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What is the Difference Between a Dissertation and a Thesis?

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What is the difference between a thesis and a dissertation

And to make it even more confusing, some institutions or departments will even use the terms differently!

But what are we all really talking about when we refer to a dissertation or a thesis? And does the term you use actually impact on what you actually end up writing?

This article covers the main differences between a dissertation and thesis, and how the terms may differ depending on the course, university and location.

What is a dissertation?

A dissertation is a piece of academic writing centred around original research. In their dissertations, students review existing research but also build on this with unique hypotheses and approaches.

A dissertation can be used to disprove a previous theory or take existing theories and research in a new direction. It is a large research project that is usually completed at the end of the academic year.

Usually, a dissertation starts with a dissertation proposal , which is approved by a study supervisor. The student then completes the research and writes up the methodology , findings, evaluations and conclusions from the research.

Dissertations can be undertaken by both undergraduate and postgraduate students. At undergraduate level the word count is around 5,000 to 8,000 and at postgraduate level it is usually 10,000 to 15,000.

What is a thesis?

A thesis is an academic paper covering an in-depth review of existing research in a particular discipline. It will involve an academic argument, although it doesn’t usually require original research from the student. The existing research is used to support and evaluate the proposed argument.

A thesis is not usually required at undergraduate level and is more common at postgraduate level.

This large piece of written-up research is usually completed at the end of a masters degree. Some masters courses require a thesis to graduate.

Differences between a dissertation vs thesis

The main purpose of a writing a dissertation is to add new findings to the existing literature in that field with original research. Whereas theses tend to evaluate existing findings, as their purpose is to demonstrate knowledge and skills within the course’s subject matter.

In terms of how long it takes to complete a thesis or dissertation project, a thesis is typically shorter than a dissertation since there are fewer original research aspects involved. This means that it will probably take less time. However, this can differ depending on the university and the course.

Dissertations sometimes require an oral presentation, known as a viva , where findings are showcased to academics who ask questions about the research. Theses usually do not require this.

The root of the words

The word ‘dissertation’ originates from the Latin word ‘dissertare’, meaning to continue to discuss and the Latin word ‘disserere’ which means to examine and discuss .

The word ‘thesis’ originally comes from the Greek word ‘tithenai’, which means to place or position. This later evolved into the Latin ‘thesis’, which had two meanings: an abstract question and to put something forward .

Similarities between a dissertation vs thesis

Although there are some key differences between a dissertation and a thesis, there are also similarities.

Both are generally long pieces of academic writing, much longer than a typical essay.
Both explore a topic in depth, whether you are conducting totally unique research or structuring an argument based on existing research.
Both are considered a final project and usually required to graduate from a degree, masters or PhD. Students can graduate without a thesis or dissertation if they choose to complete a postgraduate diploma or postgraduate certificate instead.
Excellent academic writing skills are highly important for both types of research project.

Is a dissertation harder than a thesis?

Though, the difficulty of a thesis or dissertation depends on your personal skill set. For instance, students that learn better by developing their own research ideas may find a dissertation easier than a thesis.

Difficulty can also depend on the level of the course. For instance, a thesis completed at doctorate level is likely to require more advanced knowledge than a thesis at undergraduate level.

The difficulty of either type of research project can also vary depending on the subject matter and the resources available to you.

Both dissertations and theses can be challenging, but don’t be put off by the thought of having to produce a larger body of work. Your supervisor will be there to support you.

Definitions depend on where you are

The terms ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ are sometimes used interchangeably, and the meanings can differ depending on the country and university.

There are plenty of differences between the variant forms of English, such as British English and American English. Around the world, different English-speaking countries use the words ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ differently.

Generally, nations with British-based academic systems of university education use dissertation to refer to the body of work at the end of an undergraduate or masters level degree . British-based institutions generally use thesis to refer to the body of work produced at the end of a PhD .

In countries and institutions that are based on the American system of education, the words tend to be used in reverse. However, institutions and even different departments in the same university can use the words differently.

If you're in doubt, then stick with the way the university and department you're currently attending use the terms.

Definitions can depend on the subject

In the UK, the terms ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ are generally applied equally across institutions and subjects.

However, in the US the meanings can differ between different subject areas. The term ‘thesis’ can be used to describe a piece of original research in US academia, whereas original research is usually referred to as a dissertation in the UK.

If you’re studying in the US , you may complete a thesis at masters level in another subject area that involves wide-ranging reading and understanding rather than original research and still call it a thesis.

With so much interchangeability between the two terms, it’s understandable that there is often confusion in the debate between a dissertation vs thesis, as there is no clear answer.

Always read specific course details to understand exactly what’s involved in the research project that you are required to produce.

Examples from US and UK universities

Georgetown University in the US refers to a dissertation and a thesis as both adding to your 'field of knowledge' . The University of Edinburgh recommends that you refer to your individual course handbook for guides to dissertations, so each department will have their own guidelines to using the word dissertation and thesis. At University College London they refer to a thesis as the piece of work at the end of an EngD, MPhil, MD(Res) or PhD, which are all research degrees.

In conclusion

Ultimately, it doesn't really matter which word you use as both refer to a serious and lengthy piece of work where you can show what you have researched and understood as part of your postgraduate studies.

As long as you are referring to the piece of work that you are compiling in the same way as those in your department then you will avoid confusion.

It is important to check whether the research piece involves original research or expects you to build upon existing research.

Writing a dissertation or a thesis requires a substantial amount of planning and work and you don't want to let yourself down at the last hurdle with poor presentation of your work, so always keep an eye on your course or department guidelines.

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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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Cambridge Libraries

Physical & Digital Collections

Theses & dissertations: home, access to theses and dissertations from other institutions and from the university of cambridge.

This guide provides information on searching for theses of Cambridge PhDs and for theses of UK universities and universities abroad.

For information and guidance on depositing your thesis as a cambridge phd, visit the cambridge office of scholarly communication pages on theses here ., this guide gives essential information on how to obtain theses using the british library's ethos service. .

On the last weekend of October, the British Library became the victim of a major cyber-attack. Essential digital services including the BL catalogue, website and online learning resources went dark, with research services like the EThOS collection of more than 600,000 doctoral theses suddenly unavailable. The BL state that they anticipate restoring more services in the next few weeks, but disruption to certain services is now expected to persist for several months. For the latest news on the attack and information on the restoration of services, please follow the BL blog here: Knowledge Matters blog and access the LibGuide page here: British Library Outage Update - Electronic Legal Deposit - LibGuides at University of Cambridge Subject Libraries

A full list of resources for searching theses online is provided by the Cambridge A-Z, available here .

University of Cambridge theses

Finding a cambridge phd thesis online via the institutional repository.

The University's institutional repository, Apollo , holds full-text digital versions of over 11,000 Cambridge PhD theses and is a rapidly growing collection deposited by Cambridge Ph.D. graduates. Theses in Apollo can be browsed via this link . More information on how to access theses by University of Cambridge students can be found on the access to Cambridge theses webpage. The requirement for impending PhD graduates to deposit a digital version in order to graduate means the repository will be increasing at a rate of approximately 1,000 per year from this source. About 200 theses are added annually through requests to make theses Open Access or via requests to digitize a thesis in printed format.

Locating and obtaining a copy of a Cambridge PhD thesis (not yet available via the repository)

Theses can be searched in iDiscover . Guidance on searching for theses in iDiscover can be found here . Requests for consultation of printed theses, not available online, should be made at the Manuscripts Reading Room (Email: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)1223 333143). Further information on the University Library's theses, dissertations and prize essays collections can be consulted at this link .

Researchers can order a copy of an unpublished thesis which was deposited in print form either through the Library’s Digital Content Unit via the image request form , or, if the thesis has been digitised, it may be available in the Apollo repository. Copies of theses may be provided to researchers in accordance with the law and in a manner that is common across UK libraries. The law allows us to provide whole copies of unpublished theses to individuals as long as they sign a declaration saying that it is for non-commercial research or private study.

