Dissertations / Theses
Discovering theses and dissertations in the field of public administration can be challenging, but there are fantastic tools to assist the busy researcher.
The largest paid database is
Dissertations &Theses from ProQuest (formerly the print publication Dissertation Abstracts International). This database includes some international dissertations as early as 1637, as well as U.S. dissertations beginning in 1861. Most universities in the U.S contribute to Dissertations & Theses. For recent items, a 24-page full text preview is available in the database. Full text dissertations are available for purchase through ProQuest.
Institutional repositories at major research institutions have recent theses and dissertations available electronically with most having free access. Internet search engines serve as a meta-index to many of these repositories. Others can be search by going to the institution’s website and a local search engine.
Some
individuals publish their own dissertations online for free. Search for an exact title search in quotation marks in a search engine.
Academic libraries house older, printed dissertations and sometimes make these available via inter-library loans. Visit the institution’s library site that published the dissertation and see what help and finding aids are available.