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Open Access Theses and Dissertations

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About OATD.org

OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions . OATD currently indexes 6,912,508 theses and dissertations.

About OATD (our FAQ) .

Visual OATD.org

We’re happy to present several data visualizations to give an overall sense of the OATD.org collection by county of publication, language, and field of study.

You may also want to consult these sites to search for other theses:

• Google Scholar
• NDLTD , the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. NDLTD provides information and a search engine for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), whether they are open access or not.
• Proquest Theses and Dissertations (PQDT), a database of dissertations and theses, whether they were published electronically or in print, and mostly available for purchase. Access to PQDT may be limited; consult your local library for access information.

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EBSCO Open Dissertations

EBSCO Open Dissertations makes electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) more accessible to researchers worldwide. The free portal is designed to benefit universities and their students and make ETDs more discoverable. 

Increasing Discovery & Usage of ETD Research

EBSCO Open Dissertations is a collaboration between EBSCO and BiblioLabs to increase traffic and discoverability of ETD research. You can join the movement and add your theses and dissertations to the database, making them freely available to researchers everywhere while increasing traffic to your institutional repository. 

EBSCO Open Dissertations extends the work started in 2014, when EBSCO and the H.W. Wilson Foundation created American Doctoral Dissertations which contained indexing from the H.W. Wilson print publication, Doctoral Dissertations Accepted by American Universities, 1933-1955. In 2015, the H.W. Wilson Foundation agreed to support the expansion of the scope of the American Doctoral Dissertations database to include records for dissertations and theses from 1955 to the present.

How Does EBSCO Open Dissertations Work?

Your ETD metadata is harvested via OAI and integrated into EBSCO’s platform, where pointers send traffic to your IR.

EBSCO integrates this data into their current subscriber environments and makes the data available on the open web via opendissertations.org .

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Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD)

OATD.org provides open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions. OATD currently indexes 6,654,285 theses and dissertations.

Global ETD Search

Search the 6,492,302 electronic theses and dissertations contained in the NDLTD archive:

The archive supports advanced filtering and boolean search.

How to find resources by format

Why use a dissertation or a thesis.

A dissertation is the final large research paper, based on original research, for many disciplines to be able to complete a PhD degree. The thesis is the same idea but for a masters degree.

They are often considered scholarly sources since they are closely supervised by a committee, are directed at an academic audience, are extensively researched, follow research methodology, and are cited in other scholarly work. Often the research is newer or answering questions that are more recent, and can help push scholarship in new directions. 

Search for dissertations and theses

Locating dissertations and theses.

The Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global database includes doctoral dissertations and selected masters theses from major universities worldwide.

• Searchable by subject, author, advisor, title, school, date, etc.
• More information about full text access and requesting through Interlibrary Loan

NDLTD – Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations provides free online access to a over a million theses and dissertations from all over the world.

WorldCat Dissertations and Theses searches library catalogs from across the U.S. and worldwide.

Locating University of Minnesota Dissertations and Theses

Use  Libraries search  and search by title or author and add the word "thesis" in the search box. Write down the library and call number and find it on the shelf. They can be checked out.

Check the  University Digital Conservancy  for online access to dissertations and theses from 2007 to present as well as historic, scanned theses from 1887-1923.

Other Sources for Dissertations and Theses

• Center for Research Libraries
• DART-Europe E-Thesis Portal
• Theses Canada
• Ethos (Great Britain)
• Australasian Digital Theses in Trove
• DiVA (Sweden)
• E-Thesis at the University of Helsinki
• DissOnline (Germany)
• List of libraries worldwide - to search for a thesis when you know the institution and cannot find in the larger collections

University of Minnesota Dissertations and Theses FAQs

What dissertations and theses are available.

With minor exceptions, all doctoral dissertations and all "Plan A" master's theses accepted by the University of Minnesota are available in the University Libraries system. In some cases (see below) only a non-circulating copy in University Archives exists, but for doctoral dissertations from 1940 to date, and for master's theses from 1925 to date, a circulating copy should almost always be available.

"Plan B" papers, accepted in the place of a thesis in many master's degree programs, are not received by the University Libraries and are generally not available. (The only real exceptions are a number of old library school Plan B papers on publishing history, which have been separately cataloged.) In a few cases individual departments may have maintained files of such papers.

In what libraries are U of M dissertations and theses located?

Circulating copies of doctoral dissertations:.

• Use Libraries Search to look for the author or title of the work desired to determine location and call number of a specific dissertation. Circulating copies of U of M doctoral dissertations can be in one of several locations in the library system, depending upon the date and the department for which the dissertation was done. The following are the general rules:
• Dissertations prior to 1940 Circulating copies of U of M dissertations prior to 1940 do not exist (with rare exceptions): for these, only the archival copy (see below) is available. Also, most dissertations prior to 1940 are not cataloged in MNCAT and can only be identified by the departmental listings described below.  
• Dissertations from 1940-1979 Circulating copies of U of M dissertations from 1940 to 1979 will in most cases be held within the Elmer L. Andersen Library, with three major classes of exceptions: dissertations accepted by biological, medical, and related departments are housed in the Health Science Library; science/engineering dissertations from 1970 to date will be located in the Science and Engineering Library (in Walter); and dissertations accepted by agricultural and related departments are available at the Magrath Library or one of the other libraries on the St. Paul campus (the Magrath Library maintains records of locations for such dissertations).  
• Dissertations from 1980-date Circulating copies of U of M dissertations from 1980 to date at present may be located either in Wilson Library (see below) or in storage; consult Libraries Search for location of specific items. Again, exceptions noted above apply here also; dissertations in their respective departments will instead be in Health Science Library or in one of the St. Paul campus libraries.

Circulating copies of master's theses:

• Theses prior to 1925 Circulating copies of U of M master's theses prior to 1925 do not exist (with rare exceptions); for these, only the archival copy (see below) is available.  
• Theses from 1925-1996 Circulating copies of U of M master's theses from 1925 to 1996 may be held in storage; consult Libraries search in specific instances. Once again, there are exceptions and theses in their respective departments will be housed in the Health Science Library or in one of the St. Paul campus libraries.  
• Theses from 1997-date Circulating copies of U of M master's theses from 1997 to date will be located in Wilson Library (see below), except for the same exceptions for Health Science  and St. Paul theses. There is also an exception to the exception: MHA (Masters in Health Administration) theses through 1998 are in the Health Science Library, but those from 1999 on are in Wilson Library.

