chicago style citing a thesis

Neel, Breta L . " Three Flute Chamber Works by Alberto Ginastera: Intertwining Elements of Art and Folk Music ." Doctoral dissertation , Nebraska-Lincoln University , 2017 .

This citation style guide is based on the Chicago Manual of Style (17 th edition).

More useful guides

More great BibGuru guides

Automatic citations in seconds

Citation generators

Alternative to.

From our blog

Chicago 17th edition notes and bibliography

Citing theses

Titles of theses and dissertations appear in quotation marks otherwise they are cited like books.

The kind of thesis, the academic institution, and the date follow the title. Like the publication data of a book, these are enclosed in parentheses in a note but not in a bibliography.

If the document was consulted online, include a URL or, for documents retrieved from a commercial database, the name of the database and, in parentheses, any identification number supplied or recommended by the database.

How to Cite a Thesis/ Dissertation in Chicago & Turabian

How to Cite a Thesis/ Dissertation in Chicago & Turabian

Any problems with a dissertation, importance of proper citing in a theses/ dissertation, thesis/ dissertation citing specs.

Footnotes & Endnotes

Reference to Sources

Bibliography page, footnote citation for a thesis or dissertation, shortened footnote citations, author–date citations, the bibliography entry, want to make sure your thesis is perfect, what does it take to deliver an a-grade dissertation, chapter or other part of an edited book, translated book.

Dissertation writing is one of the prerequisites for earning a degree and obtaining an academic diploma. In order to deliver a winning project, you have to spend a lot of time reading guides, researching different thesis ideas , and working with the endless list of literature entries. Strict formatting rules create an extra obstacle to producing an A-grade paper. Therefore, many students consider dissertation writing and formatting like something huge and scary. So how to cite a thesis Chicago? Let us get all this straightened out.

If you understand the basic specs and pitfalls of the assignment, it becomes an easy task to do. Do not have time to read all those manuals and guides? You do not have to. In this post, we have gathered all the essential info about citing a thesis or dissertation in Chicago and Turabian style.

Do not know how to format citations in your paper? Have problems with drafting a reference page? Need an expert eye on fixing your dissertation? Get thesis writing services from our professional writers. We will polish your work and make it shine.

Dissertation writing goes hand in hand with data research, collection, and analysis. In order to prove the relevance of your statement, it is necessary to have it proved and supported by an independent expert. This is where citations serve the purpose. A proper thesis format looks professional and will hardly be poorly graded.

Here are some other reasons to take care of proper citing in your final academic project:

Using citations from reliable sources is a good way to support your own thoughts and claims, without causing doubt in a reader. Prove your key arguments and let the commission clearly see the importance of your investigation and academic work.

There are two systems of reference formatting Turabian and Chicago styles. So how to cite a thesis Chicago ? Choose the option that works best for you.

Regardless of the system you select, make sure to follow all the rules from this Chicago manual throughout your document.

Footnotes & Endnotes

In order to cite sources and/ or provide relevant commentary in a proper way, you need to use footnotes. Include a footnote each time you make mention of a source, no matter whether you quote the author directly or just paraphrase the formulation. These should be added at the end of every page where you refer to a source, while endnotes are to be listed at the end of the entire document or chapter. Place note numbers at the end of the sentence (or a clause) they refer to.

Note numbers should begin with “1” and follow consecutively throughout your dissertation. In the text, footnote numbers are superscripted, whereas full-sized numbers are used for endnotes. The latter should be followed by a period and include the info about the source entry (specifically - a full name of an author, a shortened form of the title (approx. 4 words), and page numbers).

See the below examples to format footnote, endnote, and bibliography entry properly. You may use them as a template to refer to.

1 Mariah Burton Nelson, The Stronger Female Gets, the Better (New York: Harcourt Grace, 1998), 68.

1. Mariah Burton Nelson, The Stronger Female Gets, the Better: Sexism in the American Culture (New York: Harcourt Grace, 1998), 68.

Bibliography entry (applicable to both):

Nelson, Mariah Burton. The Stronger Female Gets, the Better: Sexism in the American

Culture . New York: Harcourt Grace, 1998.

Pay attention to the following formatting rules as you format footnotes and endnotes in your bachelor thesis or dissertation and decide on how to cite a thesis Chicago:

Remember how titles of different sources are to be formatted in order not to confuse the reader.

The formatting rule is applicable to sources no matter where they are mentioned - either in the text, in the note, or in the Bibliography. Use title case for all types of source entries, be it a journal article, a book title, or a song.

According to the specs from the Chicago manual style 16th edition, every dissertation and thesis should have a reference list at the end of the work. Provide a list of sources cited in the paper at the end of your dissertation and name it “Bibliography.” The page label should be centered and written at the top of the page. You can simply list all the sources right under the label.

