emory thesis and dissertation

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

What is the etd repository.

Emory's ETD Repository is a searchable, full text database of all theses and dissertations submitted to the Laney Graduate School from fall semester 2008 and on

ETD and Access

Theses and Dissertations in the ETD will be accessible to internet searches, but you can control several aspects of this.   Read our document "Making Informed Decisions about Access and Restrictions." 

Access and Restrictions

This  format for storing and accessing theses and dissertations creates tremendous opportunities for the work of Emory scholars to be distributed in a broad and timely manner. The ETD repository is based on universal access to full texts, but each author can prevent his or her dissertation text from being available.

Making Informed Decisions About Access

The move to electronic storage and access creates new parameters for copy-right and publishing, and it is important to make informed decisions about the terms of access to each dissertation or thesis.

Three issues need careful consideration:

• If your dissertation raises copyright issues — perhaps it contains images published elsewhere, or an article you published in a journal — then those must be resolved before you submit your dissertation.  Since that may take some time, it is important that you start early.
• If a dissertation contains articles that were published in scholarly journals or elsewhere, it is important to ensure that the terms of access the author stipulates with the Emory ETD Repository and ProQuest/UMI are compatible with the permissions granted by those journals or other entities. Don’t assume that articles you have published can be placed in a dissertation and then made available online.
• If you plan to publish some or all of a dissertation/thesis, it is important to find out whether the journals and publishers who would be likely to publish the work regard an electronically accessible dissertation as a prior publication.

The policies on both these issues vary widely across fields and publishers, and are changing fast. Take the time to investigate the conditions in your field, and make decisions with accurate and up-to-date information — and in consultation with your advisor.

The Library offers regular information sessions on copyright and intellectual property. Dates and times are on the ETD website. These sessions teach about issues that will be important throughout a scholarly or other professional career, and are well worth the time of attending.

ETD and the ProQuest/UMI Dissertations and Theses database

Emory submits dissertations to the ProQuest/UMI Dissertations and Theses database. The terms of that submission are explained in the ETD submission form, and the access restrictions you choose in Emory’s ETD will be mirrored in the ProQuest database.  For full access, you need to log in through Emory’s library website.

Log in to ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database

Library & Information Technology Services Metadata Working Group

• Search and Discovery Systems /

Emory Theses and Dissertations

The Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) repository provides online access to the university’s masters theses, doctoral dissertations, and honors theses, increasing the visibility of our scholars and fulfilling the university’s mission to contribute to academic scholarship.

Discoverable Content:

Emory student research:  master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and undergraduate honors theses, with supporting files and media

Metadata Standards/Schemas Utilized:

• Dublin Core

Additional Notes:

If applicable.

Learn More:

• Search Emory ETDs
• Emory ETDs Overview
• Emory ETDs: Frequently Asked Questions

• Library Service Center
• Science Commons
• Research Help
• Open Access and Publishing
• Emory's Open Access Repositories and Policy
• Emory Theses and Dissertations

ETD Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions about submitting to Emory Theses and Dissertations?  Here are answers and links to more detailed information.

Submissions

Are videos available that can help me know what to do.

Yes!  The ETD Instructional Videos page has a series of YouTube videos including a demo of submission process. 

Whom do I contact if I have problems submitting my thesis or dissertation?

  Use this online help form for problems with the electronic submission process and the ETD website. 

• For any other questions about using the ETD submission system, also try our instructions page.
• For general questions about submitting your thesis or dissertation, contact your school or program.
• For problems creating a PDF, consult the technology support staff in Emory Center for Digital Scholarship (located on the 3rd floor of Woodruff Library), MediaLab, Student Technology Support (located on the 1st floor of Woodruff Library), or your department.

Can I make changes to my ETD record after I submit it?

The PDF and other files you upload to the ETD site must be identical to those submitted to your school or program for approval. Your school administrator or ADAP must approve your requests to alter your files. If your school/program requests changes to your record, you will receive an email message stating that your record has been reverted to draft status. You can then replace files and edit your original submission record. Once you have made the requested changes, clikc "review and submit" to resubmit your record for approvel. Do not create a new record. Contact ETD staff for help if necessary.

Can I submit audio-visual files with my document?

Yes, but you must submit sound, video, and animation files separately. Do not embed them in your PDF document. You may include images and illustrations in your PDF. For information on which file types work best for archiving, see our Accessibility Best Practices guide (PDF).

