stanford dissertation format

• Future Students
• Current Students
• Faculty/Staff

• Current Students Hub

Doctoral handbook

You are here

• Dissertation Content

A doctoral dissertation makes an original contribution to knowledge, as defined in a discipline or an interdisciplinary domain and addresses a significant researchable problem. Not all problems are researchable and not all are significant. Problems that can be solved by a mere descriptive exercise are not appropriate for the PhD dissertation. Acceptable problems are those that:

• pose a puzzle to the field at a theoretical, methodological, or policy level;
• make analytical demands for solution, rather than mere cataloging or descriptive demands; and
• can yield to a reasonable research methodology.

The doctoral dissertation advisor, reading committee, and oral exam committee provide further guidance and details with regard to dissertation content and format. General formatting and submission guidelines are published by the University Registrar. The American Psychological Association (APA) publication guidelines normally apply to GSE doctoral dissertations, but is not required if the advisor and relevant committees determine that an alternative, and academically acceptable, protocol is more appropriate.

Published Papers and Multiple Authorship

The inclusion of published papers in a dissertation is the prerogative of the major department.  Where published papers or ready-for-publication papers are included, the following criteria must be met:

1. There must be an introductory chapter that integrates the general theme of the research and the relationship between the chapters.  The introduction may also include a review of the literature relevant to the dissertation topic that does not appear in the chapters.

2. Multiple authorship of a published paper should be addressed by clearly designating, in an introduction, the role that the dissertation author had in the research and production of the published paper.  The student must have a major contribution to the research and writing of papers included in the dissertation.

3. There must be adequate referencing of where individual papers have been published.

4. Written permission must be obtained for all copyrighted materials; letters of permission must be uploaded electronically in PDF form when submitting the dissertation.  Please see the following website for more information on the use of copyrighted materials: http://library.stanford.edu/using/copyright-reminder .

5. The submitted material must be in a form that is legible and reproducible as required by these specifications.  The Office of the University Registrar will approve a dissertation if there are no deviations from the normal specifications that would prevent proper dissemination and utilization of the dissertation.  If the published material does not correspond to these standards, it will be necessary for the student to reformat that portion of the dissertation.

6. Multiple authorship has implications with respect to copyright and public release of the material.  Be sure to discuss copyright clearance and embargo options with your co-authors and your advisor well in advance of preparing your thesis for submission.

• Printer-friendly version

Handbook Contents

• Timetable for the Doctoral Degree
• Degree Requirements
• Registration or Enrollment for Milestone Completion
• The Graduate Study Program
• Student Virtual and Teleconference Participation in Hearings
• First Year (3rd Quarter) Review
• Second Year (6th Quarter) Review
• Committee Composition for First- and Second-Year Reviews
• Advancement to Candidacy
• Academic Program Revision
• Dissertation Proposal
• Dissertation Reading Committee
• University Oral Examination
• Submitting the Dissertation
• Registration and Student Statuses
• Graduate Financial Support
• GSE Courses
• Curriculum Studies and Teacher Education (CTE)
• Developmental and Psychological Sciences (DAPS)
• Learning Sciences and Technology Design (LSTD)
• Race, Inequality, and Language in Education (RILE)
• Social Sciences, Humanities, and Interdisciplinary Policy Studies in Education (SHIPS)
• Contact Information
• Stanford University Honor Code
• Stanford University Fundamental Standard
• Doctoral Programs Degree Progress Checklist
• GSE Open Access Policies

PhD students, please contact

MA POLS and MA/PP students, please contact

EDS, ICE/IEPA, Individually Designed, LDT, MA/JD, MA/MBA students, please contact

Stanford Graduate School of Education

482 Galvez Mall Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Tel: (650) 723-2109

• Contact Admissions
• GSE Leadership
• Site Feedback
• Web Accessibility
• Career Resources
• Faculty Open Positions
• Explore Courses
• Academic Calendar
• Office of the Registrar
• Cubberley Library
• StanfordWho
• StanfordYou

Improving lives through learning

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Writing the Thesis

Professor Martha C. Pennington

Elizabethtown college.

GENERAL ADVICE

The 5 most important things for all phd students.

AVOID ISOLATION.

INTERACT WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR.

TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

COMMUNICATE � TALK AND WRITE � AS A MAJOR PART OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS.  

10 WAYS TO ACHIEVE THE 5 MOST IMPORTANT THINGS

BE CONNECTED ELECTRONICALLY.

Get on the internet and use the internet. There are vast resources of helpful advice for writing the thesis there, in addition to information resources specific to your field.

GET INVOLVED IN THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY OF YOUR FIELD.

Read other theses. Take all opportunities to go to lectures and conferences.

MAKE A COMMUNITY WHERE YOU ARE.

Build thesis support relationships with one or more other students and meet regularly (at least monthly) to discuss ideas and problems, and to give mutual feedback on writing.

KNOW YOURSELF.

Make a list of own writing problems; work on these, and keep an eye out for them in drafts.

FOCUS YOUR SUPERVISOR�S ATTENTION ON YOUR NEEDS.

Ask your supervisor for specific feedback in the areas you want and need input on.

DEVELOP A DISCIPLINED APPROACH TO YOUR WORK.

Get into a routine pattern, with designated place, time of day, and minimum period of time for work on the thesis. Make sure people around you know not to disturb you during this work.

KEEP YOUR MOMENTUM; DON�T WASTE TIME.

Do not let a week pass without doing something on the thesis. Write regularly (at least weekly), to help develop ideas and create draft material for the thesis -  e.g. written summaries of sources, diary of problems and how they were handled. It is not a good idea to do research work for long periods without writing. Keep in mind that the whole point is to get a written work completed, so you might as well write through the whole process of your PhD study.

CREATE AN ONGOING DIALOGUE.

Ask questions as soon as they arise, and keep asking a question till you feel satisfied that you have a full answer which you understand. Students are often reluctant to pursue things they do not understand. Sometimes this is a matter of not feeling confident to approach the supervisor. Try out questions first on a thesis support �buddy� or other student. Discuss your question in detail, so you will have thought the question through in depth before meeting your supervisor.

ADOPT A SCHOLARLY ATTITUDE AND APPROACH TO YOUR WORK.

Work to a high standard. Be meticulous, avoiding the temptation to take shortcuts. Spend the time and effort needed to do a thorough and careful job of designing, researching and writing your thesis.

BE AWARE THAT YOU ARE A NOVICE AND AN APPRENTICE.

Avoid the common tendency of postgraduate students to think you are an expert in some aspect of research or writing a thesis. Never proceed with research before consulting your supervisor. PhD students always make mistakes when they carry out research without first clearing procedures with a knowledgeable researcher. Common problems are �fatal flaws� in questionnaire design (e.g. wrong type of scale), invalid interview procedure, wrong data type (not appropriate to theory or planned statistical procedures or method of analysis), inadequate sample size or composition.

SPECIFIC ADVICE FOR WRITING THE PhD THESIS

BE CONVENTIONAL IN ORGANISATION AND STYLE.

Follow the conventions of thesis research and writing in your field.

BE ORIGINAL IN WORDS AND CONTENT.

Originality is a key criterion on which a thesis is judged.

LEARN TECHNICAL TERMS AND USE THEM CORRECTLY.

A major part of learning a field is becoming proficient at its terminology.

BE EXPLICIT.

Leave nothing unsaid or implicit, and leave out no words. Bring ideas to the surface and put them into words. Introduce all abbreviations, terms, and new ideas clearly.

GIVE CLEAR INDICATIONS OF STRUCTURE AND RELATIONSHIPS.

Link ideas using markers (e.g. conjunctions) of their logical relationships. Use punctuation (especially comma) to show the structure of sentences and their component parts.

BE PRECISE.

Develop a precise idea and then write exactly what you intend. Avoid overgenerality, vagueness, ambiguity, or informality.

UNDERSTATE; NEVER OVERSTATE.

Avoid sweeping generalisations; generalise modestly and carefully. Never exaggerate.

BE CONSERVATIVE.

Do not propose anything without good evidence. Do not go �out on a limb� or make rash statements. Avoid definitive conclusions. Hedge your bets by considering multiple factors.

ARGUE YOUR POINT OF VIEW; DO NOT MERELY STATE IT.

It is not adequate to simply state a point of view. Nor is it adequate to simply make a claim prefaced by �As it is widely believed,�  �As it is well-known,� or simply �Clearly,��.

FAIRLY EVALUATE OTHER WORK AND POINTS OF VIEW.

