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ProQuest LibGuide

Welcome to the online library guide for ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, created by the librarians at the Robert F. Kennedy Library, 暗网AV. For research help, contact an RFK librarian:鈥�/student-services/rfk-library/ask-a-librarian.   

 

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global (PQDT Global) is the world鈥檚 most comprehensive collection of graduate research, providing millions of dissertations and theses from universities around the globe, many in full-text PDFs. It serves as the primary archival database for doctoral and master鈥檚 work, with coverage dating back to the 17th鈥�18th centuries and especially strong full鈥憈ext coverage from the late 1990s onward. Researchers use PQDT Global to discover original studies, detailed literature reviews, and rich methodological examples that can inform and contextualize new research projects. 
 

This database must be accessed by clicking the link ProQuest Dissertation & Theses link on the RFK Library Homepage: /student-services/rfk-library/ 

 

Basic Searching

PQDT Global does not use subject headings like MeSH; topic searching is done with keywords and phrases in Basic or Advanced Search. Basic Search works well for single topics or simple combinations, and you can refine later using filters.  

Steps for Basic Search 

1. Enter words or phrases that describe your topic in the search box (e.g., "information literacy" AND "STEM students").  
2. Use quotation marks for exact phrases and AND/OR in ALL CAPS to combine concepts.  
3. Click the magnifying glass or press Enter to run the search. 

Combining searches using Recent Searches / Search history 

• OR finds references with any of the search terms and is used to broaden a search (e.g., Chamoru OR Chamorro).  

• AND finds references with all the search terms and is used to narrow a search (e.g., leadership AND "higher education").  

• To combine previous searches: 

• Click Recent Searches / Search history (under the search box). 

• Use the search line numbers with AND or OR between them in the combination box, then click Search.   

 

Advanced search 

Advanced Search provides multiple rows and field options so you can combine topics, limits, and filters more precisely. This view is especially useful for graduate students and faculty doing systematic exploration of existing dissertations.   

Steps for Advanced Search 

1. Enter your main concepts in separate rows (add rows as needed). 
2. Use the drop鈥慸own menus to choose fields such as: Anywhere, Title, Abstract, Subject heading (all), Advisor, School name, or Degree.  
3. Combine terms with AND/OR/NOT and click Search. 

Examples 

• Topic + region: "information鈥憇eeking behavior" (Anywhere) AND "Pacific Islands" (Anywhere).  

• Institution focus: leadership (Anywhere) AND "暗网AV" (Anywhere). 

• Author & Subject Heading focus: 鈥渋nformation literacy鈥� (MAINSUBJECT) AND 鈥淲ilson鈥� (Author) 

 

 

Limiting and Refining Results 

PQDT Global has several useful filters in the left鈥慼and sidebar, including publication date and language, to help narrow large result sets. Use filters after you have run a search so you can see how each limit affects the number and type of results.   

Common filters 

• Publication date 

• Limit to a specific time period (e.g., last 5 or 10 years) to focus on recent graduate work.  

• Degree / Document type 

• Filter to Doctoral dissertations or Master鈥檚 theses only, depending on your needs.   

• Language 

• Limit to English (or another language) when you need works you can read without translation.  

Best practice: Start broad and then apply 1鈥�2 filters at a time; over鈥憀imiting may hide relevant dissertations, especially older or international works.   

 

Viewing, Downloading, and Citing 

After you run a search, results appear in the center of the screen with links to abstracts, full text, and tools for export.   

From a results record 

• Click the title to open the full record. 

• Use Abstract/Details to view the summary, degree information, advisor, institution, and subject terms.  

• If available, click Full text 鈥� PDF to download the complete dissertation or thesis.  

Citing dissertations and theses 

• Use the Cite tool to export citation information in common styles (APA, MLA, Chicago), or export to citation managers. 

• Always double鈥慶heck automatically generated citations against the accepted style guides of your unit, as citation tools sometimes contain errors as they are computer generated from author provided information.
  

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 鈥� video tutorials 

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• Find Dissertations:  

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Database Holdings as of January 2026 

• 9.5 Million Scholarly Journal Articles 

• • 7.2 Million Full-Text 

• 6.5 Million Dissertations & Theses 

• • 4.2 Million Full-Text 

• 31,700 Indexed eBooks 

• • 4,600 Full-Text 

• 38,500 Full-Text Newspaper Articles 

• 79,600 Audio & Video Works Available online