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Hidden Treasures: Finding theses and dissertations Craig Finlay Senior Library Assistant (Serials & IT) January 2012 Bodleian Social Science Library Bodleian Libraries

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Please log-in your PC SSL IT Enter your: University Card Barcode Enter your: Library password NB: logs out after 20 minutes of inactivity If you have not yet set up your Library password: Enter: ssltxxx (where xxx is the number of the PC) and the password S4turn

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What are we hoping to achieve? To understand the value of dissertations and theses as sources for research To explore the key tools for gathering information on what exists in this format To identify effective approaches for obtaining the full-text of theses and dissertations To gain an appreciation of the restrictions on access to and use of these documents

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Definitions Dissertation = An extended scholarly essay, usu. based upon original research, submitted for a degree or other academic qualification. Thesis = A dissertation to maintain and prove a [proposition]; esp. one written or delivered by a candidate for a University degree.

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divided by a common language Thesis usually refers to doctoral/research programmes Dissertation usually refers to Masters programmes Dissertation usually refers to doctoral/research programmes Thesis usually refers to Masters programmes

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Why theses? Importance New data and discoveries Fresh and original ideas Doctoral dissertations and masters theses are primary literature. They are valuable contributions to the discourse in every field of inquiry - ProQuest. 2012. Authors. [online]. Available from http://proquest.com/en- US/products/dissertations/authors.shtml http://proquest.com/en- US/products/dissertations/authors.shtml [Accessed 9th January 2012].

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Why theses? Relevance Cutting-edge research Current trends Recently completed theses can provide "sneak previews" of ideas and findings that have yet to reach the public via other publication formats. - Tufts University. 10 th November 2011. Research Guides@Tufts: Dissertations and Theses. [online]. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903 Accessed 9 th January 2012. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903

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Why theses? Springboard Excellent introduction to research topic Basis for wider reading Authors are free of the restrictions on length imposed by book and journal editors, and so these works often contain extensive literature reviews and lengthy bibliographies. - Fox, Edward A. Electronic theses and dissertations : a sourcebook for educators, students, and librarians, 2004, New York ; Basel : Marcel Dekker

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Why theses? Inspiration Useful model/exemplar for structure and method They provide inspiration for the formatting and presentation of ideas, graphs, charts, and other components of a document. - Tufts University. 10 th November 2011. Research Guides@Tufts: Dissertations and Theses. [online]. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903 Accessed 9 th January 2012. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903

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Why theses? Discovery Track down obscure authors and underrepresented lines of inquiry They may be the only publicly-available work by authors who do not otherwise publish for general audiences or through commercial publishers. - Tufts University. 10 th November 2011. Research Guides@Tufts: Dissertations and Theses. [online]. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903 Accessed 9 th January 2012. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903

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Why theses? Evolution Map the development of an individuals thought over time They provide insight into the early work of a particular person and have value for historical and biographical purposes. - Tufts University. 10 th November 2011. Research Guides@Tufts: Dissertations and Theses. [online]. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903 Accessed 9 th January 2012. http://researchguides.library.tufts.edu/content.php?pid=161871&sid=1488903

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Surveying the landscape where to start?

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Google Scholar OxLIP+ http://oxlip-plus.bodleian.ox.ac.uk LibGuides http://ox.libguides.com Help from the Bodleian http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/libraries/subjects/reference/theses Help from the SSL: http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ssl/how/find-dissertations-and- theses

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OxLIP+ - Gateway to Electronic Resources

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Searching Worldwide

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North American T&Ds: ProQuest 2.3 million entries from over 1,000 graduate schools and universities in North America and from around the globe 70,000 new dissertations and theses are added to the database each year Coverage: 1861 Current, with abstracts from 1980 Bonus for Humanities and Social Sciences: full text for most of the dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full text coverage for older graduate works.

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British T&Ds: Index to Theses A comprehensive listing of theses with abstracts accepted for higher degrees by universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland since 1716. 571,126 theses in collection (337,979 of which have abstracts) Fifty thousand links to full text and a new look

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British T&Ds: Ethos Over 250,000 records, many available for immediate download (44,000 as of Jan 2011) Theses digitised on demand within 30 days Accessible to all, and mostly free

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Searching for theses in Oxford Most Oxford theses are catalogued fully on SOLO including nearly all of the dissertations held in the SSL: http://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk http://solo.bodleian.ox.ac.uk SOLO includes records from ORA (Oxford University Research Archive) SOLOs free-text searching allows users to search the notes field of the record, which means they can retrieve results using terms such as Queen Elizabeth House thesis or Economics D.Phil. thesis. Refine your search using the format filter Theses.