Archival copies (non-circulating)

Archival (non-circulating) copies of virtually all U of M doctoral dissertations from 1888-1952, and of U of M master's theses from all years up to the present, are maintained by University Archives (located in the Elmer L. Andersen Library). These copies must be consulted on the premises, and it is highly recommended for the present that users make an appointment in advance to ensure that the desired works can be retrieved for them from storage. For dissertations accepted prior to 1940 and for master's theses accepted prior to 1925, University Archives is generally the only option (e.g., there usually will be no circulating copy). Archival copies of U of M doctoral dissertations from 1953 to the present are maintained by Bell and Howell Corporation (formerly University Microfilms Inc.), which produces print or filmed copies from our originals upon request. (There are a very few post-1952 U of M dissertations not available from Bell and Howell; these include such things as music manuscripts and works with color illustrations or extremely large pages that will not photocopy well; in these few cases, our archival copy is retained in University Archives.)

Where is a specific dissertation of thesis located?

To locate a specific dissertation or thesis it is necessary to have its call number. Use Libraries Search for the author or title of the item, just as you would for any other book. Depending on date of acceptance and cataloging, a typical call number for such materials should look something like one of the following:

Dissertations: Plan"A" Theses MnU-D or 378.7M66 MnU-M or 378.7M66 78-342 ODR7617 83-67 OL6156 Libraries Search will also tell the library location (MLAC, Health Science Library, Magrath or another St. Paul campus library, Science and Engineering, Business Reference, Wilson Annex or Wilson Library). Those doctoral dissertations still in Wilson Library (which in all cases should be 1980 or later and will have "MnU-D" numbers) are located in the central section of the third floor. Those master's theses in Wilson (which in all cases will be 1997 or later and will have "MnU-M" numbers) are also located in the central section of the third floor. Both dissertations and theses circulate and can be checked out, like any other books, at the Wilson Circulation desk on the first floor.

How can dissertations and theses accepted by a specific department be located?

Wilson Library contains a series of bound and loose-leaf notebooks, arranged by department and within each department by date, listing dissertations and theses. Information given for each entry includes name of author, title, and date (but not call number, which must be looked up individually). These notebooks are no longer current, but they do cover listings by department from the nineteenth century up to approximately 1992. Many pre-1940 U of M dissertations and pre-1925 U of M master's theses are not cataloged (and exist only as archival copies). Such dissertations can be identified only with these volumes. The books and notebooks are shelved in the general collection under these call numbers: Wilson Ref LD3337 .A5 and Wilson Ref quarto LD3337 .U9x. Major departments of individual degree candidates are also listed under their names in the GRADUATE SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT programs of the U of M, available in University Archives and (for recent years) also in Wilson stacks (LD3361 .U55x).

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Finding Dissertations & Theses: Online Dissertations & Theses

• Online Dissertations & Theses
• Dissertations & Theses Written at Simmons

United States

Use the links below to locate dissertations and theses from the United States in both proprietary and open access collections.

International

Use the links below to locate international dissertations and theses in open access collections.

More Dissertations & Theses on the Web

More colleges and universities such as the University of Minnesota are setting up digital repositories to make theses and dissertations freely available on the Internet. Try searching for keywords , author , title , or academic institution in Google Scholar , to check for full-text availability.

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• Last Updated: Feb 23, 2024 11:11 AM
• URL: https://simmons.libguides.com/Dissertations

Dissertations & Theses

What are dissertations and theses, american dissertations, international dissertations, haverford, swarthmore, and bryn mawr senior theses.

A dissertation is a book-length work prepared by a graduate student as a requirement for a doctoral degree (usually a Ph.D.)

A thesis is an in-depth essay prepared by a student as part of the requirements for a master's degree (usually M.A.) or for an undergraduate degree. 

• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations An international library of open access electronic theses and dissertations.
• Dissertations in Bryn Mawr's repository May include dissertations not yet available through the Proquest database (above). As of 2021, all Bryn Mawr dissertations will be open access within two years of degree. Download of older (non-open access) dissertations possible at Bryn Mawr.
• DART-Europe E-theses portal For searching across digital collections of theses in several different European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Greece. Full text.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations Masters' theses and dissertations from around the world that are available for download.
• British Library EThOS Electronic Theses Online Service Provides free access to theses from participating UK institutions of higher education. Service provided by the British Library.
• DiVA Theses from Swedish universities
• Greek Doctoral Dissertations (Εθνικό Αρχείο Διδακτορικών Διατριβών)
• TESIUNAM Full text access to dissertations written at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
• Theses Canada Some available full-text, but others require borrowing or purchase.
• theses.fr French theses; some available full-text.
• Haverford College Senior Thesis Archive This link opens in a new window The library collects senior projects, including musical performances and creative writing as well as critical theses. This link provides catalogs and listings including all senior projects (in both paper and digital form), digital-only theses, prize-winning theses, and the oldest theses (1897-1918). Note that some senior work is available only in paper copies for use in Magill Library.
• Haverford Digital Senior Thesis Archive Students, with advice from faculty, determine the access level for their thesis, music composition, artwork, or other senior capstone project. User choices include open to all, trico, bico, Haverford only or dark archive with access only for department faculty. If you find a thesis that you cannot access, please write Krista Oldham . She will contact the author to ask for permission on your behalf.
• Selected Bryn Mawr Senior Theses A few senior honors theses nominated by faculty advisers.
• Swarthmore Digital Senior Thesis Archive Students, with advice from faculty, determine the access level for their thesis. User choices include open to all, trico, Swarthmore only or dark archive with access for department faculty. If you find a thesis that you cannot access, please contact [email protected] for assistance.
• Swarthmore College Print Senior Thesis Archive Kept in the McCabe Library Rare Book Room. Use this link to browse all titles from 1891-2002, or search Tripod by title.

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• Reading, Notetaking, and Time Management

What is a thesis?

What is a dissertation, getting started, staying on track.

A thesis is a long-term project that you work on over the course of a semester or a year. Theses have a very wide variety of styles and content, so we encourage you to look at prior examples and work closely with faculty to develop yours. 

Before you begin, make sure that you are familiar with the dissertation genre—what it is for and what it looks like.

