What are Dissertations and Theses?
A doctoral dissertation is a paper written as part of the requirements to earn a doctoral degree such as a Ph.D or Ed.D. Dissertations generally address a research question that no one has investigated and published about before, and they are generally subject to a "defense" before a committee of experts at the school before considered complete.
A master's thesis is a paper written as part of the requirements to earn a master's degree. Thesis papers may take a variety of forms, but most typically may represent a thorough mastery and novel synthesis of the published literature and available knowledge on a topic.
Many dissertations and theses are available at Murphy Library as summarized here. Copies of those unavailable at Murphy Library can often be borrowed through interlibrary loan (ILL; use the Dissertation/Thesis Request form). Dissertations are more likely to be available through ILL than master's theses.
Murphy Library Databases
- ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new windowIndex of all doctoral dissertations and some master's theses from most North American and many European colleges and 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. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and some retrospective full text coverage for older graduate works. Access made possible by UWL Student Differential Tuition.
- OpenDissertations (EBSCO) @ EBSCOhost This link opens in a new windowThis collaboration between EBSCO and BiblioLabs contains full text and bibliographic records for over 800,000 theses and dissertations from more than 26 colleges worldwide. Includes records previously available in American Doctoral Dissertations, 1933-1955.
- OregonPDF in Health & Performance This link opens in a new windowCollection of graduate research studies (theses and dissertations) on movement and physical activity. Topics include physical activity, physical fitness, activities of daily living, work, sport and athletics, recreation, dance, and play. Study participants include children, adults; elderly, individuals with disabilities, injury or disease; and athletes. Citations and abstracts are included with links to full text PDFs. Coverage: At least 1996 to present. Updated annually.
- ProQuest One Business This link opens in a new windowIndexes over 30,000 business related dissertations.
Public Resources Available to All
- Dissertation Express (ProQuest)Over 2 million dissertations and theses from graduate schools around the world since 1938 are available for purchase as PDF download, unbound, softcover, hardcover, microfilm, or microfiche.
- Dissertation.comSome dissertations and theses may be identified and purchased from this alternative publisher.
- Global ETD SearchFrom the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), which aims to build a comprehensive gateway to all doctoral and master-level theses and dissertations, worldwide.
- Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD)Access to more than 1.6 million open-access theses and dissertations freely available from over 800 institutions worldwide.
- PQDT OpenAn online repository of dissertations and theses published on an open access basis. The full text – in PDF format – of each open access graduate work is available to any researcher for free.
UWL Theses and other Graduate Student Research Papers
Many UWL graduate student theses and other papers are available, either online or in print. Print copies are listed in the Murphy Library Catalog; digital copies are included in the Digital Collections at UW System Libraries.
Master's Theses by UWL graduate students are available online in the UW-L Master's Theses collection in MINDS@UW (when authors have granted permission).
Print copies (1958- ) are kept in Special Collections, shelved at the call number: WT
Circulating copies (1958-2013) can be found in the second floor stacks, shelved at the call number: WT
Action Learning / Graduate Projects by UWL graduate students are available online in the UW-L Master's Theses collection in MINDS@UW (when authors have granted permission).
Print copies (1979-2009) are kept in Special Collections, shelved at the call number: WX
Circulating copies (1979-2008) can be found in the second floor stacks, shelved at the call number: WX
Seminar Papers by UWL graduate students are available online in the UW-L Seminar Papers collection in MINDS@UW (when authors have granted permission).
Print copies (1957-2010) are kept in Special Collections, shelved at the call number: WS
Software Engineering Manuscripts by UWL graduate students are available online in the UW-L Manuscripts (Software Engineering) collection in MINDS@UW (when authors have granted permission).
Learning Community Project Summaries by UWL graduate students (MEPD program, 2000-2001) can be found in Special Collections, shelved at the call number: WY
Research Assistance
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More Dissertations & Theses available at Murphy Library
Some copies of dissertations and theses that were written by students at other schools are available at the library. These are listed in the Murphy Library Catalog.
Our holdings include thousands of theses and dissertations published on microfiche by University of Oregon Microform Publications, later known as Oregon Microform Publications in Sport and Human Performance, and now known as OregonPDF in Health & Performance.