You may experience difficulty uploading large files to the repository. If this happens, contact the Scholarly Communications Office for help.

If your audio-visual file is your primary document, you will still need to upload a PDF file of the distribution agreement to complete your submission.

Will my work be submitted to UMI/ProQuest?

Emory University submits dissertations to the ProQuest/UMI Dissertations and Theses Database .  The terms of that submission are explained in the ETD submission forms, and the access restrictions you choose in Emory's ETD system will be mirrored in the ProQuest database.  

If you restrict access to your abstract, notify ProQuest soon after graduation to request that your abstract not be included in Dissertations Abstracts. You must contact ProQuest directly at [email protected] . Provide your name, your dissertation’s title, your school (Emory University), and, if possible, the publication number. If you need to speak with someone at ProQuest, call 1-800-521-0600, ext. 2.

Administrative

What is the deadline for my etd submission.

Your school and program set your ETD submission deadline. If you are unable to meet it, you must contact your school administrator or ADAP for permission to submit your work late.

How does my committee approve my thesis or dissertation?

Your committee will sign a paper document that you will submit to the appropriate administrative contact in your school or program.

What if my advisor or I will apply for a patent based on the research in my thesis or dissertation research?

If your document contains inventions or discoveries with commercial application that warrant patenting, consult with the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) before submitting your thesis or dissertation. You can contact OTT at (404) 727-2211.

Can I include copyrighted images, illustrations, sound files, and/or datasets with my submission?

In some cases, you need permission from rights holders to use materials that are not your original work. Getting permission is time-consuming. Start the process well before publication. For more information on copyright and your thesis or dissertation please see the Frequently Asked Copyright Questions . If you have additional questions, please contact Emory Libraries' Scholarly Communications Office  at [email protected] .

How do I cite something appropriately in my thesis or dissertation?

For help with citation best practices, Honors College, Laney, and Rollins students can contact their department's subject librarian for assistance . Candler students can reach out to the Pitts Theology Library .

How do I create an electronic, PDF copy of my thesis or dissertation?

We recommend you create your PDF using Adobe Acrobat Professional. You can easily "save as pdf" if your original document is created in Microsoft Word. If you are having any trouble converting your manuscript to PDF the Adobe Acrobat Professional program is available in Emory Center for Digital Scholarship (located on the 3rd floor of Woodruff Library), MediaLab, Student Technology Support (located on the 1st floor of Woodruff Library), and possibly in your department. You may also purchase a copy of the software through Emory University. 

How do I get a bound copy of my thesis or dissertation?

The Library no longer collects bound copies of theses and dissertations. Authors interested in having bound copies of their thesis or dissertation produced for themselves, their committee members, or their department/program libraries can consult the vendors below.

• The HF Group Inc.  
• PhD Book Binding

Although we have examined the work of the vendors listed on this page, we cannot endorse any particular entity. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list. We encourage authors to explore a variety of vendors in order to obtain copies of their theses and dissertations at a price and quality that meets their satisfaction.

How will people access my dissertation?

If you do not restrict, or "embargo" your thesis or dissertation for a time, your PDF will be available on the web in its entirety. It will be accessible through the ETD website and through internet search engines. Your document will also have a permanent URL associated with it that you can share with others. Records are typically published after the registrar processes your degree (generally 4-6 weeks after commencement).

Can I restrict access to my dissertation?

Yes, you can embargo your work, which restricts public access for a specified period of time. For additional information, please see our Access Restrictions page.

Why do we need an ETD repository?

The ETD repository provides convenient access to important products of the university – master’s theses, doctoral dissertations, and undergraduate honors theses. The repository offers web-based access to these documents, increasing the visibility of our scholars and fulfilling our mission to contribute to academic scholarship. Submission to the ETD repository is a mandatory step for graduation.

Is the submission process time-consuming or complicated?

No. You will likely complete the submission process in less than 30 minutes.

Thesis Submission

Thesis information & links: .

• Emory  Theses and Dissertations ( ETD) repository website
• Instructions for thesis submission
• RSPH submission agreement form
• Preparing your manuscript/formatting guide and special pages template
• RSPH student ETD resources and guides

 Other Links:

• Academic Calendar (check ETD Deadlines)
• Departmental Assistant/Associate Directors of Academic Programs

Search books, e-books, journal and newspaper titles, videos and more

Getting started with Library Search? See our Search Tips and FAQs . Looking for articles? Use Articles+ to find scholarly publications harvested from commercial publishers and open-access repositories. Need help? See our help page or Ask a Librarian for assistance.

