look like? Each discipline has its own style for writing a literature review; urban planning and design lit reviews may look different than those from architecture, and design lit reviews will look significantly different than reviews from the biological sciences or engineering. Look at published journal articles within your field and note how they present the information.

Introduction: most scholarly articles and books will have a literature review within the introductory sections. Its precise location may vary, but it is most often in the first few paragraphs or pages.

Dedicated literature reviews: these are stand-alone resources unto themselves. You can search for "literature review" and a topic, and you may find that one already exists. These literature reviews are useful as models within your field, for finding additional sources to explore, and for beginning to map the general relationships within the scholarly conversation around your topic. Be mindful not to plagiarize the source material.

Database search tip : Add the phrase "literature review" to your search to find published literature reviews.

Browsing through theses and dissertations of the past can help to get a sense of your options and gain inspiration but be careful to use current guidelines and refer to your committee instead of relying on these examples for form or formatting.

Theses at the Frances Loeb Library is a research guide to finding p ast GSD theses.

DASH Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard.

HOLLIS Harvard Library’s catalog provides access to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global .

MIT Architecture has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Rhode Island School of Design has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

University of South Florida has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Harvard GSD has a list of projects, including theses and professors’ research.

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Next: Publishing >>
Last Updated: Sep 26, 2024 7:15 PM
URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/gsd/write

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

The Caveat

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements page
Abstract (or executive summary)
Table of contents , list of figures and tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
How does your research contribute something original?
How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Finding Dissertations and Theses

Using ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database
IU Dissertations
Global Dissertations & Other Resources
Bibliographies

Ask a Librarian

Kristina Bradley-Khan, Nickoal Eichmann, Emily Okada, Keila DuBois, Jeff Graf, Alyssa Denneler .

Based on a document created by Sarah Mitchell in 2010

Created: February 2013

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.

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.

Getting Started

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

Quick Start: Where to Search

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 ScholarWorks. If it is not in ScholarWorks, search IUCAT.

Comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses from around the world, including millions of works from thousands of universities. Each dissertation published since July, 1980 includes a 350-word abstract written by the author. Master's theses published since 1988 include 150-word abstracts. Simple bibliographic citations are available for dissertations dating from 1637.

Includes the following: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: UK & Ireland ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: A & I ProQuest Dissertations & Theses: CIC Institutions

An open access repository that organizes and preserves the work of IU scholars, including published and unpublished materials, supplementary files, and gray literature.

The Indiana University online catalog.

IUCAT, Indiana University's online library catalog, provides comprehensive access to millions of items held by the IU Libraries statewide, including books, recordings, US government publications, periodicals, and other types of material. Users can access IUCAT from any Internet-connected computer or device, whether in the libraries, on campus, or off campus.

Next: Using ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database >>
Last Updated: Sep 16, 2024 10:50 AM
URL: https://guides.libraries.indiana.edu/dissertations

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ProQuest Dissertations and Theses

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses - Full Text Indexes U.S. doctoral dissertations and master's theses. Includes 2.4 million dissertation and theses citations from around the world from 1861 to the present day together with 1 million full text dissertations that are available for download in PDF format.
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses @ Big Ten Academic Alliance Institutions Big Ten Academic Alliance dissertations, including free full-text from 1997 to the present. Click on "Full-text" to download the complete dissertation.
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses @ The University of Iowa UI dissertations, including free full text from 1997 to the present. Click on "Full-text" to download the complete dissertation.

University of Iowa electronic Dissertations and Theses: Iowa Research Online

Iowa Research Online Iowa Research Online (IRO) is a service of the University of Iowa Libraries dedicated to preserving and providing open access to the scholarly and creative work of the University. You can find electronic theses and dissertations from the UI.

Dissertations and Theses

Australasian Digital Theses Program This database contains 135,254 theses, of which, 9,782 are in digital form, from post-graduate research students in 28 participating Australian universities.
DART-Europe E-Theses Portal DART-Europe is a partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses. The DART-Europe partners help to provide researchers with a single European Portal for the discovery of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs), and they participate in advocacy to influence future European e-theses developments.
Ebsco Open Dissertations OpenDissertations.org is a collaboration between EBSCO and BiblioLabs that brings an innovative approach to increasing traffic and discoverability of ETD research.
EThOS Electronic Theses Online Service: access to over 250,000 United Kingdom theses.
Foreign Doctoral Dissertations CRL has more than 750,000 foreign doctoral dissertations that can be requested through the Interlibrary Loan service - http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/services/illdd.html.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) is an international organization dedicated to promoting electronic analogues to the traditional paper-based theses and dissertations.
Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) OATD aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 600 colleges, universities, and research institutions. OATD currently indexes over 1.5 million theses and dissertations.
SUDOC A French online catalog providing access to academic university libraries in France. To limit your search to theses, select the Advanced Search Screen and choose "Theses (version de soutenance)" as the publication type.
Theses Canada Portal Electronic theses that were submitted to the Theses Canada program between 1998 and August 31, 2002.