Discuss other people�s work and points of view, and evaluate them differentially, i.e. assess them as more or less reasonable, more or less similar to your own. Avoid any tendency to �strike down the opposition� or dismiss other work or viewpoints as entirely wrong or unjustified. Remember, you are a novice with only an initial understanding of your field and the work which has preceded yours.

BE CONSISTENT.

Follow a specific convention of style or methodology consistently. Use words with consistent meanings.

BE UP-TO-DATE.

Make your work new and relevant to the present state of your field. Bring your references up to within one year of what you are writing. Do not rely on old notions or methodologies, unless you are explicitly arguing that they need to be revisited and reconsidered.

BE SCRUPULOUSLY HONEST.

Reference all ideas in a way which makes clear exactly where they came from and how you obtained all information from other sources. Avoid referencing sources you have not actually read yourself. State limitations and problems in the research.

USE WRITING AS A THINKING PROCESS.

Keep notes; write ideas as they come to you when reading or thinking.

WRITE CHAPTER DRAFTS IN STAGES.

Do not wait to the end of your research process to write any thesis chapter. Draft thesis chapters as the stages of the research are completed, e.g. 1-Lit Review and Bibliography, 2-Methodology, 3-Results, 4-Discussion, 5-Conclusion, 6-Introduction, Abstract, Contents. Write 3 drafts at a minimum. Draft 1 is a rough draft, for your eyes only; its purpose is to develop and organise your ideas. Draft 2 is to show others, including the supervisor, for comment. Draft 3 is to rewrite and polish the work, based on input from others and your own close and careful reading after at least a two-week gap, so that you will see it with �fresh� eyes and mind.

NEVER WORRY ABOUT LENGTH IN A FIRST DRAFT.

Worrying about length as you are writing will restrict the free flow and development of ideas in an early stage. Once ideas are fully developed, they can be written in a more compact form.

THE STRUCTURE OF A THESIS

A student working towards a higher degree has to function in an academic community as well as in a discipline community made up of those who work in and have knowledge of a particular field or discipline. Each community has its own rules, many of which are implicit not explicit, and ways of functioning which members need to learn and use if they are to be successful. Only by learning and following these community-specific rules and practices can the student become a successful member of an academic or discipline community.

Members of the general academic community have certain expectations about written work. A thesis or dissertation must conform to these to a certain extent, in order to be accepted as a work of the proper type, such as an academic essay. In addition, each academic discipline has certain expectations about written work, based on its own practices, beliefs, and written traditions.

A PhD thesis or dissertation is a longer, deeper, and more detailed work than one written at  Master�s level. More importantly, it is held up to much higher standards of originality and scholarship. Following the advice below will help you to succeed in the thesis writing process.

Below a common or �standard� thesis format is first provided, followed by variations found in recently completed theses from three different fields, none of which follow this format exactly.

COMMON (STANDARD) THESIS STRUCTURE

Title Page Abstract Acknowledgements Contents  Chapter 1:     Introduction to Thesis (usually a short chapter) Chapter 2:     Literature Review Chapter 3:     Methodology  Chapter 4:     Results  Chapter 5:     Discussion / Interpretation Chapter 6:     Recommendations / Future Research (sometimes included in Discussion / Interpretation or Conclusion) Chapter 7:     Conclusion References / Bibliography Appendices

COMPARISONS OF STRUCTURE OF 3 PhD THESES

Computing (A topic in the modeling and processing of a particular type of data)

Chapter Title                                                                         Type

Abstract                                                                                 Abstract

Ch 1    Introduction                                                                Thesis overview

Ch 2    Background and Lit Review                                       Conceptual background, Lit. review

Ch 3    Three Real Problems and Their Models                    Technical content, Problem posing

Ch 4    Theoretical Analysis and Algorithms                        Results

Ch 5    Applications and Experimental Design                     Results

Ch 7    Conclusions and Future Work                                   Conclusions, Summary, Prospect

Linguistics (A study of bilingualism in a particular country)

Abstract                                                                                  Abstract

Ch 1    Introduction                                                                Thesis overview

Ch 2    Background                                                                Historical, etc. background

Ch 3    Overview of conceptual frameworks                     Conceptual background, Lit. review

Ch 4    Language attitudes: Matched guise                           Results

Ch 5    Language diary study                                                 Results

Ch 6    Questionnaire study                                                   Results

Ch 7    Field experiment: Actual language                            Results

Ch 8    Concluding remarks                                                   Conclusions, summary, future research

Tourism (A study on a particular city [X] as portrayed through tourism literature)

Introduction                                                                            Conceptual etc. background, overview

Ch 1    Tourists, Travellers, Sightseers                                 Conceptual and historical background

Ch 2    The Tourist Destination                                             Conceptual background

Ch 3    Sound and Vision                                                       Conceptual background

Ch 4    As Seen On Television                                              Conceptual background, Case studies

Ch 5    Recognising the Recognisable                                   Conceptual background, Case studies

Ch 6    Views of [X]                                                              Results

Ch 7    [X] as The Vanishing Lady                                         Results

Ch 8    The Travel Show                                                        Results

Ch 9    Holiday                                                                       Results

Ch 10 Home Truths From Abroad                                         Conclusions, Summary

Academic Writing: Building a Construction of Ideas

Academic thinking and reasoning involve building a construction of related ideas . Thus, it is only to be expected that the expression of academic thinking and reasoning through language (whether spoken or written) will also involve building a construction of related ideas. The utility of written language for expressing complex thoughts and constructions of ideas resides in its resources for building logical relations , meaning relations , and abstraction .

A clause is the minimal component of a written sentence, said to express one complete idea. Frequently, two clauses or more will be joined together or merged in order to express relationships between ideas.

E.g., The point can be debated; it is not universally agreed.

The point is not universally agreed and thus can be debated.

Not all writers share that point of view; nevertheless, it is a common position.

Not all writers share that point of view, although it is a common position. 

         The rebels were infiltrating the government; this occurred before fighting began

          Long before the fighting had begun, the rebels were infiltrating the government. 

Most commonly, the relationships between ideas are shown with the aid of punctuation and specific markers of the meaning and type of relationship intended. The first type of example below is uncommon in a thesis because there are no explicit connections made between the ideas. This makes possible several somewhat different interpretations as to what the writer wishes to emphasise or to argue. In the second of the two examples, the writer makes explicit connections between ideas.

E.g.      The news spread quickly. It was disseminated in a series of pamphlets. These received a wide audience. The public responded by calling for the overthrow of the government.

The news spread quickly , disseminated in a series of widely read pamphlets, which resulted in a call from the public for the overthrow of the government.  

Meaning relations and logical relations can be shown by specific words and order of information.

E.g.      The news spread quickly through a series of widely read pamphlets, which resulted in a call from the public for the overthrow of the government.  

A complex chain of reasoning or cause-and-effect can also be built with the aid of abstraction.

E.g.   The rapid dissemination of the news in a series of widely read pamphlets resulted in a call from the public for the overthrow of the government.

A key aspect of academic writing is the use of complex noun phrases to express complex ideas, discipline-specific concepts and constructs, and technical terms. The latter often consist of complex combinations of three or more words.

Computing         the network node frequency list algorithm

Education          computer-managed learning environments

Nursing              nursing home emergency service personnel

Sociology          regional survey sampling methodology

Some of the types of problems students have in English academic writing are reviewed in the next sections, with reference to published sources. Many of these make references to students coming from certain language backgrounds, and this information is included here though only a few languages are included.

MAKING CONNECTIONS

Student writers tend to overuse coordinating conjunctions compared to experienced native writers.

Coordinating Conjunctions - Frequency (% of words) (after Ringbom, 1998, pp. 45-46)

__________________________________________________________________________

                        Native         French             Spanish           Finish              Swedish              Dutch              German

but                     .36                   .66                   .70                   .57                   .58                   .64                     .67     

so                       .16                   .27                   .33                   .30                   .26                   .31                     .31

Alternatives to but : [same clause] yet , however , nevertheless , in contrast ;

[preceding clause] although, even though

Alternatives to so : [same clause] therefore , thus , hence , consequently , as a consequence , as a result ; [preceding clause] since , because

Adverbial Connectors � Overuse and Underuse by Swedish and French Learners of English (as contrasted with native English speakers) (after Altenberg and Tapper, 1998, p. 91)

OVERUSE                                                                             UNDERUSE

Additive                                 moreover                                           

                                                                                                          Resultative                  hence  

                                                                     therefore

                                                                                                                                                            thus

Appositive                              for instance

                                                namely

Contrastive                on the contrary                                   Contrastive                however

                                                                     though

                                                                                                                                                            yet

Corroborative                        of course        

NOTES: 1- Student writers often use moreover as equivalent to simple and . Moreover is properly used to add one reason or step in an argument to another, with the most important reason or step coming last and preceded by moreover . E.g. The method was chosen as that most commonly used in other investigations of similar type. It was, moreover , considered the most effective means of achieving the desired result. The correct meaning would not be given by and or in addition .

