Library Guides @ VIU: Theses and Dissertations: About Theses & Dissertations

As a category of scholarship, theses and dissertations, major projects and graduating papers, represent intensive research into a problem together with formal academic expression of the results of a scholarly investigation. This kind of work is often a key measure of a student's readiness to contribute to the discourse of a discipline, most often at a graduate level.

With these characteristics in mind, research in theses and dissertations can provide an introduction to existing scholarship in a given area through the literature reviews that the papers frequently contain, as well as awareness of emerging trends through the innovative work of their authors.

Try looking for dissertations and theses in LibrarySearch:

Enter words that describe your topic, or author name, to search within dissertations and theses in the VIU Library collection
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Writing a Thesis, Dissertation or Major Paper

Here are some resources about writing theses, dissertations, and major papers (more...)

See also the Citing Your Sources guide.

MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th ed. by Modern Language Association
Call Number: LB 2369 G53 2009
Nanaimo
Cowichan
Powell River
Step-by-step advice on every aspect of writing research papers, from selecting a topic to submitting the completed paper. The seventh edition is a comprehensive, up-to-date guide to research and writing in the online environment. It provides an authoritative update of MLA documentation style for use in student writing, including simplified guidelines for citing works published on the Web and new recommendations for citing several kinds of works, such as digital files and graphic narratives.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. by American Psychological Association
Call Number: BF 76.7 P83 2020
Nanaimo
Cowichan
Powell River
Style manual frequently used by writers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences.
See also:
@APA_Style
Academic writing: a guide for management students and researchers by Mathukutty M. Monippally; Badrinarayan Shankar Pawar
Publication Date: 2009
This book helps students and researchers write better assignments, better dissertations, and better papers for publication. It will be a rich resource for MBA students and researchers working for MPhil and PhD degrees, especially in the fields of management, behavioural sciences and communications.
Writing for social scientists: How to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. 2nd ed. by Becker, Howard Saul
Call Number: H 61.8 B43 2007 Nanaimo Stacks
About the book
Music in Words by Trevor Herbert
Publication Date: 2009
Guide to researching and writing about music, addressing all the issues that anyone who writes about music--from students to professional musicians and critics--may confront when putting together anything from brief program notes to a lengthy thesis.
Your research project: how to manage it by Andy Hunt
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2005
This book guides the student through the transition from passive learner to active researcher. Covering everything from choosing and refining a research topic to writing the actual report, the book shows students how to manage their workload, and how to approach the viva.
Guide to the successful thesis and dissertation: A handbook for students and faculty, 5th ed.
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2003
About the book
Doing dissertations in politics: a student guide by David M. Silbergh
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2003
This guide has been designed to help undergraduates develop an understanding of practical research methods, and their application in the undergraduate dissertation. Written in an accessible and engaging style, it offers advice on all aspects of undergraduate research, from choosing a dissertation subject through to presenting the finished article.
Guide to writing empirical papers, theses, and dissertations by Garson, G. David
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2002
About the book
The productive graduate student writer by Jan E. Allen; Chris M. Golde (Foreword by)
Call Number: eBook
Publication Date: 2019
This book is for graduate students--and others--who want to become more productive writers. It's especially written for those who want to: increase their motivation, focus, and persistence to move a project to completion, overcome procrastination and perfectionistic tendencies, reduce (or write in spite of) their anxiety and fear of writing, and manage their time, work, energy (and advisor) for greater productivity.
Literature review and research design: a guide to effective research practice by Dave Harris
Publication Date: 2019
This book looks at literature review in the process of research design, and how to develop a research practice that will build skills in reading and writing about research literature--skills that remain valuable in both academic and professional careers.