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Dissertation examples

Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written. Refer to your module guidelines to make sure that you address all of the current assessment criteria. Some of the examples below are only available to access on campus.

Undergraduate examples
Taught Masters examples


These dissertations achieved a mark of 80 or higher:
The following two examples have been annotated with academic comments. This is to help you understand why they achieved a good 2:1 mark but also, more importantly, how the marks could have been improved. Please read to help you make the most of the two examples. (Mark 68) (Mark 66) These final year projects achieved a mark of a high first: For students undertaking a New Venture Creation (NVC) approach, please see the following Masters level examples:


Projects which attained grades of over 70 or between 60 and 69 are indicated on the lists (accessible only by students and staff registered with School of Computer Science, when on campus).
These are good quality reports but they are not perfect. You may be able to identify areas for improvement (for example, structure, content, clarity, standard of written English, referencing or presentation quality).

The following examples have their marks and feedback included at the end of of each document. The following examples have their feedback provided in a separate document.

School of Media and Communication .

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets. (Mark 78) (Mark 72) (Mark 75) (Mark 91) (Mark 85) (Mark 85) (Mark 85) (Mark 91) (Mark 85) (Mark 75)
This dissertation achieved a mark of 84: .

These dissertations achieved a mark of 80 or higher:

The following two examples have been annotated with academic comments. This is to help you understand why they achieved a good 2:1 mark but also, more importantly, how the marks could have been improved.

Please read to help you make the most of the two examples.

(Mark 68)

(Mark 66)

These final year projects achieved a mark of a high first:

For students undertaking a New Venture Creation (NVC) approach, please see the following Masters level examples:

Projects which attained grades of over 70 or between 60 and 69 are indicated on the lists (accessible only by students and staff registered with School of Computer Science, when on campus).

These are good quality reports but they are not perfect. You may be able to identify areas for improvement (for example, structure, content, clarity, standard of written English, referencing or presentation quality).

The following examples have their marks and feedback included at the end of of each document.

The following examples have their feedback provided in a separate document.

School of Media and Communication .

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets.

(Mark 78)
(Mark 72)
(Mark 75)

(Mark 91)
(Mark 85)
(Mark 85)
(Mark 85)
(Mark 91)

(Mark 85)
(Mark 75)

This dissertation achieved a mark of 84:


LUBS5530 Enterprise
MSc Sustainability


.
The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets. (Mark 70) (Mark 78)

LUBS5530 Enterprise

MSc Sustainability

The following outstanding dissertation example PDFs have their marks denoted in brackets.

(Mark 70)

(Mark 78)

Dissertations/Theses: MIT

How to write a dissertation/thesis

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Dissertations/Theses at MIT | Non-MIT | How to write

Related guide

MIT Thesis FAQ View topics such as specifications, submitting to DSpace, copyright, holds, availability, and fees.

MIT doctoral dissertations and masters theses

Paper and microfiche: Search the library catalog, Search Our Collections .
DSpace does NOT contain the complete collection of MIT theses.
Use Search Our Collections to search for all MIT theses.
Theses are received one month after degrees are granted in February, June, and September.
Additional information may be found at Thesis Access and Availability FAQ .
Theses may not be borrowed from the Distinctive Collections Reading Room .
PDF copies may be purchased through the Distinctive Collections Request System . See Requesting Materials for complete information.
Theses may be viewed in person in the Distinctive Collections Reading Room .
Institutions may purchase PDF copies through the Distinctive Collections Request System . See Requesting Materials for complete information.

View Online:

MIT theses in DSpace are available to anyone, for free, as printable full-text PDF files.

Order PDF Copies:

For theses not in DSpace, PDF copies may be purchased through the Distinctive Collections Request System . See Requesting Materials for complete information.
See pricing information and contact Distinctive Collections with any questions.

Prepare and Submit Your MIT Thesis:

How to write a dissertation or thesis
Manage your references
MIT Thesis FAQ
Specifications for Thesis Preparation and Submission
Add your thesis to DSpace: Electronic submission information

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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

The largest single repository of graduate dissertations and theses
3.8 million graduate works, with 1.7 million in full text
Includes work by authors from more than 3,000 graduate schools and universities the world over, and covers every conceivable subject.
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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global is a wealth of unique global scholarship, which is a credible and quality source to Uncover the Undiscovered research insights and intelligence in easiest and most effective ways. The equitable discoverability of more than 5.8 million dissertations and theses with coverage from year 1637, allows researchers to amplify diverse voices and place their research in a global context. The database offers nearly 3.2 million full texts for most of the dissertations added since 1997.

By leveraging the rich citation data found in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global and with new citation insight tool, researchers can benefit from focused pathways of discovery to build foundational knowledge on various research topics. Over 200,000 new dissertations and theses are added to the database each year to enrich the citation data continuously.

For more information about the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global , navigate to the Content Page .

