Open Access (Free) Database
Of particular use to alumni and the general public: The following three open access dissertation and theses databases are available. Some titles in these databases are citation only, while others provide free access with links to the full text of the dissertation or thesis cited.
- EBSCO's Open Dissertations DatabaseCoverage varies by the source database. Provides open access to over 800,000 dissertations from 26 U.S. universities plus the UK. Created from a collaboration between EBSCO and BiblioLabs, it uses the standard EBSCO search interface. Consists primarily of three resources--mostly full text titles from OhioLink's open ETD database (mainly 1999 to date); EThOS: e-theses online service of UK dissertations from the British Library (1800 to date); and citations digitized from UMI's Doctoral Dissertations Accepted by American Universities, 1933-1955. (EBSCO is working on extending this coverage from 1955 to date.)
- PQDT OpenA subset of ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Coverage: mainly 2006 to date. Some earlier titles back to 1990. PQDT Open provides the full text of open access dissertations and theses free of charge. The text, if available, is in PDF format.
- EThOS: E-Theses Online Service (British Library)Coverage: 1800 to date. Also searchable as part of EBSCO's Open Dissertations database. More than 480,000 titles included with links to the full text for over 100,000 dissertations.
About EThOS.
Summon and Discipline-Specific Databases Covering Dissertations
Many periodical databases in academic disciplines index dissertations in addition to articles and books: MLA Bibliography, PsycINFO, and EconLit are three well-known examples. In general, one would not expect to find dissertations not already cited in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global in these databases. However, it can be a way to locate dissertations written in a particular discipline rather than searching using specific subject terms in PQD&TG.