    2-      For instance and namely are less commonly used in academic writing than other alternatives. Instead of for instance , use for example and e.g. (which is the Latin abbreviation for �for example�). Instead of namely , use that is or i.e. (which is the Latin abbreviation for �that is�.)

    3-Student writers often use on the contrary as a simple marker of contrast equivalent to but or however . On the contrary has a more specific usage, however, that makes it rare in a thesis. It is to mark a contradiction, i.e., a statement of a  difference of opinion or belief. This usage has been stereotyped in the old Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes films, as the bumbling Dr. Watson would often make a statement which the much cleverer Holmes would contradict and set right beginning with, �On the contrary, my dear Watson, ��. E.g. Watson: The thief obviously escaped through the window. Holmes: On the contrary, my dear Watson. Clearly, he could not have escaped that way, as the window has obviously not been opened for quite some time, �

    4- Of course suggests obviousness and thus that there is no need to argue one�s case. It is therefore not a very useful word for a thesis.

Pilot Study of Four Fields

In a pilot study on the current project, our project partner, Dr Ylva Berglund (University of Oxford) carried out lexical analysis on theses from four fields (Computing, Film Studies, Linguistics, and Tourism) as well as PhD student writing samples from each of them. One of the things she looked at was conjunctive adverbs:

additionally, also, consequently, conversely, finally, furthermore, hence, however, indeed, likewise, moreover, nevertheless, nonetheless, otherwise, similarly, then, therefore, thus

The following charts summarise her findings:

Frequency in Different Texts

TTII � Tourism thesis II (Canadian)

TT    � Tourism thesis (British)

TSD � Tourism student draft chapters

TS    � Tourism student samples1+2

LT    � Linguistics Thesis

LS    � Linguistics student samples 1+2

FT    � Film thesis

FS     � Film student sample 1

CT    � Computing thesis (with formulas removed)

CS    � Computing student samples 1+ 2

Proportions in Different Texts 

Evaluation/precision.

Non-expert writers often attempt to win readers to their point of view by strengthening their statements through use of intensifiers such as completely or very :

E.g.      The voyage of the Bounty was a completely misguided adventure.

This is a very difficult question to answer.

Given the conservatism of academic writing, intensifiers should be used sparingly, to avoid overstatement or imprecision.

SCALAR INTENSIFIER CATEGORIES              German learner overuse (%)

( after Lorenz, 1998)

Amplifiers:                 Maximizers ( completely , absolutely , etc.)                28.7

               Boosters ( very , highly , immensely , etc.)                                48.0

Downtoners:   Approximators ( nearly , virtually etc.)                                  20.8

                                    Compromisers ( fairly , pretty , rather etc.)                             35.6

                                    Diminishers ( slightly , a little etc.)                                        64.1

                                    Minimizers ( hardly , scarcely etc.)                                        21.3

___________________________________________________________________

PERSONAL REFERENCE 

Academic style is often impersonal, in the attempt to achieve objectivity and a focus on ideas and information rather than on the writer. Inexperienced writers are prone to overuse first and second person pronouns ( I , we , and you ). In some fields, it is normal for the writer of the thesis to refer to him/herself as I , though it is more common to refer to the writer of the thesis as the researcher and s/he . In disciplines where I may be used to refer to the writer of the thesis, you may also be acceptable to refer to the reader of the thesis. In disciplines where third person reference is the norm, there might be occasions to refer to the reader or the audience for this thesis . However, it is common in the formal style of academic writing for the reader to remain implicit and unmentioned.

The use of plural first person reference we can have many meanings:

E.g.      We can see that �                  we = �the writer and anyone else�, i.e. we = �everyone�

We will see that�                     we = �the writer and the reader�

            We have a tradition of�        we = �the writer and others in the same field�

We showed in this work..          we = �the writer together with other researchers�

We will show that�                  we = �the writer alone�

In the last case, the researcher him/herself is euphemistically referred to as we ; this usage is called the �royal we �, as it is commonly used by royalty to refer to themselves (�We are not amused�). In sum, we can be considered to introduce a degree of ambiguity or imprecision in the thesis and should generally be avoided.

Third person reference ( it , s/he and they ) is by far the most common type in the thesis.

Pronouns - Frequency (% of words)          (after Ringbom, 1998, pp. 45-47)

                        Native             French             Spanish           Finish              Swedish          Dutch              German

1                        .25                   .45                   .36                   .52                   .88                   .41                   1.36

we                      .34                   .81                   .98                   .65                 1.20                   .34                     .41

you                    .08                   .33                   .34                   .34                   .31                   .46                     .72

he                      .26                   .20                   .24                   .24                   .14                   .42                     .38

they                    .66                   .77                   .86                   .63                   .65                 1.07                   .75

it                      . 97                 1.16                 1.26                 1.42                 1.22                 1.14                 1.15

Altenberg, B., and Tapper, M. (1998). The use of adverbial connectors in advanced Swedish learners� written English. In S. Granger (ed.), Learner English on computer (pp. 80-93). London: Longman.

Lorenz, G. (1998). Overstatement in advanced learners� writing: stylistic aspects of adjective intensification. In S. Granger (ed.), Learner English on computer (pp. 53-66). London: Longman.

Ringbom, H. (1998). Vocabulary frequencies in advanced learner English: a cross-linguistic approach. In S. Granger (ed.), Learner English on computer (pp. 41-52). London: Longman.

4.8.1 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations & Dissertation Reading Committees: Policy

Main navigation.

• 1. Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee
• 2. Dissertation Preparation and Submission
• 3. Certificate of Final Reading
• 4. Deadlines

Related Content

Last updated on: Monday, March 7, 2022

Completion of a satisfactory dissertation is a university requirement for conferral of a doctoral degree. Policy and procedures for presentation, review and approval of the dissertation are included here.

Submission of an approved doctoral dissertation to the degree program and the Committee on Graduate Studies is required for the PhD and JSD degrees. The doctoral dissertation is expected to be an original contribution to scholarship or scientific knowledge, to exemplify the highest standards of the discipline, and to be of lasting value to the intellectual community. Every doctoral dissertation is read and approved by members of the Stanford faculty to ensure that standards for programmtic and university quality are met. Standards for professional presentation of doctoral work have been established by the Committee on Graduate Studies.

An approved doctoral dissertation is required for the PhD and JSD degrees. Every doctoral dissertation is read and approved by the three members of the student’s doctoral dissertation reading committee.

Authority: 

• Committee on Graduate Studies (policy)
• Office of the Registrar  via Stanford Services & Support (implementation)
• Degree Program Office (implementation)
• Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education  (exceptions)

Applicability: 

PhD & JSD students and programs.

Related Pages: 

4.8.2 Doctoral Degrees, Dissertations & Dissertation Reading Committees: Implementation

1. Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee

The doctoral dissertation reading committee consists of the principal dissertation advisor and, typically, two other readers. The doctoral dissertation reading committee must have three members and may not have more than five members. At least one member must be from the student’s degree program. Normally, all committee members are members of the Stanford University Academic Council or are emeritus Academic Council members; the principal dissertation advisor must be an Academic Council member. Professors who have recently become emeritus and have been recalled to active duty may serve as principal dissertation advisors, though they are no longer current members of the Academic Council.

A non-Academic Council member (including former Academic Council members) may replace only one of three required members of dissertation reading committees. However, emeritus faculty, whether recalled to active duty or not, count as an Academic Council member on dissertation reading and oral defense committees (clarified by the Committee on Graduate Studies in 2011; see SenD#6535).

The reading committee, as proposed by the student and agreed to by the prospective members, is endorsed by the chair of the major department on the  Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form . This form must be submitted before approval of Terminal Graduate Registration (TGR) status or before scheduling a university oral examination that is a defense of the dissertation. The reading committee may be appointed earlier, according to the degree program timetable for doctoral programs. All subsequent changes to the reading committee must be approved by the chair of the major department. The reading committee must conform to university requirements at the time of degree conferral.

Principal Dissertation Advisors and Co-Advisors

Any member of the Academic Council may serve as the principal dissertation advisor. A non-Academic Council member, former Academic Council member, or emeritus Academic Council member may serve as co-advisor with the appointment of a principal dissertation advisor who is currently on the Academic Council. This is to ensure representation for the student in the degree program by someone playing a major advisor role in completion of the dissertation. Professors who became emeritus within two years of the student’s anticipated degree completion and who have been recalled to active duty may serve as principal dissertation advisors, though they are no longer current members of the Academic Council. The reading committee must conform to university requirements at the time of degree conferral.