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Database is also part of ProQuest One Academic . ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global resides on the ProQuest Platform. For additional information about basic and advanced functionality or administrative capabilities, visit the ProQuest Platform LibGuide .

The Dissertations Bootcamp eLearning Modules are a free resource that help support graduate student planning, writing, and research.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Student, Citation Connections

Here you can have a preview of the new features just launched for the Cited Reference documents in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Librarian

Intended for Librarians who want to learn how to use the database's advanced search to support subject area research at their institution. Duration: 2 minutes.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Student, Searching Titles and Languages

This session reviews how Students, both Masters or PhD, can use the database's advanced search to identify known dissertations by title and search/analyze by languages other than English. Duration: 3 minutes.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Student, Searching Names

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ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Student, Cited References

This session reviews how Students, both Masters or PhD, can use the dissertations to retrieve and explore further the Cited References. Duration: 4 minutes.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Student, Supplemental Files

This session reviews how Students, both Masters or PhD, can identify dissertations with Supplemental files which may contain useful materials for their graduate work. Duration: 3.5 minutes.

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses for the Student, Subject Searching

This session will show Students, both Masters or PhD, some Search techniques both Basic and Advanced to locate dissertations on a certain topic. Duration: 5.5 minutes.

Webinar Title : Best Practices for Searching ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global

This session demonstrates how users can utilize the best practices of searching the " ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global database" to connect with relevant information for their academic work. Duration: 52 minutes.

Materials in English - Figures (Database size) and Platform features images now updated as of March 2023

PQDT Global Basic Version PPT
PQDT Global Advanced Version PPT
PQDT Global Citation Connection PPT
ProQuest ETD Dissemination Program
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index Training Assest: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index PPT- May 2024
Marketing Toolkit
New! Embedded eLearning for Undergraduates
Request Training
Top Dissertations
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index
FAQ- What’s New for PQDT
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Data Used in Research Projects
New Change in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT) Structure and its Impact on Usage Reports in 2023
New Change in ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT) Structure and its Impact on Saved Searches & Alerts
Best Practices for Incorporating ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Product into EBSCO Discovery
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OU theses and dissertations

Online theses.

Are available via Open Research Online .

Print theses

Search for OU theses in the Library Search . To see only print theses click 'In the Walton Hall library' and refine your results to resource type 'Thesis'.

OU staff and research students can borrow a consultation copy of a thesis (if available). Please contact the Library helpdesk giving the author and title of the thesis.

UK theses and dissertations from EThOS

The Electronic Theses Online System (EThOS) offers free access to the full text of UK theses.

EThOS offers a one stop online shop providing free access to UK theses
EThOS digitizes theses on request into PDF format, this may require payment
EThOS is managed by the British Library in partnership with a number of UK universities
EThOS is open to all categories of library user

What does this mean to you as a library user?

When you need to access a PhD thesis from another UK based HE institution you should check EThOS to either download a thesis which has already been digitised or to request that a UK thesis be supplied to you.

For all UK theses EThOS will be the first point of delivery. You can use the online ordering and tracking system direct from EThOS to manage your requests for UK PhD theses, including checking the status of your requests
As readers you will deal directly with EThOS so will not need to fill in a document delivery request
OU staff and research students will still be entitled to access non-UK based PhD theses by filling in a document delivery request
In some cases where EThOS is unable to supply a UK thesis OU staff and research students will be able to access it by filling in a conventional document delivery request. The thesis will be supplied through direct loan
The EThOS system is both faster and cheaper than the previous British Theses service which was based on microfilm
The British Library no longer arranges interlibrary loans for UK PhD theses
Interlibrary Loan procedures for other types of request from the British Library (articles and books for example) will remain the same

If you have any queries about using EThOS contact the Document Delivery Team ( [email protected] or the Library Helpdesk ).

Note 13/03/2024: The British Library is continuing to experience a major technology outage affecting its websites and other online systems, due to a Cyber attack. as a result access to ETHOS might not be possible until the issue is fixed.

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The ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT) ™ database is the world's most comprehensive curated collection of multi-disciplinary dissertations and theses from around the world, offering over 5 million citations and 3 million full-text works from thousands of universities.

Within dissertations and theses is a wealth of scholarship, yet it is often overlooked because most go unpublished. Uncover new ideas and innovations with more confidence and efficiency. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global delivers a focused path for researchers by tapping into a global network of connected research.

Dissertation references can be a treasure trove for obscure topics, here students discover shorter works like articles.

Scott Dennis, Librarian Core Electronic Resources, University of Michigan

Connecting Global Scholarship

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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (PQDT) Global provides visibility of cutting-edge research from the world’s premier universities.

ProQuest’s vast collection of >5.5million post graduate dissertations and theses now discoverable on Web of Science

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global with the Web of Science™ enables researchers to seamlessly uncover early career, post-graduate research in the form of more than 5.5 million dissertations and theses from over 4,100 institutions from more than 60 countries, alongside journal articles, conference proceedings, research data, books, preprints and patents.

