Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APA
How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APA
In this citation guide, you will learn how to reference and cite an undergraduate thesis, master’s thesis, or doctoral dissertation. This guide will also review the differences between a thesis or dissertation that is published and one that has remained unpublished. The guidelines below come from the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2020a), pages 333 and 334. Please note that the association is not affiliated with this guide.
Alternatively, you can visit EasyBib.com for helpful citation tools to cite your thesis or dissertation .
Guide Overview
Citing an unpublished thesis or dissertation, citing a published dissertation or thesis from a database, citing a thesis or dissertation published online but not from a database, citing a thesis or dissertation: reference overview, what you need.
Since unpublished theses can usually only be sourced in print form from a university library, the correct citation structure includes the university name where the publisher element usually goes.
Author’s last name, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case [Unpublished degree type thesis or dissertation]. Name of institution.
Ames, J. H., & Doughty, L. H. (1911). The proposed plans for the Iowa State College athletic field including the design of a reinforced concrete grandstand and wall [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Iowa State University.
In-text citation example:
- Parenthetical : (Ames & Doughty, 1911)
- Narrative : Ames & Doughty (1911)
If a thesis or dissertation has been published and is found on a database, then follow the structure below. It’s similar to the format for an unpublished dissertation/thesis, but with a few differences:
- The institution is presented in brackets after the title
- The archive or database name is included
Author’s last name, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case (Publication or Document No.) [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Database name.
Examples 1:
Knight, K. A. (2011). Media epidemics: Viral structures in literature and new media (Accession No. 2013420395) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Trotman, J.B. (2018). New insights into the biochemistry and cell biology of RNA recapping (Document No. osu1523896565730483) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses & Dissertations Center.
In the example given above, the dissertation is presented with a Document Number (Document No.). Sometimes called a database number or publication number, this is the identifier that is used by the database’s indexing system. If the database you are using provides you with such a number, then include it directly after the work’s title in parentheses.
If you are interested in learning more about how to handle works that were accessed via academic research databases, see Section 9.3 of the Publication Manual.
In-text citation examples :
- Parenthetical citation : (Trotman, 2018)
- Narrative citation : Trotman (2018)
Author’s last name, F. M. (Year Published). Title in sentence case [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Name of archive or collection. URL
Kim, O. (2019). Soviet tableau: cinema and history under late socialism [Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh]. Institutional Repository at the University of Pittsburgh. https://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/37669/7/Olga%20Kim%20Final%20ETD.pdf
Stiles, T. W. (2001). Doing science: Teachers’ authentic experiences at the Lone Star Dinosaur Field Institute [Master’s thesis, Texas A&M University]. OAKTrust. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2001-THESIS-S745
It is important to note that not every thesis or dissertation published online will be associated with a specific archive or collection. If the work is published on a private website, provide only the URL as the source element.
In-text citation examples:
- Parenthetical citation : (Kim, 2019)
- Narrative citation : Kim (2019)
- Parenthetical citation : (Stiles, 2001)
- Narrative citation : Stiles (2001)
Unpublished | Author last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). [Unpublished degree type thesis or dissertation]. Name of institution | Ames, J.H., & Doughty, L.H (1911). [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Iowa State University. |
Published from a database | Author last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). (Publication or Document No.) [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Database name. | Trotman, J.B. (2018). (Document No. osu1523896565730483) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Thesis & Dissertations Center |
Published online but not from a database | Author last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year Published). [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Name of archive or collection. URL | Kim, O. (2019). [Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh]. Institutional Repository at the University of Pittsburgh. http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/37669/7/Olga%20Kim%20Final%20ETD.pdf |
We hope that the information provided here will serve as an effective guide for your research. If you’re looking for even more citation info, visit EasyBib.com for a comprehensive collection of educational materials covering multiple source types.
If you’re citing a variety of different sources, consider taking the EasyBib citation generator for a spin. It can help you cite easily and offers citation forms for several different kinds of sources.
To start things off, let’s take a look at the different types of literature that are classified under Chapter 10.6 of the Publication Manual :
- Undergraduate thesis
- Master’s thesis
- Doctoral dissertation
You will need to know which type you are citing. You’ll also need to know if it is published or unpublished .
When you decide to cite a dissertation or thesis, you’ll need to look for the following information to use in your citation:
- Author’s last name, and first and middle initials
- Year published
- Title of thesis or dissertation
- If it is unpublished
- Publication or document number (if applicable; for published work)
- Degree type (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral)
- Thesis or dissertation
- Name of institution awarding degree
- DOI (https://doi.org/xxxxx) or URL (if applicable)
Since theses and dissertations are directly linked to educational degrees, it is necessary to list the name of the associated institution; i.e., the college, university, or school that is awarding the associated degree.
To get an idea of the proper form, take a look at the examples below. There are three outlined scenarios:
- Unpublished thesis or dissertation
- Published thesis or dissertation from a database
- Thesis or dissertation published online but not from a database
American Psychological Association. (2020a). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000
American Psychological Association. (2020b). Style-Grammar-Guidelines. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/parenthetical-versus-narrative
Published August 10, 2012. Updated March 24, 2020.
Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.
APA Formatting Guide
APA Formatting
- Annotated Bibliography
- Block Quotes
- et al Usage
- In-text Citations
- Multiple Authors
- Paraphrasing
- Page Numbers
- Parenthetical Citations
- Reference Page
- Sample Paper
- APA 7 Updates
- View APA Guide
Citation Examples
- Book Chapter
- Journal Article
- Magazine Article
- Newspaper Article
- Website (no author)
- View all APA Examples
How useful was this post?
Click on a star to rate it!
We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!
Let us improve this post!
Tell us how we can improve this post?
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). The templates for an in-text citation and reference list entry of a thesis, along with examples, are given below:
In-text citation template and example:
Use the author surname and the publication year in the in-text citation.
Author Surname (Publication Year)
Cartmel (2007)
Parenthetical:
(Author Surname, Publication Year)
(Cartmel, 2007)
Reference list entry template and example:
The title of the thesis is set in sentence case and italicized. Enclose the thesis and the institute awarding the degree inside brackets following the publication year. Then add the name of the database followed by the URL.
Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the thesis [Master’s thesis, Institute Name]. Name of the Database. URL
Cartmel, J. (2007). Outside school hours care and schools [Master’s thesis, Queensland University of Technology]. EPrints. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/17810/1/Jennifer_Cartmel_Thesis.pdf
To cite an unpublished dissertation in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the author, year, title of the dissertation, and institute name. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of an online thesis, along with examples, are given below:
Author Surname (Year)
Averill (2009)
(Author Surname, Year)
(Averill, 2009)
The title of the dissertation is set in sentence case and italicized. Enclose “Unpublished doctoral dissertation” inside brackets following the year. Then add the name of the institution awarding the degree.
Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the dissertation [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Name of the Institute.
Averill, R. (2009). Teacher–student relationships in diverse New Zealand year 10 mathematics classrooms: Teacher care [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Victoria University of Wellington.
APA Citation Examples
Writing Tools
Citation Generators
Other Citation Styles
Plagiarism Checker
Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.
Get Started
APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources
- Basics of APA Formatting
- In Text Quick View
- Block Quotes
- Books & eBooks
- Thesis/Dissertation
Standard Format
Formatting rules, various examples.
- Audiovisual
- Conference Presentations
- Social Media
- Legal References
- Reports and Gray Literature
- Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
- Additional Resources
- Reference Page
| ||||
|
|
|
| |
Author, A. A.
| (year). | [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master’s thesis].
| Name of Institution Awarding the Degree | |
| ||||
|
| |||
|
|
|
|
|
Author, A. A.
| (year). | [Doctoral dissertation, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. [Master’s thesis, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree].
| Database Name. Archive Name. | https://xxxx...
|
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
- << Previous: Articles
- Next: Websites >>
- Last Updated: Jun 13, 2024 1:51 PM
- URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/APA7th
Generate accurate APA citations for free
- Knowledge Base
- How to cite a dissertation in APA Style
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) |
Table of contents
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) |
Scribbr Citation Checker New
The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:
- Missing commas and periods
- Incorrect usage of “et al.”
- Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
- Missing reference entries
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) |
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2023, December 27). How to Cite a Dissertation in APA Style | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved July 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-examples/dissertation/
Is this article helpful?
Jack Caulfield
Other students also liked, how to cite a journal article in apa style, how to cite a website in apa style, how to cite a report in apa style, scribbr apa citation checker.
An innovative new tool that checks your APA citations with AI software. Say goodbye to inaccurate citations!
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
- Joyner Library
- Laupus Health Sciences Library
- Music Library
- Digital Collections
- Special Collections
- North Carolina Collection
- Teaching Resources
- The ScholarShip Institutional Repository
- Country Doctor Museum
APA Citation Style, 7th Edition: Dissertations & Thesis
- APA 6/7 Comparison Guide
- New & Notable Changes
- Student Paper Layout
- Journal Article with One Author
- Journal Article with Two Authors
- Journal Article with Three or more Authors
- Help?! I can't find the DOI
- One Author/Editor
- Two Authors/Editors
- Chapter in a Book
- Electronic Books
- Social Media Posts
- YouTube or other streaming video
- Podcast or other audio works
- Infographic, Powerpoint, or other visual works
- Government Websites & Publications, & Gray Literature
- Legislative (US & State House & Senate) Bills
- StatPearls, UpToDate, DynaMedex
- Dissertations & Thesis
- Interviews & Emails
- Magazine Articles
- Newspaper Articles
- Datasets, Software, & Tests
- Posters & Conference Sessions
- Photographs, Tables, & PDF's
- Canvas Posts & Class Discussion Boards
- In-Text Citations & Paraphrasing
- References Page
- Free APA 7th edition Resources, Handouts, & Tutorials
Citing Dissertations & Theses in APA Format
Author | Date | Title | (SOURCE) Institution | (SOURCE) Database Name | (SOURCE) URL |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Author, A. A. | (2018). | [Unpublished master's thesis]. [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. (Publication No. xx) [Doctoral dissertation, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. | Name of Institution Awarding the Degree. found in Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global). | Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global.
| https://www.xx.xxxx
|
Dissertations & Theses
Dissertations and theses are formatted the same way in APA 7th edition. Theses are generally the culminating work for a master's or undergraduate degree and dissertations are often original research completed by doctoral students. Here are examples of a dissertation & a thesis, and how they would be formatted:
Examples:
Dissertation found in Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global:
Reference:
Banks, B. (2020). Addressing institutional racism in healthcare: A case study (Publication No. 28154307) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota]. Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global.
In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):
(Banks, 2020).
In-Text Citation (Direct Quote):
(Banks, 2020, p. 157).
Master's thesis from a University scholarship database:
Sears, L. B. (2017). The public voice and sustainable food systems: Community engagement in food action plans [Unpublished master's thesis]. University of Kansas. https://kuscholarworks.ku.edu/handle/1808/26899
In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):
(Sears, 2017).
(Sears, 2017, p. 24).
Carrie Forbes, MLS
Pages Referenced
Citation information has been adapted from the APA Manual (7th Edition). Please refer to page 333 of the APA Manual (7th Edition) for more information.
Chat with a Librarian
Chat with a librarian is available during Laupus Library's open hours .
Need to contact a specific librarian? Find your liaison.
Call us: 1-888-820-0522 (toll free)
252-744-2230
Text us: 252-303-2343
- << Previous: Other Sources
- Next: Interviews & Emails >>
- Last Updated: Jan 12, 2024 10:05 AM
- URL: https://libguides.ecu.edu/APA7
APA Formatting and Style (7th ed.) for Student Papers
- What's New in the 7th ed.?