Requests for further exceptions to the requirement that the principal dissertation advisor be a current member of the Academic Council, for example for recently retired emeritus professors who are still actively engaged on campus, but not recalled to active duty, will be reviewed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

At their discretion, students may request the appointment of co-advisors who are both members of the Academic Council.

Non-Academic Council Dissertation Reading Committee Membership

The student's department chair or faculty director of graduate studies may, in some cases, approve the appointment of a reader who is not a current or emeritus member of the Academic Council, if that person is particularly well qualified to consult on the dissertation topic and holds a PhD or equivalent foreign degree, via the  Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Committee Members . Former Stanford Academic Council members and non-Academic Council members may thus, on occasion, serve on a reading committee. However, the majority of the examiners must be current or emeritus Academic Council members. More specifically: 

• If the dissertation reading committee has three or four members, only one non-Academic Council member (including former Academic Council members) may be appointed to the dissertation reading committee. 
• If the reading committee has five members, up to two non-Academic Council members may be appointed to the dissertation reading committee.

Emeritus Stanford faculty, though no longer current members of the Academic Council, count as Academic Council members on dissertation reading committees (see SenD#6535, 2011).

Prospective committee members in the following categories may be approved without submission of a curriculum vitae: former Academic Council member, visiting professor, visiting associate professor, visiting assistant professor, and senior Stanford University officer who holds a PhD but does not have an academic appointment. 

A curriculum vita is required for prospective committee members in the following categories: senior research associate, senior lecturer, consulting professor, consulting associate professor, consulting assistant professor, acting professor, acting associate professor, acting assistant professor, senior fellow of the Hoover Institution, members of the professoriate at other universities, and distinguished scholars who may currently hold no academic title. The curriculum vita should include a summary of education, professional experience, publications, and academic or other honors.

Exceptions for individuals whose terminal degree is not the PhD or equivalent foreign degree may be granted by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education (VPGE). Requests for this exception must be approved and submitted to VPGE by the student’s department chair or faculty director of graduate studies. The prospective committee member’s curriculum vitae and a brief description of their contributions to the student's research should be submitted  via email  to the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

Changing Membership

Students may petition to add or remove members of the reading committee or change principal dissertation advisors. The resulting committee must conform to university requirements at the time of degree conferral.

In the rare case where a student’s dissertation research on an approved project is in an advanced stage and the principal dissertation advisor is no longer available, every reasonable effort must be made to appoint a new advisor, usually from the student’s reading committee. This may also require that a new member be added to the reading committee before the draft dissertation is evaluated, to keep the reconstituted committee in compliance with the university requirements for its composition. Advisor changes are made with the  Change of Dissertation Adviser or Reading Committee Member form  (see  GAP 3.3 Academic Advising ).

In the event that a student’s principal dissertation advisor leaves Stanford University or becomes emeritus and has not been recalled to active duty, that advisor may continue to work with the graduate student as a co-advisor and serve on the oral and dissertation reading committees, with the appointment of a principal dissertation advisor who is currently a member of the Academic Council. Professors who have recently become emeritus and have been recalled to active duty may serve as principal dissertation advisor, though they are no longer members of the Academic Council. Requests for further exceptions to the requirement that the principal dissertation advisor be a current member of the Academic Council (for example for recently retired emeritus professors who are still actively engaged on campus) will be reviewed by the Office of the Vice Provost for Graduate Education.

Back to top

2. Dissertation Preparation and Submission

The doctoral dissertation must be an original contribution to scholarship or scientific knowledge and must exemplify the highest standards of the discipline. If it is judged to meet this standard, the dissertation is approved for the degree program by the doctoral dissertation reading committee. Information about dissertation format, references, use of published and co-authored work, as well as copyright is on the Registrar's Office website on Format Requirements for eDissertation .

Approvals should be obtained through the electronic signature process (students may submit email confirmations of dissertation approvals from each member of their committee).

Dissertations should be submitted electronically, following the guidelines in:

• Directions for Preparing Doctoral Dissertations for Electronic Submission
• Directions for Preparing Engineer Theses for Electronic Submission

Previously published dissertations should not be used as a guide for preparation of the manuscript. The signed dissertation copies and accompanying documents must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar on or before the quarterly deadline indicated in the university’s academic calendar. A fee is charged for the microfilming and binding of the dissertation copies. 

Students are required to either be enrolled full-time or on Graduation Quarter in the term they submit the dissertation (see  GAP 3.1 Registration, Enrollment, and Academic Progress ). The period between the last day of final exams of one term and the first day of the subsequent term is considered an extension of the earlier term. At the time the dissertation is submitted, an Application to Graduate must be on file (filed in Axess), all of the degree program requirements must be complete, and candidacy must be valid through the term of degree conferral.

Dissertations in a Language Other than English 

Dissertations must be in English. Exceptions to permit dissertations in a language other than English are granted by the school dean upon a written request from the chair of the student’s major department.  The student is required to submit directly to the Student Services Center a paper copy of the approval letter (or email message chain) from the school dean.  Approval for writing a dissertation in another language is normally granted only in cases where the other language or literature in that language is also the subject of the discipline. Approval is routinely granted for dissertations in the Division of Literatures, Cultures, and Languages, within degree program specifications. Dissertations written in another language must include an extended summary in English (usually 15-20 pages in length). 

When submitting electronically a dissertation in a language other than English, the student should upload the English summary as a supplemental file.  When submitting such a dissertation on paper, the student is required to submit the abstract for ProQuest in English.

3. Certificate of Final Reading

One reading committee member, who must be a current member of the Academic Council, reads the dissertation in its final form and certifies on the  Certificate of Final Reading  that degree program and university specifications, described below, have been met. Typically, the principal dissertation advisor serves as final reader though another member of the committee who is a current Academic Council member may provide the final signature.

• All suggested changes have been taken into account and incorporated into the manuscript where appropriate. 
• If the manuscript includes joint group research, the student's contribution is clearly explained in an introduction.
• Format complies with university requirements.
• If previously published materials are included in the dissertation, publication sources are indicated, written permission has been obtained for copyrighted materials, and all of the dissertation format requirements have been met.
• The dissertation is ready-for-publication in appearance and ready for microfilming and binding.

4. Deadlines

The deadline for submission of dissertations for degree conferral in each term is specified by the  university academic calendar . The final dissertation must be submitted to the Office of the Registrar on or before the quarterly deadlines if degree conferral is desired. 

Some degree programs may set earlier deadlines for the submission of dissertations.

Dissertation deadlines are strictly enforced and no exceptions are made. Students are strongly encouraged to submit their dissertations at least two weeks prior to the deadline to ensure that all requirements can be met in time for the conferral of the degree.

Related Policies

• GAP 3.1 Registration, Enrollment, and Academic Progress
• GAP 3.3 Academic Advising
• GAP 4.7 Doctoral Degrees, University Oral Examinations & Committees

Related Student Services Sections

• Doctor of Philosophy: Dissertation

Related Information and Forms

• Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee form
• Petition for Non-Academic Council Doctoral Committee Members
• General Information on Dissertation and Thesis Submission
• Directions for Preparing Engineer Theses for Electronic Submission
• Certificate of Final Reading of Dissertation
• Doctoral Dissertation Agreement Form - UMI/ProQuest
• Change of Dissertation Adviser or Reading Committee Member
• Application to Graduate  (in  Axess )
• Request for Statement of Completion
• Format Requirements for eDissertation

Checklist: Submitting My Dissertation or Thesis

Main navigation.

The following checklist includes all items that should be prepared in order to complete the submission of your dissertation or thesis, using the Axess Dissertation and Thesis Center  

We recommend that you take all necessary steps in order to upload your dissertation or thesis in time to meet all of the applicable posted deadlines and give your Final Reader plenty of time to approve the dissertation or thesis once it has been uploaded.

Prior to Online Submission

• Enroll in the quarter for which you intend to submit
• File online “Application to Graduate” through Axess by the appropriate deadline.
• Submit Reading Committee Signature Page requirement online.
• If a committee member is missing, or has been assigned an incorrect role, meet with your department who maintains reading committees and changes permitted within policy.
• For thesis: The name of your Thesis Advisor and designate them as your Final Reader.
• Confirm with your department that your candidacy is valid through your degree conferral date.
• Confirm with your department that you have completed all required university Milestones .
• Review Copyright Considerations for Authors of Electronic Theses and Dissertations . Discuss embargo and other release options with your co-authors and advisor before preparing the submission online.
• For students submitting a dissertation: Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates .

During Online Submission 

Ensure your electronic dissertation or thesis is formatted following these guidelines:

• One electronic copy of the dissertation or thesis in PDF format.
• For D.M.A Composition students, score page size is 11" x 17".
• Type size 10, 11, or 12 point. Smaller fonts are acceptable for tables, captions, etc. 
• Font style is New Times Roman. If applicable, mathematic/scientific notation fonts are embedded in the PDF file.
• Line spacing of dissertation or thesis text is 1.5 or 2.
• Margins are 1.5 inches on the binding edge and 1 inch on all other sides.
• Text is divided correctly.
• Title page is formatted correctly.
• No signature page or copyright page is included.
• Pagination begins with the first page of the Abstract (page “iv” or if formatted for double-sided printing with the Abstract to appear on the right page, then pagination begins with a blank page as page "iv"). Pagination is continuous and placement of numbers is consistent throughout the manuscript.
• Dissertation contains no multimedia or large images embedded into the PDF file.
• The dissertation or thesis is ready-for-publication in appearance. All pages and sections are in order.
• The dissertation or thesis contains no unnumbered pages, except for the title page which is unpaginated, but is assumed page 'i'.
• PDF file size does not exceed 1 GB.
• PDF file has no encryption or other security measures applied.
• One version of the abstract, containing no special text formatting or HTML, entered into an online submission form.
• File size(s) do not exceed 1 GB. 
• Short description or label is applied to each file after upload. 
• Maximum 20 supplemental files.
• Agree to Stanford University publication license.
• Optional: Limit amount of dissertation or thesis content available via third-party distributors.
• Optional: Creative Commons license selected and applied.
• Optional: Delayed release (embargo) of the dissertation or thesis.
• Written permission from the appropriate copyright holder(s) to reproduce any copyrighted material in the dissertation or thesis. Each letter is formatted and uploaded as a single PDF file. Maximum 10 permission files.

After Online Submission

• Confirm via Axess that your designated Final Reader certifies the submission by noon of the final submission deadline date .
• For students submitting a dissertation, if you haven't done so already: Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates .

(Stanford users can avoid this Captcha by logging in.)

Theses and dissertations

Result includes all theses and dissertations — from all sources — held in the Stanford Libraries and Digital Repository.

To show Stanford work only, refine by Stanford student work or by Stanford school or department .

Search Constraints

Refine your results, stanford student work.

• Student report 348
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) 4
• Undergraduate honors thesis 1,188
• Unspecified 536
• Doctor of Education (EdD) 1,155
• Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) 1
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) 411
• Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) 777
• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 40,878
• Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) 276
• Unspecified 1
• Engineer 2,079
• Master of Arts (MA) 9,071
• Master of Education (EdM) 10
• Master of Fine Arts (MFA) 76
• Master of Laws (LLM) 17
• Master of Legal Studies (MLS) 8
• Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) 129
• Master of Science (MS) 1,630
• Master of the Science of Law (JSM) 282
• Unspecified 361
• Unspecified 187

Stanford school or department

• School of Education 5,644
• Department of Electrical Engineering 4,903
• Department of Chemistry 2,542
• Department of Mechanical Engineering 2,242
• Graduate School of Business 1,906
• Department of Physics 1,736
• Department of History 1,558
• Department of English 1,430
• Department of Economics 1,387
• Department of Psychology 1,311
• Department of Music 1,249
• Computer Science Department 1,208
• Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1,198
• Committee on Graduate Studies 1,117
• Department of Political Science 1,039
• Department of Biological Sciences 922
• Department of Applied Physics 913
• Department of Civil Engineering 897
• Department of Mathematics 891
• Department of Materials Science and Engineering 856
• At the Library 123,915
• Online 42,019

Resource type

• Archive/Manuscript 101
• Book 136,439
• Journal/Periodical 1
• Music recording 2
• Music score 200
• Sound recording 3
• Microfilm 2,612
• Microfiche 592
• Videocassette (VHS) 4
• Videocassette 2

Current results range from 1508 to 2024

• [Missing] 123
• Archive of Recorded Sound 31
• Art & Architecture (Bowes) 499
• Business 1,174
• Classics 245
• David Rumsey Map Center 1
• Earth Sciences (Branner) 4,487
• East Asia 417
• Education (Cubberley) 223
• Engineering (Terman) 10
• Green 5,005
• Hoover Institution Library & Archives 2,148
• Lane Medical 4,255
• Law (Crown) 4,096
• Marine Biology (Miller) 785
• Media Center 2,455
• Music 1,012
• Philosophy (Tanner) 342
• SAL1&2 (on-campus storage) 2,103
• SAL3 (off-campus storage) 86,167
• Science (Li and Ma) 41
• Special Collections 46,768
• Stanford Digital Repository 14,947
• English 91,275
• German 31,516
• French 4,090
• Latin 1,849
• Spanish 1,381
• Swedish 1,110
• Dutch 1,072
• Chinese 763
• Russian 302
• Portuguese 293
• Italian 184
• Turkish 179
• Greek, Ancient (to 1453) 150
• Finnish 128
• Greek, Modern (1453- ) 97
• Carnoy, Martin 205
• Ramirez, Francisco O. 180
• Zare, Richard N. 161
• Harris, J. S. (James Stewart), 1942- 141
• Horne, Roland N. 135
• Wender, Paul A. 135
• Cutkosky, Mark R. 134
• Khosla, Chaitan, 1964- 134
• Kenny, Thomas William 130
• Miller, D. A. B. 126
• Alonso, Juan José, 1968- 125
• Brongersma, Mark L. 120
• Fan, Shanhui, 1972- 120
• Fayer, Michael D. 120
• Waymouth, Robert M. 120
• Boxer, Steven G. (Steven George), 1947- 117
• Horowitz, Mark (Mark Alan) 117
• Salleo, Alberto 116
• Kovscek, Anthony R. (Anthony Robert) 115
• Pauly, John (John M.) 115