Generally speaking, a dissertation’s purpose is to prove that you have the expertise necessary to fulfill your doctoral-degree requirements by showing depth of knowledge and independent thinking.

The form of a dissertation may vary by discipline. Be sure to follow the specific guidelines of your department.

• PhD This site directs candidates to the GSAS website about dissertations , with links to checklists,  planning, formatting, acknowledgments, submission, and publishing options. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus . Consult with your committee chair about specific requirements and standards for your dissertation.
• DDES This document covers planning, patent filing, submission guidelines, publishing options, formatting guidelines, sample pages, citation guidelines, and a list of common errors to avoid. There is also a link to guidelines for the prospectus .
• Scholarly Pursuits (GSAS) This searchable booklet from Harvard GSAS is a comprehensive guide to writing dissertations, dissertation-fellowship applications, academic journal articles, and academic job documents.

Finding an original topic can be a daunting and overwhelming task. These key concepts can help you focus and save time.

Finding a topic for your thesis or dissertation should start with a research question that excites or at least interests you. A rigorous, engaging, and original project will require continuous curiosity about your topic, about your own thoughts on the topic, and about what other scholars have said on your topic. Avoid getting boxed in by thinking you know what you want to say from the beginning; let your research and your writing evolve as you explore and fine-tune your focus through constant questioning and exploration.

Get a sense of the broader picture before you narrow your focus and attempt to frame an argument. Read, skim, and otherwise familiarize yourself with what other scholars have done in areas related to your proposed topic. Briefly explore topics tangentially related to yours to broaden your perspective and increase your chance of finding a unique angle to pursue.

Critical Reading

Critical reading is the opposite of passive reading. Instead of merely reading for information to absorb, critical reading also involves careful, sustained thinking about what you are reading. This process may include analyzing the author’s motives and assumptions, asking what might be left out of the discussion, considering what you agree with or disagree with in the author’s statements and why you agree or disagree, and exploring connections or contradictions between scholarly arguments. Here is a resource to help hone your critical-reading skills:

http://writing.umn.edu/sws/assets/pdf/quicktips/criticalread.pdf

Conversation

Your thesis or dissertation will incorporate some ideas from other scholars whose work you researched. By reading critically and following your curiosity, you will develop your own ideas and claims, and these contributions are the core of your project. You will also acknowledge the work of scholars who came before you, and you must accurately and fairly attribute this work and define your place within the larger discussion. Make sure that you know how to quote, summarize, paraphrase ,  integrate , and cite secondary sources to avoid plagiarism and to show the depth and breadth of your knowledge.

A thesis is a long-term, large project that involves both research and writing; it is easy to lose focus, motivation, and momentum. Here are suggestions for achieving the result you want in the time you have.

The dissertation is probably the largest project you have undertaken, and a lot of the work is self-directed. The project can feel daunting or even overwhelming unless you break it down into manageable pieces and create a timeline for completing each smaller task. Be realistic but also challenge yourself, and be forgiving of yourself if you miss a self-imposed deadline here and there.

Your program will also have specific deadlines for different requirements, including establishing a committee, submitting a prospectus, completing the dissertation, defending the dissertation, and submitting your work. Consult your department’s website for these dates and incorporate them into the timeline for your work.

Accountability

Sometimes self-imposed deadlines do not feel urgent unless there is accountability to someone beyond yourself. To increase your motivation to complete tasks on schedule, set dates with your committee chair to submit pre-determined pieces of a chapter. You can also arrange with a fellow doctoral student to check on each other’s progress. Research and writing can be lonely, so it is also nice to share that journey with someone and support each other through the process.

Common Pitfalls

The most common challenges for students writing a dissertation are writer’s block, information-overload, and the compulsion to keep researching forever.

There are many strategies for avoiding writer’s block, such as freewriting, outlining, taking a walk, starting in the middle, and creating an ideal work environment for your particular learning style. Pay attention to what helps you and try different things until you find what works.

Efficient researching techniques are essential to avoiding information-overload. Here are a couple of resources about strategies for finding sources and quickly obtaining essential information from them.

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_in_literature_detailed_discussion/reading_criticism.html

https://students.dartmouth.edu/academic-skills/learning-resources/learning-strategies/reading-techniques

Finally, remember that there is always more to learn and your dissertation cannot incorporate everything. Follow your curiosity but also set limits on the scope of your work. It helps to create a folder entitled “future projects” for topics and sources that interest you but that do not fit neatly into the dissertation. Also remember that future scholars will build off of your work, so leave something for them to do.

Browsing through theses and dissertations of the past can help to get a sense of your options and gain inspiration but be careful to use current guidelines and refer to your committee instead of relying on these examples for form or formatting.

DASH Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard.

HOLLIS Harvard Library’s catalog provides access to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global .

MIT Architecture has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Rhode Island School of Design has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

University of South Florida has a list of their graduates’ dissertations and theses.

Harvard GSD has a list of projects, including theses and professors’ research.

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• Last Updated: Jun 24, 2024 11:19 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/gsd/write

Harvard University Digital Accessibility Policy

Finding theses and dissertations

Search online in library databases.

You can search the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Database to find theses and dissertations from institutions around the world. This database offers full text for most dissertations added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. You can do a basic keyword search or search for a specific title, author, or institution.

Search for works for University of Nevada, Reno authors

There is no single search method that will find every thesis and dissertation by a University of Nevada, Reno author. These are your best options:

• Search  ProQuest Dissertations & Theses @ University of Nevada, Reno to find online versions where available. You can limit by author, advisor, department, degree type, etc.
• Use the Advanced Library Search tool to narrow your search by the name of the department in which the degree is granted. In the “Any field” dropdown menu, select Author/Creator. In the “Enter a search term” field, type the University name and department granting the degree. For example, to find dissertations/theses from the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, type “University of Nevada, Reno Department of Computer Science and Engineering.”

The “Author/Creator” and “is (exact)” fields are enclosed in a red rectangle to indicate these fields have been selected. “University of Nevada, Reno Department of” is written in the search box next to the selected fields.

Search more comprehensively

If you need a more comprehensive search, including materials other than theses and dissertations (articles, books, videos, etc.), or if you are looking for physical copies of theses and dissertations, use Library Search from the library homepage. Search for a keyword, author, date, and/or title. Use the filters on the left-hand side of the screen under “Resource Type” to narrow to “Dissertations” (although not indicated, the search will include theses).

