how to reference a dissertation apa 7th edition

APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources

Basics of APA Formatting
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Thesis/Dissertation

Standard Format

Adapted from American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Formatting:

See Ch. 10 pp. 313-352 of APA Manual for more examples and formatting rules

Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts

how to reference a dissertation apa 7th edition

Reference List: Other Print Sources

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Note: This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style can be found here .

Important Note: Because the 7 th edition of the APA Publication Manual heavily emphasizes digital and electronic sources, it does not contain explicit instructions for certain less-common print sources that earlier editions covered. For this reason, some of the examples below have been adapted from the instructions for sources with similar attributes (e.g., the conference proceedings example is derived from the instructions the 7 th edition manual gives for citing edited collections). Every example below that has been adapted in this way is accompanied by a note explaining how it was adapted.

Please also note: While this resource contains many examples of citations for uncommon print sources that we think are helpful, it may not account for every possibility. For even more examples of how to cite uncommon print sources, please refer to the 7 th edition of the APA Publication Manual.

Entry in a Dictionary, Thesaurus, or Encyclopedia with a Group Author

The 7 th edition of the APA manual does not provide specific guidance on how to cite physical reference works such as dictionaries, thesauruses, or encyclopedias. Therefore, this citation, as well as the one for an individual author of an entry in a reference work, is modeled on that of a chapter in an edited book or anthology, both which are similar in format to reference works.

Institution or organization name. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of reference work (edition, page numbers). Publisher name.

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. (1997). Goat. In Merriam Webster’s collegiate dictionary (10 th ed., pp. 499-500). Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.

Entry in a Dictionary, Thesaurus, or Encyclopedia with an Individual Author

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of entry. In F. M. Lastname (ed.), Title of reference work (edition, page numbers). Publisher.

Tatum, S. R. (2009). Spirituality and religion in hip hop literature and culture. In T. L. Stanley (ed.), Encyclopedia of hip hop literature (pp. 250-252). Greenwood.

Work Discussed in a Secondary Source

Provide the source in which the original work was referenced:

Nail, T. (2017). What is an assemblage? SubStance , 46 (1), 21-37. http://sub.uwpress.org/lookup/doi/10.3368/ss.46.1.21

Note: Provide the secondary source in the references list; in the text, name the original work, and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Deleuze and Guattari’s work is cited in Nail and you did not read the original work, list the Nail reference in the References. In the text, use the following citation:

Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of the assemblage (as cited in Nail, 2017)….

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.

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of dissertation. Dissertation Abstracts International , Vol., Page.

Angeli, E. L. (2012). Networks of communication in emergency medical services. Dissertation Abstracts International, 74 , 03(E).

Dissertation or Master’s Thesis, Published

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Publication No.) [Doctoral dissertation/Master’s thesis, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. Database or Archive Name.

Angeli, E. L. (2012). Networks of communication in emergency medical services (Publication No. 3544643) [Doctoral dissertation, Purdue University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Note: If the dissertation or thesis is not published in a database, include the URL of the site where the document is located.

Dissertation or Master’s Thesis, Unpublished

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master’s thesis]. Name of Institution Awarding the Degree.

Samson, J. M. (2016). Human trafficking and globalization [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Federal or State Statute

Name of Act, Public Law No. (Year). URL

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Publ. L. No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119 (2010). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ148/pdf/PLAW-111publ148.pdf

Report by a Government Agency or Other Organization

Organization Name. (Year). Title of report. URL

United States Government Accountability Office. (2019). Performance and accountability report: Fiscal year 2019 . https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/702715.pdf

Report by Individual Authors at Government Agency or Other Organization

Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of report . Organization Name. URL

Palanker, D., Volk, J., Lucia, K., & Thomas, K. (2018). Mental health parity at risk: Deregulating the individual market and the impact on mental health coverage . National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/Publications-Reports/Public-Policy-Reports/Parity-at-Risk/ParityatRisk.pdf

Conference Proceedings

The 7 th edition of the APA manual does not provide guidance on citing conference proceedings. Therefore, this citation models that of an edited collection, which is similar in format.

Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Eds.). (Year). Title of Proceedings . Publisher. URL (if applicable)

Huang, S., Pierce, R., & Stamey, J. (Eds.). (2006). Proceedings of the 24 th annual ACM international conference on the design of communication . ACM Digital Library. https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1166324&picked=prox

APA (7th Edition) Referencing Guide

Theses and dissertations

A thesis is an unpublished document produced by student as part of the requirements for the degree. They come at various levels (e.g. Honours, Masters, PhD, etc). Check with your lecturer before using a thesis for your assignment.

APA 7th Referencing Style Guide

Terminology - Thesis, dissertation or exegesis?