Call number

• 000s - Computer Science, Knowledge & Systems 65
• 010s - Bibliography 10
• 020s - Library & Information Sciences 6
• 030s - Encyclopedias & Fact Books 1
• 050s - General Serials & their Indexes 6
• 060s - Associations, Organizations & Museums 139
• 070s - News Media, Journalism, Publishing 25
• 090s - Manuscripts & Rare Books 18
• 100s - Philosophy 38
• 110s - Metaphysics 34
• 130s - Parapsychology & Occultism 22
• 150s - Psychology 298
• 160s - Logic 22
• 170s - Ethics 20
• 180s - Ancient, Medieval & Eastern Philosophy 116
• 190s - Modern Western Philosophy 205
• 200s - Religion 7
• 210s - Philosophy & Theory of Religion 1
• 220s - The Bible 39
• 230s - Christianity & Christian Philosophy 18
• 240s - Christian Practice & Observation 4
• 260s - Christian Organization, Social Work & Worship 39
• 270s - History of Christianity 95
• 280s - Christian Denominations 123
• 290s - Other Religions 60
• 300s - Social Sciences, Sociology & Anthropology 255
• 310s - Statistics 19
• 320s - Political Science 206
• 330s - Economics 649
• 340s - Law 200
• 350s - Public Administration & Military Science 83
• 360s - Social Problems & Social Services 96
• 370s - Education 2,460
• 380s - Commerce, Communications, Transport 150
• 390s - Customs, Etiquette, Folklore 38
• 400s - Language 64
• 410s - Linguistics 12
• 420s - English & Old English 111
• 430s - German & Related Languages 94
• 440s - French & Related Languages 60
• 450s - Italian, Romanian & Related Languages 8
• 460s - Spanish & Portugese Languages 10
• 470s - Latin & Italic Languages 96
• 480s - Classical & Modern Greek Languages 18
• 490s - Other Languages 37
• 500s - Natural Sciences & Mathematics 81
• 510s - Mathematics 90
• 520s - Astronomy & Allied Sciences 11
• 530s - Physics 100
• 540s - Chemistry & Allied Sciences 197
• 550s - Earth Sciences 565
• 560s - Paleontology Paleozoology 92
• 570s - Life Sciences, Biology 153
• 580s - Plants (Botany) 118
• 590s - Animals (Zoology) 241
• 600s - Technology 1
• 610s - Medicine & Health 541
• 620s - Engineering & Allied Operations 89
• 630s - Agriculture & Related Technologies 46
• 640s - Home & Family Management 4
• 650s - Management & Auxiliary Services 1
• 660s - Chemical Engineering 26
• 670s - Manufacturing 1
• 680s - Manufacture for Specific Uses 1
• 710s - Civic & Landscape Art 1
• 750s - Painting & Paintings 1
• 790s - Recreational & Performing Arts 3
• 800s - Literature & Rhetoric 93
• 810s - American Literature in English 76
• 820s - English & Old English Literatures 753
• 830s - Literatures of Germanic Languages 644
• 840s - Literatures of Romance Languages 387
• 850s - Italian, Romanian & Related Literatures 21
• 860s - Spanish & Portuguese Literatures 78
• 870s - Italic Literatures, Latin literature 179
• 880s - Hellenic Literatures Classical Greek 116
• 890s - Literatures of Other Languages 49
• 900s - History & Geography 21
• 910s - Geography & Travel 131
• 920s - Biography, Genealogy, Insignia 18
• 930s - History of Ancient World to ca. 499 57
• 940s - History of Europe 352
• 950s - History of Asia, Far East 30
• 960s - History of Africa 14
• 970s - History of North America 190
• 980s - History of South America 16
• 990s - History of Other Areas 8
• California 3
• Federal 2,721
• AC - Collections, Series, Collected Works 48
• AE - Encyclopedias 4
• AM - Museums, Collectors & Collecting 10
• AS - Academies & Learned Societies 86
• AY - Yearbooks, Almanacs, Directories 2
• AZ - History of Scholarship & Learning. The Humanities 2
• B - Philosophy, Psychology, Religion 1,885
• BC - Logic 66
• BD - Speculative Philosophy 135
• BF - Psychology, Parapsychology, Occult Sciences 605
• BH - Aesthetics 41
• BJ - Ethics, Social Usages, Etiquette 107
• BL - Religions, Mythology, Rationalism 372
• BM - Judaism 177
• BP - Islam, Bahaism, Theosophy, etc. 171
• BQ - Buddhism 231
• BR - Christianity 711
• BS - The Bible 726
• BT - Doctrinal Theology 347
• BV - Practical Theology 314
• BX - Christian Denominations 1,139
• C - Auxiliary Sciences of History 1
• CB - History of Civilization 26
• CC - Archaeology 15
• CD - Diplomatics, Archives, Seals 22
• CE - Technical Chronology, Calendar 10
• CJ - Numismatics 23
• CN - Inscriptions, Epigraphy 23
• CR - Heraldry 32
• CS - Genealogy 36
• CT - Biography 25
• D - History (General) 605
• DA - Great Britain (History) 153
• DB - Austria, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Czech Republic, Slovakia (History) 148
• DC - France (History) 300
• DD - Germany (History) 1,600
• DE - Greco-Roman World (History) 31
• DF - Greece (History) 183
• DG - Italy, Malta (History) 271
• DH - Low Countries, Belgium, Luxembourg (History) 40
• DJ - Netherlands (Holland) (History) 48
• DJK - Eastern Europe (General History) 3
• DK - Russia, Soviet Union, Former Soviet Republics, Poland (History) 344
• DL - Northern Europe, Scandinavia (History) 255
• DP - Spain. Portugal (History) 82
• DQ - Switzerland (History) 87
• DR - Balkan Peninsula (History) 154
• DS - Asia (History) 1,301
• DT - Africa (History) 671
• DU - Oceania (South Seas) (History) 39
• DX - Romanies (Gypsies) (History) 9
• E - America, United States (General History) 852
• F - United States, British, Dutch, French, Latin America (Local History) 819
• G - Geography, Atlases, Globes, Maps 83
• GA - Mathematical Geography, Cartography 9
• GB - Physical Geography 100
• GC - Oceanography 94
• GE - Environmental Sciences 22
• GF - Human Ecology, Anthropogeography 51
• GN - Anthropology 375
• GR - Folklore 92
• GT - Manners & Customs 81
• GV - Recreation. Leisure 135
• H - Social Sciences (General) 124
• HA - Statistics 9
• HB - Economic Theory, Demography 449
• HC - Economic History & Conditions 859
• HD - Industries, Land use, Labor 2,542
• HE - Transportation & Communications 430
• HF - Commerce 1,748
• HG - Finance 620
• HJ - Public Finance 256
• HM - Sociology 233
• HN - Social History & Conditions 335
• HQ - Family, Marriage, Gender & Sexuality 643
• HS - Societies: Secret, Benevolent, etc. 28
• HT - Communities, Classes, Races 220
• HV - Social Pathology, Social & Public Welfare, Criminology 450
• HX - Socialism, Communism, Utopias, Anarchism 277
• J - Political Science (Legislative & Executive papers) 15
• JA - Political Science (General) 87
• JC - Political Theory 271
• JF - Political Institutions & Public Administration (General) 65
• JK - Political Institutions & Public Administration (U.S.) 83
• JL - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Canada, Latin America) 60
• JN - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Europe) 574
• JQ - Political Institutions & Public Administration (Asia, Africa, Australia, Pacific Area) 242
• JS - Local Government, Municipal Government 123
• JV - Colonies & Colonization, Emigration & Immigration 128
• JX - International Law 388
• JZ - International Relations 68
• K - Law 552
• KBM - Jewish Law 8
• KBP - Islamic Law 40
• KBR - History of Canon law 143
• KBT - Canon law of Eastern Rite Churches in Communion with the Holy See of Rome 1
• KBU - Law of the Roman Catholic Church. The Holy See 265
• KD - Law of England & Wales 44
• KDC - Law of Scotland 1
• KDK - Law of Ireland (EIRE) 1
• KDZ - Law of America, North America 9
• KE - Law of Canada 18
• KEB - Law of British Columbia 1
• KEO - Law of Ontario 1
• KEQ - Law of Quebec 2
• KF - Law of the U.S. 314
• KFA - Law of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas 1
• KFC - Law of California, Colorado, Connecticut 14
• KFD - Law of Delaware, District of Columbia 1
• KFF - Law of Florida 1
• KFG - Law of Georgia 1
• KFI - Law of Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa 3
• KFM - Law of Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana 8
• KFN - Law of Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota 11
• KFO - Law of Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon 1
• KFT - Law of Tennessee, Texas 4
• KFU - Law of Utah 1
• KFV - Law of Vermont, Virginia 4
• KFW - Law of Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming 2
• KFX - Law of Individual U.S. cities 5
• KG - Law of Latin America 11
• KGB - Law of Costa Rica 3
• KGC - Law of El Salvador 1
• KGD - Law of Guatemala 4
• KGF - Law of Mexico 31
• KGH - Law of Panama, Panama Canal Zone 2
• KGR - Law of Dutch Leeward Islands, Dutch West Indies (Netherlands Antilles), Dutch Windward Islands, French West Indies, Grenada 1
