Where To Look For Free Dissertations Online: A Quick Guide

Writing a dissertation is one of the most common graduation requirements for students. If the dissertation is not accepted by the academic committee, the student has to return to school the following year to finish the dissertation or create a new one. With so much at stake, students should try to create the best dissertation possible on their first try. Since most students have never written an essay that long or in-depth, they should utilize all of the resources at their disposal. Online examples of dissertations can be found for free that can help students figure out exactly what is expected.

• Check the Campus Library

In the past, many colleges kept copies of dissertations by former students in the library. With the rise of technology in education, some university libraries have switched to keeping these dissertations online. Students who want to read an example of a dissertation can either check the online library using their campus account, or visit the library in person. Both techniques offer a vital resource for dissertation writing.

• Online Databases

Outside of the campus library, there are also online databases that include dissertations. These databases are often a collaboration between universities. As such, they contain many of the dissertations ever written by college students. They can often be accessed for free or at a very minimal cost to the student.

• Look for Free Online Dissertations

Other than dissertations from the college, there are also dissertations that are already available for free online. With a bit of skillful searching, college students can find examples from a broad range of fields and subjects. In some cases, they can even find the exact dissertation topic that they need.

• Be Warned: Plagiarism Violates Academic Codes of Conduct

Although there are dissertations available online, many of these essays have been previously used or published by other students. As a general rule, students are not allowed to submit work that is not their own. They can quote the dissertation and include it in their references, but they cannot turn in the online dissertation as a product of their own work. If the professor catches the student plagiarizing someone else's dissertation, the student will fail the class and can even be kicked out of school. Online dissertations are intended as a source of guidance for students. They are not intended to be reused as the student's own work or a substitution for research.