Published theses and dissertations, unpublished theses and dissertations.

Thesis and dissertation can mean different things depending on where the degree is awarded. Always check the title page, or subsequent pages, to determine exactly what the work is and use the information for your reference.

Auckland University of Technology (and other NZ universities)

Other parts of the world

In North America and some other countries, dissertation is used for a doctoral degree and thesis for a master's degree.

Theses available in a database, a university archive or from a personal website.

Reference format

Theses published online (e.g. in institutional repositories), theses from proquest dissertations and theses global.

Find how to cite in text on the In-text citation page.

Unpublished thesis or dissertations are usually sourced directly from the university in print form.

Reference format

APA 7th Edition Citation Style Guide

About APA Style

Resources for more help

Get Help from the Social Sciences Librarian

This guide is a general overview of how to cite common types of sources using APA style. For more complex APA style questions, please consult the official APA formatting rules found in The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7 th ed.

HAVE A QUESTION?

Here are some of the best ways to get help.

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

This guidance has been revised from the 6th edition.

APA 7th referencing style

Thesis - from website

Thesis - from database.

APA 7th Edition Citation Examples

General Rules

APA 7th Edition Citation Examples: General Rules

Based on APA Publication Manual , 7th Edition (2020). The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association is the APA's official citation guide and provides a more detailed explanation of how to use APA style. The Manual is not freely available online, but the American Psychological Association does have Style and Grammar Guidelines on the APA Style website .

Need to create a paper or PowerPoint presentation in APA Format? Videos on how to format your paper in APA style using Microsoft Word, including how to create hanging indents for your reference list and how to format headings and PowerPoint presentations.

APA Citation Basics Webinars The UMGC Library is providing a series of live citation help Sessions, offering citation advice and taking questions.

Need more help? You can also ask a librarian for help with a citation-related question.

APA Citation Overview

APA 7th Edition Guide

Get Help Now

Or try these options:, get help from additional services in the library:, thesis or dissertation from a library database.

Reference Page Format:

Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of dissertation/thesis [Master's thesis/Doctoral dissertation, Name of institution awarding degree]. Database name.

Reference Page Example:

Thao-Yang, T. (2021). All it takes is one person: First-generation Hmong women's educational experiences [Doctoral dissertation, Concordia University]. Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global.

In-text Citation Examples:

Thao-Yang (2021) shared that ... ...( Thao-Yang , 2021 ). ...( Thao-Yang , 2021, p. 65 ).

Thesis or Dissertation from an Institutional Repository

Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of dissertation/thesis [Master's thesis/Doctoral dissertation, Name of institution awarding degree]. Institutional Repository Name. URL

Janssen, K. (2021). Ways technology impact cognitive development in early childhood environment [Master's Thesis, Concordia University]. [email protected] https://digitalcommons.csp.edu/teacher-education_masters/52

Janssen (2021) shared that ... ...( Janssen, 2021 ). ...( Janssen, 2021, p. 22 ).

Print Thesis or Dissertation

Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of dissertation [Unpublished master's thesis/doctoral dissertation]. Name of the institution awarding the degree.

Munson, D. J. (2019). How undergraduate faculty navigate the use of free internet sources for scholarly purposes [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Nova Southeastern University.

Munson (2019) shared that ... ...(Munson, 2019). ...( Munson, 2019, p. 36 ).

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

example APA citation thesis or dissertation

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.

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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How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APA

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COMMENTS

Thesis/Dissertation
Author, A. A.. (year). Title of dissertation/thesis: Use sentence case [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master's thesis]. Name of Institution
Reference List: Other Print Sources
The 7th edition of the APA manual does not provide specific guidance on how to cite dissertation abstracts. Therefore, this citation models that of a
Theses and Dissertations
Title of thesis: Subtitle [Type of thesis, name of institution awarding degree]. Database Name. In print: Author, A. A. (Date). Title: Subtitle
Theses and dissertations
Reference format ; Author, Date. Title ; Author, A. A., (Year). Title (Publication No. if present) [Doctoral dissertation/Doctoral thesis/Master's
Dissertations & Theses
Author, A. A. (year). Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis (Publication No. #) [Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis, Name of
Published dissertation or thesis references
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
Thesis
Author - last name, initials. (Year). Title of thesis – italicised (Publication No. - if available) [Doctoral dissertation or master's thesis
APA 7th Edition Citation Examples: Dissertations and Theses
APA calls for the citation to include a unique identifying number for the dissertation, labeling it “Publication No.
Dissertations and Theses
Reference Page Format: Author, A. A. (Year of Publication). Title of dissertation [Unpublished master's thesis/doctoral dissertation]. Name of
APA Citations for a Thesis or Dissertation
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