Leave two blank lines between the “Bibliography” label and the first list entry, whereas it is enough to have one blank line between the remaining entries. Arrange all source entries in the alphabetical order (be guided by the author’s surname) and make the first line of every entry flush left.

The Chicago Manual of Style’s footnote referencing system uses superscript numbers to point to citations. The footnote format for a thesis or dissertation in Chicago referencing is similar to the one used for a book. The main difference is that you should use quote marks instead of italics for the title:

n. Author name, “Title of paper” (type of paper, academic institution, year of completion), page number, URL/database name (document ID).

Of course, you only need to give a URL or database name and ID if you accessed the paper online! To cite page 42 of John Smith’s printed PhD thesis, then, your footnote would look like this:

1. John Smith, “Useful Ideas for Research” (PhD diss., University of Learning, 2006), 42.

If you’re citing only an abstract, simply add the word “abstract” after the title:

2. Tom Persson, “Great Thoughts and Stuff,” abstract, (master’s thesis, Educational Establishment of City Name Here, 2012), 81, https://CityNameUniversity.edu/1901.11/39144.

For repeat citations, use the standard shortened footnote format.

In Chicago footnote referencing, after giving full source information in the first footnote, you can shorten subsequent citations of the same source to prevent repetition. These shortened footnotes should include the author’s surname, a shortened title, and the page(s) cited:

If citing two people with the same surname in your work, make sure to include the initial of the person you are citing again as well as their surname.

Chicago referencing also has an author–date system, which uses in-text citations. To reference the same source more than once in this, all you have to do is give the same citation again:

Alan Jenkins (1983) describes how birds of prey survive in urban settings. He says that peregrine falcons are a “spectacular example of adaptive behavior” (Jenkins 1983, 13).

All you need to do with repeat author–date citations, then, is make sure they are consistent!

The bibliography entry for a thesis or dissertation will be similar to the first footnote citation. However, there are a few differences in the format:

So, bibliography entries for these sources should look like this:

Author Surname, Author First Name. “Title of paper.” Type of paper, academic institution, year of completion. URL/database ID.

Thus, you would present your bibliography entries as follows:

Persson, Tom. “Great Thoughts and Stuff.” Abstract. Master’s thesis, Educational Establishment of City Name Here, 2012. https://CityNameUniversity.edu/1901.11/39144.

Smith, John. “Useful Ideas for Research.” PhD diss., University of Learning, 2006.

The points above will help you cite a dissertation or thesis in Chicago footnote referencing. Want further help checking your references and writing are error free? Our team of expert proofreaders is available 24/7.

Once you are done with your final academic project, you can get a professional proofreader and have any issue quickly resolved.

It is easy to get a high grade for your final assignment if the subject is properly researched and the key information is properly cited. Thus, you can avoid the issue of plagiarism and make your paper look professional and evidence-baked.

The following examples illustrate the notes and bibliography system. Sample notes show full citations followed by shortened citations for the same sources.

Shortened notes

Bibliography entries (in alphabetical order)

Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015.

Smith, Zadie. Swing Time. New York: Penguin Press, 2016.

In a note, cite specific pages. In the bibliography, include the page range for the chapter or part.

Shortened note Thoreau, “Walking,” 182.

Bibliography entry Thoreau, Henry David. “Walking.” In The Making of the American Essay, edited by John D’Agata, 167–95. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2016.

In some cases, you may want to cite the collection as a whole instead.

John D’Agata, ed., The Making of the American Essay (Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2016), 177–78.

Shortened note

D’Agata, American Essay, 182.

Bibliography entry

D’Agata, John, ed. The Making of the American Essay. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2016.

Jhumpa Lahiri, In Other Words, trans. Ann Goldstein (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016), 146.

Lahiri, In Other Words, 184.

Lahiri, Jhumpa. In Other Words. Translated by Ann Goldstein. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2016.

For books consulted online, include a URL or the name of the database. For other types of e-books, name the format. If no fixed page numbers are available, cite a section title or a chapter or other number in the notes, if any (or simply omit).

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York: Penguin Classics, 2007. Kindle.

Borel, Brooke. The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebrary.

Kurland, Philip B., and Ralph Lerner, eds. The Founders’ Constitution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987. http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/.

Melville, Herman. Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1851. http://mel.hofstra.edu/moby-dick-the-whale-proofs.html.

Don't forget to save our guide to a have a quick reference at your hand and check another blog on MLA format thesis .

An undergraduate thesis (also called Bachelor's dissertation) is a large academic writing piece that requires massive research on the chosen topic. It’s usually assigned during the final year of your degree program (undergraduate is for Bachelor’s degree). The topic choice depends on the interests o...