The integration and introduction of the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index , eliminates the need for researchers to search multiple databases, allowing them to streamline their workflow and focus more on their academic success and research advancements.

To further enhance accessibility, direct full text linking from the Web of Science to the ProQuest platform is available for joint subscribers of the Web of Science and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Navigating ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index

DISCOVER unique scholarship

Provides credible research on unique, niche, and trending topics, often not published elsewhere
Provides access to global and diverse perspectives, helping to close diversity gaps in mainstream publishing channels
Removes friction and obstacles from the research process by making full text available in one location
Retrieves equitable search results, which places equal value on quality scholarship no matter where it is from

UNCOVER the value of dissertations

Introduces users to new source types
Reaches more students, helps more users in a virtual environment
Addresses user needs immediately when they need it
Nurtures career aspirations in academia

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global home page

FOCUS your research path

Citation Connections are the next step in the evolution of the ProQuest Platform, moving the recommender functionality beyond standard keyword lists towards technology that leverages citation data, bibliometrics, and knowledge graph technology. Focus your research path by finding the most relevant and influential works faster.

Supports researchers to become more efficient and effective.
Leads researchers of all levels quickly to the most relevant, credible sources.
Provides a focused path to building comprehensive foundational knowledge in any research area.
Integrates with other library resources, enhances the value of other ProQuest subscriptions by providing insights into how the research is connected.

Success Story

Progressing STEM Studies with a Critical Primary Research Source

Author, Technologist, and Doctoral Student, Ida Joiner shares her story on leveraging dissertations to engage with current trends, cite a comprehensive foundation and build towards her own research goals.

Avoiding Bias by Starting at the Source

Dr. Terri D. Pigott, Ph.D., of the School of Public Health at the College of Education, Georgia State University, on Avoiding Bias by Starting at the Source.

Testimonials

Professor Terri Pigott Ph.D. discusses the expectations she presents to her students on meta-analysis and unbiased research requirements and how the use of ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global helps to ensure that comprehensive data sets are included in new research outputs.

Using Dissertations as a Primary Source

Student researcher and published author Ida Joiner discusses how she uses ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global as a core resource that helps her to build towards her own research goals.

Improving Diversity in Curriculum by Uncovering Unheard Voices

Psychology Professors and Research Scientists come together to build a course and write a supplemental text for Psychology curriculum emphasizing the dissertations by women of color prior to 1980, filling research gaps in the early history of psychology.

The Erasure of Drag Contribution in Performance History

Dr. Lady J, Ph.D., documents the historical impact, influence, contributions that drag performers have made to politics, music, film, fashion, and popular culture in her dissertation. Her goal is to document and make this history available for broad educational outreach.

Text and Data Mining Projects

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global is one of the most requested data-sets for text and data mining because of its broad historic to present-day coverage and deep and comprehensive data results found in the full-text records. TDM Studio can be used alongside PQDT to easily and efficiently extract data and analyze it. See the list below for articles and projects published by scholars who used ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global data:

TDM Studio ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Case Studies
Mapping Research Trends with ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (Univ. North Carolina)
Indiana University using Dissertations Data for Research
ProQuest Dissertation Database Provides Critical Information for Research Projects Across the US
City University of New York

hands typing on a laptop, purple icons and gradient overlay

Trends in the Evolution of Research and Doctoral Education

Bruce A. Weinberg, Ph.D., Professor of Economics and Public Affairs from The Ohio State University shares how text and data mining of ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global allows researchers to understand doctoral career trajectory patterns.

Improving Graduate Student Outcomes

Dr. Jearl (Ken) Helvey, Assistant Professor of Education – Doctoral Program at Texas Wesleyan University on how incorporating dissertations into the curriculum improved the doctoral student success at Texas Wesleyan University.

Related Products

Empower researchers to uncover new connections and make new discoveries using TDM Studio, a new solution for text and data mining (TDM). From the initial idea to the final output, TDM Studio puts the power of text and data mining directly in the researcher’s hands.

ProQuest One Academic brings together four core multi-disciplinary products, allowing access to the world’s largest curated collection of journals, ebooks, dissertations, news and video.

Including dissertations and theses in ProQuest means amplifying your research by making it available in a unified repository

Theses and Dissertations

Congrats on working towards your thesis or dissertation at UTA! The UTA Libraries Digital Publishing Librarian, Digital Publishing Specialist, and entire OER & Digital Services team are here to help you submit your documents, so they become part of the publicly accessible scholarly record. This important practice is part of the growing movement for open access scholarship around the world to ensure that EVERYONE has access to the results of scholarly research.

ETDs are openly published in UTA's institutional repository, called MavMatrix (formerly UTA ResearchCommons ). The UTA institutional repository offers metrics about how many users are engaging with your ETD in a variety of ways! Make sure to check back after graduation to see what impact your thesis or dissertation is making in the world! For example, Amy Holmes’ dissertation from 2016 has nearly 6000 abstract views and almost 1000 downloads on our site alone!

