dissertation work pdf

How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

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20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

unquestionably, this amazing simplified way of teaching. Really , I couldn’t find in the literature words that fully explicit my great thanks to you. However, I could only say thanks a-lot.

Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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Home > School, College, or Department > SSW > Dissertations and Theses

School of Social Work Dissertations and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Understanding the Other: Mentor Ethnocultural Empathy and Relationship Quality and Duration in Youth Mentoring , Miriam Miranda-Diaz

The Mirror Project: Reflections on the Experiences of African-American Female Adolescents Experiencing Foster Care , Bahia Anise-Cross DeGruy Overton

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Does Structural Racism Influence How Black/African Americans Define Memory Loss and Cognitive Impairment? An Africana Phenomenological Study , Andre Pruitt

Prosecutors or Helpers: An Institutional Ethnography of Child Protective Services Casework , Anna Maria Rockhill

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Critical Discourse Analysis of How Youth in Care Describe Social Support , Jared Israel Best

Examining Demographic and Environmental Factors in Predicting the Perceived Impact of Cancer on Childhood and Adolescent Cancer Survivors , Nazan Cetin

Health Literacy and People Diagnosed with Mental Illness , Beckie Child

High School Persisters and Alternative Schools , Hyuny Clark-Shim

Examining the Role of Social Support and Neighborhood Deprivation in the Relationship Between Multiple ACEs and Health Risk Behaviors , Marin L. Henderson-Posther

A Typology of Foster Home Quality Elements in Relation to Foster Youth Mental Health , Paul Sorenson

"I'm Very Enlightened:" Assisting Black Males Involved in the Criminal Justice System to Deal With and Heal From Racism , Darnell Jackie Strong

The Mechanisms Connecting State Marijuana Policies to Parent, Peer, and Youth Drug Perception Leading to Youth Marijuana Use , Eunbyeor Sophie Yang

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

E(Raced): Race and Use of Self Amongst BIPOC Social Workers , Anita Reinette Gooding

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

A Colorless Nature: Exploring the Mental Health (Help-Seeking) Experiences of Pre-Adolescent Black American Children , Christopher Ashley Burkett

The Economically Disadvantaged Speak: Exploring the Intersection of Poverty, Race, Child Neglect and Racial Disproportionality in the Child Welfare System , Angela Gail Cause

Examining the Narratives of Military Sexual Trauma Survivors , Maria Carolina González-Prats

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Our Vision of Health for Future Generations: an Exploration of Proximal and Intermediary Motivations with Women of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma , Danica Love Brown

Interrogating the Construction and Representations of Criminalized Women in the Academic Social Work Literature: a Critical Discourse Analysis , Sandra Marie Leotti

Learning From Culturally Specific Programs and Their Impact on Latino Parent Engagement , Analucia Lopezrevoredo

Physical and Emotional Sibling Violence and Child Welfare: a Critical Realist Exploratory Study , Katherine Elizabeth Winters

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Is Therapy Going to the Dogs? Evaluating Animal Assisted Therapy for Early Identified At-Risk Children , Leah Faith Brookner

Investigating Time During Residential Program Until Transition for Adjudicated Youth: a Mixed Methods Study Using Event History Analysis with Follow-Up Interviews , Emily Carol Lott

Role of Spouse/Partner in Fertility Preservation Decision Making by Young Women with Cancer , Aakrati Mathur

Exploring the Association of Victimization and Alcohol and Marijuana Use among American Indian Youth Living On or Near Reservations: a Mixed Methods Study , Lindsay Nicole Merritt

The Intersections of Good Intentions, Criminality, and Anti-Carceral Feminist Logic: a Qualitative Study that Explores Sex Trades Content in Social Work Education , Meg Rose Panichelli

Latinas and Sexual Health: Correlates of Sexual Satisfaction , Christine Marie Velez

A Foucaultian Discourse Analysis of Person-Centered Practice Using a Genealogical Framework of Intellectual Disability , Nick Winges-Yanez

Theses/Dissertations from 2017 2017

Foundational Knowledge and Other Predictors of Commitment to Trauma-Informed Care , Stephanie Anne Sundborg