How to make your thesis available online through Cambridge's institutional repository

Are you a Cambridge alumni and wish to make your Ph.D. thesis available online? You can do this by depositing it in Apollo the University's institutional repository. Click here for further information on how to proceed. Current Ph.D students at the University of Cambridge can find further information about the requirements to deposit theses on the Office of Scholarly Communication theses webpages.

UK Theses and Dissertations

Electronic copies of Ph.D. theses submitted at over 100 UK universities are obtainable from EThOS , a service set up to provide access to all theses from participating institutions. It achieves this by harvesting e-theses from Institutional Repositories and by digitising print theses as they are ordered by researchers using the system. Over 250,000 theses are already available in this way. Please note that it does not supply theses submitted at the universities of Cambridge or Oxford although they are listed on EThOS.

Registration with EThOS is not required to search for a thesis but is necessary to download or order one unless it is stored in the university repository rather than the British Library (in which case a link to the repository will be displayed). Many theses are available without charge on an Open Access basis but in all other cases, if you are requesting a thesis that has not yet been digitised you will be asked to meet the cost. Once a thesis has been digitised it is available for free download thereafter.

When you order a thesis it will either be immediately available for download or writing to hard copy or it will need to be digitised. If you order a thesis for digitisation, the system will manage the process and you will be informed when the thesis is available for download/preparation to hard copy.

See the Search results section of the help page for full information on interpreting search results in EThOS.

EThOS is managed by the British Library and can be found at http://ethos.bl.uk . For more information see About EThOS .

World-wide (incl. UK) theses and dissertations

Electronic versions of non-UK theses may be available from the institution at which they were submitted, sometimes on an open access basis from the institutional repository. A good starting point for discovering freely available electronic theses and dissertations beyond the UK is the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) , which facilitates searching across institutions. Information can also usually be found on the library web pages of the relevant institution.

The DART Europe etheses portal lists several thousand full-text theses from a group of European universities.

The University Library subscribes to the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database which from August 31 2023 is accessed on the Web of Science platform. To search this index select it from the Web of Science "Search in" drop-down list of databases (available on the Documents tab on WoS home page)

PQDT includes 2.4 million dissertation and theses citations, representing 700 leading academic institutions worldwide from 1861 to the present day. The database offers full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full text coverage for older graduate works. 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.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The University Library only subscribes to the abstracting & indexing version of the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database and NOT the full text version. A fee is payable for ordering a dissertation from this source. To obtain the full text of a dissertation as a downloadable PDF you can submit your request via the University Library Inter-Library Loans department (see contact details below). NB this service is only available to full and current members of the University of Cambridge.

Alternatively you can pay yourself for the dissertation PDF on the PQDT platform. Link from Web of Science record display of any thesis to PQDT by clicking on "View Details on ProQuest". On the "Preview" page you will see an option "Order a copy" top right. This will allow you to order your own copy from ProQuest directly.

Dissertations and theses submitted at non-UK universities may also be requested on Inter-Library Loan through the Inter-Library Loans department (01223 333039 or 333080, [email protected] )

Last Updated: Dec 20, 2023 9:47 AM
URL: https://libguides.cam.ac.uk/theses

Theses and dissertations

We provide access to University of York PhD/MPhil theses and Masters dissertations for members of the University and visitors to the Library. We can also help you to find theses/dissertations from other institutions.

For all York theses and dissertations, copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise stated. You may copy a modest amount of material from a thesis with full attribution as defined in law. In all other circumstances you should contact the rights-holder for permission.

Read our practical guide to Copyright law

Search for a York thesis or dissertation

All available University of York theses can be found on YorSearch , including electronic versions held in the Digital Library and White Rose eTheses. You can search YorSearch for the title, author or department and academic year.

What we hold

We hold the University's PhD and MPhil theses, including physical copies up to 2012.

White Rose eTheses holds electronic copies from 2013 onwards, as well as a selection of pre-2013 theses.

University of York Masters dissertations for some subjects are available:

electronically via YorSearch
in print via Borthwick Institute for Archives ( Note : booking is necessary)

We also hold a selection of digitised undergraduate dissertations for certain subjects:

History (selection from 1967 onwards)
History of Art (selection from 1997 onwards)
Social Policy and Social Work (selection from 2019 onwards)

Consulting a thesis/dissertation in the Library

Our physical theses and dissertations are kept in a secure store. To consult them you will need to request access via Borthwick Institute for Archives by emailing [email protected] with the details of the thesis and a preferred appointment date.

Note : theses and dissertations can only be consulted in the reading room at the Borthwick Institute and cannot be removed.

If you are an independent researcher and want to consult a York thesis, contact us at [email protected] .

Finding theses from other universities

You can try one of the following services to find theses by students from other institutions.

Read more about using PhD theses on EThOS (youtube.com)
White Rose eTheses Online holds electronic, doctoral level theses from the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York
Index to theses is an index to British and Irish higher degree theses with abstracts (summaries) or brief details of each thesis
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations allows you to search for electronic theses from around the world

If you can't access the full text of a thesis you're interested in, please complete our Request Form and we will try to source it for you. Please note the success of this may depend on the holding library's policies, or obtaining the author's permission, but we will let you know if we're unable to source it.

Library Services

Here we explain how to access copies of research theses that UCL Library Services holds. There is also an increasing number of open access thesis repositories available online.

Theses held in UCL Library

Open access repositories containing the full text of selected research theses.

Indexes of completed theses

Obtaining copies of research theses

Open Access for Thesis: how to deposit

University of London theses

The Library holds a copy of most research degree theses completed by students registered at UCL and awarded by the UoL, including many from students at Schools and Institutes prior to merger with UCL. Theses are listed by author on the Library catalogue, Explore : they are shelved in our off-campus Store and may be retrieved for consultation (24-hour notice required) by completing the store request form or via the request link on Explore. Theses are not available for loan, either to individuals or via interlibrary loan.

Some UoL research degree theses submitted by UCL students in the areas of classical, Germanic, Latin American studies; history and law are not held: check the UoL School of Advanced Study catalogue for availability.

UCL started to award its own degrees to students registering from 2007/2008. Print copies of research theses are catalogued by author in Explore and shelved in Store; electronic versions are in many cases available on open access in UCL Discovery .

If you wish to access a thesis recorded in UCL Discovery for which the full text is subject to an access restriction or not present, it is best to contact the author directly to request a copy privately. If this is not possible, please contact the UCL Open Access Team .

If a thesis is not available via UCL Discovery or EThOS (see below) then it might be possible to obtain a copy from our interlibrary loan service via your home university interlibrary loan department. Please contact your university library and ask them to enquire about this service with UCL's Interlibrary Loan service; e-mail [email protected] for more information.

The Library does not normally hold print copies of any theses in the following categories:

MA, MSc, MRes, LLM theses.
Diploma theses.
Undergraduate dissertations.
Theses submitted at other universities or colleges.

Further information is available in the Support for dissertations and research projects LibGuide .

A growing number of open access thesis repositories is becoming available including:

ProQuest , holds many full text theses. You can search for dissertations and theses there.
UCL Discovery , UCL's open access research repository, includes theses alongside other UCL publications. You can search for theses, or browse a list.
EThOS , a database run by the British Library that aims to record all UK doctoral theses, with links to access an electronic version of the full text where available. The digitisation of theses that only exist in print form can often be requested, depending on the awarding institution and for a fee: UCL supports this process for UCL-held theses.
The DART-Europe E-theses Portal , holds details of open access electronic theses stored in repositories across Europe.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations , includes links to a number of international search tools and portals.

Video - Using PhD theses in research: EThOS

YouTube Widget Placeholder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8X8ai6xN-4

Indexes of completed theses (access available to members of UCL only)

Proquest dissertations & theses global (pqdt global).

PQDT Global contains over a million full-text dissertations and theses from 1861 onwards that are available for download in PDF format. The collection includes PQDT UK and Ireland content.

Many UK universities now decline to lend research theses. You may visit the awarding university or, increasingly, obtain an electronic version either from the university itself or from EThOS (see above).

Theses awarded by universities worldwide may be requested via UCL Library Services Interlending and Document Supply service . The normal charge for this service applies. Please note that theses are never available for loan: they must be consulted on Library premises only.

