Digital Dissertations lists most dissertations and many theses completed in North America, and some from the rest of the world. The database includes citations to dissertations written since 1861, abstracts since 1981, a full-text preview of the first 24 pages of most since 1997, and the entire full text of UMass Amherst dissertations since 1997.

Getting Started
From the UMass Amherst Digital Library, www.library.umass.edu, click Database Locator, then Display all titles, and select Digital Dissertations from the list. If prompted, enter your OIT username and password.

Searching
Basic Search
Enter your terms, use the pull-down menus to select index (section of the record), enter dates below, and click Search.

Keyword
Keyword search looks for your term or phrase in dissertation titles and abstracts, but not subject headings, authors, schools, or elsewhere.
Example:
shays' rebellion
in Keyword (KEY)

Author
Enter last name and first name, and choose the author field.
Example:
bell and arthur
in Author (AU)

Truncation
To find all words with the same root, use the question mark (?) to truncate.
Example:
theor?
finds theory, theorist, etc.

Combining terms in the same section of the record
Use and between search words to find citations with both words; use or to find either word.
Example:
brahms or mozart
in Keyword (KEY)

Combining terms from different sections of the record
Use the pull-down menu to find terms in different fields.
Example:
university of massachusetts
in School (SC) and
structuralis?
in Keyword (KEY) and
literature
in Subject (SU)

Advanced Search
Click for Advanced searches. Here, enter terms, choose connectors, indexes, and years, and click ADD. Note: for an author search, use and between author first and last name. Your search will be pasted in command language above. If you prefer , use command language directly in the upper box. Click the blue link for useful examples.
Tabs on the advanced screen provide more functionality.

Search History
Use this to refer back to and combine existing searches.

Subject Tree
Click to select from an arrangement of subjects, similar to academic disciplines.

School Index
Search, display, and choose from a list of institutions at which dissertations were written.

Viewing Search Results
Records are listed in reverse chronological order. Click the blue links text to view either Citations and Abstracts, or the 24-pg. preview if available, in html.

Printing, Emailing, and Downloading
Lists of Citations and Abstracts
Click the box by the little blue folder icon to select records from the citation list, then click Marked List, top menu bar.

To Print
Choose to output either citation or citation and abstract. Click Print List to redisplay, then use your browser Print command. Note: Printing from library PCs requires a UCard and costs 5¢ per page. Follow the instructions at the printing stations.

To Email
Choose to output either citation or citation and abstract, then click Email List. Records can be sent to any valid email address.

To Download
Choose to output either citation or citation and abstract. Insert an IBM-formatted floppy disk in the a: drive, or minimize Digital Dissertations and open your UDrive account (OIT account holders only) from the icon on the library PC desktop. Back in Digital Dissertations, click Download. In the file name space, name the file using this format: a:filename.txt or a:filename.txt for use with word processing programs, a:filename.html or a:filename.html for use with web browser programs. Note: for security, be sure to log out of your UDrive account after using it at a public PC.

Previews
Twenty-four page previews are displayed first as thumbnail images. Click Print All Preview Pages, left margin, or click a single page to enlarge, then use your browser functionality to print or download. Emailing is not available for preview pages.

UMass Dissertations in Full Text
To obtain the full text of UMass Amherst dissertations, click FREE DOWNLOAD, to the left of the citation. You'll be asked for your email address. When the .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) document is prepared, UMI will send you an email with a url and personal identification. Go to the web site and enter the pin (personal identification number). The dissertation will be displayed. Note: These are very large PDF files, so plan ahead.

Obtaining Non-UMass Dissertations
Consult Interlibrary Loan at 545-0553 to ask about borrowing a copy from the degree-granting institution, or follow screen directions to order from UMI. You will need a credit card.