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University Library

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MUS 528: Research and Bibliography

Introduction

This page will help you track down and browse dissertations and theses from the University of Illinois and other institutions around the world. We've highlighted several resources and tips specific to finding music dissertations, so make sure to note those.

For are more complete guide to finding and obtaining dissertations that includes information for keeping up with new dissertations published in your field of study, be sure to check out the Main Library's guide linked below.

If you're looking for a quick and easy place to start, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (linked below) is an excellent and fairly comprehensive database to start your search with.

Finding University of Illinois Dissertations & Theses

The Library tries to keep at least one copy of all deposited Illinois dissertations. You can search for dissertations in the Library catalog and through the Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship (IDEALS), the University's open repository of scholarly content.

***Special note for finding music dissertations: Many UIUC DMA dissertations were not deposited into IDEALS or uploaded to ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, and are only discoverable through the library catalog, so make sure you check there first!

 

Dissertations in the Library CatalogThe Resource Type filter in Tweak Your Results to the left of your search results can be limited to Dissertations and Text Resources

  1. Use the Library Catalog's Advanced Search to browse for a dissertation by keyword, dissertation title, or author
  2. Click "Search"
  3. On the results page, look for the filters under "Tweak Your Results" on the left-hand side of the screen
  4. Under "Resource Type", check the two boxes for "Dissertations" (to search for print copies) and "Text Resources" (to search for electronic copies) of UIUC dissertations and theses
  5. Select "Apply Filters" to refine your results

Dissertations in IDEALS

Many UIUC dissertations, particularly recently completed dissertations, are available through IDEALS, which you can browse by dissertation title, author, contributor, keyword, subject, or date. For help searching in IDEALS, see the Guide to Finding Materials in IDEALS.

You can also browse by unit in IDEALS if you want to explore music dissertations, project papers, and theses.

Finding Non-Illinois Dissertations & Theses

If the Library does not have a copy of the dissertation or thesis you are looking for, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses is the first place you should look! Most American and Canadian universities are represented in this database, in addition to selected European universities.

If you still can't find what you're looking for, check out the other tabs in this box for additional places to look. If you get stuck, don't hesitate to ask a librarian for assistance!