Open access for theses: how to deposit

Candidates for UCL research degrees are required to deposit an electronic copy of their final thesis in UCL's Research Publications Service (RPS), to be made open access in UCL's institutional repository, UCL Discovery . Theses are amongst the most highly-downloaded items in UCL Discovery . Making your thesis open access will mean that it is accessible worldwide, to anyone who wants to read it.

It is also possible, but not mandatory, to submit a print copy of your thesis to the Library for storage and preservation if you wish. We recommend submitting the print copy in cases where the electronic copy cannot be made openly available online in UCL Discovery, but you wish the print copy to be accessible to members of the Library.

Please refer to our guidance on how to deposit for further information on the submission procedures.

Theses and dissertations

The library holds a large number of Bristol theses and dissertations, including many PhD and doctoral theses. Read our advice about how to locate theses from other institutions, both in the UK and internationally .

University of Bristol theses and dissertations

To find a University of Bristol thesis:

If the thesis is held in the Research Reserve, it can be requested using the 'reserve a copy' button.
If the thesis is held in the Research Reserve, use the online request form to request it.
See below for details of how to access theses held in our other library sites.
Recently submitted theses may be listed on Explore Bristol Research though information about these is regularly added to Library Search.

Arts and Social Sciences

The collection includes theses from Arts Faculty, Social Sciences and Law Faculty, Physics, Mathematics, Biological Sciences, Geographical Sciences, Agricultural Science and the School for Policy Studies.

MA, MSc, MPhil and MLitts do not have to be deposited with the library under the Regulations, so our collections of these are incomplete.

How to consult a thesis

Arts and Social Sciences theses are now held in the Library's Research Reserve. See 'to find a University of Bristol thesis' section above for details of how to request.
We will notify you when the thesis arrives at the library.
Thesis loans are for use in the Arts and Social Sciences Library only.

School of Chemistry PhD, MSc and DSc theses from 1910 to date.

Thesis loans are for use in the Chemistry Library only, though postgraduates with seats may keep a thesis at their desk. You may ask if a particular thesis can be kept behind the Issue desk if you will be using it repeatedly for a period of time. Other theses are kept in a Library Staff room and are not available during the evenings.

School of Education EdD, PhD, MPhil, and a selection of Masters theses. Many theses written before 2005 are located in the Research Reserve.

The MSc and Masters theses are located in the Quiet Study Area;
The MPhil, PhD and EdDs are located in Research Reserve. See 'to find a University of Bristol thesis' section above for details of how to request.

The thesis collection from the Medical Library has been relocated to the library's Research Reserve. The collection includes: PhD, MD, MSc, ChM and DSc theses of staff and postgraduate students of the Health Sciences Faculty, from 1910 to date.

A card catalogue in the Medical Library contains details of the earlier theses, or you may check the Card Catalogue Online .

See 'to find a University of Bristol thesis' section above for details of how to request.
We will notify you when the thesis arrives at the library;
Theses are for use in the Medical Library only and you will be asked to sign a register.

School of Physics PhD, MSc and DSc theses from 1950 to date, with a few earlier ones. BSc and MSci projects are also held.

A card catalogue in the Physics Library contains details of the earlier ones.

Ask at the Issue Desk to borrow a thesis, quoting author, year and category;
Theses may be borrowed by staff and postgraduates as standard loans;
Undergraduates may use theses in the library only;
BSc and MSci projects may be borrowed by undergraduates: for the standard loan period.

Queens (Engineering, Mathematics, Computer science)

Engineering and Mathematics PhD theses are held in the Research Reserve, including Computer Science theses before the Department transferred to the Faculty of Engineering. See 'to find a University of Bristol thesis' section above for details of how to request these.

A card catalogue, on the right beyond the Issue desk, contains details of pre-1978 theses.

It can take 2-3 working days for a thesis to arrive and you will be notified when they are available;
PhD theses may not be borrowed by undergraduates; taught postgraduates or external members but may be consulted in the library.

MSc Projects

Some early Engineering MSc projects (1914-1950) are available from the Research Reserve - please contact your Subject Librarian

Undergraduate projects

Individual and group projects from 2015/16 - 2019/20 academic years for Civil and Mechanical Engineering are available on the open shelves in the Gallery.
Early projects from 1920 to 1949 have been moved to Special Collections in the Arts and Social Sciences Library

Veterinary Sciences

MSc Meat Science theses from 1979 to date and a small number of PhD theses. The majority of veterinary sciences PhD theses are housed in the Research Reserve. See 'to find a University of Bristol thesis' section above for details of how to request.

Theses are shelved in the Computer Room and are for use in the library only.

Wills Memorial (Law, Earth Sciences)

Collections of both Law and Earth Sciences theses.

Theses are confined to the library; please ask at the information desk if you wish to borrow one.

UK and international theses

Information about many UK and international theses can be found via Library Search . If the thesis you are interested in is not available online, you can use our inter-Library Loan service . Non-UK theses can be difficult to obtain: in some countries, universities are working together to make full text electronic collections available:

Electronic Theses Online Service (EThOS) - a service provided by the British Library
DART - Europe e-theses Portal
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD)
PQDT Open - open access dissertations and theses
PQDT Global - a collection of dissertations and theses from around the world

Submit a thesis

Advice on how to submit a thesis for a higher degree can be found on the Presenting and submitting your dissertation for examination page. Information on how to submit a thesis to the library can be found on the Library's own Thesis Guidance pages.

Theses and dissertation

Finding a Sussex thesis
Finding a UK thesis
Finding an international thesis
Help and Support

The Electronic Theses Online System

The Electronic Theses Online System is a service from the British Library that provides online access to the full-text of UK doctoral theses. It contains over 380,000+ records of doctoral theses from UK Higher Education Institutions. Many of these have already been digitised and are available for immediate download.

Can I request UK theses from other universities from the Library?

You no longer request theses from other universities through Sussex University's Interlibrary Requests service - you can access them directly via EThOS.

Do I need to register?

You do not need to register to search the 380,000+ records in the EThOS database, but you will need to register if you would like to download a thesis.

Are immediate downloads available?

If the thesis in which you are interested has already been digitised, you will be able to download it immediately without charge. If the thesis you need has not yet been digitised, there will be a short delay whilst digitisation takes place. You will then be notified by EThOS when the thesis is ready to be downloaded. Once the thesis has been digitised it is then available for immediate download by any other user.

Are all theses digitised?

Some theses cannot be digitised for copyright reasons. If this is the case with the thesis you need, please inform the Interlibrary Requests team who will investigate whether a hard copy can be borrowed directly from the relevant university.

Does this service cost me anything?

On rare occasions you may be asked by EThOS to pay for the digitisation of a thesis. This is because, although the majority of institutions participating in EThOS have agreed to pay for the digitisation of their own theses on request, some institutions have not.

In such cases, the Library will pay the cost of digitisation provided that funding is available. Please contact the Research Support team on Tel: 01273 877941 (int 7941) or Email: [email protected] with the full details of your request.

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Last Updated: Jul 15, 2024 12:41 PM
URL: https://guides.lib.sussex.ac.uk/theses

Find Dissertations and Theses

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Explore University of Salford dissertations and theses using Library Search. Access resources and tips for finding other academic works.

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Find University of Salford dissertations and theses

During the course of your studies, you may find that you need to search for dissertations or theses. Maybe you would like to see what other research has been undertaken in relation to your topic, or perhaps you would like to see what a dissertation or thesis looks like? There are many reasons why looking for this type of research can be useful.

You can use Library Search to help you find them and there are a number of different ways to search, depending on what you want to find.

You can access dissertations and theses by previous University of Salford students. Use the 'Advanced Search' option in Library Search to find these, and take a look at our University of Salford e-theses collection . This collection covers mostly PhD level research.

Digital dissertations - University of Salford

For help accessing our University of Salford dissertations and theses, watch this video:

Finding University of Salford dissertations and theses

Use databases to find other dissertations and theses.

There are a number of dissertation and theses databases you can use to find dissertations and theses from other academic institutions. You can access these through Library Search .