Limit your search

• At the Library 2,793,801
• Online 2,759,123
• Recently Acquired 65,350
• Robert W. Woodruff Library 1,812,250
• Library Service Center 793,062
• Pitts Theology Library 497,143
• Marian K. Heilbrun Music Media 152,208
• Rose Library (MARBL) 132,481
• Law Library 107,325
• Health Sciences Library 63,161
• Oxford College Library 61,645
• Goizueta Business Library 15,441
• Science Commons 15,119
• EUH Branch Library 48
• EUHM Branch Library 45
• Grady Branch Library 5
• Book 4,790,497
• Journal, Newspaper or Serial 273,224
• Video or Visual Material 227,174
• Sound Recording 103,915
• Musical Score 99,498
• Archival Material or Manuscripts 5,161
• Computer File 3,068
• English 4,427,317
• French 247,339
• German 242,777
• Spanish 221,692
• Latin 67,438

Other Resources

Search Tool

Databases@Emory

Ejournals (a-z), other research resources, research guides.

Research guides offer research assistance, subject guides, and useful resources created and curated by expert librarians and staff at the Emory Libraries.

Emory Digital Collections Repository

Emory's digital collections support the University's research and teaching needs and are our digital front door to unique cultural heritage and scholarship collections from Emory University.

Emory Theses and Dissertations Repository

The Emory Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Repository holds theses and dissertations from the Laney Graduate School, the Rollins School of Public Health, and the Candler School of Theology, as well as undergraduate honors papers from Emory College of Arts and Sciences.

OpenEmory Repository

OpenEmory is an open access repository of Emory faculty works and a service of Emory Libraries and Information Technology.

Course Reserves

Course Reserves are required and recommended course materials made available to students at the request of faculty.

InterLibrary Loan

ILLiad is the system for Emory Libraries Interlibrary Loan and Electronic Document Delivery.

Emory Finding Aids

ArchivesSpace provides centralized access to detailed descriptions of archival and manuscript collections held in various repositories at Emory.

• Grey Literature
• Grey Literature Databases
• Region-Specific Databases
• Clinical Trials Registries

Dissertations & Theses

• Grey Matters Checklist
• Emory University Electronic Theses and Dissertations Repository This link opens in a new window The Emory Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Repository holds theses and dissertations from the Laney Graduate School, the Rollins School of Public Health, and the Candler School of Theology, as well as undergraduate honors papers from Emory College of Arts and Sciences.
• EThOS "EThOS is the UK’s national thesis service which aims to maximise the visibility and availability of the UK’s doctoral research theses."
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) This link opens in a new window Access a large collection of theses and dissertations. The NDLTD is an international organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations.
• Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD) "OATD.org aims to be the best possible resource for finding open access graduate theses and dissertations published around the world."
• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (A&I) This link opens in a new window Official digital archive of the Library of Congress and the database of record for graduate research. Search citations to dissertations and theses from around the world from 1861 to present day, and access full text dissertations.

See also Cochrane Handbook Searching for and Selecting Studies Chapter Appendix of Resources for publication 19 December 2019

• << Previous: Clinical Trials Registries
• Next: Grey Matters Checklist >>
• Last Updated: Dec 11, 2023 3:37 PM
• URL: https://guides.libraries.emory.edu/grey_literature

• Changer de langue
• Português do Brasil
• S'identifier

Emory Theses and Dissertations

The Emory Theses and Dissertations (ETD) Repository holds theses and dissertations from the Laney Graduate School, the Rollins School of Public Health, and the Candler School of Theology, as well as undergraduate honors papers from Emory College of Arts and Sciences.

Emory University theses and dissertations submitted before the launch of the ETD repository can be found by searching the Emory Library Catalog . The theses and dissertations of the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, a joint degree program by Emory University and Georgia Tech, are available in SMARTech , Georgia Tech’s repository, and in the Emory Library Catalog .

Conditions d'utilisation

News & Announcements

Etd copyright workshops.

Visit the Emory Libraries' Scholarly Communications workshop page for upcoming and recorded ETD copyright workshops for your thesis or dissertation.