• KHA - Law of Argentina 9
• KHC - Law of Bolivia 3
• KHD - Law of Brazil 10
• KHF - Law of Chile 12
• KHH - Law of Colombia 54
• KHK - Law of Ecuador 10
• KHN - Law of Guyana 1
• KHP - Law of Paraguay 1
• KHQ - Law of Peru 4
• KHS - Law of Suriname 1
• KHW - Law of Venezuela 11
• KJ - History of law: Europe 8
• KJA - Roman Law 77
• KJC - Europe: Regional Comparative & Uniform Law 76
• KJE - Europe: Regional Organization & Integration 59
• KJJ - Law of Austria 7
• KJK - Law of Belgium, Bosnia and Hercegovina (Federation), Republika Srpska 1
• KJM - Law of Bulgaria, Croatia (Kingdom), Croatia (1992- ) 3
• KJP - Law of Czechoslovakia (to 1993), Czech Republic (1993- ) 3
• KJR - Law of Denmark 6
• KJS - Law of Estonia 1
• KJT - Law of Finland 6
• KJV - Law of France 88
• KJW - Law of French Regions, Provinces, Departments 4
• KK - Law of Germany 529
• KKA - Law of East Germany 11
• KKB - Law of German states and provinces (A-Pr) 24
• KKC - Law of German states and provinces (Ps-Z) 16
• KKE - Law of Greece 6
• KKF - Law of Hungary 3
• KKH - Law of Italy, Kosovo 10
• KKI - Law of Latvia 1
• KKM - Law of the Netherlands 15
• KKP - Law of Poland 5
• KKR - Law of Romania 1
• KKT - Law of Spain 16
• KKV - Law of Sweden 16
• KKW - Law of Switzerland 118
• KKX - Law of Turkey 7
• KKY - Law of Ukraine 1
• KKZ - Law of Yugoslavia. Serbia and Montenegro (to 2006) 1
• KL - History of Law, The Ancient Orient 17
• KLA - Law of Russia, Soviet Union 8
• KLP - Law of Ukraine (1919-1991), Zakavkazskaia͡ Sots͡ialisticheskaia͡ Federativnaia͡ Sovetskaia͡ Respublika (to 1936) 1
• KLS - Law of Kyrgyzstan 1
• KMC - Law of the Middle East, Southwest Asia: Regional comparative and uniform law 2
• KMJ - Law of Iraq 1
• KMK - Law of Israel 15
• KMM - Law of Jordan, West Bank 2
• KMP - Law of Lebanon 2
• KMQ - Law of Oman, Palestine (to 1948) 1
• KNF - Afghanistan 1
• KNN - Law of China 9
• KNP - Law of Taiwan 13
• KNQ - Law of China (People's Republic, 1949- ) 23
• KNR - Law of Hong Kong (to 1997) 2
• KNS - Law of India 9
• KNW - Law of Indonesia, East Timor 3
• KNX - Law of Japan 21
• KPA - Law of Korea. South Korea 5
• KPL - Law of Pakistan 1
• KPM - Law of the Philippines 6
• KPP - Law of Singapore 2
• KQC - Africa: Regional comparative and uniform law 5
• KQE - Africa: Regional organization and integration 1
• KQH - Law of Angola 2
• KQJ - Law of Benin 1
• KQW - Law of Cameroon 4
• KRM - Law of Egypt (United Arab Republic) 15
• KRX - Law of Ghana 8
• KSA - Law of Guinea 1
• KSK - Law of Kenya 6
• KSR - Law of Madagascar 1
• KSW - Law of Morocco 3
• KTA - Law of Nigeria 6
• KTD - Law of Rwanda 2
• KTG - Law of Senegal 3
• KTL - Law of South Africa, Republic of 16
• KTQ - Law of Sudan 1
• KTT - Law of Tanzania 1
• KTU - Law of Togo 1
• KTV - Law of Tunisia 2
• KTX - Law of Congo (Democratic Republic) 4
• KU - Law of Australia 4
• KVE - Law of Pacific area jurisdictions: Regional comparative and uniform law: Regional organization and integration. Pacific area cooperation 1
• KZ - Law of Nations 152
• KZA - Law of the sea 11
• KZD - Law of outer space 3
• L - Education 12
• LA - History of Education 465
• LB - Theory & Practice of Education 841
• LC - Special Aspects of Education 616
• LD - Individual Educational Institutions: United States 116
• LE - Individual Educational Institutions: America (except U.S.) 5
• LF - Individual Educational Institutions: Europe 51
• LG - Individual Educational Institutions: Asia, Africa, Oceania 11
• M - Music 34
• ML - Literature on Music 3,042
• MT - Musical Instruction & Study 184
• N - Visual Arts 552
• NA - Architecture 573
• NB - Sculpture 263
• NC - Drawing, Design, Illustration 69
• ND - Painting 725
• NE - Print Media 62
• NK - Decorative Arts, Applied Arts, Decoration & Ornament 185
• NX - Arts in General 42
• P - Philology, Linguistics (General) 683
• PA - Classical Philology, Greek & Latin Languages & Literatures 1,589
• PB - Modern Languages, Celtic Languages 36
• PC - Romance Philology & Languages 571
• PD - Germanic Philology & Languages 249
• PE - English Philology & Language 485
• PF - West Germanic Philology & Languages 437
• PG - Slavic, Baltic, Albanian Languages & Literatures 466
• PH - Uralic, Basque Languages & Literatures 79
• PJ - Oriental Philology & Literature 329
• PK - Indo-Iranian Philology & Literature 157
• PL - Languages & Literatures of Eastern Asia, Africa, Oceania 657
• PM - Hyperborean, Indian & Artificial Languages 140
• PN - Literature (General) & Journalism 1,292
• PQ - French, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese Literature 1,471
• PR - English Literature 1,152
• PS - American & Canadian Literatures 524
• PT - German & Germanic Literatures 2,541
• Q - Science (General) 113
• QA - Mathematics 1,235
• QB - Astronomy 114
• QC - Physics 515
• QD - Chemistry 650
• QE - Geology 1,393
• QH - Natural History, Biology 156
• QK - Botany 234
• QL - Zoology 552
• QM - Human Anatomy 27
• QP - Physiology 302
• QR - Microbiology 83
• R - Medicine (General) 194
• RA - Public Aspects of Medicine 185
• RB - Pathology 12
• RC - Internal Medicine 225
• RD - Surgery 51
• RE - Ophthalmology 10
• RF - Otorhinolaryngology 2
• RG - Gynecology & Obstetrics 34
• RJ - Pediatrics 32
• RK - Dentistry 4
• RL - Dermatology 3
• RM - Therapeutics, Pharmacology 27
• RS - Pharmacy & Materia Medica 27
• RT - Nursing 19
• RZ - Other Systems of Medicine 3
• S - Agriculture (General) 123
• SB - Plant Culture 86
• SD - Forestry 29
• SF - Animal Culture 51
• SH - Aquaculture, Fisheries, Angling 27
• SK - Hunting Sports 6
• T - Technology (General) 100
• TA - Engineering, Civil Engineering 185
• TC - Hydraulic Engineering 27
• TD - Environmental Technology, Sanitary Engineering 88
• TE - Highway Engineering, Roads & Pavements 10
• TF - Railroad Engineering & Operation 4
• TG - Bridge Engineering 6
• TH - Building Construction 26
• TJ - Mechanical Engineering & Machinery 83
• TK - Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Nuclear Engineering 156
• TL - Motor Vehicles, Aeronautics, Astronautics 81
• TN - Mining Engineering, Metallurgy 265
• TP - Chemical Technology 94
• TR - Photography 29
• TS - Manufactures 33
• TT - Handicrafts. Arts & Crafts 8
• TX - Home Economics 37
• U - Military Science (General) 65
• UA - Armies 141
• UB - Military Administration 48
• UC - Maintenance & Transportation 5
• UD - Infantry 1
• UF - Artillery 5
• UG - Military Engineering, Air Forces, Military Astronautics 27
• UH - Other Military Services 3
• V - Naval Science (General) 11
• VA - Navies 19
• VB - Naval Administration 1
• VE - Marines 1
• VG - Minor Services of Navies 1
• VK - Navigation, Merchant Marine 8
• VM - Naval Architecture, Marine Engineering 7
• Z - Bibliography, Library Science, Information Resources 348
• ZA - Information Resources (General) 2
• Education 937
• Geology 918
• English language 829
• Animals 680
• Catholic Church 669
• Mexican Americans 641
• Materials Science 585
• Geology, Stratigraphic 519
• German language 469
• Agriculture 451
• French language 397
• German literature 378
• Theater 310
• World War, 1914-1918 302
• Physics Of Elementary Particles And Fields 295
• Thesis/Dissertation ✖ [remove] 136,730
• Academic Dissertations 4,165
• Academic theses 3,698
• Books 3,605
• Government document 3,379
• Manuscripts, Print 2,154
• Thèses et écrits académiques 2,148
• Print Reproductions 1,703
• thesis 1,686
• Technical report 1,482
• Manuscripts, Typescript 1,364
• Academic Dissertation 1,212
• Archival Materials 927
• Index not Present 768
• Pamphlets 637
• Manuscripts, Handwritten 511
• History 489
• Germany 6,026
• United States 4,677
• California 1,940
• France 1,818
• China 1,800
• Japan 1,058
• Great Britain 888
• Switzerland 659
• Germany (West) 631
• Allemagne 456
• Soviet Union 452
• Netherlands 423
• England 405
• 20th century 1,922
• 19th century 1,291
• 18th century 730
• 17th century 401
• 16th century 344
• To 1500 233
• Early modern, 1500-1700 207
• Middle English, 1100-1500 171
• Old English, ca. 450-1100 165
• Middle High German, 1050-1500 159
• 1933-1945 158
• 1918-1933 149
• 500-1400 121
• 1918-1945 115
• To 1300 109
• Middle Ages, 600-1500 108
• Cretaceous 81
• Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600 80
• Revolution, 1789-1799 73