Some of the databases you can access include:

EBSCO Open Dissertations
EThOS – Electronic Theses Online System
ProQuest Dissertations and Theses

Find out more about the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database on our blog post: ProQuest Dissertations and Theses

We also have a ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global LibGuide to help you find out more.

For help accessing the wide range of dissertation and theses databases, watch this video:

Helpful tips when looking for dissertations and theses

Identify a couple of keywords to start with and use these when searching. Don't try to enter too many keywords all at once as it's often useful to see what else there is around your topic.  Also, entering too many keywords can make your search too specific and you may struggle to find what you need. Do not try searching using your whole dissertation topic title – this will not work!
Can't find what you need? Many databases only contain PhD level manuscripts. Using 'Advanced Search' options within databases can sometimes allow you to specify other manuscript levels.
Don't worry about topic area too much if you just want to see what a dissertation looks like and get a rough idea of layout and format.
Ensure you are looking at the correct level of research for your study. There is a BIG difference between a Masters' dissertation and a PhD level thesis!
Always check any guidelines you have been given by your school in regard to the layout, format and length of your own dissertation, so you know what to expect. If in doubt, speak with your supervisor.

Get help writing a dissertation

Read our Dissertations and Theses guidance for help on writing and formatting a dissertation.
Check out our Online resources for dissertation students Reading List – it contains links to really useful online dissertation resources and textbooks to help get you started.
Contact your Academic Support Team for further help and advice.

Further recommended resources

The University of Leeds has a selection of dissertation examples with an indication of the mark awarded to the student. Additional support resources are located on their Final Chapter webpage.

Oxford theses

The Bodleian Libraries’ thesis collection holds every DPhil thesis deposited at the University of Oxford since the degree began in its present form in 1917. Our oldest theses date from the early 1920s. We also have substantial holdings of MLitt theses, for which deposit became compulsory in 1953, and MPhil theses.

Since 2007 it has been a mandatory requirement for students to deposit an electronic copy of their DPhil thesis in the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) , in addition to the deposit of a paper copy – the copy of record. Since the COVID pandemic, the requirement of a paper copy has been removed and the ORA copy has become the copy of record. Hardcopy theses are now only deposited under exceptional circumstances.

ORA provides full-text PDF copies of most recent DPhil theses, and some earlier BLitt/MLitt theses. Find out more about Oxford Digital Theses, and depositing with ORA .

Finding Oxford theses

The following theses are catalogued on SOLO (the University libraries’ resource discovery tool) :

DPhil and BLitt and MLitt theses
BPhil and MPhil theses
Science theses

SOLO collates search results from several sources.

How to search for Oxford theses on SOLO

To search for theses in the Oxford collections on SOLO :

navigate to the SOLO homepage
click on the 'Advanced Search' button
click the 'Material Type' menu and choose the 'Dissertations' option
type in the title or author of the thesis you are looking for and click the 'Search' button.

Also try an “Any field” search for “Thesis Oxford” along with the author’s name under “creator” and any further “Any field” keywords such as department or subject.

Searching by shelfmarks

If you are searching using the shelfmark, please make sure you include the dots in your search (e.g. D.Phil.). Records will not be returned if they are left out.

Oxford University Research Archive (ORA)

ORA was established in 2007 as a permanent and secure online archive of research produced by members of the University of Oxford. It is now mandatory for students completing a research degree at the University to deposit an electronic copy of their thesis in this archive.

Authors can select immediate release on ORA, or apply a 1-year or 3-year embargo period. The embargo period would enable them to publish all or part of their research elsewhere if they wish.

Theses held in ORA are searchable via SOLO , as well as external services such as EThOS and Google Scholar. For more information, visit the Oxford digital theses guide , and see below for guidance on searching in ORA.

Search for Oxford theses on ORA

Type your keywords (title, name) into the main search box, and use quotes (“) to search for an exact phrase.

Refine your search results using the drop-downs on the left-hand side. These include:

item type (thesis, journal article, book section, etc.)
thesis type (DPhil, MSc, MLitt, etc.)
subject area (History, Economics, Biochemistry, etc.)
item date (as a range)
file availability (whether a full text is available to download or not)

You can also increase the number of search results shown per page, and sort by relevance, date and file availability. You can select and export records to csv or email.

Select hyperlinked text within the record details, such as “More by this author”, to run a secondary search on an author’s name. You can also select a hyperlinked keyword or subject.

Other catalogues

Card catalogue .

The Rare Books department of the Weston Library keeps an author card index of Oxford theses. This includes all non-scientific theses deposited between 1922 and 2016. Please ask Weston Library staff for assistance.

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

You can use ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global to find bibliographic details of Oxford theses not listed on SOLO. Ask staff in the Weston Library’s Charles Wendall David Reading Room for help finding these theses.

Search for Oxford theses on ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

Basic search.

The default Basic search page allows for general keyword searches across all indexes using "and", "and not", "and or" to link the keywords as appropriate. Click on the More Search Options tab for specific title, author, subject and institution (school) searches, and to browse indexes of authors, institutions and subjects. These indexes allow you to add the word or phrase recognised by the database to your search (ie University of Oxford (United Kingdom), not Oxford University).

Advanced search

The Advanced search tab (at the top of the page) enables keyword searching in specific indexes, including author, title, institution, department, adviser and language. If you are unsure of the exact details of thesis, you can use the search boxes on this page to find it by combining the key information you do have.

Search tools

In both the Basic and Advanced search pages you can also limit the search by date by using the boxes at the bottom. Use the Search Tools advice in both the Basic and Advanced pages to undertake more complex and specific searches. Within the list of results, once you have found the record that you are interested in, you can click on the link to obtain a full citation and abstract. You can use the back button on your browser to return to your list of citations.

The Browse search tab allows you to search by subject or by location (ie institution). These are given in an alphabetical list. You can click on a top-level subject to show subdivisions of the subject. You can click on a country location to show lists of institutions in that country. At each level, you can click on View Documents to show lists of individual theses for that subject division or from that location.

In Browse search, locations and subject divisions are automatically added to a basic search at the bottom of the page. You can search within a subject or location by title, author, institution, subject, date etc, by clicking on Refine Search at the top of the page or More Search Options at the bottom of the page.

Where are physical Oxford theses held?

The Bodleian Libraries hold all doctoral theses and most postgraduate (non-doctoral) theses for which a deposit requirement is stipulated by the University:

DPhil (doctoral) theses (1922 – 2021)
Bachelor of Divinity (BD) theses
BLitt/MLitt theses (Michaelmas Term 1953 – 2021)
BPhil and MPhil theses (Michaelmas Term 1977 – 2021)

Most Oxford theses are held in Bodleian Offsite Storage. Some theses are available in the libraries; these are listed below.

Law Library

Theses submitted to the Faculty of Law are held at the Bodleian Law Library .

Vere Harmsworth Library

Theses on the United States are held at the Vere Harmsworth Library .

Social Science Library

The Social Science Library holds dissertations and theses selected by the departments it supports.

The list of departments and further information are available in the Dissertations and Theses section of the SSL webpages.

Locations for Anthropology and Archaeology theses

The Balfour Library holds theses for the MPhil in Material and Visual Anthropology and some older theses in Prehistoric Archaeology.

The Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library holds theses for MPhil in Classical Archaeology and MPhil in European Archaeology.

Ordering Oxford theses

Theses held in Bodleian Offsite Storage are consulted in the Weston Library. The preferred location is the Charles Wendell David Reading Room ; they can also be ordered to the Sir Charles Mackerras Reading Room .

Find out more about requesting a digitised copy, copyright restrictions and copying from Oxford theses .

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The University of Manchester Library
Search theses

Postgraduate research theses contain ‘a wealth of data… which can shed light on very interesting areas’ (The British Library, 2014).

You can find theses submitted by University of Manchester postgraduate research students from the late 19th Century to the present day using the Library Search box above. Or try the Advanced Search for more options (select 'Theses' from the drop-down list for ‘Material type’).

Follow the links below for more information about accessing theses submitted by Manchester researchers, as well as theses from authors all over the world.

Access to British Library EThOS - March 2024

Access to British Library EThOS is currently unavailable due to a major technical outage affecting several of their online services.