The "Dissertations" filter is enclosed in a red rectangle to indicate its location on the Library Search results page.

If you use the filters to limit by Library Location and select libraries at University of Nevada, Reno (Knowledge Center, Special Collections & Archives, DeLaMare Library), you can limit to physical copies of dissertations or theses only . You can also use the “Held by library” filter under “Availability” to find physical copies.

Need more help?

Find more detailed information in the University Libraries' guide to Finding Dissertations & Theses .

• UNC Libraries
• Subject Research
• Finding Theses and Dissertations

Finding Theses and Dissertations: Home

What is in this guide.

• Finding UNC Theses & Dissertations
• Finding Other Theses & Dissertations
• Borrowing & Purchasing

This guide is organized into the following pages:

• Overview -  An introduction to types of resources available and ways to search for them
• Finding UNC Theses and Dissertations -  Information about locating print and electronic UNC theses and dissertations
• Finding Other Theses and Dissertations - Information about locating materials from other U.S. and foreign institutions
• Borrowing and Purchasing - An overview of ways to obtain both UNC and non-UNC materials

Get Research Assistance

Email  [email protected]  for thesis & dissertation research assistance.

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• Last Updated: May 16, 2023 12:44 PM
• URL: https://guides.lib.unc.edu/disthesis

FSU  |  FSU Libraries

FSU | University Libraries

University Libraries

Finding Theses and Dissertations

Search options.

• Browse or search  DigiNole  (includes ETD manuscripts from 2003 to present)
• Browse or search  Proquest’s Dissertations and Theses Full Text  database (requires log in for off-campus access).

Questions about policies and submission of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) can be directed to The Graduate School’s  Manuscript Clearance Advisor , 850-644-0045. 

Questions about access to ETDs can be directed to University Libraries’  repository manager .

About ETDs at FSU

The production, approval, access and long-term preservation of theses and dissertations at Florida State University is a joint effort of The Graduate School, University Libraries and ProQuest/UMI. The Graduate School manages the policies and processing of these manuscripts with students and academic departments; ProQuest includes the manuscript in their Dissertation and Theses Database (PQDT); University Libraries preserves and makes the manuscripts accessible through the library.

FSU requires electronic submission of theses and dissertations (ETDs) using ProQuest’s UMI ETD Administrator system. The graduate manuscripts are also archived in DigiNole , FSU’s institutional repository, a service of University Libraries. All theses and dissertations are also cataloged in the  University Libraries OneSearch .

Browse theses and dissertations produced at FSU from 2003 to present in DigiNole. Thesis and dissertations produced prior to 2003 are recorded in the catalog. Many of them are held in the Special Collections department. 

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses (All records) With more than 2 million entries, PQD&T is the single, central, authoritative resource for information about doctoral dissertations and master's theses. Dissertations published from 1980 forward include 350-word abstracts written by the author. Master's theses published from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts.

WorldCat Dissertations and Theses Provides access to over 5 million records of dissertations and theses available in OCLC member libraries catalogs in the WorldCat database.

ERIC Many theses and dissertations done by educators are indexed in this database.

Purchase a copy through ProQuest Purchase unbound copies of dissertations and theses with express delivery to your home, school or office. Select from the over 1.9 million graduate works available.

Center for Research Libraries foreign dissertations More than 750,000 dissertations produced for universities outside of the United States and Canada.

Theses Canada Portal Approximately 300,000 records of theses and dissertations on microform in Library and Archives Canada's collection. Of these approximately 50,000 are also available electronically.

Index to Theses A comprehensive listing of theses with abstracts accepted for higher degrees by universities in Great Britain and Ireland since 1716.

Registry of Open Access Repositories (ROAR) Access to the research literature pre- and post-peer-review through author self-archiving in institutional repositories.

Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) Browse or search through several ETD collections, typically across multiple institutions at once.

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How do I find dissertations and theses?

• Finding Dissertations and Theses from Other Institutions
• Finding University of Chicago Dissertations and Theses
• Finding University of Chicago Master's Theses

Quick Links

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses This link opens in a new window Subscription database. Single access point for North American dissertations and theses with significant and growing international coverage. & more less... Includes citations for materials from the first U.S. dissertation (1861) to those accepted as recently as last semester. Starting in 1997 full-text is often available. If full-text is not available information about ordering the document is provided.
• PQDT Open Open access dissertations from the ProQuest database. ( North America .)
• CRL Guide to Dissertations Center for Research Libraries guide to foreign dissertations.
• EThOS This link opens in a new window & more less... EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses. Register for free to download theses and dissertations.
• Database of African Theses and Dissertations (DATAD) Contains brief citations for theses and dissertations completed in African universities.
• Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD) IBICT ETD initiative for Brazilian theses and dissertations.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) This link opens in a new window & more less... International organization for ETDs.
• Theses Canada Portal Central access point for Canadian theses. See ProQuest database also.
• SUDOC: Système Universitaire de Documentation This link opens in a new window Union catalog for over 3000 French universities & more less... The combined catalogs of French academic libraries. See also the Bibliothèque Nationale de France .
• Digitaler Dissertationen in Deutschland This link opens in a new window A gateway to online dissertation sites of many German universities. & more less... A gateway to online dissertation sites of many German universities.
• Tesionline This link opens in a new window Italian service from the Corriere della sera. & more less... Provides bibliographic and full text access to over 8,000 Italian theses and dissertations, from the bachelors level to doctoral dissertations.
• DART-Europe This link opens in a new window Portal for European ETDs. & more less... Portal for European Electronic Theses and Dissertations.
• Base de datos de tesis doctorales (TESEO) Covers theses completed at Spanish universities.
• Theses en ligne This link opens in a new window & more less... Llimited in content, but provides access to the full text of some French dissertations.

Obtaining Dissertations the Library Does Not Hold

Current University of Chicago faculty, students, and staff may borrow dissertations and theses by placing an interlibrary loan request .

Dissertations from U.S. or Canadian Institutions

ProQuest Dissertations and Theses contains records for most North American doctoral dissertations. To locate dissertations of interest, search by keyword.  Select More Search Options or use the Advanced search interface to search for terms in specific fields (Author, School, etc.).  Note that some fields (Abstract, Advisor, Committee Member, Department) will not work for dissertations produced before a certain date.  Most titles submitted since 1997 are available online.