An Analysis of Oregon Youth Authority Populations: Who Receives Treatment and What Factors Influence Allocation of Treatment Resources? , Rebecca Arredondo Yazzie

Theses/Dissertations from 2016 2016

The Importance of Online Peer Relationships During the Transition to Motherhood: Do They Decrease Stress, Alleviate Depression and Increase Parenting Competence? , Bobbie Sue Arias

Bridging the Worlds of Home and School: a Study of the Relational Worlds of First-Generation Students in a School of Social Work , Miranda Cunningham

An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of Long-Term Mentoring Relationships from the Youth Perspective , Kevin Richard Jones

The Development and Validation of the Social Recovery Measure , Casadi "Khaki" Marino

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

A Queer Liberation Movement? A Qualitative Content Analysis of Queer Liberation Organizations, Investigating Whether They are Building a Separate Social Movement , Joseph Nicholas DeFilippis

Got Hair that Flows in the Wind: The Complexity of Hair and Identity among African American Female Adolescents in Foster Care , Lakindra Michelle Mitchell Dove

Assessing the Impact of Restrictiveness and Placement Type on Transition-Related Outcomes for Youth With and Without Disabilities Aging Out of Foster Care , Jessica Danielle Schmidt

Fathers Caring for Children with Special Health Care Needs: Experiences of Work-Life Fit , Claudia Sellmaier

Investigating the Impact of Sibling Foster Care on Placement Stability , Jeffrey David Waid

Theses/Dissertations from 2014 2014

Understanding Sexual Assault Survivors' Willingness to Participate in the Judicial System , Mildred Ann Davis

The Relationship between Mindfulness and Burnout among Master of Social Work Students , Jolanta Maria Piatkowska

Out of the Way and Out of Place: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Social Interactions of Bisexually Attracted Young People , A. Del Quest

Strengths in Action: Implementing a Learning Organization Model in a Human Service Setting , Barbara Ann Whitbeck

Theses/Dissertations from 2013 2013

"Who Would Have Thought, With a Diagnosis Like This, I Would be Happy?": Portraits of Perceived Strengths and Resources in Early-Stage Dementia , Jutta Elisabeth Ataie

Lost in the Margins? Intersections Between Disability and Other Non-Dominant Statuses with Regard to Peer Victimization and Psychosocial Distress Among Oregon Teens , Marjorie Grace McGee

Teachers' Negative Comments Toward Youth in Foster Care with Disabilities: How Do They Relate to Youths' Problem Behaviors, School Attitudes, and School Performance? , Sunghwan Noh

Exploring the Effects of Multi-Level Protective and Risk Factors on Child and Parenting Outcomes in Families Participating in Healthy Start/Healthy Families Oregon (HS/HFO) , Peggy Nygren

Public Opinion and the Oregon Death with Dignity Act , Peggy Jo Ann Sandeen

The Role of Psycho-Sociocultural Factors in Suicide Risk Among Mong/Hmong Youth , TangJudy Vang

Theses/Dissertations from 2012 2012

Increasing Social Work Students' Political Interest and Efficacy: The Experience and Impact of a Social Welfare Policy Course from the Students' Perspective , Christie Dianne Bernklau Halvor

Exploring Support Network Structure, Content, and Stability as Youth Transition from Foster Care , Jennifer E. Blakeslee

Understanding the Experience of Air Force Single Parents: A Phenomenological Study , Samantha Everhart Blanchard

Implementer Perspectives: The Implementation of a School-Based Mentoring Program , Amanda Angela Fixsen

Risk Factors for Homelessness Among Community Mental Health Patients with Severe Mental Illness , Rupert Talmage van Wormer

Theses/Dissertations from 2011 2011

Gender, Culture, and Prison Classification: Testing the Reliability and Validity of a Prison Classification System , Aimée Ryan Bellmore

An Investigation of the Relationships between Violence Exposure, Internalizing and Externalizing Problems, and Adolescent Alcohol Use , Gregory Lloyd Forehand

