| Dissertations and Theses are book-length
studies based on original research and written
in partial fulfillment of requirements for
the doctoral or master's degree. They provide
in-depth research on narrow topics, and
are primarily used by graduate students
and faculty.
Locating CSUSM Masters Theses
Browse
Masters Theses by Major
Browse theses completed by Cal State San
Marcos graduate students.
Locating
Theses & Dissertations at Local Universities
If the dissertation you are looking for
was submitted at UCSD, SDSU, or USD, it
is faster to order it through the Circuit.
For dissertations submitted at a University
of California campus, you can search Melvyl
and order the item through interlibrary
loan.
Circuit
Use "word" search with "dissertation"
and your topic terms.
Melvyl
-- University of California
Under format select "dissertation."
Locating
Theses & Dissertations at Other Universities
In order to search for dissertations held
at other universities, you need to use a
research database. None of these databases
provide the full-text of the dissertation.
Rather, once you have all the information
for a specific item (author, title, institution,
etc.), you can request
it through interlibrary loan.
Multi-disciplinary Collections
Dissertation Abstracts
Password Required. DAI comes in
two parts: A and B. Contact your
subject specialist librarian for aid
in searching.
WorldCat
Go to Advanced search, and under "Subtype
limits" select "Thesis / Dissertation."
This database does not provide abstracts.
Subject-specific Collections
America
History and Life
US and Canadian history. Choose Advanced
search. In "Document Type" type
"dissertations."
Art
Abstracts
Limit the SUBTYPE field to thesis/dissertations
-- this will retrieve dissertations and
books published from dissertations.
Chicano
Database
Try using the term "dissertation"
with you topic keywords.
Child
Abuse, Child Welfare and Adoption Database
Use "Change Search" button to
access advanced search features. In the
"Publication Type" field type
"Dissertation."
Contemporary Women's Issues (CWI)
Password Required. Contact your
subject specialist librarian for aid
in searching.
Historical
Abstracts
World history except US and Canada.
Choose Advanced search. In "Document
Type" type "dissertations."
Linguistics
and Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA)
Literature, humanities
MLA
Literature. Go to advanced search. Under
Limit to: Document Type Phrase, choose "Dissertation
Abstract."
PsycInfo
Psychology. Under "Publication Type"
choose "Dissertation Abstract."
RILM
Music. Go to advanced search. Under Limit
to: Document Type, choose "Dissertation."
Social
Services Abstracts
Indexes Dissertation Abstracts International:
A. Try using the term "dissertation"
with you topic keywords.
Sociological
Abstracts
Indexes Dissertation Abstracts International:
A Try using the term "dissertation"
with you topic keywords.
Women’s
Studies International
Indexes both Dissertation Abstracts
International A and B. Try
using the term "dissertation"
with you topic keywords.
Browsing
Electronic Dissertation Collections
Many graduate students look for examples
of dissertations for their own research.
Although the vast majority of dissertations
are only available in print, some dissertations
(in whole or in part) are available online.
Multi-University Collections
Networked
Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
(NDLTD)
A union catalog search of participating
universities. A keyword search is most
effective.
Electronic Dissertations and Theses in
the Humanities
Limited list, but samples a broad range
of humanities
ETD
Center (through OhioLink)
A group of Midwestern universities including
Ohio State, Case Western, and more.
Individual University Collections
Information on Dissertations
Guide
to Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Maintained by UNESCO
How to Read an Electronic Dissertation
Useful information from Virginia Tech on browsing and navigating online dissertations.
Ordering
Dissertations
Request to borrow dissertations through
Interlibrary Loan, or if a local university
(i.e., SDSU, UCSD, USD) owns the dissertation,
use the Circuit. As a last resort, you can
usually purchase a copy through UMI.
Interlibrary Loan
We can ask a university that owns a dissertation
to lend us a copy. Note that not all universities
lend copies of dissertations, while some
lend only microfilm copies.
Circuit
If you find the dissertation in the Circuit,
you can request it online, and pick it
up at our Library, sometimes within 24
hours. Excludes weekends and holidays.
UMI
Dissertations Express
Order your own unbound copy from UMI's collection
of over one million titles. You need to
know the author and keywords from a specific
title to locate the desired item. |