Process and Deadlines to submit your approved Thesis or Dissertation to the ResearchCommons

We are currently migrating to a new and much improved platform for our institutional repository. For those submitting during the Fall 2024 semester , we have a different process than usual. Before any submission can be made, please send an email to [email protected] identifying that you will be submitting a thesis or dissertation this semester and include your degree and department name . After that step, you will receive an email with instructions on when and how to submit to our new repository.

***Please note: When you create an account on MavMatrix, please use an email address that you will continue to have access to after graduation. For example, don't use a UTA STAFF email address (ending in only uta.edu) unless you will continue your employment after graduation. Access to those emails terminates immediately upon graduation. Student email addresses (ending in mavs.uta.edu) should have longer access periods. We recommend using a personal, non-UTA email address to ensure continued access and communication.***

As part of this process, all students must agree to the Intellectual Property Statement and Non-Exclusive Copyright Release. This Non-Exclusive Copyright Release ensures that YOU RETAIN YOUR COPYRIGHT as author of your thesis or dissertation. Doctoral students must also complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates and submit via email to [email protected] .

When submitting your thesis or dissertation, the date on the title page of your document should match your graduation month and year. The month must be listed as either: May, August, or December (e.g. May 2024).

Deadlines to submit your approved Thesis or Dissertation to the Libraries ***Submitting prior to these deadlines will ensure enough time to complete required revisions. PLEASE NOTE: If you wait to submit until just before or on the deadline, processing of your submission and graduation milestone WILL BE DELAYED.

Semester	Date
Spring 2024	May 14, 2024
Summer 2024	August 13, 2024
Fall 2024	December 16, 2024

After your initial submission, be sure to check your email to receive either an acceptance of your submission or a request for required changes and resubmission.

If an extension is required, please complete the online extension request form . If you have further questions, contact your advisor or the Graduate School at [email protected] .

An embargo is a delayed release or temporary access restriction to the full-text PDF of your work. Common reasons to request an embargo include:

If your thesis or dissertation material is to be published in a journal that requires no prior publication
If you plan to file for a provisional patent relevant to the work published in your thesis or dissertation

Please note that you RETAIN your copyright as author of your thesis or dissertation when you sign the Non-Exclusive Copyright Release. This means that you are free to publish your work anywhere else you see fit without permission from UTA. Most journals and publishers today are aware that theses and dissertations are already published by universities in their institutional repository and/or must abide by mandates for federally funded research to openly publish outcomes and data.

Embargoed works are still visible as an entry in the UTA institutional repository with title, author, date, and abstract details. For those requesting an embargo for patent-filling reasons, please ensure that your abstract is written without revealing patent-relevant information or trade secrets.

If you require an embargo, they are requested when you submit your ETD to the Digital Publishing Team. You can add an embargo period of 6 months, one year, or two years. Two years is the maximum embargo time unless there are extenuating legal circumstances.

To request an embargo extension, consult either the Graduate School or the Office of Innovation and Commercialization (for patent/legal needs) to provide clear rationale as to why your work should be embargoed for longer than 2 years. That information can be provided to [email protected] .

Additional Resources for thesis and dissertation writing

UTA Graduate School Dissertation Completion Resources
How to Format Landscape Page Numbers
Create a Table of Contents and Table of Figures
The Research Process: Step-by-Step

Please note these changes from previous policies and workflows

Strict adherence to the embargo maximum period and visibility of all but the full-text PDF for embargoed works changed as of March 2023 in consultation with the Graduate School. Refer to [email protected] with questions.
We are no longer supporting submission to ProQuest because it is a paywalled database.
The library does not provide templates. The Graduate School offers manuals linked below. We strongly encourage you to contact your committee chair to discover which manual is recommended by your academic unit. For specific examples of previously published theses and dissertations, you can visit your department's community in the UTA institutional repository .
Guides and Examples of Elements of Theses and Dissertations

Binding Personal Copies of Theses and Dissertations

**Effective January 1, 2024, UTA Libraries will no longer be providing bindery services for theses and dissertations. If your work has been deposited with ProQuest, you may order a print copy from them online . ProQuest may also be able to support printing of documents that have not been deposited with that service.

Still have questions? Check the FAQs!

FAQ: I just defended my thesis or dissertation. How do I submit my documents to fulfill the requirements of the Graduate School?

Answer: Please first review the information provided above. If you have not found information you seek, please contact [email protected] .

FAQ: How to access past theses and dissertations of UTA Students?

Answer: Older theses and dissertations are searchable in the library catalog here: https://uta.summon.serialssolutions.com . These are physically bound and available upon request.Newer theses and dissertations are only available in the UTA institutional repository. Browse to your department and refer to the theses and/or dissertations sections to find recent examples.

FAQ: I need to see examples of article-based dissertations.

