OpenThesis.org is a free-to-use, centralized database of academic theses where anyone can upload their completed and approved thesis. Their system typically includes details like bibliographical information, author, school, title, abstract, and date of publication, but doesn’t always have the full text available.
This is a great system that allows engineers and designers doing bleeding edge research to find the mode definitive and up to date research on a topic. Although users will typically still have to contact the school to get the full text, these are often available on the publishing university’s library website, or can be obtained by contacting the department involved in the research. (Example: search theses at my alma mater, Vanderbilt University.)
OpenThesis.org describes their system as this:
“OpenThesis.org is a searchable thesis & dissertation database, which helps increase the availability and utility of these important documents.
Historically, theses and dissertations have not been freely accessible through a powerful, centralized database. Rather, they have been available at individual College and University web sites (if at all), often via the respective school’s ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) program. While these ETD programs are very important (indeed, they provide the bulk of the data used to create OpenThesis.org), the lack of a free, centralized database means that a global search of theses and dissertations has often not been possible.
OpenThesis addresses that issue, and by creating a centralized search, encourages the reading and use of these important documents. The benefits to the schools and authors are numerous, including greater recognition in the research community, collaboration and employment opportunities, and intellectual property licensing opportunities.”
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OpenThesis.org creates centralized database for academic theses