View news and updates on the British Library website

Manchester eTheses

Doctoral theses submitted from 2010 onwards which are currently Open Access are available to view via the University’s Research Explorer.

eTheses submission

Supporting Postgraduate Research Students, Supervisors and Administrators with the submission of electronic theses.

Search ProQuest for digitised pre-2010 Manchester doctoral theses, as well as over four million theses and dissertations from institutions around the world.

Theses Library Guide

Consult our Theses Library Guide for guidance on how to locate and access theses from UK and International institutions.

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Research Repository

Uk doctoral thesis metadata from ethos.

The datasets in this collection comprise snapshots in time of metadata descriptions of hundreds of thousands of PhD theses awarded by UK Higher Education institutions aggregated by the British Library's EThOS service. The data is estimated to cover around 98% of all PhDs ever awarded by UK Higher Education institutions, dating back to 1787.

Previous versions of the datasets are restricted to ensure the most accurate version of metadata is available for download. Please contact [email protected] if you require access to an older version.

Collection Details

List of items in this collection
Year Published	Date Added	Visibility
2023	2023-11-27	Public
2023	2023-05-12	Public
2022	2022-10-14	Public
2022	2022-04-12	Public
2021	2021-09-03	Public
2015	2021-03-08	Public
2021	2021-02-09	Public
2020	2020-07-24	Public
2020	2020-02-11	Public
2019	2019-12-12	Public

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Knowledge Base
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.

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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Subject support guide

Theses and Dissertations

Quick links:

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Finding Theses

Newcastle University Theses
UK and Irish Theses

Print Theses

The Library holds copies of all Newcastle University PhD theses and copies of theses written for other research degrees such as DSc, MD, LLD, DEng, DBA, EdD, MPhil.

All theses held by the Library are listed in LibrarySearch . Links are provided to the full text where this is available.

Electronic Theses

Our repository of electronic theses contains the full text of over 3,800 Newcastle University doctoral theses.

EThOS Search the details of over 500,000 UK theses dating back to 1800. The full text of over half of these is available for immediate download to registered users, and in other cases, you may be able to request a copy in digital or other format (for which there may be a charge).

International Theses

There isn't one single source for finding non-UK theses, and access options will vary according to the institution, but the links below give the best starting points.

Australian Theses Search almost a million Australian theses.
DART Europe Access to over 600,000 open access research theses from 28 European countries.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations This database provides access to the full text of thousands of international theses and dissertations.
Open Access Theses and Dissertations OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. OATD currently indexes over two million theses and dissertations from over 1,000 institutions worldwide.
PQTD Open Search and read open access dissertations and theses from the USA.
Proquest Dissertation Express (international) This link opens in a new window Over two million graduate works from graduate schools around the world including American and Canada. Theses and dissertations may be available to purchase direct from ProQuest using the order forms provided. Please consult the help section to see how you can order and pay for these dissertations yourself.
Proquest Dissertations & Theses Citation Index A curated collection of multi-disciplinary dissertations and theses, offering over 5.5 million records representing dissertations and theses from thousands of universities around the world. Useful for all subjects.

Thesis production

The Student Progress Office provides information on Research Degree Examination Procedures and Forms, including the University's Guidelines for the Submission and Format of Theses and Library Deposit Licence. You may also wish to speak to your supervisor for advice on thesis presentation.

Guidelines for the Submission and Format of Theses
Last Updated: Jul 10, 2024 12:06 PM
URL: https://libguides.ncl.ac.uk/theses

Browse by author
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Welcome to LSE Theses Online, the online archive of PhD theses for the London School of Economics and Political Science. LSE Theses Online contains a partial collection of completed and examined PhD theses from doctoral candidates who have studied at LSE. Please note that not all print PhD theses have been digitised. For a full catalogue of LSE theses, please search LSE Library Search at

Use the "Browse" functions above to browse for theses by year or Department. For a quick search, use the search box below. For an advanced search, click

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We would like to hear from past and current LSE PhD candidates, particularly if you are interested in adding your thesis! Please email us at

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Dissertation vs thesis: what’s the difference?

(Last updated: 29 May 2024)

Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service

We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.

First thoughts

The summer seems a very long way away, particularly during a COVID lockdown when normal university life seems suspended. But round about now is when students begin thinking about their thesis dissertation. If you were hoping for a flash of inspiration to strike later on, remember that ‘chance only favours the well-prepared mind’!

When it comes to your thesis dissertation, it’s always good to start early. You can gather ideas, run initial thoughts past lecturers, and do some preliminary reading, at leisure. Your library can start retrieving your hard-to-find research materials. And the weeks, sometimes months, they take to arrive won’t stress you out! Meanwhile, you can set to work on initial thesis dissertations ideas. If, for whatever reason, they stop working out, you can discard them without penalty. There's ample time to come up with something new.

Often, initial ideas for the thesis dissertation are far too ambitious. They tend to be loose, baggy monsters, so broad in scope that they cannot tamed with even the most ingenious research and structure. Starting on your thesis dissertation now gives you time to step back and reflect. It gives you time to make good, strategic choices, without kettling yourself into a corner with limited time and no alternatives.

What is a thesis dissertation?

What precisely is a thesis dissertation? Strangely, this is a question often overlooked by both students and lecturers alike. Perhaps where you are studying it’s just called a ‘dissertation’ or a ‘thesis’. At which point, the question becomes: dissertation versus thesis – what’s the difference? This blog post attempts to answer just that question. It also shows how you can move forward in your studies, by understanding the difference between a dissertation and a thesis.

For undergraduates

If you are an undergraduate and have been tasked with writing a dissertation, this differs to a dissertation (or thesis) at postgraduate level.

The task you have been set is what many departments at the University of Oxford continue to call the ‘long essay’. This is an extended form that mimics the kind of written work that you’ve already been submitting throughout the year. It may be more ambitious than those other pieces of work. It may use more primary and secondary sources, and will likely be longer. But, overall, it will be similar in form and structure to your usual essays.

Be aware, though, that this is not always the case.

Recently, digital technologies have made research materials more readily accessible to larger audiences. In response, traditional long essays are evolving to resemble higher degree research. Oxford’s Faculty of History has been something of a pioneer in transferring undergraduates from ‘long essays’ to ‘theses’. ‘The thesis offers you the opportunity to engage in primary research on a subject of your own revising, and to work out arguments which are entirely your own, not a synthesis of the conclusions of others’, they explain, ‘[...] Some undergraduate theses are so good that they are ready to be published as they stand’ (University of Oxford, 2020).

The 12,000-word limit of these new undergraduate theses is comparable to that found in peer-reviewed journals. And other universities are following suit. They, too, are making changes towards this new research-based dissertation thesis model.

At the time of writing, these new research-based undergraduate theses are still quite rare. For now, the thesis dissertation remains central to organisation of higher, postgraduate degrees.

What the books say

Commercial press literature doesn't help much when it comes to the thesis versus dissertation discussion. Savvy writers and publishers are eager for as broad a readership – and as many library catalogue search hits – as possible. Because of this, they tend to hedge their bets when it comes to their choice of title.

Patrick Dunleavy goes with Authoring a PhD Thesis: How to Plan, Draft, Write and Finish a Doctoral Dissertation (2003). Joan Balker chooses Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day: A Guide to Starting, Revising, and Finishing Your Doctoral Thesis (1998).

Others bring the terms closer together. Randy L. Jayner chooses Writing the winning thesis or dissertation: a step-by-step guide (2018). R. Murray Thomas markets Avoiding Thesis and Dissertation Pitfalls: 61 Cases of Problems and Solutions (2001).

The thesis versus dissertation terminology gets even more strained as you move beyond the covers. Inger Mewburn’s How to Tame Your PhD (2013) discusses ‘the oddities of the thesis/dissertation process’. Fred Pyrczak does the same in his Completing Your Thesis or Dissertation (2000), ‘a book to help students with the thesis/dissertation’.