Answer: For several years, all dissertations produced at UTA have been published openly in the UTA institutional repository . On the home page, use the search bar to search “article-based” or “article-based” AND a keyword from your discipline/topic to find an example closer to your field. For example, you could find “Smoking Cessation within the Federal Employee Population, an article-based dissertation by Brenda Ross Swilley from 2020 .

FAQ: Does the Library have a template for theses and dissertations?

Answer: The Library does not have any official templates for theses and dissertations. Each discipline has different requirements that they follow. Students need to contact their department for specific information about what their dissertations should and should not have. The Graduate School does have guidelines of elements that should be included in its manuals . Please note: these are only to be used as a guide or starting point. As stated above, each department has specific guidelines that the student must follow.

FAQ: Does the Library provide formatting and manual check services for theses and dissertations?

Answer: No, the Library does not provide these services. We encourage students to reach out the UTA Writing Center and/or the Graduate School for guidance on formatting and manual checks. There are Plagiarism Checkers freely available through services like Canvas, the Learning Management System used at UTA.

FAQ: I’m submitting my thesis or dissertation. Do I need to select an embargo?

Answer: Please refer to the information on embargoes offered above. Only select an embargo period if you want a delay in publication for your thesis or dissertation on the UTA institutional repository because you plan to publish in a venue that requires no prior publications or apply for a patent within two years. Most students select the “NONE” option to not request an embargo.

Please note that most academic publishers are now aware that high-level research institutions like UTA require all theses and dissertations to be made openly accessible via an institutional repository and therefore the stipulation that work cannot be published elsewhere does not apply if it was a thesis or dissertation in an institutional repository. If you would still like to embargo your work, please note that the embargo only applies to the PDF of your full text. The title, authorship, and abstract of your work will still be visible (per our policies with the Graduate School). You have the following embargo options:

Publication/Patent Hold 6 months - The full text of this work will be held/restricted from worldwide access on the internet for six months from the semester/year of graduation to meet academic publisher restrictions or to allow time for publication.

Publication/Patent Hold 12 months - The full text of this work will be held/restricted from worldwide access on the internet for twelve months from the semester/year of graduation to meet academic publisher restrictions or to allow time for publication.

Publication/Patent Hold 24 months - The full text of this work will be held/restricted from worldwide access on the internet for twenty-four months from the semester/year of graduation to meet academic publisher restrictions or to allow time for publication.

FAQ: What is ORCID? Do I need an ORCID iD to submit my thesis or dissertation?

Answer: ORCID is a “persistent digital identifier” that many researchers use to increase the visibility of their research across multiple platforms like Web of Science, publisher websites, and institutional websites. An ORCID is meant to serve as an overarching way to identify yourself as a researcher in the global scholarly community. When you create an ORCID, you receive a webpage listing all the publications you have published under your iD. It is free to sign up for one and add to your manuscript; however, it is not required to submit a thesis or dissertation.

FAQ: I found errors in the thesis or dissertation I submitted to the institutional repository and I need to resubmit. How do I do that?

Answer: Congratulations on completing your thesis or dissertation! Do not submit a new ETD. For revisions, please contact [email protected] for information about changes.

FAQ: Does the library offer a service for binding of UTA theses or dissertations?

Answer: No. Effective January 1, 2024, UTA Libraries no longer provides this service due to a lack of requests.

Any Questions?

If you have questions or need additional assistance, please submit this form:

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Tips for Starting Your Thesis or Dissertation

By Jodie Nicotra, Department of English and Amy Ross, U of I Writing Center

Establish a clear structure. With your advisor, clarify a good question (one that matches with your interests but is also relevant and marketable); establish clear guidelines re: the process and what will be expected of you; establish a timeline with due dates (for proposal, chapter drafts, complete final draft, defense date, etc.); decide what role the other members of your committee will play in the process.
It’s a good idea to turn in a proposal early in the process to clarify what you plan to do in the project and make sure that everyone is on board with it ahead of time (see other side for typical proposal structure and tips for writing). After you discuss the proposal with your advisor, you can then send it to the other members of your committee. It’s a good idea to set up a meeting time where all of you can discuss it.
See example proposal structure on other side.
It’s a good idea to do a literature review as part of the proposal (and, of course, for science dissertations/theses this will be part of the document itself). While you have obviously learned from seminars, coursework, and lab work, this is probably your first major foray into the field. Doing a literature review will give you a better sense of the relevant questions or conversations within the field. Literature reviews also, generally speaking, help you to establish a better question for your project.
Framing an appropriate question (one that’s significant, answerable, and relevant to the field) and deciding on sites to examine is the most important part of the pre-work.
Divide up large tasks into more manageable ones. Commit yourself to working on your project (especially the writing part) for at least fifteen minutes every day to prevent procrastination and to keep the project moving.
Talk with your advisor about reading chapter drafts: earlier intervention often saves you and her/him a lot of work down the line (I recommend having due dates for chapter drafts).
If your advisor has more than one student working on a dissertation or thesis, a dissertation/thesis group might be a good idea. Meet once every three weeks to collectively review somebody’s draft.
Make sure that your advisor sees a final draft well before your defense date so that you have time for revision.

