Theses & Dissertations
Theses & Dissertations
Theses and dissertations can also be excellent resources. They can be some of the most current works on your topic because they have been written
by students who, like you, were working towards a similar degree. As such they're typically unpublished, but because they were written in a scholastic setting they are written with the same rigor as published sources.
Bonus? They also contain extensive bibliographies that you can use to find more sources (more breadcrumbs to follow).
What's the Difference?
Either would be a helpful resource, but here are the key-differences between a thesis and a dissertation.
| Thesis | Dissertation |
| Master's level work | Doctoral level work |
| Analysis of existing research | Contribution of new research |
| Usually aound 100 pages | Usually around 300 pages or more |
Where to Find
OneSearch
You can use OneSearch. After searching using your key terms, use the filters on the left of the results. Under "Resource Type" you should see "Theses and Dissertations." Check the box and click "Apply Filters" at the bottom. Your results should now all be either a thesis or dissertation.
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Full Text
Digital collection of over 3.8 million dissertations and theses, many available in full text. Materials come from over 3,000 academic institutions, with content from 1861-present