Research Guides: Education: Finding Dissertations & Theses (2024)

FAQs

Which one is the best resource for finding dissertations theses? ›

The ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database (PQDT) is the world's most comprehensive collection of dissertations and theses. It is the database of record for graduate research, with over 2.3 million dissertations and theses included from around the world.

The number of main questions a thesis should have can vary depending on the specific requirements and guidelines of the academic institution, program, or field of study. However, in general, a thesis should have one main research question or hypothesis that guides the entire research project.

The EdD dissertation is a five-chapter document that investigates an issue in education, reviews the existing literature on this issue, adds additional insight through a qualitative and/or quantitative research study, and proposes one or more solutions.

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 7,230,360 theses and dissertations.

Locating Dissertations and Theses

NDLTD – Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations provides free online access to a over a million theses and dissertations from all over the world. WorldCat Dissertations and Theses searches library catalogs from across the U.S. and worldwide.

The primary difference between a thesis and a dissertation is the time when they are completed. As mentioned earlier, a thesis is presented at the culmination of a master's program, whereas, a dissertation is presented to earn a Ph. D.

How long should a PhD thesis be? A PhD thesis (or dissertation) is typically 60,000 to 120,000 words (100 to 300 pages in length) organised into chapters, divisions and subdivisions (with roughly 10,000 words per chapter) – from introduction (with clear aims and objectives) to conclusion.

Main Differences Between a Thesis vs. Dissertation. The biggest difference between a thesis and a dissertation is that a thesis is based on existing research. On the other hand, a dissertation will more than likely require the doctoral student to conduct their own research and then perform analysis.

You don't have to start with the introduction – start at the chapter that seems the easiest to write – this could be the literature review or methodology, for example.

What are 5 good research questions? ›

If you're interested in pursuing a career as a school administrator, college/university administrator, curriculum developer, or counselor in a leadership position, then you should consider pursuing an EdD. If you're interested in pursuing a teaching or research career in academia, you should consider a PhD degree.

Drop out rates vary by discipline, but as many as 50 percent of students don't complete their doctorate. In order to succeed, you must understand what's at stake—and what's expected of you—then develop a plan that you can stick to.

Most Ed. D. dissertations end up being between 80-200 pages. The length will depend on a number of factors, including the depth of your literature review, the way you collect & present your research data, and any appendices you might need to include.

In addition to Google Scholar, your university library is an excellent source for both public research and research specific to your university. More specifically, your university should have a database of dissertations and theses from past students, including those from your program.

In all cases you will be using scholarly material such as books and journal articles, but you may need to use a wide variety of other sources too. For example you may need to explore news sources, official publications, market research reports, company info etc. This will differ hugely between dissertation topics.

ProQuest: The World Leader in Dissertation Access and Dissemination. Over the last 80 years, ProQuest has built the world's most comprehensive and renowned dissertations program.