Identifying Modifiable Factors associated with Depression across the Lifespan in Stroke Survivor-Spouse Dyads , Michael Joseph McCarthy

Investigating the Predictors of Postsecondary Education Success and Post-College Life Circumstances of Foster Care Alumni , Amy Michele Salazar

Runaway and Homeless Youth: Changing the Discourse by Legitimizing Youth Voice , Donald Dale Schweitzer

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Visions and Voices: An Arts-Based Qualitative Study Using Photovoice to Understand the Needs and Aspirations of Diverse Women Working in the Sex Industry , Moshoula Capous Desyllas

Somatization and Engagement in Mental Health Treatment , Teresa Chianello

Parental Differential Treatment (PDT) of Siblings: Examining the Impact and Malleability of Differential Warmth and Hostility on Children's Adjustment , Brianne H. Kothari

Understanding the Development of Self-determination in Youth with Disabilities in Foster Care , Jennifer L. Powers

Child Welfare Workforce Turnover: Frontline Workers' Experiences with Organizational Culture and Climate, and Implications for Organizational Practice , Melanie Dawn Sage

Theses/Dissertations from 2009 2009

Developing One's Self: Adoption and Identity Formation Through the Eyes of Transracially Adopted Native American Adults , Jody Becker-Green

Primary Care, Males, Masculinity, and Suicide : a Grounded Theory Study , John Thomas Casey

Dependent Care and Work-Life Outcomes : Comparing Exceptional Care and Typical Care Responsibilities , Lisa Maureen Stewart

Factors Associated with Inclusion of Spirituality in Secular Social Work Education , Leslie Grace Wuest

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Up a Creek : the Perilous Journey of Recently Uninsured Low-Income Adults in Oregon , Heidi Allen

Attributes of Effective Head Start Mental Health Consultants : a Mixed Method Study of Rural and Urban Programs , Mary Dallas Allen

Staying Within the Margins: The Educational Stories of First-Generation, Low-Income College Students , Diane Lyn Cole

Children with Incarcerated Parents : a Longitudinal Study of the Effect of Parental Incarceration on Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors , Jean Mollenkamp Kjellstrand

The Child Care Self-Sufficiency Scale: Measuring Child Care Funding and Policy Generosity across States , Karen Tvedt

Theses/Dissertations from 2007 2007

Family-Friendly Workplace Culture, Flexibility, and Workplace Support for Dependent Care : the Perspectives of Human Resource Professionals , Katherine June Huffstutter

Family Participation : Exploring the Role it Plays in Outcomes for Youth with Serious Emotional Disorders , Jodi Lee Kerbs

"Creative Interpretation and Fluidity in a Rights Framework": the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Human Rights in the United States , Karen Lynn Morgaine

Food Security and Hunger among Low income US Households: Relations to Federal Food Assistance Program Participation , Rebecca Elizabeth Sanders

Engaging Our Workforce: How Job Demands and Resources Contribute to Social Worker Burnout, Engagement and Intent to Leave , Sara Laura Schwartz

Theses/Dissertations from 2006 2006

Is It Just Me? Felt HIV -Related Stigma among Adults with HIV , Rebecca Gila Block

Social Workers Addressing Student-Perpetrated Interpersonal Violence in the School Context : Awareness and Use of Evidence-Supported Programs , Natalie Diane Cawood

Sons Providing Care at End-of-Life : Common Threads and nuances , Patricia Ebert

Theses/Dissertations from 2004 2004

Applying the Transtheoretical Model to Cigarette Smoking by Pregnant and Parenting Adolescent Females , Barbara Mary Sussex

Theses/Dissertations from 2002 2002

Identifying and Building on Strengths of Children With Serious Emotional Disturbances , Michael Orval Taylor

Theses/Dissertations from 2001 2001

A Dissertation on African American Male Youth Violence: "Trying to Kill the Part of You that Isn’t Loved" , Joy DeGruy Leary

Theses/Dissertations from 1999 1999

Voices of our past: the rank and file movement in social work, 1931-1950 , Richard William Hunter