- Principles of Plagiarism: An Overview
- Basic Paper Formatting
- Basic Paper Elements
- Punctuation, Capitalization, Abbreviations, Apostrophes, Numbers, Plurals
- Tables and Figures
- Powerpoint Presentations
- Reference Page Format
- Periodicals (Journals, Magazines, Newspapers)
- Books and Reference Works
- Webpage on a Website
- Discussion Post
- Company Information & SWOT Analyses
- Dissertations or Theses
- ChatGPT and other AI Large Language Models
- Online Images
- Online Video
- Computer Software and Mobile Apps
- Missing Information
- Two Authors
- Three or More Authors
- Group Authors
- Missing Author
- Chat GPT and other AI Large Language Models
- Secondary Sources
- Block Quotations
- Fillable Template and Sample Paper
- Government Documents and Legal Materials
- APA Style 7th ed. Tutorials
- Additional APA 7th Resources
- Grammarly - your writing assistant
- Writing Center - Writing Skills This link opens in a new window
- Brainfuse Online Tutoring
Reference Page Examples - Dissertations or Theses
- Published Dissertation or Thesis
- Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is considered published when it is available from a database such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
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., author, a. a. (year). title of dissertation (publication no. xxxxxxxxx). [doctoral dissertation or masters thesis, name of, institution that awarded the degree]. name of source i.e. proquest dissertations and theses global. url for, the dissertation or thesis., d'arcangelis, g. s. (2009). the bio scare: anthrax, smallpox, sars, flu and post-9/11 u.s. empire (order no., 3388146). [doctoral dissertation, university of california los angeles]. proquest dissertations and theses, global. , * ** remember: each source listed on the reference page must correspond to at least one in-text citation in the body of the paper; each in-text citation must correspond to a source listed on the reference page., when a dissertation or thesis is unpublished, include the description “[unpublished doctoral dissertation]” or “[unpublished master’s thesis]” in square brackets after the dissertation or thesis title., in the source element of the reference, provide the name of the institution that awarded the degree., author, a. a. (year). title of dissertation [unpublished doctoral dissertation or unpublished, masters thesis], name of institution that awarded the degree. , johnson, b. (2005). balanced scorecard applications [unpublished master's thesis]. worthington university..
- << Previous: Company Information & SWOT Analyses
- Next: ChatGPT and other AI Large Language Models >>
- Last Updated: May 3, 2024 2:22 PM
- URL: https://national.libguides.com/apa_7th
- The Complete Guide to APA Format in 2020
- Headings and Subheadings
- Discussion Section
- Websites and Online Sources
- Journals and Periodicals
- Other Print Sources
- Other Non-Print Sources
- In-text Citations
- Footnotes and Endnotes
- Using MyBib Responsibly
- Miscellaneous Questions
APA Format is the official writing style of the American Psychological Association, and is primarily used in subjects such as psychology, education, and the social sciences.
It specifies how to format academic papers and citations for publication in journals, periodicals, and bulletins.
This guide will show you how to prepare and format a document to be fully compliant with APA Format in 2020.
Before You Start Writing...
There are several steps you must take to prepare a new document for APA style before you start writing your paper:
- Make sure the paper size is 8.5" x 11" (known as 'Letter' in most word processors).
- Set the margin size to 1" on all sides (2.54cm).
- Change the line spacing to double-spaced .
- Add page numbers to the top-right corner of every page.
- Add a running head to the top-left corner of every page.
We have a pre-made APA style template document you can download to be sure you are ready to start writing. You can download it below:
When your document is ready, proceed to writing the title page .
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
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).
Learn how to set up APA format for your paper. From the title page and headings to references and citations.
Formatting your dissertation. APA Guidelines, 1 (3), 1-12. https://doi.org/12.103/1234 Note: “Sentence case capitalization” refers to capitalizing a heading/title as you would a regular sentence. *This table was adapted from: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_articles
Formatting: Italicize the title; Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title
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).
This page contains sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style. The sample papers show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment.
This page contains reference examples for published dissertations or theses, which are considered published when they are available from a database such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global or PDQT Open, an institutional repository, or an archive.
Dissertations and theses are formatted the same way in APA 7th edition. Theses are generally the culminating work for a master's or undergraduate degree and dissertations are often original research completed by doctoral students. Here are examples of a dissertation & a thesis, and how they would be formatted: Examples:
Reference Page Examples - Dissertations or Theses. A dissertation or thesis is considered published when it is available from a database such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
APA Format is the official writing style of the American Psychological Association, and is primarily used in subjects such as psychology, education, and the social sciences. It specifies how to format academic papers and citations for publication in journals, periodicals, and bulletins.