Adler University Library: Dissertation: Literature Review

LIterature review for dissertation

The same concepts you learned in previous courses about literature reviews apply to the dissertation as well.

For Chicago students, the guide below should be a refresher from when Frances taught a session in your Research Methods course:

Literature Reviews Library Guide

Databases to find others' dissertations

Find dissertations in full text:

Use APA PsycInfo to find the citation. Then search the first few words of the title in the database below. We might be able to request via ILLiad if you can't find it.

APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new window
Definitive database for psychology, psychiatry, and related mental health disciplines (including social, behavioral, and health sciences). Also includes material in related fields such as management, business, education, social science, neuroscience, law, medicine, and social work.
Dissertations & Theses @ Adler University This link opens in a new window
Full-text of dissertations and theses of Adler University students.
Dissertations & Theses Full Text: The Sciences and Engineering Collection This link opens in a new window
More than 70,000 new full text dissertations and theses are added to the database each year through dissertations publishing partnerships with 700 leading academic institutions worldwide and collaborative retrospective digitization of dissertations through UMI's Digital Archiving and Access Program. Full Text dissertations are archived as submitted by the degree-granting institution.
EBSCO Open Dissertations This link opens in a new window
Search thousands of open dissertations.

Beyond peer reviewed sources

While you will still need to refer to empirical studies, in a dissertation you can cite more sources, depending on your topic. Use APA PsycInfo to find books, chapters, dissertations.

Type "site.gov" plus your search terms in Google to find government sources.

Use Google Scholar to find case laws.