Database of the month – Proquest Dissertations and Thesis

 

 

 

There have been a few queries lately regarding finding dissertations and thesis. Our database of the month is Proquest dissertations and thesis however this blog will also look at other resources that can be used to search relevant dissertations and theses.

Proquest Dissertations and Theses

Proquest Dissertations and Theses is a searchable database of Masters and PhD-level dissertations and theses from universities around the world. Most of the dissertations within this resource are available full-text and downloadable.

This database, which can be found searching for Proquest dissertations and theses in iFind. This resource is useful for those still looking for inspiration on their dissertation project or those searching for information on existing research on the chosen topic.

The Proquest search screen is simple and intuitive. Just type your keywords into the search box to find results. Selecting the Full Text option on the left of the screen enables you to limit your results to full PDF version.

It is also worth using the Advanced Search screen within this resource. Options, including limiting by university, to a specific language(s) or finding results within a particular date range.

Other resources that are useful when it comes to searching for dissertations include Ethos and Open Access Dissertations and Theses.

Ethos

http://ethos.bl.uk – Useful for UK Doctoral Research Theses

EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. There are over 450,000 thesis catalogued on Ethos with over 160,000 of these available as full-text pdf. Every month around 3000 new records are added and an additional 2000 full text theses become accessible.  You can limit your search to only available items (just below the search box). However…

A digitisation on demand facility is a unique feature of EThOS. Users can order a copy through digitisation on demand. There is a turnaround time of up to 6 weeks and there may also be a charge for the scanning process (currently £47.70 + VAT £9.54 = Total £57.24). Once digitised the theses becomes available as a full-text pdf for all to use.

Open Access Dissertations

https://oatd.org/ – Useful for Worldwide Graduate Theses and Dissertations

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 3,895,905 theses and dissertations.

If you have any questions please do get in touch with us at buslib@swansea.ac.uk.

SAGE Research Methods

SAGE Research methods supports research at all levels by providing material to guide users through every step of the research process (SAGE, 2016).

Whether you are an undergraduate, postgraduate, researcher or staff there is excellent content relating to research methodologies within this resource.  From encyclopaedia references and book chapters that will help you understand the research process through to video clips and data sets that can be used in the classroom.

SAGE Research Methods is a research methods tool, linking Sage’s research methods content with search tools to help researchers answer their research methods questions.

From designing your research project, understanding your chosen methods, identifying new methods, conducting your research or writing up your findings there is good quality content available within this resource.

Sage Research Methods has valuable content in a clear, easy to navigate and visually appealing interface….

To expand a little on content. SAGE Research Methods includes the Quantitative Applications in the Social Sciences (QASS) series aka the ‘Little Green Books’ series. This series is excellent for short explanations on Quantitative Methodology and Research Methods. The package also includes the Qualitative Research Methods series, “Little Blue Books”.  There are 1000s of other titles (also searchable separately via iFind) and videos written and complied by academics on various topics surrounding the research process.

Sage Research Methodology also contains datasets taken from real research projects, but edited and cleaned for teaching purposes. Each dataset is accompanied by a short, clear narrative description of the data and easy-to-follow instructions on how to apply the research method.

One lovely feature is the Mind Map.  This is useful for defining terms and importantly it also links to contents within the resource.  It is a good starting point for those with little experience in research methodologies:

 

There is also a nifty little planner to guide you through the different stages of your research project.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about SAGE Research Methods yout can email the team with any questions you have at buslib@swaansea.ac.uk.  We’re happy to arrange appointments via Skype or over the telephone.

If you prefer to chat with a librarian online you can do so via our Ask a Librarian chat service which is accessible via  Library Guides.

Don’t forget that the Management Library Guide  contains a range of useful information including referencing guides and links to relevant databases.