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APA Citations for a Thesis or Dissertation
Learn how to cite a dissertation and thesis in APA. Why? Because using doctoral dissertations and master’s theses is a useful way to bolster your research for your APA format school paper through current, timely topics. You can also get several examples to guide you through the rules for an APA 7 citation of a dissertation and thesis for your reference list.
How to Cite a Dissertation or Thesis in APA 7th Edition
The APA dissertation or thesis citation isn’t a one size fits all type of citation. The reason behind this is because APA offers a different format for a published and unpublished thesis or dissertation. However, you’ll need to include information like:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis (Publication number, if available) [Doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis, Institution]. Publisher, if available. URL, if available
- Italicize the title.
- Indicate that it is a doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parenthesis after the title.
- Provide the publication number listed in the database in parentheses, if it is available.
How to Cite a Published Dissertation or Thesis in APA
To cite a published dissertation in APA 7th edition, you need to include:
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis (Publication number, if available) [Doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis, Institution]. Publisher.
Published APA Dissertation Example
Gavinea, D. S. (2010). Exploration of DNA sequencing: Disassembling the Sequencing chain (Publication No. 1434728) [Doctoral dissertation, Wilmington University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.
Example of a Published Thesis APA- No Publication Number
Brown, S. (2010). Westward expansion [Master’s thesis, Univesity of Florida]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.
In-Text Citation for a Published Dissertation or Thesis in APA
(Gavinea, 2010)
How to Cite a Dissertation or Thesis in APA Published Online – Not on a Database
Some published dissertations aren’t found on a database, so you include the URL along with the publisher of the dissertation.
Citing a Dissertation in APA Found Online
Kilbourn, B. (2006). The qualitative doctoral dissertation proposal [Doctoral dissertation, University of Arizona]. UA Campus Repository. https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/23015/235645
How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation APA – Unpublished
An unpublished thesis or dissertation citation in APA is going to take a slightly different format. These do not have a publisher or a publication number. The basic format of an unpublished dissertation or thesis looks like:
Author, A. (Year). Title of the work [Unpublished doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis]. Institution.
Unpublished Dissertation Example in APA
Castle, C. (2001). Interpreters, docents and educators: Ways of knowing, ways of teaching in a history museum, an art gallery, and a nature centre [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Toronto.
- The format for an unpublished dissertation or thesis at the master’s or doctoral levels can also be adapted for an undergraduate thesis.
- When the dissertation is found in an archive or database, follow the format for a published dissertation.
Information Needed for an APA Dissertation or Thesis Citation
Now that you’ve seen some basic examples, it’s time to look at where you find this information. When it comes to citing, you need to know whether it is a dissertation or thesis (it will say in the document). Secondly, you need to see if it is published or unpublished.
Where to Find APA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Information
Many graduate and postgraduate students submit their theses to subscription databases and institutional archives. Some even publish their work on their websites. Although there is a trend towards creating a portfolio rather than publishing a master’s thesis, there is still plenty of original material out there.
Some dissertation indexing and abstracting sources include Dissertations and Theses Global and ProQuest Dissertations . Usually, you have access to paid databases through your school and/or public library.
Difference Between a Published and Unpublished Dissertation
Knowing whether a dissertation or thesis is published or unpublished is a bit ticky. However, an unpublished dissertation or thesis is typically only available in your school library. In comparison, published dissertations offer more venues for access like databases and archives. Additionally, a published dissertation might also provide an indicator that it is in a published form.
Primary and Secondary Sources in a Thesis and Dissertation
Teachers prefer you to use as many primary sources as possible when creating a thesis or dissertation in APA format. Even so, it’s a good idea to incorporate secondary sources into your research. They guide you to authoritative sources . So, take the time to look through the reference list, works cited, or bibliography of secondary sources to find additional resources for your paper.
Vary Your APA Citations
Using a variety of sources makes the research process more enjoyable. Rather than just looking for accessible online sources, finding primary sources in doctoral and master’s theses shows off your research skills. Go further and read the abstracts of these sources to search for relevant sources quickly.
Creating a School Project in APA Style
APA Style Format Examples
FAQ APA Citations for a Thesis or Dissertation
How do you cite a dissertation in apa format.
To cite a dissertation in APA format, you need to know if it is published or unpublished. For a published dissertation in APA, you include the author, year, title, publication number, dissertation and university, and publisher. For an unpublished dissertation in APA, you include the author, year, title, unpublished dissertation, and university.
Can I cite a dissertation?
Yes, you can cite a dissertation in your APA research paper. Using dissertations and theses in your paper is encouraged because they offer recent information on timely topics.
How do you cite a dissertation in APA 7?
To cite a dissertation in APA, you need to include the author, year, title, publication number, thesis or dissertation, university, publisher, and URL. Depending on whether you use a published or unpublished dissertation, the order of the location information in your citation varies. Author, A. A. (Year). Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis title (Publication number) [Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis, Institution]. Publisher. URL
How do you cite a dissertation in APA 6th edition?
In the 6th edition of APA for a dissertation citation, you would include the UMI number rather than the publication number. Additionally, doctoral dissertation is in parenthesis rather than brackets. An example of an APA 6 citation looks like: Author, A. (Year). Title (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from database name. (UMI number)
How do you cite an unpublished paper?
To cite an unpublished master's thesis or doctoral dissertation in APA 7, you need to include the author, year, title, unpublished dissertation in brackets, and institution. This will look like: Author, B. B. (Year). Work title [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Institution.
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Citing Dissertations & Theses in APA Format
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.