It’s a short skip from Nineties-looking ‘thesis/dissertation’ (complete with forward slash or oblique). And, from there, to the hybrid ‘thesis dissertation’ term that we’ve used so far. This is a term that can be spotted in Alet Kruger’s Corpus-Based Translation Studies (2011). It is also in Antonio Blanco’s Medical Biochemistry (2017), and many other books and publications.

Thesis and dissertation: a brief history

As the two terms blend, it is becoming harder to recognise the difference between 'thesis' and 'dissertation'. The appearance of the new 'thesis dissertation' catch-all doesn't help much either.

Historical usage offers a much-needed point of clarity. In the UK, the extended piece of work done at the end of a master’s degree has traditionally been called a ‘dissertation’. This has been the case since the seventeenth century. The long piece of work done as the primary requirement for a PhD has been called a ‘thesis’ for almost as long.

Cultural influences from America have unsettled these once-fixed definitions. Until the early twentieth century, America followed Britain closely when it came to the use of 'thesis' and dissertation.

Recording Dan Dodson vs The State, the Records and Briefs of the Supreme Court (1832) is one of the earliest mentions of the ‘doctoral thesis’ in America. ‘I have a doctoral thesis on this problem and it tends to say that the new building, at least in a short run, didn’t make that much difference’. As late as 1919, the University of Chicago’s Circular of Information, recorded the ‘Master’s Dissertation’ passed.

By the mid-1960s, however, the terms in America had reversed. The archives begin to discuss and cite the ‘Master’s Thesis’ and ‘Doctoral Dissertation’. The reason for this switch remains unclear. The classical etymologies of the terms don’t point to any distinction that might be pertinent to a dissertation vs thesis debate. ‘Dissertation’ comes from the Latin ‘dissertatio’ meaning ‘discussion or debate’. ‘Thesis’ comes from a Greek/late Latin ‘thesis’ meaning ‘placing, a proposition’. The origins of these words seem to allow for a flexible interchangeability. The fact that ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ traded meanings in America indicate as much too.

It is anyone’s guess why America started referring to ‘Master’s Theses’ and ‘Doctoral Dissertations’. And this after more than a century of ‘Master’s Dissertations’ and ‘Doctoral Theses’.

In post-war America, there was an expansion of liberal arts colleges in America. This was accompanied by a proliferation of higher degrees. The master’s degree quickly became more significant, financially, than the doctoral degree. And it may be that, in this transition, the 'thesis' was transplanted over, from doctoral student to master’s, in an act of linguistic grade inflation.

American universities and colleges wanted their master’s students to feel proud and clever. In engineering this, they handed over the ‘thesis’ term from their more advanced doctoral counterparts.

The confusion that we witness in the Dissertation vs Thesis UK debate today is due to the exporting of these revised terms back from America to the UK. Their effect is amplified because of the increasing globalisation of higher education. Their effect is also amplified by a larger trans-Atlantic cultural homogenisation.

We have, then, considered two forces operating on the language of thesis dissertation. There is this American muddling of the traditional thesis/dissertation hierarchy. And there is a second, similar process at work, in the upgrade of undergraduate 'long essay' to 'dissertation' or 'thesis'. It is no longer practical or possible to draw a hard distinction between a thesis and a dissertation.

Interestingly, the confusion has not only resulted in the necessity of the ‘thesis dissertation’ hybrid term. It has, more sinisterly, afforded opportunities for unscrupulous academics to exaggerate their qualifications.

Potential for abuse

Recently, a public complaint was made against a British lecturer. This lecturer had listed postgraduate qualifications on his staff profile page. All of them were from prestigious universities.

For many years, these went unchecked and unchallenged. But, recently, one member of the public read the lecturer, bragging on social media that he’d been awarded a First for his research thesis.

The member of the public was sceptical of the truth of this claim. Postgraduate research degrees are not classified like undergraduate ones. They were unable to locate the lecturer’s thesis in centralised research catalogues. The complainant soon discovered the lecturer's postgraduate qualifications were actually undergraduate level. They were continuing education diplomas. These diplomas are a fine achievement for those who work hard to get them. But they are a far cry from the postgraduate qualifications from topflight universities that the academic had suggested.

At the time of writing, the academic’s qualifications were being investigated by his own university. They were also being investigated by the national Office for Students.

You can check people's CV claims by knowing about the different types of ‘thesis dissertations’. You can spot fraudulent behaviour when it comes your way! More usefully, knowing those differences allows you to judge what is expected of you, at whichever level you are studying.

Summary of differences

Writing a thesis dissertation at any level can be daunting, particularly if you’ve never attempted one before. If you’re unsure what your thesis dissertation should be, the best thing you can do is to read a few recent examples from your department or speak to your dissertation supervisor. How easy this is to do highlights one major difference between thesis and dissertation. What follows, to conclude, is a list of those major differences.

1. Accessibility and assessment

Undergraduate long essays are sometimes called dissertations or theses. These are internally assessed and not made publicly accessible. You will only be able to read them if you borrow them from former students or ask your lecturer for outstanding examples from previous years.

Master’s dissertations, also internally assessed, are stored either in departmental libraries and/or the university library. These can usually be accessed by physically visiting the library. More conveniently, master’s dissertations can also be requested via the UK’s Interlibrary loan agreement.

PhD theses, once externally examined, are stored both in the library of the host university and the national British Library. Theses are searchable through the British Library's online ETHOS catalogue.

As a rule, the greater the ease of public access, the more significant or important the thesis dissertation is deemed to be. The same is true of the use of external staff. Undergraduate and master’s-level courses are internally marked and externally moderated. Higher profile PhD theses are always externally examined.

Finally, undergraduate degrees are the only ones that receive grades or classifications. Master’s and PhD aren't classified – just a simple question of pass or fail.

2. Duration of study

In the UK, master’s degrees take one or two years of full-time study. The master’s dissertation is a significant component of that study. This is less so the case in special MRes or ‘master’s by research degrees’, where the dissertation plays a more central role in the course of study.

By contrast, PhDs take a minimum of three years. In practice, the PhD thesis is the sole work of a doctoral student. Any other study requirements, if any, are very limited by comparison.

3. Word count

The prescribed word count for thesis dissertations is indicative of the academic level at which they are pitched. Undergraduate dissertations tend to be no longer than 12,000 words. Master’s dissertations run at closer to 40,000. PhD theses usually clock in at 80,000 to 120,000 words. PhDs in Fine Art with a practice component tend to be shorter as they work alongside an exhibition of artwork.

If you are studying for a PhD, it’s worth noting that academic publishers prefer to publish new academics writing towards that minimum. If publishing is one of your postdoctoral ambitions, sticking to the lower limit could save you years of rewriting!

Original contribution to knowledge

Any student at any level of study can have an original thought, and it is always hugely satisfying to read when it occurs.

At undergraduate level, originality tends to be defined relatively loosely. A thoughtful synthesis of existing ideas is, in practice, usually assessed as original thinking, even if it isn’t, strictly original.

Original thinking an often be found in a master’s dissertation. But the emphasis continues to be on that synthesis of existing knowledge. Master’s students are expected to know the literature around their chosen subject thoroughly and have done their research. They are expected to demonstrate an expert command of its arguments. This is what they are primarily assessed on.

PhD theses, however, are made or broken by their original contribution to knowledge. Expert understanding of the subject tends to be relegated to an early literature review chapter. Out of review emerges a central, truly original idea, that propels the rest of the thesis.

As we have already seen, undergraduate theses can, in exceptional cases, be publishable. PhD theses, on the other hand, are far more ambitious with regards to publication. Their successful completion marks the first step in professional, academic career.

Choosing an academic editor

Also Read: Master’s Dissertation vs Undergraduate Dissertation: What’s the Difference?

We hope this blog post has cleared up any confusion you might have had about the difference between dissertation and thesis. A final note: at every level – undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral – meticulous presentation, correct referencing, appropriate register, robust argumentation, and strong evidence for those arguments are always rewarded.

Furthermore, the higher the level of degree, the more all these things are expected. Choosing an academic editor who knows your subject well is important at undergraduate level. But at master’s and PhD level, it becomes crucial. Those higher degrees are predicated on expert knowledge of the field and original contribution to knowledge.

