Dissertations & Theses: Write a Dissertation or Thesis

To find more books and material about writing a dissertation or thesis, use the Start My Research box on Auraria Library's homepage. Search for terms such as dissertation writing, thesis writing, dissertation research, etc. Limit to books only using the options under the search box. Additionally, add your field of study (e.g. psychology, engineering, biology) to find material about writing a dissertation or thesis in your field.

The starting place for your research may be with a "thesis statement" or argument you would like to test. A well-focused thesis statement is more than just a research topic. It may be essential for an effective search of article databases and library catalogs.

For example: review these web sites which discuss the elements of a thesis how to formulate a thesis statement or research topic.

Answer These Questions About Your Research Topic or Your Thesis Statement

• How much do you know about your topic?
• Where would you like to go with your topic?
• What keywords can be used to describe your topic?
• Is your topic often covered by the academic world?
• What personal interest do you have in your topic?
• Do you have any philosophical, political or religious Views?

Your answers to these questions are important. They will influence how you will use different resources from databases to academic journals to recently published books.