Organization (as author)

• Stanford University. School of Education 5,594
• Stanford University. Department of Electrical Engineering 4,905
• Stanford University. Department of Chemistry 2,542
• United States. Dept. of Energy. Office of Scientific and Technical Information 2,505
• Stanford University. Department of Mechanical Engineering 2,244
• Stanford University. Graduate School of Business 1,891
• Stanford University. Department of Physics 1,736
• Stanford University. Department of History 1,559
• Stanford University Department of English 1,432
• Stanford University. Department of Economics 1,388
• Stanford University. Department of Psychology 1,313
• Stanford University. Department of Music 1,249
• Stanford University. Computer Science Department 1,199
• Stanford University. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1,198
• Stanford University. Committee on Graduate Studies 1,117
• Stanford University. Department of Political Science 1,039
• Stanford University. Department of Biological Sciences 923
• Stanford University. Department of Applied Physics 913
• Stanford University. Department of Civil Engineering 898
• Stanford University. Department of Mathematics 891

%{search_type} search results

136,730 catalog results, online 1. "a different kettle of fish": opec's impact on oil nationalization, political accountability, and governance [2024].

• Nicolson, Bailey (Author)
• May 15, 2024; May 15, 2024; May 15, 2024

Online 2. Algorithms and numerical analysis in quantum computing [2024]

• Li, Haoya, author.
• [Stanford, California] : [Stanford University], 2024.

Online 3. Algorithms for analyzing single-cell data in cancer [2024]

• Keyes, Timothy James, author.

Online 4. Analysis of nonlocal effects in turbulence closures with application to wall-bounded flows [2024]

• Liu, Jessie, author.

Online 5. Assessing Greenwashing in Electric Vehicle Marketing: Developing a Coding Scheme through Advertising Strategy Analysis [2024]

• Bernheim, Madeline (Author)
• May 16, 2024; 1000

Online 6. Automorphy lifting with adequate image [2024]

• Miagkov, Konstantin, author.

Online 7. Between Rhetoric and Reality: Examining the Impact of Populist Attitudes on Political Engagement in South Korea [2024]

• Norris, Kerstin (Author)
• March 14, 2024

Online 8. Beyond text : applying deep learning to signal data [2024]

• Goel, Karan, author.

Online 9. Beyond the Collaborator Resistor Binary: Reinterpreting "Autumn Letter" [2024]

• Barnes, Lauren (Author)
• February 27, 2024; February 23, 2024

Online 10. Capillary-driven boiling and adsorptive water harvesting : enhancing water and energy efficiency in data center cooling [2024]

• Wu, Qianying, author.

Online 11. Causal inference in equilibrium [2024]

• Munro, Evan Matthew, author.

Online 12. Chemotaxis to microbial and plant-derived chemicals by C. elegans nematodes and its dependence on feeding state [2024]

• Logan-Garbisch, Theresa Ann, author.

Online 13. City of skulls : art, ritual, and the afterlife in early modern Naples [2024]

• Harrison, Graylin Whitney, author.

Online 14. Computational tools for structure-guided drug discovery [2024]

• Powers, Alexander (Alexander S.), author.

Online 15. Convergence of full-scale measurements and large-eddy simulations to advance the prediction of high-rise building wind loads [2024]

• Hochschild, John William, author.

Online 16. Convex shape optimization of aerospace vehicles [2024]

• Berkenstock, Daniel Carlton, author.

Online 17. Correspondence detection in natural terrain : computer vision techniques for noisy 3D range data [2024]

• Clark, Ashley A. (Ashley Anne), author.

Online 18. The cyber spiral? : operational and political implications of emerging domains of warfare [2024]

• Sinnott, Shawna Lee, author.

Online 19. DECISION-MAKING IN UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENTS: METRICS, SCREENING, AND MAINTENANCE [2024]

• Coskun, Abdullah, author.

Online 20. DECISION-MAKING IN UNCERTAIN ENVIRONMENTS: METRICS, SCREENING, AND MAINTENANCE [2024]

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Stanford Login

Important Security Information: Logging in lets you access other protected Stanford websites with this browser, not just the website you requested.

Advanced Settings

TWO-STEP DEVICE UNAVAILABLE?

Use of this system is subject to Stanford University's rules and regulations. See the Stanford Administrative Guide for more information.

• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Terms of Use
• Emergency Info

© Stanford University .  Stanford , California 94305 . Copyright Complaints     Trademark Notice

Dissertation Defense

The following steps are meant to help you begin thinking about your defense, dissertation, and eventually graduation. Please contact the Student Services Office if you have any questions about the process or requirements.

Planning Your Dissertation Defense

Steps for planning your defense.

Meet with your committee and determine a date and time. Some faculty travel extensively, so it is a good idea to start this process early.

Once you have a confirmed time, contact the Student Services Office. They will help in booking rooms for both the public and closed door sessions.

Tip : Some faculty travel extensively, so it's a good idea to start this process early. Room reservations can also be tricky depending on the time selected. The more notice you can provide, the more likely one of your top choices for rooms will be available.

Your chair must be someone outside of the department who is an Academic Council member. Your Oral Examination Committee must have a total 5 members including the University Chair. If you need help finding one, your advisor and other committee members should be able to help. University policy regarding chairs and your committee can be found in the  Stanford Bulletin .

Deliver a draft of your dissertation to each of your committee members 30 days prior to your defense. Some committee members may prefer just an emailed draft, however others may prefer a paper copy so be sure to check on preferences of each of your committee members!

Bring your University  Oral Examination Form  to the Student Services office (Gilbert 118 or via email) at least 2 weeks before your defense. The Student Services Office will bring this back to you or your advisor at your defense.

If you’d like the Student Services Office to create and post flyers for your defense, please send them a picture to use and your title 2 weeks before your defense.

Following your defense, please turn in the University Oral Examination Form to the Student Services Office as soon as possible.

Dissertation Submission

Submit your dissertation.

The following needs to be done, in order, to complete the dissertation submission process:

Visit the e-dissertation/thesis center in Axess  

This is often your advisor, but can be any Academic Council member on your committee. They will need to log in to Axess and approve your dissertation before the deadline once you’ve uploaded your dissertation.

Turn in your signed signature page and title page to the Student Services Center at Tresidder (see the guidelines PDF for formatting instructions).

Signatures must be actual ink signatures on acid-free paper.  Only your reading committee should be included on your signature page. Do NOT include your defense chair or any committee members only present for the defense.

Upload and submit your dissertation.

This  video  that will walk you through the upload process.

Guidelines for formatting, etc.

Registrar’s Office site for all dissertation information

Submission Deadlines

The entire process must be complete and dissertation approved by the Registrar’s Office by the following deadlines: Autumn Quarter 2021 – Friday, December 7, 2021 at 12:00pm Winter Quarter 2022 – Friday, March 19, 2022 at 12:00pm Spring Quarter 2022 – Wednesday, June 4, 2022 at 12:00pm Summer Quarter 2022 – Friday, August 27, 2022 at 12:00pm

Be sure that you also apply to graduate in the quarter you’re submitting! To file your application through Axess: Select "Apply to Graduate" from the drop down menu on the Student Center Academics tab and complete the entire application to graduate process.

Stanford Law School's Theses and Dissertations Collection

• Early Thesis and Dissertation of Stanford Law School, 1929 to 1956
• Theses and Dissertations of Stanford Law School,1970-1995
• Stanford Program in International Legal Studies’ Theses, 1996 to 2010
• Stanford Law School’s Dissertations, 1996 to 2010
• Stanford Program in International Legal Studies Theses, 2011 to 2025

Collection Description

This collection contains Stanford Law School Students’ theses and dissertations written to fulfill the academic requirements for advanced degrees.   Historically, the collection of Theses and Dissertations were produced as part of the requirement coursework for receiving a Master of Laws (1933-1969), a Juris Doctor (1906-1932), or a Doctor of Jurisprudence.  

Currently, works received from students are produced under two different graduate programs.  Thesis are works were produced as part of the requirement for the Stanford Program in International Legal Studies (SPILS). SPILS was established in 1995 by Professors Lawrence Friedman and Thomas C. Heller, to educate international students, lawyers, judges, public officials, and other professionals trained in the study of law outside the United States.  Students in the SPILS Program are required to do interdisciplinary research that affects the global community.  The culmination of this program is a research project that each individual student develops over the course of the year under a faculty advisor, after which the earns a Master of the Science of Law degree.  The research project must demonstrate the student's ability to employ empirical methods of investigation and must addresses issues in the international community or within a specific country.  These can cover a large range of topics that analyze legal cultures, legal reforms, or public policy.  

Dissertations are produced under Doctor of Science of Law program or JSD.  The JSD program as we know it was revised for the Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1969 is designed for students who are interested in pursuing an academic career. Doctor of Science of Law Students are selected from the Stanford Program in International Legal Studies and those who have a postgraduate degree in Legal Studies.

All materials in this collection were donated by individual authors to the Stanford Law Library's Special Collections.

Collection Identity Number: LAW-3781

Finding Aid prepared by

Robert Crown Law Library Stanford, CA 94305-8610 Phone: 650.723-2477

• Last Updated: Dec 18, 2023 9:02 AM
• URL: https://guides.law.stanford.edu/c.php?g=1087208

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .