Dissertations & Theses: Obtaining Dissertations

Open PQDT Open provides the full text of open access dissertations and theses free of charge. The website is a growing subset of the complete ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. Geisel Library does not subscribe to the larger database at present. Many newer dissertations can be found in PQDT Open, as authors of dissertations and theses are increasingly opting to publish as open access. PQDT Open dissertations are also available through WorldCat.

Tip: Don't forget to explore the "More search options" at the bottom of the search form. It allows you to search by author, title, institution, keywords, etc.

If you find a dissertation on the Web or in any of our library databases, you can often locate a record for it in WorldCat; click on the 'Request via Interlibrary Loan' link to request it from another library. Please allow 1-2 weeks for receipt. Please note that sometimes libraries will not loan their dissertations. Consult with a librarian if in doubt about whether a library may loan their dissertations. Tip:If you know the title of your needed dissertation, please put quotes around it when searching WorldCat.

OATD currently indexes over 1.75 million electronic theses and dissertations; many are available in full-text.

You may find a citation to a dissertation in one of our library databases such as MLA International or PsycInfo. If there is no direct link to the full-text of the dissertation, then look for the WebBridge button. WebBridge will allow you to place an Interlibrary Loan request for a needed dissertation.

GS may direct you to the description of a dissertation, including its title, but the full-text may not be available for free. Use the WebBridge button in Google Scholar to place an Interlibrary Loan request. To activate WebBridge in GS, click the 'Preferences' link and set 'library partner links' to Saint Anselm College. Use the search box to the right to search Google Scholar.

If you are unable to obtain a dissertation for free, then you can usually purchase a copy online via Dissertation Express. Cost is approx. $36 for pdf, or $43 for unbound paper. Sometimes (but not often) there is an embargo and the item cannot be purchased at all. Before paying for a dissertation, please look for it first in PQDT and WorldCat.