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Cite a dissertation in APA style
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Use the following template or our APA Citation Generator to cite a dissertation. For help with other source types, like books, PDFs, or websites, check out our other guides. To have your reference list or bibliography automatically made for you, try our free citation generator .
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Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.
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Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.
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The in-text citation for a dissertation in APA style is similar to citing a journal or a report. The type of publication (book, journal, report, thesis, etc.) is not an essential element in in-text citations in APA. APA recommends using only the authors’ names and the year in in-text citations.
The dissertation can be published or unpublished. In any case, include the year, which can be the date of publication if the dissertation is published, or the date the degree was awarded if the dissertation is unpublished.
Therefore, to in-text cite a dissertation in APA style, write the author’s name or the authors’ names of the dissertation and the year. You need not add the details of the university awarding the degree in in-text citations.
The in-text citation for a dissertation written by a single author will appear this way:
Narrative: Author’s Surname (Year)
Parenthetical: (Author’s Surname, Year)
Narrative: Blakley (1999)
Parenthetical: (Blakley, 1999)
The format for a reference list entry for a dissertation in APA style depends on whether you’re citing an unpublished or published dissertation.
For an unpublished dissertation, include the author’s last name and first initial(s), the publication date, the dissertation title, the format details in brackets, and the name of the institution awarding the degree.
Author’s Surname, F. M. (Year). Title of the dissertation [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Awarding Institution.
Yee, E. (2005). The time course of lexical activation during spoken word recognition: Evidence from unimpaired and aphasic individuals [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Brown University.
For a published dissertation, include the author’s last name and first initial(s), the publication date, the dissertation title, the format details and awarding institution in brackets, the database/archive holding the work, and if applicable, the DOI or URL.
Author’s Surname, F. M. (Year). Title of the dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, Awarding Institution]. Archive/Database Name. DOI or URL
Yee, E. (2005). The time course of lexical activation during spoken word recognition: Evidence from unimpaired and aphasic individuals [Doctoral dissertation, Brown University]. PubMed. https://doi.org/10.1124.92452
- The title of the dissertation is given in italics.
- The location of the university is not required.
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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 ).
Citing a published dissertation or thesis from a database. 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: Structure: Author's last name, F. M. (Year published).
Thesis, from a commercial database. Lope, M. D. (2014). Perceptions of global mindedness in the international baccalaureate middle years programme: The relationship to student academic performance and teacher characteristics (Order No. 3682837) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland].ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.
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 ...
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 …
How to Cite a Dissertation or Thesis in APA 7th Edition. The APA dissertation or thesis citation isn't a one size fits all type of citation. The reason behind this is because APA offers a different format for a published and unpublished thesis or dissertation. However, you'll need to include information like: Author, A. A. (Year). Title of ...
General Rule: Author, A. A. (year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis (Publication No. #) [Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree].Name of Database. Example: Davis, P. M. (2010). Access, readership, citations: A randomized controlled trial of scientific journal publishing.
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):
For 21 or more authors include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name. Year of publication: Give the year in brackets followed by a full stop. Title of the dissertation: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Publication number: Give the identification number of the ...
Doctoral dissertation/Master's thesis: List whether it is a dissertation or a thesis. University: List the university associated with the dissertation/thesis. ... APA calls for the citation to include a unique identifying number for the dissertation, labeling it "Publication No." That number can be found in Dissertations and Theses database ...
Dissertation or thesis available from a database service: Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (year of publication). Title of dissertation or thesis (Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis). Retrieved from Name of database. (Accession or Order No.) For an unpublished dissertation or thesis: Author Surname, First Initial. Second ...
Theses & Dissertations. CMS 14.224: Theses and dissertations. Titles of unpublished works appear in "quotation marks"—not in italics. This treatment extends to theses and dissertations, which are otherwise cited like books. The kind of thesis, the academic institution, and the date follow the title. Like the publication data of a book, these ...
Narrative citation: Harris (2014) 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.
The in-text citation for a dissertation in APA style is similar to citing a journal or a report. The type of publication (book, journal, report, thesis, etc.) is not an essential element in in-text citations in APA. APA recommends using only the authors' names and the year in in-text citations. The dissertation can be published or unpublished.
To cite a source, you need an in-text citation and a reference entry. Auto-cite in the right format with our free citation generator. FAQ About us . Our editors ... Dissertation Essay Tips APA Style 7th edition APA citation examples ...
If you're citing dissertation APA for multiple sources where the author has multiple publications published in the same year, the in-text citations should be identical. APA style requires you to include as many names as needed before using "et al." to distinguish the sources. An example of an APA citation thesis is: Smith, A. A., Lieth, B ...
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.
Dissertation Content When the content of the dissertation starts, the page numbering should restart at page one using Arabic numbering (i.e., 1, 2, 3, etc.) and continue throughout the dissertation until the end. The Arabic page number should be aligned to the upper right margin of the page with a running head aligned to the upper left margin.
This guide will show you how to create notes-bibliography style citations for theses and dissertations in a variety of formats using the 17th edition of the Chicago Manual of Style. Guide Overview. Citing a thesis or dissertation from a database; Citing a thesis or dissertation from the web; Citing an unpublished thesis or dissertation
Dissertation Abstract. The 7 th edition of the APA manual does not provide specific guidance on how to cite dissertation abstracts. Therefore, this citation models that of a journal article, which is similar in format.
The work and ideas of Antonio Gramsci continue to attract serious and sustained scholarly attention. This review essay, which might be viewed as an appendage to the earlier, 2016 Thesis Eleven essay 'From Marx to Gramsci', develops some of the lines of curiosity indicated there. Does the globalization of Gramsci occur at the expense of the recognition of the particularity of his thought ...