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How to Cite a Dissertation in APA Style | Format & Examples
Published on December 16, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on December 27, 2023.
The format for citing someone else’s dissertation or thesis in APA Style depends on whether the thesis is available from a database, published somewhere else (e.g. on a university archive or personal website), or unpublished (only available in print form directly from the author or university).
To cite a dissertation or thesis from a database, use the following format. In the square brackets, specify the type of dissertation or thesis and the university. As with other database sources, no URL or DOI is included.
| APA format | Author last name, Initials. (Year). (Publication No. Number) [Type of dissertation/thesis, University Name]. Database Name. |
|---|---|
| Ford, L. (2015). (Publication No. 3731118) [Doctoral dissertation, Pepperdine University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. | |
| (Ford, 2015) |
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Citing a dissertation published elsewhere, citing an unpublished dissertation in apa style.
To cite a dissertation or thesis published in a university archive (often in PDF form ) or on a personal website, the format differs in that no publication number is included, and you do list a URL.
| APA format | Author last name, Initials. (Year). [Type of dissertation/thesis, University Name]. Archive Name. URL |
|---|---|
| Behrens, B. (2020). [Master’s thesis, University of Notre Dame]. CurateND. https://curate.nd.edu/show/9k41zc80w8w | |
| (Behrens, 2020) |
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To cite an unpublished dissertation (one you got directly from the author or university in print form), add “Unpublished” to the bracketed description, and list the university at the end of the reference, outside the square brackets.
| APA format | Author last name, Initials. (Year). [Unpublished type of dissertation/thesis]. University Name. |
|---|---|
| Smith, J. (2020). [Unpublished master’s thesis]. University of Amsterdam. | |
| (Smith, 2020) |
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Caulfield, J. (2023, December 27). How to Cite a Dissertation in APA Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 24, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/dissertation/
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How do I cite a dissertation in MLA style?
Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .
A dissertation is a unique type of source. It is a finished, stand-alone work written under the auspices of an institution. In a change from the previous edition of the MLA Handbook , we do not distinguish between published and unpublished dissertations. To cite a dissertation, include in the entry the author, title, and date of publication as core elements. As an optional element, list the institution granting the degree and a description of the work.
Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting . 2010. Northwestern U, PhD dissertation.
If you accessed the dissertation through an online repository, include this fact as the title of the second container:
Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting . 2010. Northwestern U, PhD dissertation. ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.
APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources
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Standard Format
Formatting rules, various examples.
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| (year). | [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master’s thesis].
| Name of Institution Awarding the Degree | |
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| (year). | [Doctoral dissertation, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. [Master’s thesis, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree].
| Database Name. Archive Name. | https://xxxx...
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Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
Formatting:
- Italicize the title
- Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title
| Thesis, from a commercial database | (Order No. 3682837) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. |
| Dissertation, from an institutional database | Andrea, H. (2014). (Doctoral dissertation). https://etd.ohiolink.edu/ |
| Unpublished master’s thesis | Curry, J. (2016). (Unpublished master’s thesis). Pacific Oaks College. |
See Ch. 10 pp. 313-352 of APA Manual for more examples and formatting rules
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Published Dissertation or Thesis References
This page contains reference examples for published dissertations or theses.
Kabir, J. M. (2016). Factors influencing customer satisfaction at a fast food hamburger chain: The relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty (Publication No. 10169573) [Doctoral dissertation, Wilmington University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.
Miranda, C. (2019). Exploring the lived experiences of foster youth who obtained graduate level degrees: Self-efficacy, resilience, and the impact on identity development (Publication No. 27542827) [Doctoral dissertation, Pepperdine University]. PQDT Open. https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/2309521814.html?FMT=AI
Zambrano-Vazquez, L. (2016). The interaction of state and trait worry on response monitoring in those with worry and obsessive-compulsive symptoms [Doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona]. UA Campus Repository. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/620615
- Parenthetical citations : (Kabir, 2016; Miranda, 2019; Zambrano-Vazquez, 2016)
- Narrative citations : Kabir (2016), Miranda (2019), and Zambrano-Vazquez (2016)
- A dissertation or thesis is considered published when it is available from a database such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global or PDQT Open, an institutional repository, or an archive.
- If the database assigns publication numbers to dissertations and theses, include the publication number in parentheses after the title of the dissertation or thesis without italics.
- Include the description “Doctoral dissertation” or “Master’s thesis” followed by a comma and the name of the institution that awarded the degree. Place this information in square brackets after the dissertation or thesis title and any publication number.
- In the source element of the reference, provide the name of the database, repository, or archive.
- The same format can be adapted for other published theses, including undergraduate theses, by changing the wording of the bracketed description as appropriate (e.g., “Undergraduate honors thesis”).
- Include a URL for the dissertation or thesis if the URL will resolve for readers (as shown in the Miranda and Zambrano-Vazquez examples).
- If the database or archive requires users to log in before they can view the dissertation or thesis, meaning the URL will not work for readers, end the reference with the database name (as in the Kabir example).
Published dissertation or thesis references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.6 and the Concise Guide Section 10.5
Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA
How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA
Citing a thesis or dissertation.
Thesis – A document submitted to earn a degree at a university.
Dissertation – A document submitted to earn an advanced degree, such as a doctorate, at a university.
The formatting for thesis and dissertation citations is largely the same. However, you should be sure to include the type of degree after the publication year as supplemental information. For instance, state if the source you are citing is an undergraduate thesis or a PhD dissertation.
MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (print)
Last, First M. Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree.
MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (online)
Last, First M. Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree. Website Name , URL.
Wilson, Peggy Lynn. Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County . 2011. University of Maryland, PhD dissertation.
In-text Citation Structure
(Author Last Name page #)
In-text Citation Example
(Wilson 14)
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To cite a dissertation or thesis from a database, use the following format. In the square brackets, specify the type of dissertation or thesis and the university. As with other database sources, no URL or DOI is included.
To cite a published thesis in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the author, publication year, title of the thesis, institute name, archive name, and URL (uniform resource locator).
To cite a dissertation, include in the entry the author, title, and date of publication as core elements. As an optional element, list the institution granting the degree and a description of the work.
Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title
A dissertation or thesis is considered published when it is available from a database such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global or PDQT Open, an institutional repository, or an archive.
Citing a Thesis or Dissertation. Thesis – A document submitted to earn a degree at a university. Dissertation – A document submitted to earn an advanced degree, such as a doctorate, at a university. The formatting for thesis and dissertation citations is largely the same.