The Assessment of Children with Attachment Disorder: The Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire, the Behavioral and Emotional Rating Scale, and the Biopsychosocial Attachment Types Framework , Alice Myrth Ogilvie

Theses/Dissertations from 1997 1997

Grandmothers Laughing: Intergenerational Transmission of Cultural Beliefs About Pregnancy and Childbirth Among Native American Women , Claudia Robin Long

Theses/Dissertations from 1983 1983

The needs of older people as seen by themselves and support providers , Sarah Movius Schurr

Theses/Dissertations from 1981 1981

Non-work-related services at the workplace : an exploratory study , William Roland Adix, Elizabeth March Christie, James J. Christrup, Carol M. Kaulukukui, Jennifer Idris Lenway, Cynthia A. Nelson, Linda S. Rielly, Steven Sorlien, Kathleen A. Sweeney-Easter, Lynn Campbell Tate, Patricia Jones Warman, and Donn C. Warton

Assessment of Needs of Adolescent Mothers in Washington County , John L. Arnold, Jean C. Austin, Gary L. Brink, Jane Hall, Patricia C. Hanson, Valerie A. Ivey, April A. Moran, John P. Pank, Mark J. Skolnick, James A. Tarr, and Roberta B. Vaughn

Burnout: Multi-Dimensional Study of Alienation Among Social Service Workers in the Willamette Valley , Sally Carignan, John Deihl, Judy Harris, Jay Jones, Bonnie Rothman, Sabrina Ullmann, Beth Weinberg-Gordon, Phyllis Weter, Patricia Whitty, and Loretta Wilson

Alternative Agencies: An Exploratory Study , Linda Crane, Carolyn M. Curnane, Mike Echols, Mary Ann Hanson, Susan Kouns, Richard Ono, Mark Pierman, Susan K. Rademacher, Sara Weisberg, and Bea Zizlavsky

An Alumni survey of the School of Social Work, Portland State University , Stephen R. Fishack, Robert A. Forlenza, Susan D. Fredd, Gigi Gandy, William P. Goldsmith, Thomas L. Grier, and Sheila K. Lehto

A Description and Evaluation of the Self-Help Information Service , Cathy Tuma and John Wadsworth

The Portland, Oregon ASAP : an evaluation of treatment effectiveness , Joan M. Wildebush Berry, Stefani K. Cuda, Judi L. Edwards, Mary E. Ericson, Emilie Ford Frisbee, Steve Ernest Hand, Mary Anne Hannibal, Laurel M. Myers, Sharon Lee Perry, Loree Richards, Barbara Burns Schmidtke, Stephen Walker Voris, and Barbara M. Westby

Theses/Dissertations from 1980 1980

Multiple impact therapy : evaluation and design for future study , Jacqueline H. Abikoff, Dennis C. Anderson, Patricia C. Bowman, Carolyn Crawford Caylor, Nancy W. Freeland, Jan A. Godfrey, Marlene Graham, Kelly Ann Mason Hall, Mary J. Hatzenbeler, Susan C. Hedlund, Carol Lewis Kast, Gayle Matson Lansky, Janet M. Lewis, Kathleen Patricia Muldoon, Victoria A. G. Stoudt, and Anita Waage

Salem Teen Mother Program : a follow-up study , Frances L. Barton, Florence C. Berman, Sharon M. Bertoli-Nordlof, Marilyn L. Cooper, Claire K. Murray, Rosanne Peratrovich, Arlene M. Showell, and Julio C. Velazquez

Evaluative Styles of Clinicians in Private Practice , Daniel R. Brophy, Elliot M. Geller, Stephan L. Grove, Nancy E. Hedrick, A. Jill Nelson, and Babette A. Vanelli

Adaptation to dominant society : a self study of a woman of mixed race, black/Indian , Helen Marie Camel

A study of the crisis nature of the preparenthood period and implications for preventative social work practice , Julie Jean Colton

A Generalist approach to social work practice : model and synthesis , Chuck H. Johnson, Paul S. Knight, Michael W. Krumper, and John H. Rademaker

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