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Search Terms Care must be taken when entering punctuated terms such as D.Phil., however. D.Phil., Ph.D. M.Phil. and M.Sc. are technically the correct search terms. However, incorrect abbreviations such as DPhil, PhD, M. Phil and MSc will also retrieve (different) results, so it is best to use both with the Boolean operator OR. Also the search term should be thesis not theses. Generally speaking, dont use dissertation or dissertations for Oxford University theses. Cataloguing practice is to use the word thesis, even if that isnt strictly what the piece of work is.

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Reading Oxford DPhil Theses Many Oxford University theses (including most Social Science D.Phil. theses) are held in the Bodleian bookstack. Generally, these can only be requested to Duke Humfreys Library in the Old Bodleian for consultation. Contact the Reading Room in advance to let them know you are coming the security level is higher than other parts of the Bodleian Dont forget to take a pencil (or laptop)! (image from http://ngaio.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-you-should-never-talk-to-reporters.html)http://ngaio.blogspot.com/2011/11/why-you-should-never-talk-to-reporters.html

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Oxford University Research Archive Students following D.Phil., M.Litt. and M.Sc. (by Research) programmes and registered from 1st October 2007, are required to deposit a hardbound and a digital copy of their thesis with the Oxford University Libraries. Students on other postgraduate programmes, i.e. M.Phil., are invited to submit a copy of their thesis to ORA, but are not required to do so ORA also contains a browsable list of Oxford theses which can be accessed online.

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The Catch : Dispensation from Consultation Theses can be embargoed in their entirety or parts might be missing, if they: Contain material copyrighted to a third party Contain confidential/sensitive material Conflict with plans/agreements to publish the work at a later date Are restricted by the terms of an agreement with a body or sponsor external to the university Currently Social Science Theses are embargoed by default for a three-year period following submission to allow the author the option to negotiate for publication if they wish.

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Theses Whats in the SSL? The SSL does not keep a copy of every thesis and dissertation produced by Social Science students. As mentioned above, D.Phil. theses are kept at Duke Humfreys, and the most recent are available on ORA. The SSL does hold dissertations produced by students on selected Social Science (usually Masters) courses. These are kept in the Theses and Dissertations section of the library, next to the periodicals. In some subjects, only dissertations which received particularly high marks are held. In addition, a number of non-Oxford University theses are kept at the SSL. These are classified with Library of Congress shelfmarks and kept in the main book sequence.

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Subjects Covered CRI = Criminology M.Phil. Criminology and Criminal Justice (M.Sc.) ECO = Economics (D.Phil., M.Phil.) IDC = International Development Agricultural Economics (D.Phil., M.Litt., M.Sc.) Economics for Development (M.Sc.) Development Studies (M.Phil.) Global Governance & Diplomacy (M.Sc.) POL = Politics & International Relations D.Phil. BA Politics, Philosophy and Economics RSC = Refugee Studies Forced Migration (M.Sc.) SLS = Socio-Legal Studies D.Phil. Law & Economics (M.Sc.) SOC = Sociology ( DPhil, MPhil, MSc ) SPW = Social Policy & Social Work D.Phil. Graduate Diploma in Social and Administrative Studies Applied Social Studies (M.Sc.) Comparative Social Policy (M.Phil., M.Sc.) Comparative Social Research (M.Phil., M.Sc.) Evidence-Based Social Intervention / Evidence-Based Social Work (M.Phil., M.Sc.) Social Research & Social Policy (MSc)

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Copyright & Borrowing Authors copyright of theses is strictly protected. Readers must sign their name on the form in the front of any Oxford University thesis they consult, or leave their name and address at the issue desk. Copying of Oxford theses, even of a single page, may require the author's written permission Bodleian Libraries website. Prior written consent of the author is required before including quotations from theses in published work. Oxford University theses in the SSL are Confined to the library. Theses from other universities, which are classified according to Library of Congress Classification and shelved in the main library sequence, can be borrowed.

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Citing a thesis You should include the following information in your bibliography, the exact style will vary according to the citation system you are using: Name of author Year of publication, in brackets Title of thesis, in italics Type of degree (eg Ph.D. or M.Sc.) Name of the University Country Droth, M.S. (2000). The statuette and the role of the ornamental in late nineteenth century sculpture. Ph.D. Thesis. Reading University: U.K. - University of Reading. Citing references. Citing a thesis. [online]. http://www.reading.ac.uk/library/finding-info/guides/lib-citing-thesis.aspx Accessed 26 th January 2012.

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Reminder what have we learned? To understand the value of dissertations and theses as sources for research To explore the key tools for gathering information on what exists in this format To identify effective approaches for obtaining the full-text of theses and dissertations To gain an appreciation of the restrictions on access to and use of these documents

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Any Questions? My email: craig.finlay@bodleian.ox.ac.ukcraig.finlay@bodleian.ox.ac.uk This presentation and the workbook are available at: http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ssl/workshops/graduate-search Lots more information at: http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/ssl/how/find-dissertations-and-theses http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/libraries/subjects/reference/theses