The Theses Canada Portal provides additional information about Canadian theses.

Dissertations from Academic Institutions Outside the U.S.

Dissertations and theses from institutions outside the United States and Canada can sometimes be challenging to obtain. The Center for Research Libraries has a large collection of foreign dissertations. We borrow material from them, and in many cases interlibrary loan staff will ask CRL to acquire material they do not hold. See the CRL guide to dissertations for additional information.

Other Sources for Identifying Dissertations

While ProQuest Dissertations & Theses and the CRL Guide to Dissertations are good starting points, many of the Library's subscription databases contain records for dissertations. Along with the records for books and other material, WorldCat contains records for dissertations or theses held by member libraries. Most of the major subject-specific indexes (such as PsycINFO, SciFinder Scholar, or Sociological Abstracts) will also include citations for dissertations. Some of the Library's research guides mention additional sources.

The Library also has some print sources and bibliographies which you may use to locate dissertations. Locate these sources by searching the Library Catalog using the subject term Dissertations, Academic in either the subject keyword search or the Begins with subject search option. If you are looking for dissertations from a specific country, you can add the country into your search terms (i.e. Dissertations, Academic -- Mexico ).

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Find Theses - Dissertations

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Stevens Theses and Dissertations

• Doctoral dissertations (1955-present) and master's theses (2018-present) are available online through ProQuest:  Stevens Theses and Dissertations Online
• For further inquiries, please submit a request to Archives and Special Collections using this form .

Non-Stevens Theses and Dissertations

Proquest central.

Click the Dissertations & Theses option under Source Type so you can search through  ProQuest Central .   

Open Access  (Research made freely available on the internet for reading and reuse)

OATD.org :  OATD is an international portal to openly available theses and dissertations.

Order a copy of a non-Stevens thesis or dissertation:

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Dissertations and Theses: A Finding Guide: Open Access, etc.

• Introduction
• Cornell Theses
• Non-Cornell Theses
• Open Access, etc.
• Cornell Dissertation Guidelines

Open Access (Free) Database

Of particular use to alumni and the general public: The following three open access dissertation and theses databases are available. Some titles in these databases are citation only, while others provide free access with links to the full text of the dissertation or thesis cited.

• EBSCO's Open Dissertations Database Coverage varies by the source database. Provides open access to over 800,000 dissertations from 26 U.S. universities plus the UK. Created from a collaboration between EBSCO and BiblioLabs, it uses the standard EBSCO search interface. Consists primarily of three resources--mostly full text titles from OhioLink's open ETD database (mainly 1999 to date); EThOS: e-theses online service of UK dissertations from the British Library (1800 to date); and citations digitized from UMI's Doctoral Dissertations Accepted by American Universities, 1933-1955. (EBSCO is working on extending this coverage from 1955 to date.)
• PQDT Open A subset of ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. Coverage: mainly 2006 to date. Some earlier titles back to 1990. PQDT Open provides the full text of open access dissertations and theses free of charge. The text, if available, is in PDF format.
• EThOS: E-Theses Online Service (British Library) Coverage: 1800 to date. Also searchable as part of EBSCO's Open Dissertations database . More than 480,000 titles included with links to the full text for over 100,000 dissertations. About EThOS .

Summon and Discipline-Specific Databases Covering Dissertations

Many periodical databases in academic disciplines index dissertations in addition to articles and books: MLA Bibliography , PsycINFO , and EconLit are three well-known examples. In general, one would not expect to find dissertations not already cited in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global in these databases. However, it can be a way to locate dissertations written in a particular discipline rather than searching using specific subject terms in PQD&TG.

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Finding Research Instruments

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Finding Instruments in Dissertations & Theses

Proquest dissertations & theses, uconn dissertations & theses, open access dissertation sources.

Many dissertations and theses contain instruments, or portions of instruments, in their appendices. Seeing the instrument is likely to help you decide if it will be useful for your own research. Remember, you still need to obtain permission from the original author of the instrument to use it.

It's best to have the name of the instrument that interests you, and search in the full text of the documents to locate it. Because you're searching very lengthy documents, use the full name, not an acronym. The following dissertation sources are not good places to search by topic for possible instruments to use.

Searching By Title

Approach all the search tools below by searching for the title of your instrument in quotation marks. In ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and the UConn dissertation and theses archives, this is a full text search that will locate the instrument if it's mentioned anywhere in the document, including the references and appendices. In the open access repositories listed below, typically only information about a document is searched, so the instrument name must be mentioned in the abstract or other descriptive data.

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Search and download the full text of doctoral dissertations completed in the U.S. Also includes some master's theses and foreign language dissertations. Contains the full text of most UConn dissertations from 1996-2012 as well as citations going back to 1965.
• University of Connecticut Theses and Dissertations Search and download the full text of UConn theses and dissertations from 2013 to the present, with older materials from 1922-2013 added regularly.
• UConn Doctoral Dissertations via Digital Commons Search and download the full text of UConn dissertations submitted between 2013 and 2020.
• UConn Masters' Theses via Digital Commons Search and download the full text of UConn masters' theses submitted between 2013 and 2020.

There are a number of tools that let you search for open access dissertations across many institutional repositories. Anyone can download and read these documents. As a reminder, because they generally search only information about the documents, not the full text, so if the instrument is not mentioned in the abstract, you probably won't find it.

• EBSCO Open Dissertations Search thousands of open access dissertations.
• Global ETD Search Search electronic theses and dissertations contained in the NDLTD archive.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations A resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world.
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Dissertations and repository research, list of repositories and archives, finding dissertations in digital archives and repositories, what is an institutional repository.

• The University of Tampa Institutional Repository (UoTIR)
• Writing and Formatting Dissertations
• EBSCO Open Dissertations EBSCO Open Dissertations makes electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) more accessible to researchers worldwide. The free portal is designed to benefit universities and their students and make ETDs more discoverable.
• Harvard University DASH Repository DASH hosts a wide range of Harvard-affiliated scholarly works, including pre- and post-refereed journal articles, conference proceedings, theses and dissertations, working papers, and reports. Browse by individual colleges or by keyword.
• MIT Theses Browse current and historic theses and dissertations from all MIT departments.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) Use NDLTD to search over 6 million electronic theses and dissertations from around the world.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) A resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world. Metadata (information about the theses) comes from over 1100 colleges, universities, and research institutions.

Digital archives and repositories provide access to scholarship online. Repositories include dissertations and theses and are usually, but not always, open access, which means that they are free to read. Use this guide to find dissertations in library databases and online, especially if you are a graduate student in the process of writing a thesis or dissertation and wish to see examples of other work in your field of study. 

* Please keep in mind that dissertations and theses, while edited by faculty advisors, are not peer-reviewed scholarship. If you are citing a dissertation in your own research, it will not fulfill the requirement for sourcing peer-reviewed articles. Peer-review is an editorial process that requires work to meet high quality standards for official publication in a journal. 

An Institutional Repository (IR) is a type of open access archive where digital copies of student and faculty work are collected and preserved. A university repository functions as a central location where scholarship is freely accessible to the campus community and/or to the world. Many colleges and universities have some form of digital archive to showcase institutional achievements, founded on the principles of  open access (OA)  scholarship.

Learn more about The University of Tampa Institutional Repository (UoTIR) . 

Most Universities host their own IRs. If you'd like to see examples of dissertations at a particular institution, search the university name and the phrase institutional repository . For example, a search for "USF Institutional Repository" will bring up a page linking to their Digital Commons . 

Browse the repositories above to start your research.

• Next: The University of Tampa Institutional Repository (UoTIR) >>
• Last Updated: Jun 20, 2024 1:04 PM
• URL: https://utopia.ut.edu/dissertations

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ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.

In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the  ASU Library Catalog .

Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository  ETD Library Guide  or contact the ASU Graduate College at [email protected].

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The Electronic Thesis/Dissertation

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro requires thesis and dissertation students to submit an electronic thesis or dissertation (ETD) for publication that is formatted according to the appropriate template. The ETD is submitted and archived as a PDF instead of being printed and bound. This format allows students the option to include audio, video, animations, or simulations within the document and provides immediate world-wide access to UNCG students’ scholarship.

For  University Policy , visit:

• UNCG Graduate Policies

Publishing Requirement by UMI  Dissertation Publishing/ProQuest Information and Learning

• The Graduate School requires publication of the thesis/dissertation by UMI Dissertation Publishing/ProQuest Information and Learning.  For more information about PQIL and your rights as the author, visit:  ProQuest Dissertation and Thesis

Master’s

Required Paperwork for All Students

• Title Page : Have your Committee Chair (and Co-Chair, if applicable) sign with a verified digital signature and turn into The Graduate School via email.
• Approval Page : Have everyone on your committee sign with a verified digital signature and turn into The Graduate School via email.

If anyone signs the Title and/or Approval page(s) with an  original / physical signature , we will need the original copy delivered to The Graduate School in person or mailed to our office.

• ETD Release and Hold Harmless Agreement Form : You can find this form under the Copyright section of our website (Students -> Enrolled Students -> Thesis and Dissertation -> Copyright).  This item   requires   an original/physical   signature as well as the signature of a witness.   The form   cannot be   submitted   electronically . It should be delivered or mailed to:

The Graduate School

UNC Greensboro

270 Mossman Building

1202 Spring Garden Street

Greensboro, NC 27412

Additional Paperwork for Dissertation Students

Embargo form : if you select an embargo option (delayed release), you will be sent the appropriate form during format review.

• Dissertations with Multiple Authors form : required if your dissertation contains co-authored material. This needs to be filed as early as possible.
• The Survey of Earned Doctorates:  will be sent to doctoral students during format review.

Additional Paperwork for Thesis Students

Instructions.

This page contains templates for use in creating UNCG Theses or Dissertations in Microsoft Word and LaTeX, which must be used for all theses/dissertations beginning Fall 2021.  Note that the templates will not work properly in Google Docs.

LaTeX users should download the .zip file containing all the necessary files for using LaTeX to typeset a UNCG Thesis or Dissertation.

Instructions for using the templates are embedded into the templates themselves.

Two Paper Thesis (M.A in English Only)

The document should be set up to include two abstracts, one for each paper. These theses should have only one title page, listing both titles, separated by the word “AND.” The table of contents should include any preliminary introduction, the title of the first paper and its references, followed by the title of the second paper and its references. Each item should be left flush, in all capital letters, followed by dot leaders and the corresponding page number.

The thesis itself should begin with a brief introduction of the two papers, followed by the first paper, its references/bibliography, and subsequently the second paper and its references/bibliography.

M.F.A in Studio Arts

Students should include images with their online thesis submission using any of the formats listed under the  Including Multimedia Material  heading on this page. Add these item as Supplemental Files.

Chapters That Are Published or Pending Publications

• Chapters that are published/pending publication must contain the publication information.
• If applicable, students should solicit permission from the publisher to reproduce any material that is already published and include this permission in their document. This must also be detailed in the ETD Release and Hold Harmless form (see the Copyright tab for additional information).

Chapters with Multiple Authors

• In situations where dissertations have multiple authors, it is the responsibility of the advisory/dissertation committee chair to identify the percentage of proposed work to be developed by each of the contributors and submit it to the Graduate School for approval.
• To be submitted as part of a student’s dissertation, the student must be primary author.
• This must be done at the proposal stage and again at the final defense if the original plan has been revised. (See  Dissertations with Multiple Authors form .)

Template Files

MICROSOFT WORD : MS Word Template

LATEX : LaTeX Template

SUBMITTING YOUR ETD

Before you submit your thesis/dissertation, there are 3 things to consider before you submit your etd.

• Do you need to copyright? For more information about copyright, visit the U.S. Copyright Office via the Library of Congress website at  www.copyright.gov . You may also visit  http://copyright.uncg.edu/ . For information regarding the inclusion of a copyright page in your thesis/dissertation see.  There is an additional charge for copyrighting.
• Do you want to purchase personal copies of your manuscript? Keep in mind you can have the document bound on your own. This decision must be made prior to submitting your ETD. After you have completed this portion of the submission process, you cannot go back to change your decision.
• Do you need to embargo or restrict access to this document? In most cases, embargoes are needed when a student has a patent pending or other technology transfer issue. Some publishers may note concerns about journal articles, creative works, or potential books made available online. In these cases, students may want to consider placing an embargo/restricting access to the ETD. Please discuss this issue carefully with potential publishers and with your committee.