Writing a master’s thesis requires a lot of patience. It's not something you can create in a few days. It’s a large scale project, so you’ll have to make a strict schedule and write a little piece every day. Do you feel it's a difficult job for you and you need thesis help? Instead of devoting your ...

When you get to the point of writing a thesis and then defending it, you are at the end of your important educational journey stage. How to cite a thesis in MLA? This paper should showcase your skills and ability to search for relevant data in a specific discipline and present research results in yo...

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / Chicago Style / How to Cite a Thesis/Dissertation in Chicago/Turabian

How to Cite a Thesis/Dissertation in Chicago/Turabian

Academic theses and dissertations can be a good source of information when writing your own paper. They are usually accessed via a university’s database or a third party database, or found on the web. The main difference between a thesis and a dissertation is the degree type they are submitted for:

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

Citation structure.

1. First name Last name, “Title” (master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published), page number, Database (Identification Number).

Bibliography:

Last name, First name. “Title.” Master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published. Database (Identification Number).

Citation Example

1. Kimberly Knight, “Media Epidemics: Viral Structures in Literature and New Media” (PhD diss., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011), 17, MLA International Bibliography (2013420395).

Knight, Kimberly. “Media Epidemics: Viral Structures in Literature and New Media.” PhD diss., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011. MLA International Bibliography (2013420395).

Citing a Thesis or Dissertation from the Web

1. First name Last name, “Title” (master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published), page number, URL.

Last name, First name. “Title.” Master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published. URL.

1. Peggy Lynn Wilson, “Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County” (PhD diss., University of Maryland, College Park, 2011), 25, https://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/11801/1/Wilson_umd_0117E_12354.pdf.

Wilson, Peggy Lynn. “Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County.” PhD diss., University of Maryland, College Park, 2011. https://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/11801/1/Wilson_umd_0117E_12354.pdf.

Citing an Unpublished Thesis or Dissertation

In rare cases, you may need to cite a thesis or dissertation that has not yet been published. This is particularly the case if you want to cite your own work or the work of a colleague.

1. First name Last name, “Title” (unpublished manuscript, Month Day, Year last modified), format.

Last name, First name. “Title.” Unpublished manuscript, last modified Month Day, Year. Format.

1. John Doe, “A Study of Generic Topic” (unpublished manuscript, June 19, 2021), Microsoft Word file.

Doe, John. “A Study of Generic Topic.” Unpublished manuscript, last modified June 19, 2021. Microsoft Word file.

Chicago Formatting Guide

Chicago Formatting

Citation 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?

Chicago 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

IMAGES

The Best Chicago Style Bibliography Help
[97+] Chicago Style Image Citation Example Télécharger
Chicago Style Citation Generator (Free) & Format Guide
School essay: Dissertation citation chicago style
How To Cite An Essay Chicago
Chicago Style: A referencing overview

VIDEO

Falling With Style III
How to Write in Chicago (Turabian) Style
Augmented Architecture
How to Ask for Citing Help
Chicago 17

COMMENTS

Dissertations & Theses
Citing a Published Thesis ... Note: First-name Last-name, "Title of Thesis: Subtitle," (Publisher, Year). Example: Mihwa Choi, “Contesting
Theses and dissertations
Note: #. Author's First Name Last Name, "Title of Thesis: Subtitle" (type of thesis, University, Year)
Thesis or Dissertation
Chicago Citation Style, 17th Edition: Thesis or Dissertation · Interview or Personal Communication · Lecture or Presentation · Primary Source
Dissertation/Thesis
Last, First M. "Thesis/Dissertation Title." PhD diss., [OR] Master's thesis, Academic institution, Year.
Citation Help: Dissertations & Theses
Chicago AND Turabian Citation Examples: Dissertations & Theses · Notes. 1. Author First Last, "Title of Dissertation or Theis" (Doctoral diss. or
Chicago: how to cite a master's thesis [Update 2023]
How to cite a master's thesis in Chicago · Author(s) of the thesis: Give first the last name, then the name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John).
Chicago: how to cite a dissertation thesis [Update 2023]
How to cite a dissertation in Chicago · Author(s) of the dissertation: Give first the last name, then the name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John).
Theses
Titles of theses and dissertations appear in quotation marks otherwise they are cited like books. The kind of thesis, the academic
How to Cite a Thesis Chicago
The Chicago Manual of Style's footnote referencing system uses superscript numbers to point to citations. The footnote format for a thesis or dissertation in
How to Cite a Thesis/Dissertation in Chicago/Turabian
Citation Structure. Note: 1. First name Last name, “Title” (master's thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published)