How Do I Find Music Dissertations?

How Do I Find Music Dissertations?

1. CHECK the WESTERN LIBRARIES SHARED LIBRARY CATALOGUE
   to see whether the desired dissertation has been purchased by one of the libraries - or affiliated colleges. Be sure to perform a KEYWORD search.


2. CHECK ONLINE DATABASES
   click-on the ProQuest Digital Dissertations link below - to see whether a desired dissertation is available for FREE (Western-only) - and in FULL-TEXT:  a "PDF" icon will appear for available/eligible titles.


3. PURCHASE DISSERTATIONS
   directly (via your credit card) from (the former) University Microfilms Inc., now part of the ProQuest consortium (unbound paper copies are the fastest and least-expensive option - please be aware that prices are in $US.
   
   
4. BORROW DISSERTATIONS
   via RACER - our Interlibrary Loan department (fees may apply - in particular when a thesis shipment must cross an international border; generally, titles borrowed within Canada are free).

5. If you would prefer the "visual" version, with screen-shots to illustrate the process, please click HERE.

Dissertation Abstracts International / ProQUEST THESES &  Dissertations
With more than 1.5 million entries (1861- ), UMI's Dissertation Abstracts database is the most comprehensive source for information about U.S. doctoral dissertations.  It also contains references to selected masters' theses  Entries for dissertations completed from 1980 forward also include 350-word abstracts, written by the author.  As of 2006, full-text dissertations are indicated with a PDF icon:  Western Libraries' subscription permits you to download the entire thesis/dissertation for research purposes.

DDM- DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS in MUSICOLOGY Online
Sponsored by the American Musicological Society, DDM-Online is an index to dissertations-in-progress and a bibliography or completed dissertations reported since mid-1995

ARCHIVES of DISSERTATION ABSTRACTS in MUSIC
An international listing of dissertations in music, both completed and in-progress. Contains links to abstracts

DISSERTATION EXPRESS / Online Dissertation Service / ProQUEST
Dissertation Express is a fast and easy way to purchase dissertations if you know the author or title of the masters or doctoral thesis that you require. The database includes a very small number of international theses

CANADIAN THESES & DISSERTATIONS

CANADIANA: THE NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY documents Canada's published heritage. It includes theses since 1998. It is available on CD ROM in The D..B. Weldon Library. Canadiana is also in available in microfiche version which spans the years 1973 -2000.  [You may also wish to consult the THESES CANADA PORTAL, however this portal is not comprehensive.]

Networked digital Library of theses and Dissertations
Provides a gateway to sites which support electronic thesis and dissertation databases. Promotes accessibility to graduate research as well as encouraging electronic publishing of theses and dissertations.

RILM (Répertoire International de Littérature Musicale) ABSTRACTS OF MUSIC LITERATURE (1969-current)
(www-access is UWO-ONLY) A citation index (i.e. NO full-text) to scholarly music literature in 200 languages, with extensive abstracts (in English). RILM indexes articles, books, bibliographies, catalogues, conference proceedings, discographies, dissertations, ethnographic recordings, Festschriften, films, iconographies and videos. Includes other subjects as they relate to music: acoustics, aesthetics, anthropology, dance, librarianship, linguistics, liturgy, mathematics, music therapy, philosophy, physics, psychology, physiology, sociology and visual arts.

University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Graduate Studies. Thesis Guide
Includes an overview of the process of writing a thesis, detailed instructions regarding the required format, FAQs and a list of useful services for Masters and Ph.D candidates.

Last revision: May, 2010 - LRP