Submission Forms For All Participants

All students depositing their thesis or dissertation must complete the ETD Submission form:

• College Honors Program submission form
• Candler School of Theology submission form
• Rollins School of Public Health submission form
• Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing submission form

This form WHICH REQUIRES THE SIGNATURE OF YOUR ADVISOR gives the library permission to publish your thesis or dissertation on the web; confirms access restrictions -- if any; and certifies that you have secured rights to all content that you will be publishing.

Chargé récemment

Utilizing creative arts for hiv treatment and prevention among black queer youth: a scoping review.

Déposant: Cody Henry

Mots clés: HIV prevention , Music , CBPAR , Creative arts , Performance , Radio , Photography , Theater , Black Queer Youth , Poetry , Sculpture , Global health , HIV treatment , Ballroom culture , Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) , Visual arts , Scoping review

“Water is Life”: Influences of Women’s Economic Empowerment in Samburu Communities of Northern Kenya

Déposant: Olivia Bendit

Mots clés: WASH , Women's Economic Empowerment

REDEFINING BILIARY ATRESIA: INTEGRATIVE MODELS AND METHODOLOGIES

Déposant: Dominick Hellen

Mots clés: Machine Learning , Cholangiocyte , Hepatology , Immunofluorescence , Liver , Bile duct , Cilia

Federated Learning on Graphs: New Scenarios, Challenges, and Methods

Déposant: Han Xie

Mots clés: Federated Learning , Applied Machine Learning , Graph Representation Learning

• Essay Editor

Dissertation vs. Thesis: Understanding Differences & Similarities

Many graduate students hear two important words a lot: "dissertation" and "thesis." These words can be confusing because they seem alike. But they're actually quite different, and knowing the difference can help you with your research and studies.

This guide will help explain dissertations and theses. We want to make things clear so you can feel more sure about your schoolwork. Let's look at the main differences between dissertations and theses to help you understand your school path better.

Thesis and Dissertations — Definitions

First, let's explain what is a dissertation vs thesis.

A thesis is a big research project usually needed for a master's degree. It shows a student’s knowledge about a subject and ability to do research. A thesis often looks at what other people have written and uses it to form their own ideas.

A dissertation is new research done for a doctoral degree. It tries to add new knowledge to a field of study. Dissertations need to be original, detailed and well-supported. They're often published as books or as several articles in academic journals.

Interestingly, these meanings can be different in different places. In the United States, people usually write dissertations for Ph.D. programs and theses for master's degrees. But in Europe, it's the other way around — dissertations are for master's programs, and theses are for Ph.D.s.

Differences between Thesis and Dissertations

Now that we know the basics, let's look at the main differences between a thesis and a dissertation:

• Purpose: A thesis shows you know a lot about a subject. A dissertation adds new knowledge to a field.
• Scope: Theses usually focus on a smaller area. Dissertations look at bigger, broader topics.
• Length: Theses are usually shorter (80-100 pages). Dissertations are longer (150-200+ pages).
• New Ideas: Both involve research, but dissertations are expected to bring new findings or theories.
• Presentation: Dissertations often need a formal presentation. Theses might or might not need one.
• Readers: Theses are usually for a school committee. Dissertations are for more academic readers.
• Research Depth: Theses look deeply at existing work. Dissertations do new research and also look at existing work.

When working on these big projects, tools like Aithor can help organize your thoughts and keep your writing sounding natural and academic throughout your thesis or dissertation.

Differences Between Thesis and Dissertation Across Academic Levels

The difference between theses and dissertations can change depending on the school level:

Undergraduate Level

At this level, a thesis is usually a focused study showing what a student can do with a specific topic. Dissertations are less common for undergraduates but might involve broader research.

Master's Level

A master's thesis shows a student knows a lot about a subject by looking at and combining existing research. A master's dissertation is less common but involves new research that adds to the field.

Doctoral Level

For Ph.D.s, the difference between a thesis and a dissertation is bigger. A doctoral thesis vs dissertation comparison shows that a dissertation involves a lot of research, collecting data, and creating new theories. It aims to make a big step forward in the field and is very important for getting a Ph.D.

Similarities Between Dissertation and Thesis

Even though they're different, thesis versus dissertation comparisons also show some things that are the same:

1. Structure

Both usually have these parts:

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Research methods/materials
• Bibliography

2. Supervision

Both are done with help from a teacher who guides the student through the research process.

