Please note that dissertations are typically not included as part of the literature review. They are useful sources to get ideas, to locate theoretical frameworks, conceptual frameworks, and to locate additional references. Scholarly and peer reviewed journals should be used for your literature review.
An extended scholarly essay, usu. based upon original research, submitted for a degree or other academic qualification.
Retrieved from the Oxford English Dictionary library database.
Locating dissertations is important for a doctoral student for a number of reasons:
"Ultimately any search depends on the particular keywords you use and the particular databases you include in your search. One additional - in our minds, essential resource is the literature reviews of researchers whose own writings you've consulted. Such reviews, especially if they have been published recently, can give you valuable guidence about seminal research studies and cutting-edge ideas related to your research topic. As a rule of thumb, we urge you to track down any references that you see cited by three or more other researchers. Such references are clearly influencing current work in your field and should not be overlooked" (Leedy & Ormrod, 2005, p. 71).
Leedy, P.D., & Ormrod, J. E. (2005). Review of the related literature. In Practical research: Planning and design (8th ed., pp. 64-84). Upper Saddle River,
NJ: Pearson.
The databases below all provide access to dissertations.
