Find Theses and Dissertations

Theses and dissertations are the extensive research papers required for earning a master's/doctorate degree. They showcase original findings that contribute to the field of study. 

Theses and dissertations can help us:

• understand existing research in a narrow scope 
• provide quick reference points for in-depth literature reviews and references of similar topics
• learn how other researchers have approached similar topics
• identify original research relevant to your field of study
• learn how other researchers organize structure and format of their thesis

Research students may come across copyright issues when working on their thesis projects. On the one hand, they may include copyright materials in their thesis, such as a quote from a journal article, an image from a website, or the material from their own journal publication, in which the copyright may have been transferred to the publisher. On the other hand, students may also wish to publish journal articles that are resulted from the research done in their thesis. In either situation, students need to deal with copyright issues. Here are some suggestions:
 

Reuse Copyrighted Materials in a Thesis

To reuse copyright materials in a thesis work, the author needs to ensure that specific permission has been obtained from the copyright owner. However, some exceptions allow reusing copyrighted materials without permission for research or private study purposes, e.g., quoting a short quotation from a journal article in the thesis work. Some publishers also allow authors to reuse their own journal articles in part or in full in their thesis work. Refer to our guides to learn more about obtaining permission from the copyright owner and fair dealing.

Note that citing the source of a copyrighted work does not mean that the copyright has been cleared - the author is still required to obtain permission unless the situation can be covered under fair dealing.
 

Publish Journal Articles Resulted from Thesis

There are chances that the author will be asked by the journal editor to confirm the copyright issue of turning part of his/her thesis work into a journal publication. Generally, publishers would not have issues with publishing papers as a resulting from the student thesis, as long as 

1) the article contains materials that have been extensively revised from the thesis, and
2) the student/author has given credit to his/her thesis work in the article.

Note that a copy of the research student's thesis may be uploaded to the institutional repository (PIRA) for public access. Students can apply for a delay in making their thesis openly accessible by submitting an application for keeping their thesis confidential. For details, please refer to the Research Postgraduate Student Handbook.

If you employ Generative AI (GenAI) or AI-assisted tools in your thesis, please find more information in Generative AI in Publishing.
 

Publish Books Resulted from the Thesis

Publishers regularly get in touch with thesis authors via email with an offer to publish their work. These unsolicited proposals are concerning since publishing with these organizations could limit how you can use the information in your thesis in the future.

Students are suggested to seek permission from PolyU if you decide to publish a book with the same content of your theses.