3. Other Similarities

• Both are long research projects needed to get a degree.
• They both need to explain research using proper academic writing.
• Both need a clear question or idea to research.
• Students must show they know a lot about their subject in both.
• Thinking carefully and working on your own are important for both.

If students find it hard to write so much for theses and dissertations, tools like Aithor can help keep long documents consistent and suggest ways to make the writing clearer and more academic.

Final Notes

Knowing the difference between thesis and dissertation is really important for graduate students. While they have some things in common, their different purposes and requirements make them distinct. Whether you're working on a thesis or a dissertation, remember that both let you show what you know and add to your field of study.

If you're worried about writing a thesis or dissertation, don't stress. Aithor can help you organize your ideas, build your arguments, and improve your writing. This can make the process easier and less stressful. With the right tools and attitude, you can write an impressive academic paper that you'll be proud of for a long time.

Related articles

Plagiarism: 7 types in detail.

Your professor says that it is necessary to avoid plagiarism when writing a research paper, essay, or any project based on the works of other people, so to say, any reference source. But what does plagiarism mean? What types of it exist? And how to formulate the material to get rid of potential bad consequences while rendering original texts? Today we try to answer these very questions. Plagiarism: Aspect in Brief Plagiarism is considered to be a serious breach, able to spoil your successful ...

What is Citation and Why Should You Cite the Sources When Writing Content

When we write something for school, work, or just for fun, we often use ideas and facts from other places. This makes us ask: what is a citation in writing? Let's find out what this means and why it's really important when we write. What is Citation? Citation in research refers to the practice of telling your readers where you got your information, ideas, or exact words from. It's like showing them the path to the original information you used in your writing. When you cite something, you us ...

Top 10 Use Cases for AI Writers

Writing is changing a lot because of AI. But don't worry — AI won't take human writers' jobs. It's a tool that can make our work easier and help us write better. When we use AI along with our own skills, we can create good content faster and better. AI can help with many parts of writing, from coming up with ideas to fixing the final version. Let's look at the top 10 ways how to use AI for content creation and how it can make your writing better. What Is AI Content Writing? AI content writin ...

Paraphrasing vs Plagiarism: Do They Really Differ?

Academic assignments require much knowledge and skill. One of the most important points is rendering and interpreting material one has ever studied. A person should avoid presenting word-for-word plagiarism but express his or her thoughts and ideas as much as possible. However, every fine research is certain to be based on the previous issues, data given, or concepts suggested. And here it's high time to differentiate plagiarism and paraphrasing, to realize its peculiarities and cases of usage. ...

What Is Self-Plagiarism & How To Avoid It

Have you ever thought about whether using your own work again could be seen as copying? It might seem strange, but self-plagiarism is a real issue in school and work writing. Let's look at what this means and learn how to avoid self-plagiarism so your work stays original and ethical. What is self-plagiarism? Self-plagiarism, also called auto-plagiarism or duplicate plagiarism, happens when a writer uses parts of their old work without saying where it came from. This isn't just about copying w ...

Can Plagiarism Be Detected on PDF?

Plagiarism has been a challenge for a long time in writing. It's easy to find information online, which might make some people use it without saying where it came from. But plagiarism isn't just taking someone else's words. Sometimes, we might do it by accident or even use our own old work without mentioning it. When people plagiarize, they can get into serious trouble. They might lose others' trust or even face legal problems. Luckily, we now have tools to detect plagiarism. But what about PDF ...

How To Write Essays Faster Using AI?

Creating various topical texts is an obligatory assignment during studies. For a majority of students, it seems like a real headache. It is quite difficult to write a smooth and complex work, meeting all the professors' requirements. However, thanks to modern technologies there appeared a good way of getting a decent project – using AI to write essays. We'd like to acquaint you with Aithor, an effective tool of this kind, able to perform fine and elaborated texts, and, of course, inspiration, i ...

How to Write a Dialogue in an Essay: Useful Tips

A correct usage of dialogues in essays may seem quite difficult at first sight. Still there are special issues, for instance, narrative or descriptive papers, where this literary technique will be a good helper in depicting anyone's character. How to add dialogues to the work? How to format them correctly? Let's discuss all relevant matters to master putting conversation episodes into academic essays. Essay Dialogue: Definition & Purpose A dialogue is a literary technique for presenting a con ...