For more on this, see:

Joan Bolker, Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day (New York: Henry Holt & Co., 1998).
Eviatar Zerubavel, The Clockwork Muse: A Practical Guide to Writing Theses, Dissertations, and Books (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1999).
Peter Elbow, Writing with Power 2nd ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1998).
Anne Lamotte, Bird by Bird (New York: Random House, 1994).

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Dissertations & theses: home, finding dissertations & theses.

The majority of print dissertations in the UC Berkeley Libraries are from UC Berkeley. The libraries have a nearly complete collection of Berkeley doctoral dissertations (wither online, in print, or both), and a large number of Berkeley master's theses.

UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley PhD Dissertations

Dissertations and Theses (Dissertation Abstracts) UCB access only 1861-present

Index and full text of graduate dissertations and theses from North American and European schools and universities, including the University of California, with full text of most doctoral dissertations from UC Berkeley and elsewhere from 1996 forward. Dissertations published prior to 2009 may not include information about the department from which the degree was granted.

UC Berkeley Master's Theses

UC Berkeley Digital Collections 2011-present

Selected UC Berkeley master's theses freely available online. For theses published prior to 2020, check UC Library Search for print availability (see "At the Library" below).

UC Berkeley dissertations may also be found in eScholarship , UC's online open access repository.

Please note that it may take time for a dissertation to appear in one of the above online resources. Embargoes and other issues affect the release timing.

At the Library:

Dissertations: From 2012 onwards, dissertations are only available online. See above links.

Master's theses : From 2020 onwards, theses are only available online. See above links.

To locate older dissertations, master's theses, and master's projects in print, search UC Library Search by keyword, title or author. For publications prior to 2009 you may also include a specific UC Berkeley department in your search: berkeley dissertations <department name> .

Examples: berkeley dissertations electrical engineering computer sciences berkeley dissertations mechanical engineering

University of California - all campuses

Index and full text of graduate dissertations and theses from North American and European schools and universities, including the University of California.

WorldCatDissertations UCB access only

Covers all dissertations and theses cataloged in WorldCat, a catalog of materials owned by libraries worldwide. UC Berkeley faculty, staff, and students may use the interlibrary loan request form for dissertations found in WorldCatDissertations.

Worldwide - Open Access

Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD)

The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) is an international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs).

Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD)

An index of over 3.5 million electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs). To the extent possible, the index is limited to records of graduate-level theses that are freely available online.

Last Updated: Mar 11, 2024 2:47 PM
URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/dissertations_theses

Home > ETD

Theses and Dissertations

Theses and Dissertations Available from ProQuest

Full text is available to Purdue University faculty, staff, and students on campus through this site. No login is required.

Off-campus Purdue users may download theses and dissertations by logging into the Libraries' proxy server with your Purdue Career Account. Links to log in to the proxy server directly below the download button of each thesis or dissertation page.

Non-Purdue users, may purchase copies of theses and dissertations from ProQuest or talk to your librarian about borrowing a copy through Interlibrary Loan. (Some titles may also be available free of charge in our Open Access Theses and Dissertations Series, so please check there first.)

Access to abstracts is unrestricted.

Open Access Theses

This series contains theses that students have wished to make openly available. The full content is available to all, although some theses may have embargoes. If an embargo exists the date will be listed instead of the download button. The download button will appear once a thesis is no longer embargoed. To browse a fuller listing of theses from Purdue please visit the Theses and Dissertations Available from ProQuest series.

Open Access Dissertations

This series contains open access dissertations that students have wished to make openly available. The full-text content is available to all, although some theses may have embargoes. If an embargo exists the date will be listed instead of the download button. The download button will appear once a dissertation is no longer embargoed. To browse a fuller listing of dissertations from Purdue please visit the Theses and Dissertations Available from ProQuest series.