**Please note that UNCG policy allows a one- or two-year embargo/restricted period for most students. The only exception is for M.F.A. in Creative Writing students, who may opt for a five-year embargo. Students selecting an embargo will be required to submit an additional form, the ETD Request to Restrict Access form, which must be signed by both the student’s committee chair and the Dean of the Graduate School. Please contact the Graduate School to obtain this form. This item requires original signatures and therefore cannot be submitted electronically

Submitting the Approval Copy

• The approval copy of a thesis or dissertation must be submitted by the Approval Copy Deadline to The Graduate School via the online submission process.  Please do not submit an email or paper copy of the document to The Graduate School.  The online submission system is designed to allow multiple submissions (approval copy and revised/final). Only the final document will be published.
• For master’s candidates, thesis defense does not need to occur prior to submission of the approval copy. Though your document will continue to change as you work toward the defense, the approval copy submission allows the thesis evaluator an opportunity to provide formatting comments early enough in the semester for these changes to be incorporated into the final product.

Online Submission of ETD

After the pdf has been created, students should complete the following steps:

• Submitting your Electronic Thesis/Dissertation is done through ProQuest ETD , visit this link to submit your ETD.
• Review all instructions and guidelines for submission, and then click on “Sign up and get started today!”
• Create an account by entering the requested contact information, including a valid email address, and selecting a personal username and password. A link to activate your account will emailed to you immediately.
• Once you have activated your account, follow the submission instructions provided on the site.

Selecting Your Institution

The first step is to identify your institution. Navigate to the United States section and click on  University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

You will be taken to an Instructions page that covers 1) Some items to have on hand, 2) the fees for publishing, and 3) the Submission Agreement. Read this entire page carefully and click Continue when you are ready to move forward. This takes you to Publishing Options.

Publishing Options

Two publishing options are available. Please consult the “Publishing Guides” available on the ETD site for detailed information prior to making your selection.

Restrictions (Embargo)

• For most students, two publishing restriction (embargo) options are available: one- or two-year delays. M.F.A. in Creative Writing students have a five-year option. Please note that in most cases no restriction is needed. If an embargo is appropriate for your document, be certain to select the appropriate amount of time in one of these boxes.
• Your selection here should match your selection on the ETD Release and Hold Harmless Agreement form.

Publishing Agreement

• Please consult the “Publishing Guide” for detailed information.

Contact Information About My Thesis/Dissertation

Contact Information

• Enter your current and future contact information.

Dissertation/Thesis Details

• Enter the title of your thesis or dissertation, paying close attention to correct capitalization.  Do not use all CAPS for your title , use title case whenever possible. Provide the requested information regarding your submission. You will need to insert your abstract into the box provided. Be sure to include the information at the top of your abstract (name, title, etc…).
• Please carefully review your document after converting it to PDF to ensure all your content is visible and correctly formatted. After you have reviewed your PDF, upload it here.

Supplemental   Files   (optional)

• If you have any supplemental files upload and name/describe each one. These files may include images, sound, or video components of thesis or dissertation that are a critical part of the study but could not be incorporated into the pdf.

Notes   to   Administrator   (optional)

• If you have any questions or information that should be shared with the Evaluator (other publishing arrangements, patents pending, etc.), you can include a message in the “Notes to the Administrator” box.

Register U.S Copyright

If you have previously filed for a copyright, please indicate this in item #1; you must also include the registration number and year. In item #2, select whether or not to copyright your thesis/dissertation. If you choose “File for a new copyright,” ProQuest will file the copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office on your behalf. You will not be able to change this decision after your initial ETD submission.  A   $55 fee   is required for   this service.

Order Copies (Optional)

• The next screen will offer you the option to order personal, bound copies of your thesis/dissertation directly from ProQuest. Keep in mind that the printing of these copies will not begin until after the Evaluator uploads the batch of documents shortly after the close of the semester. From that point, you can expect to receive your copies in 8 to 12 weeks. If you choose to order, be sure to include a shipping address that will be appropriate after graduation.
• You will not be able to return to this option after your initial ETD submission. Fees vary.

Submit & Pay

• Verify the information shown is correct and continue with submission.
• Publishing is required of all UNCG students. There is no fee for traditional publishing, but open access publishing has a $95 fee. This section will include the cost of any personal copies. If you have opted to copyright, the traditional $55 copyright fee will be added to the total.
• Check all information for accuracy and enter payment information. ProQuest accepts MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. Your credit card will be charged immediately.
• Lastly the “Order Summary” screen displays the information you have provided and the order placed. Within a few minutes, you will receive a confirmation email. Please print or save the email for your personal records.

Use of Copyrighted Materials

The law permits the limited use of extracts and quotations for purposes of illustration and criticism covering most quotations in theses and dissertations.  In many instances, it is not necessary for candidates preparing theses/dissertations to obtain permission to quote from professional journals in their fields or from copyrighted books; however, copyrighted items, such as copies of pictures, charts, tests, forms, and questionnaires, no matter how short, should  never  be reproduced without permission.

Students must receive permission from the author or publisher to quote any extensive information from copyrighted materials.  In most cases, the author or publisher is willing to grant permission with the condition that acknowledgments are included in the document.  For additional information see the UNCG Libraries’  copyright page  or ProQuest’s  FAQ . A copy of all permissions to use copyrighted materials must be attached to the ETD  Release and Hold Harmless form . Note: this item requires an original signature and cannot be submitted electronically.

The inclusion of papers that have already been published should be accompanied by a letter from the publisher providing written permission for the use of the material in block quote form under the chapter title of the corresponding section.

Copyrighting

Students should consult with their committee chair and members concerning the benefits and usefulness of copyrighting their document. If the thesis/dissertation will be copyrighted, the student must complete an application and pay the additional copyright fee during the online submission process.

If copyrighting, the student must include a copyright page in the actual document.

Review Process & Additional Help

Review by graduate school administrator – what happens.

• Submissions are reviewed in the order they are received.
• Your document will be evaluated based on the template you use (MS Word or LaTeX)
• The email will contain a link to submit your revisions, if needed.
• Turnaround time: note that every effort is made to provide feedback within  five business days  (this does not include weekends, holidays, or other times when the University is closed).
• When you have completely passed format review AND we have all the required paperwork, you will receive a “Congratulations” message confirming you have passed all necessary checks. YOU ARE NOT DONE UNTIL YOU RECEIVE THIS MESSAGE.

