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University of Oregon Libraries
University of Oregon Libraries
  • Contents of This Guide
  • Looking for Dissertations
  • Finding Dissertations
  • Electronic Dissertations
  • Obtaining Dissertations
  • Writing a Dissertation or Thesis

Looking for Dissertations

Dissertations are unique publications and generally only available from the institution where they were written. Some academic libraries will lend their dissertations. If an institution will not lend their dissertations, a copy can usually be purchased. Read more about these options in the "Obtaining Dissertations" section below.

Finding Dissertations

The following databases are useful for locating and obtaining dissertations and theses:

Dissertations and theses by University of Oregon students:
Dissertations written by University of Oregon students are housed in the UO Libraries' collection and are generally available to borrow. Copies may also be made from the microfilm housed in University Archives. The UO Libraries Catalog allows you to limit your search (by title, author, keyword or subject heading) to just dissertations and theses. You can also search for all dissertations written for a particular department; search by title using the pattern shown in these examples:

  • University Of Oregon Theses Asian Studies Program
  • University Of Oregon Theses College Of Education
  • University Of Oregon Theses Dept Of Physics

Dissertations from U.S. and Canadian institutions:
Dissertation Abstracts provides citations to dissertations in all academic subjects from 1861 to the present. Abstracts are provided for doctoral dissertations beginning in July 1980, while selected masters thesis abstracts are available from 1988. The index includes dissertations and selected masters theses from U.S., Canadian, British, and other European institutions and is updated monthly.

For abstracts to dissertations published before 1980, consult the print version of Dissertation Abstracts (REF KNIGHT Z 5055 .U5 A53). Beginning in 1969, it is divided into the series: A, Humanities and Social Sciences; B, Sciences and Engineering; and C, European Abstracts (also C, Worldwide). These print sources provide abstracts back to 1938.

Dissertations from international institutions:
The Center for Research Libraries' (CRL) Foreign Doctoral Dissertations database includes more than 750,000 uncataloged foreign doctoral dissertations. Dissertations available to borrow from CRL can be located by using their library catalog.

Electronic Dissertations

By University of Oregon students:
If a dissertation written by a University of Oregon student is available in electronic format, there will be a link to the online version from the record in the UO Libraries Catalog. Bell & Howell's Current Research@University of Oregon database provides access to most dissertations completed by University of Oregon students for recent years, in electronic format. Search for dissertations by keywords in the title and abstract, by author, or by adviser. This database allows University of Oregon students, staff, and faculty to download copies of the entire dissertation for free; just click on the free! link, enter your e-mail address in the box indicated, then click on the "Download" button. A select few UO theses and dissertations are available electronically through the UO Scholars Bank.

By everyone else:
Bell & Howell's ProQuest Digital Dissertations database offers free searching of the most current two years of the Dissertation Abstracts database – over 225,000 citations and abstracts. This database also offers free 24-page previews (abstract, author's curriculum vita, table of contents, list of illustrations, tables, graphs, and figures, and first several pages of the dissertation), as well as the full text of over 100,000 dissertations in PDF format. Dissertations written by UO students may be downloaded for free by members of the UO community; all others are available for purchase (make sure you have a credit card handy).

Obtaining Dissertations

Borrowing (use one of the methods below, allow 10-30 days):

  • Worldcat. Use the search form to locate the dissertation by author and/or title, then click on the title link, then follow the steps to complete an "ILL" transaction.
  • Dissertation Abstracts. Search for the dissertation and submit your request using the "ILL" button in the gray area near the top of the screen. Your request will be processed on the following day, Monday-Friday.
  • Dissertation Request Form. We'll start working on it the next day, Monday-Friday.
You will be notified by the Interlibrary Loan Department if the owning library will not loan the dissertation.  At that point you have two options: request that the library purchase the dissertation for the UO collection and lend it to you, or purchase a copy of the dissertation for your use.  If you do not want to wait to see if the owing institution will lend the dissertation and you want to purchase a copy for your use, follow the procedure below. 

Purchasing:

  • Find the record in Dissertation Abstract
  • Click on the "ILL" button.
  • Complete the top part of the form with your personal information.
  • Enter $29.00 in the "Maxcost" box.
  • Enter "Please purchase through Dissertation Express" in the "Comments" box.

Bell & Howell provides our library with unbound paper copies of dissertations through Dissertation Express, at a cost of $29.00 each. Dissertations arrive at our library within 7 days, and will be forwarded to your home or departmental address. After receiving the dissertation you will be billed by the UO Business Office. If the dissertation you need is not cited in Dissertation Abstracts, please contact the Interlibrary Loan office. You may be able to purchase a copy from the institution where it was written.

Writing a Dissertation or Thesis

The Graduate School provides the following resources for students engaged in writing a dissertation or thesis for the University of Oregon:

Maintained by: Barbara Butler, butler@uoregon.edu