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Dissertations & Theses
Over the last 80 years, ProQuest has built the world's most comprehensive and renowned dissertations program. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT Global), continues to grow its repository of 5 million graduate works each year, thanks to the continued contribution from the world's universities, creating an ever-growing resource of emerging research to fuel innovation and new insights.
Dissertations & projects: Literature-based projects
A typical literature-based dissertation will be broken up into the following sections: Use this basic structure as your document plan. Remember that you do not need to write it in the order it will finally be written in. For more advice on managing the order of your project, see our section on Project Management.
How to Write a Dissertation
The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter). The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes: An introduction to your topic. A literature review that surveys relevant sources.
Library-Based Dissertation Examples
A library-based dissertation, mostly known as a literature review or secondary research, is a genre of academic dissertation that forgoes empirical research or experimentation. Instead, it involves an extensive and discerning analysis of existing literature and research on a particular topic.
Literature Based Dissertation
Chapter 1 - Introduction. Begin your literature-based dissertation with a compelling introduction that sets the context for your research. Clearly state the purpose and significance of your study, along with your research objectives and research questions. Emphasise the gap or problem your dissertation aims to address and explain how a thorough ...
OATD
You may also want to consult these sites to search for other theses: Google Scholar; NDLTD, the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.NDLTD provides information and a search engine for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), whether they are open access or not. Proquest Theses and Dissertations (PQDT), a database of dissertations and theses, whether they were published ...
Dissertations and theses
A dissertation is the final large research paper, based on original research, for many disciplines to be able to complete a PhD degree. The thesis is the same idea but for a masters degree. ... and related departments are housed in the Health Science Library; science/engineering dissertations from 1970 to date will be located in the Science and ...
Theses and Dissertations
A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have. The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed.
PDF Structure of a literature-based dissertation
The key to a good dissertation is structure, which needs to be logical and coherent. The reader needs to be able to follow your argument throughout. A generic layout for a literature-based dissertation is given below; each section has particular content you are expected to include. Individual courses may require a specific structure, for ...
Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)
Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
Library Research Guides: Finding Dissertations and Theses : Home
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 ...
Dissertations and Theses: Home
Dissertations and Theses. This database contains 135,254 theses, of which, 9,782 are in digital form, from post-graduate research students in 28 participating Australian universities. DART-Europe is a partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses.
Dissertation examples
Dissertation examples. Listed below are some of the best examples of research projects and dissertations from undergraduate and taught postgraduate students at the University of Leeds We have not been able to gather examples from all schools. The module requirements for research projects may have changed since these examples were written.
Thesis and Dissertations-College of Graduate Studies-University of Idaho
Thesis and Dissertation Resources. You will find all you need to know about starting and completing your thesis or dissertation right here using ETD (Electronic submission of Dissertations and Theses). Note: COGS at this time is unable to provide any troubleshooting support or tutorials on LaTeX. Please use only if you are knowledgeable and ...
MIT
MIT doctoral dissertations and masters theses. Find: Paper and microfiche: Search the library catalog, Search Our Collections. Digital: Search MIT Theses in DSpace. DSpace does NOT contain the complete collection of MIT theses. Use Search Our Collections to search for all MIT theses. Recently submitted: Contact Distinctive Collections if the ...
LibGuides: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global: Home
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global is a wealth of unique global scholarship, which is a credible and quality source to Uncover the Undiscovered research insights and intelligence in easiest and most effective ways. The equitable discoverability of more than 5.8 million dissertations and theses with coverage from year 1637, allows researchers to amplify diverse voices and place their ...
Theses & dissertations
UK theses and dissertations from EThOS. The Electronic Theses Online System (EThOS) offers free access to the full text of UK theses. EThOS offers a one stop online shop providing free access to UK theses. EThOS digitizes theses on request into PDF format, this may require payment. EThOS is managed by the British Library in partnership with a ...
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global with the Web of Science™ enables researchers to seamlessly uncover early career, post-graduate research in the form of more than 5.5 million dissertations and theses from over 4,100 institutions from more than 60 countries, alongside journal articles, conference proceedings, research data, books, preprints and patents.
Harvard University Theses, Dissertations, and Prize Papers
The Harvard University Archives' collection of theses, dissertations, and prize papers document the wide range of academic research undertaken by Harvard students over the course of the University's history.. Beyond their value as pieces of original research, these collections document the history of American higher education, chronicling both the growth of Harvard as a major research ...
Theses and Dissertations
For example, you could find "Smoking Cessation within the Federal Employee Population, an article-based dissertation by Brenda Ross Swilley from 2020. FAQ: Does the Library have a template for theses and dissertations? Answer: The Library does not have any official templates for theses and dissertations. Each discipline has different ...
Starting Tips-Thesis and Dissertations-COGS-University of Idaho
WRITING. Divide up large tasks into more manageable ones. Commit yourself to working on your project (especially the writing part) for at least fifteen minutes every day to prevent procrastination and to keep the project moving. Talk with your advisor about reading chapter drafts: earlier intervention often saves you and her/him a lot of work ...
Home
At the Library: Dissertations: From 2012 onwards, dissertations are only available online. See above links. Master's theses: From 2020 onwards, theses are only available online.See above links. To locate older dissertations, master's theses, and master's projects in print, search UC Library Search by keyword, title or author. For publications prior to 2009 you may also include a specific UC ...
Theses and Dissertations
This series contains open access dissertations that students have wished to make openly available. The full-text content is available to all, although some theses may have embargoes. If an embargo exists the date will be listed instead of the download button. The download button will appear once a dissertation is no longer embargoed.

Dissertations & projects: Literature-based projects

On these pages:

How to structure a literature-based project

Abstract or summary

Should you have a separate literature review chapter?

Ensuring your themed chapters flow

Reference list

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What is a Library-Based Dissertation?

Key Elements of Dissertation

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