Whoever you approach as an editor, always ask what direct experience they have that relates to your work. If the experience they state seems cursory or adjunct, be prepared to walk away and find someone else more familiar with your chosen field.

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What’s the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?

by Mark at Pilot | Theses & Dissertations

So what is the difference between a university thesis and a university dissertation? Is there even a difference? Having printed and bound thousands of both, even we were confused, so decided to find out.

Dictionary definitions of ‘thesis’ and ‘dissertation’

Our first stops were a couple of popular English Dictionaries, which showed the following definitions:

(Oxford English Dictionary): “A long essay or dissertation involving personal research, written by a candidate for a university degree.”

(Collins English Dictionary): “A dissertation resulting from original research, especially when submitted by a candidate for a degree or diploma.”

Hmmm. So they’re both using ‘dissertation’ to partly explain ‘thesis’. Not a hugely clear start, although they do mention the involvement of “personal research” or “original research” which might well have some significance, as we’ll see later.

Dissertation:

(Oxford English Dictionary): “A long essay on a particular subject, especially one written for a university degree or diploma.”

(Collins English Dictionary): “A written thesis, often based on original research, usually required for a higher degree.”

Hmmm. Again, they don’t really tell us much about the difference, if any; one uses ‘thesis’ as part of the definition of a ‘dissertation’, which doesn’t help us understand any difference clearly and, again, one (but in this case, not both) definitions mention the ‘original research’ detail. So, for me, the jury is still out.

We tried another source … and another … and another. It seems that, to an extent, the terms ‘thesis’ and ‘dissertation’ seem to be interchangeable and both refer to an extensive paper that is assigned to a student studying for a degree at a university or other institution. But we already knew that, of course. However, there are differences for some institutions and for some countries. We’ll concentrate here on the UK though.

One apparent difference that’s accepted by some, and is shown currently in Google’s top result 1 , is that a thesis is undertaken while studying for a master’s degree, while a dissertation is usually undertaken for a doctorate degree. Years back I studied for a Bachelor’s degree, specifically a BA(Hons), I too wrote what we then referred to as a dissertation . However, this theory about the difference being linked to the type of higher degree doesn’t hold water for me, as I fit into neither the doctorate nor the master’s category as I was studying for an undergraduate degree!

Another school of thought, according to a few 2 (but I’m now not convinced) is that a thesis requires the author to demonstrate his or her understanding of a particular field of study, citing research and work previously undertaken by others within that field, without necessarily having to generate any new, original research. Based upon that, the student formulates their proposition, forms a conclusion following an analysis of all the research, resulting in their ‘thesis’ on the matter.

In contrast to that, they go on to suggest that a dissertation’s key focus is original (new) research on the part of the student — i.e. a contribution of new knowledge . One of the key aims of a dissertation, they say, is to focus on a very specific area of study that has previously not been researched. Moreover, the student in question is required to come up with a hypothesis and to use their original research in order to make some kind of conclusion about their initial hypothesis.

So, based at least upon that description above, one would think that I wrote a thesis rather than a dissertation, after all. However, it seems that my question has opened a can of worms because the more I visit online forums and even ‘authority’ websites, the more I realise that most definitions completely switch those two meanings around. It seems that the complete opposite is true, at least according to the majority of the sources I checked. I carried on digging …

University definitions

University College London describes a PhD thesis 3 as: “the acquisition and dissemination of new knowledge … It is important that “new” is not just new to the researcher, but also to the community.” So it’s switched around. A thesis requires new research.

Oxford University’s description of its thesis requirements seems to agree 4 , stating “ Most of the thesis should be devoted to the matters to which you have made a contribution. Your own work must be presented in reasonable detail and with clarity … A concluding chapter should summarise what has been learned as a result of your work, show its significance, its relation to other work “. I read the part about ‘ matters to which you have made a contribution ‘ as being more along the lines of ‘new research’ once again.

However, bouncing it back around yet again is the University of Cambridge which states 5 that they need to be satisfied that a dissertation (as opposed to thesis) “takes account of previously published work on the subject” AND “represents a contribution to learning” .

It’s infuriating!

In conclusion

For me, it’s evident that ‘dissertation’ and ‘thesis’ are interchangeable in practice but not all institutions will agree that this should be the case. It’s also evident that the alleged link to the type of higher degree (master’s vs. doctorate) doesn’t totally hold water as undergraduates also write dissertations (or … ahem … theses?). Lastly, I’d say that, based upon the evidence I’ve seen, ‘new research’ and ‘new knowledge’ is most commonly associated with a thesis rather than a dissertation, but even that is not the case for everyone (including, you’ll have noted above, the University of Cambridge). So …

Advice to university students

In light of the evident and widespread confusion — or at least conflicting beliefs around what constitutes a thesis or dissertation — it will be incredibly important that students clarify which of the two types of research the examiners are looking for — original research contributing new knowledge and a hypothesis, or a demonstration of their understanding of existing research and a concluding theory. The difference sounds subtle enough but the nature and intention of the journey are completely different. And each university, or indeed individual faculties, may well apply different terminology.

Printing & binding

So what’s it to us? Well, we print and bind theses and dissertations for many of the UK’s university students. All are produced to university guidelines (except, of course, where a bespoke bookbinding approach is requested). We offer a walk-in thesis/dissertation printing and binding service at our London shop and a full online ordering alternative . We don’t mind whether your university paper is called a thesis or dissertation, of course, but what we do care about is high quality, great craftsmanship (bookbinding is still largely done by hand), great customer service, value for money and a timely turnaround. All of this is available for university theses and dissertations along with many options for finish, extras (register ribbons, pockets etc.), delivery and turnaround. See our online ordering page for more detail or call us on 020 7928 9738 and we’ll be delighted to help.

EThOS: e-theses online service Open access EThOS: e-theses online service Open access

EThOS, provided by the British Library, is a free online service providing access to UK doctoral theses.

Please note, EThOS is currently unavailable due to the British Library cyber attack in 2023. The British Library currently do not know when the service will be available again. Please see the British Library website for further information about the cyber attack . [June 2024]

Access EThOS is an open access resource.

Content EThOS, provided by the British Library, is a free online service providing access to UK doctoral theses. It does not cover MPhils or master's dissertations.

EThOS aims to provide a central listing of all doctoral theses awarded by UK higher education institutions, with the full text of as many theses as possible.

The database includes more than 600,000 records. Around 4,000 law theses are covered, dating from the 1920s to the present day.

Searching EThOS has basic and advanced search facilities. Searches can be limited to theses available for immediate download.

Advanced search allows users to search by author, title, awarding body, year of award and other criteria. Boolean connectors (AND, OR, AND NOT) can be selected from a drop-down menu

Downloading Many theses are available for download; it is necessary to create a free account to do this.

There is an option to request digitisation of a thesis if it is not yet available for download. Sometimes this is free, but sometimes there is a charge (see FAQs).

Help A Help menu and an FAQ page are available.

Open Access Theses and Dissertations

Thursday, April 18, 8:20am (EDT): Searching is temporarily offline. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to bring searching back up as quickly as possible.

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About OATD.org

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 7,202,573 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.

University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky ®

Theses & Dissertations

Search for theses & dissertations.

Search for theses and dissertations using InfoKat Discovery and filtering your results by resource type.

All master’s theses and doctoral dissertations completed at UK are required to be submitted to the university's institutional repository, UKnowledge , and made freely accessible online. You can find selectively digitized dissertations on UKnowledge that date from 2000, with complete annual runs from 2014 to the present.

Print versions of older UK theses and dissertations are held by the Special Collections Research Center , or in select locations across UK Libraries.

Dissertation Databases

UK provides access to several databases that allow users to browse millions of theses and dissertations from around the world, including the Open Access Theses & Dissertations database and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global database.

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Thesis & Dissertation Preparation

At the University of Kentucky, Master's degrees (Plan A) require the completion of a thesis. Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Education degrees require the completion of a dissertation. The Doctor of Musical Arts degree requires the completion of a project. This work reflects the quality of the program that supervises the student and the university that awards the degree. Therefore, the Graduate School sets criteria and standards for the format of the written work which will be available not only to the immediate campus, but also to a wider scholarly community via the Web. Each program has selected the style manual(s) most consistent with scholarly practice in their specific discipline. The student should consult with the Director of Graduate Studies concerning the manual to be used . Note: the general format specifications contained in the Graduate School instructions take precedence over those in the style manuals used by individual programs.