ETD Administrator Contact

• Your document will be reviewed by a member of The Graduate School staff – this person is your administrator and will work with you during the format review process.
• If you have questions about the formatting notes you receive, reply to the email to ask for clarification and your administrator will respond.
• General formatting/ETD questions may be directed to Beverly Lucas:  [email protected]
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How to structure your PhD thesis

Organising your PhD thesis in a logical order is one of the crucial stages of your writing process. Here is a list of the individual components to include

Shama Prasada Kabekkodu

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The task of writing a PhD thesis is top of mind for many aspiring scholars. After all, completing one is no small task. And while these pieces of writing often share a standard format, this can differ slightly based on the requirements of your institution or subject. So what elements make up a PhD thesis?

A doctoral thesis usually contains:

• A title page
• Declarations from the candidate and supervisor
• A certificate from the candidate and supervisor
• A plagiarism report
• Acknowledgements 
• A table of contents
• Abbreviations 
• An abstract

Chapters typically cover:

• A general introduction 
• Literature review
• Analysis of the gap in research with aims and objectives
• Materials and methods
• Summary and conclusion
• References or bibliography. 

You should also include a list of papers you have published and any relevant achievements at the end. 

An explanation of each of the components of a PhD dissertation 

Title page: a PhD thesis starts with a title page that contains the complete title of the research work, the submitting university, names of the candidate and supervisor, affiliation and month and year of submission.

Abstract: this serves as a concise synopsis of the dissertation, covering the research context, purpose of the study or research questions, methodology, findings and conclusions. This section is usually one to two pages in length. 

Table of contents: this page lists the thesis content and respective page numbers.

General introduction and literature review: this component is usually 20 to 40 pages long. It presents the readers with the primary material and discusses relevant published data. It provides an overview of pertinent literature related to the thesis such as texts that critically assess the existing literature to identify the gap in research and explain the need behind the study. 

Aims and objectives: this section of the thesis is typically one to two pages long and describes the aims and objectives of the study. Structure them as three to four bullet points describing specific points that you will investigate. Approach this by thinking about what readers should understand by the end of the thesis. Ensure you:

• Give a clear explanation of the purpose and goals of your study 
• Outline each aim concisely
• Explain how you will measure your objectives
• Ensure there is a clear connection between each aim
• Use verbs such as investigate, evaluate, explore, analyse and demonstrate.

Materials and methods: this section briefly explains how you have conducted the study and should include all the materials you used and procedures you implemented. For example, if your research involves working with chemicals, list the chemicals and instruments used, along with their catalogue numbers and manufacturers’ names. This section should also explicitly explain the methodology you used, step-by-step. Use the past tense while writing this section and do not describe any results or findings of the study yet.

Results: this section is sometimes called the “findings report” or “the experimental findings” (referring to data collection and analysis). Write the results concisely and in the past tense. Include text, figure and table infographics created with tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator and BioRender to visualise your data . 

Discussion: this is a chance to discuss the results and compare the findings of your study with the initial hypothesis and existing knowledge. Focus on discussing interpretations, implications, limitations and recommendations here.

• Resources on academic writing for higher education staff 
• Tips for writing a PhD dissertation: FAQs answered
• How to tackle the PhD dissertation

Summary and conclusion: this section should be shorter than the discussion and summarise your key findings. The summary and conclusion should be brief and engaging, allowing the reader to easily understand the major findings of the research work. Provide clear answers to the research questions, generate new knowledge and clarify the need for the study. 

Future perspective: this section of the thesis (which is often combined with a summary or conclusion) talks about the study's limitations, if any, and indicates the directions for future studies based on your findings. 

References or bibliography: the last section should include the list of articles, websites and other resources cited in the thesis.

Always remember that, depending on the department, university or field of study, you might have to follow specific guidelines on how to organise your PhD thesis. Ensure you consult your supervisor or academic department if you have any doubts.

Shama Prasada Kabekkodu is a professor and head of cell and molecular biology at Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India.

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Home > ETDS > Dissertations and Theses > 6610

Dissertations and Theses

Design and test of asynchronous systems using the link and joint model.

Ebelechukwu Esimai , Portland State University Follow

First Advisor

Marly Roncken

Term of Graduation

January 2024

Date of Publication

Document type.

Dissertation

Physical Description

1 online resource ( pages)

Asynchronous circuits offer numerous advantages, including low energy consumption and good composability and scalability. However, they remain meagerly adopted in the mainstream semiconductor industry. One reason is the limited number of design tools available to help designers navigate design complexity, particularly the myriad of asynchronous implementation styles.

This dissertation focuses on managing the myriad of asynchronous implementation styles by utilizing a circuit-neutral model, called Links and Joints, and embedding this Link-Joint approach into a design flow. Although years of past work have already laid the groundwork, the work in this dissertation identifies and addresses key missing pieces.

First, the dissertation presents a design and test methodology centered around Links and Joints that exploits the similarities between multiple circuit implementation styles. This methodology offers interface uniformity and generality for various asynchronous circuit families and protocols, as well as flexibility in implementation choices and circuit initialization.

Second, this dissertation shows the Link-Joint methodology embedded in a design flow. The resulting flow, called Ona (/or-NUHR/, Yoruba for “way”), includes compilation and refinement steps for transforming high-level parallel programs with message passing via circuit-neutral Link-Joint networks into asynchronous circuits, postponing choices in protocol and circuit family as late as possible. Ona also carries along test and debug, using a uniform test approach that fosters test reuse from one abstraction level to another.

Ona makes it easy to insert asynchrony appropriate for each design part. The dissertation demonstrates this ease by providing methodology and design flow support for various protocols such as 2- and 4-phase protocols, level- and pulse- and transition signaling logic, bundled data, and circuit families such as Click, GasP, Set-Reset, Mousetrap, Micropipelines, and the Single Flux Quantum (*SFQ) superconductor family. The dissertation also demonstrates that mixing and matching different circuit implementation styles in Ona is flexible and straightforward.

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Recommended Citation

Esimai, Ebelechukwu, "Design and Test of Asynchronous Systems Using the Link and Joint Model" (2024). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 6610.

Available for download on Tuesday, June 24, 2025

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