Since Fall 2013, students no longer have had the option of submitting their thesis or dissertation in the traditional print format. The submission of the work in an electronic form has a number of potential advantages, including greater flexibility for the inclusion of multimedia components, and cost savings on paper.

UK electronic theses and dissertations are available as a stand-alone database . They can also be accessed (along with paper theses and dissertations) via the library's catalog .

Electronic Thesis Preparation & Formatting Guidelines

Electronic thesis defense, electronic dissertation preparation & formatting guidelines, electronic dissertation defense.

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Dissertation Vs. Thesis
Differences between a dissertation vs thesis. The main difference between a dissertation and thesis is the scope of the research. A dissertation develops unique and original concepts in a particular field of research, whereas a thesis is usually a culmination of existing research. The main purpose of a writing a dissertation is to add new ...
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 ...
Theses & Dissertations: Home
Requests for consultation of printed theses, not available online, should be made at the Manuscripts Reading Room (Email: [email protected] Telephone: +44 (0)1223 333143). Further information on the University Library's theses, dissertations and prize essays collections can be consulted at this link. Researchers can order a copy of an ...
What is the difference between a dissertation and a thesis?
The words ' dissertation ' and 'thesis' both refer to a large written research project undertaken to complete a degree, but they are used differently depending on the country: In the UK, you write a dissertation at the end of a bachelor's or master's degree, and you write a thesis to complete a PhD. In the US, it's the other way ...
Theses and dissertations
Consulting a thesis/dissertation in the Library. Our physical theses and dissertations are kept in a secure store. To consult them you will need to request access via Borthwick Institute for Archives by emailing [email protected] with the details of the thesis and a preferred appointment date.. Note: theses and dissertations can only be consulted in the reading room at the ...
UK theses
You can purchase copies of Cambridge University theses through the Cambridge University Library's online order form. There is a standard charge of £75 (plus VAT and postage). White Rose ETheses Online is an online repository of doctoral theses from the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York. It is part of a national and international ...
Theses
ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT Global) PQDT Global contains over a million full-text dissertations and theses from 1861 onwards that are available for download in PDF format. The collection includes PQDT UK and Ireland content. Obtaining copies of research theses. Many UK universities now decline to lend research theses.
Theses and dissertations
The thesis collection from the Medical Library has been relocated to the library's Research Reserve. The collection includes: PhD, MD, MSc, ChM and DSc theses of staff and postgraduate students of the Health Sciences Faculty, from 1910 to date. A card catalogue in the Medical Library contains details of the earlier theses, or you may check the ...
LibGuides: Theses and dissertation: Finding a UK thesis
The Electronic Theses Online System is a service from the British Library that provides online access to the full-text of UK doctoral theses. It contains over 380,000+ records of doctoral theses from UK Higher Education Institutions. Many of these have already been digitised and are available for immediate download.
Find Dissertations and Theses
You can access dissertations and theses by previous University of Salford students. Use the 'Advanced Search' option in Library Search to find these, and take a look at our University of Salford e-theses collection. This collection covers mostly PhD level research. Digital dissertations - University of Salford.
Oxford theses
The Bodleian Libraries' thesis collection holds every DPhil thesis deposited at the University of Oxford since the degree began in its present form in 1917. Our oldest theses date from the early 1920s. We also have substantial holdings of MLitt theses, for which deposit became compulsory in 1953, and MPhil theses.
Search theses
You can find theses submitted by University of Manchester postgraduate research students from the late 19th Century to the present day using the Library Search box above. Or try the Advanced Search for more options (select 'Theses' from the drop-down list for 'Material type'). Follow the links below for more information about accessing ...
UK Doctoral Thesis Metadata from EThOS // British Library
UK Doctoral Thesis Metadata from EThOS. The datasets in this collection comprise snapshots in time of metadata descriptions of hundreds of thousands of PhD theses awarded by UK Higher Education institutions aggregated by the British Library's EThOS service. The data is estimated to cover around 98% of all PhDs ever awarded by UK Higher ...
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.
LibGuides: Theses and Dissertations: Theses and Dissertations
Search the details of over 500,000 UK theses dating back to 1800. The full text of over half of these is available for immediate download to registered users, and in other cases, you may be able to request a copy in digital or other format (for which there may be a charge). ... Theses and dissertations may be available to purchase direct from ...
Welcome to LSE Theses Online
Welcome to LSE Theses Online, the online archive of PhD theses for the London School of Economics and Political Science. LSE Theses Online contains a partial collection of completed and examined PhD theses from doctoral candidates who have studied at LSE. Please note that not all print PhD theses have been digitised.
Dissertation vs thesis: what's the difference?
In the UK, the extended piece of work done at the end of a master's degree has traditionally been called a 'dissertation'. This has been the case since the seventeenth century. The long piece of work done as the primary requirement for a PhD has been called a 'thesis' for almost as long.
What's the difference between a thesis and a dissertation?
We'll concentrate here on the UK though. One apparent difference that's accepted by some, and is shown currently in Google's top result 1, is that a thesis is undertaken while studying for a master's degree, while a dissertation is usually undertaken for a doctorate degree. Years back I studied for a Bachelor's degree, specifically a ...
EThOS: e-theses online service
It does not cover MPhils or master's dissertations. EThOS aims to provide a central listing of all doctoral theses awarded by UK higher education institutions, with the full text of as many theses as possible. The database includes more than 600,000 records. Around 4,000 law theses are covered, dating from the 1920s to the present day.
OATD
Advanced research and scholarship. Theses and dissertations, free to find, free to use. October 3, 2022. OATD is dealing with a number of misbehaved crawlers and robots, and is currently taking some steps to minimize their impact on the system. This may require you to click through some security screen.
Dissertation vs. Thesis—What's the Difference?
What is a dissertation vs. a thesis? In American English, a dissertation is a research paper that's required to earn a doctorate degree, while a thesis is a research paper required to earn a master's degree. Dissertations and theses (the plural of thesis) are often mixed up because they're both lengthy research papers written for higher education, especially as part of a master's or ...
Theses & Dissertations
Search for theses and dissertations using InfoKat Discovery and filtering your results by resource type.. All master's theses and doctoral dissertations completed at UK are required to be submitted to the university's institutional repository, UKnowledge, and made freely accessible online.You can find selectively digitized dissertations on UKnowledge that date from 2000, with complete annual ...
Thesis & Dissertation Preparation
Thesis & Dissertation Preparation. At the University of Kentucky, Master's degrees (Plan A) require the completion of a thesis. Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Education degrees require the completion of a dissertation. The Doctor of Musical Arts degree requires the completion of a project. This work reflects the quality of the program that ...
dissertationhomework.uk
1 likes, 0 comments - dissertation_homework.uk on August 13, 2024: "SPSS Thesis Help #SPSSThesisHelp #SPSSThesis #SPSSHelp #ThesisHelp . Contact Us: https://wa.link/r8suly +1 (231) 833-2050 Order Now Via: dissertationassignment.com . Seeking a Statistician for SPSS Thesis Help? We specialize in Statistical Data Analysis using SPSS, providing comprehensive support to Ph.D. students, and ...

What is the Difference Between a Dissertation and a Thesis?

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What is a thesis?

Differences between a dissertation vs thesis

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Is a dissertation harder than a thesis?

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Wills Memorial (Law, Earth Sciences)

UK and international theses

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Theses and dissertation

The Electronic Theses Online System

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Find Dissertations and Theses

Find University of Salford dissertations and theses

Finding University of Salford dissertations and theses

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Further recommended resources

Oxford theses

Finding Oxford theses

How to search for Oxford theses on SOLO

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Oxford University Research Archive (ORA)

Search for Oxford theses on ORA

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ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

Search for Oxford theses on ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

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Where are physical Oxford theses held?

Law Library

Vere Harmsworth Library

Social Science Library