How to Cite a Dissertation for Your Higher Studies
8 min read
Published on: Nov 27, 2021
Last updated on: Jan 3, 2023
8 min read
Published on: Nov 27, 2021
Last updated on: Jan 3, 2023
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If you want to get a degree, you need to write a dissertation. Therefore, a dissertation is an essential requirement for graduate and undergraduate programs. It's also called a thesis at some schools.
The main purpose of a dissertation is to show the professors that you know how to do research. They grade your paper with different grades depending on how well you did. If you're stuck, try writing it in MLA or APA format.
Citations are the backbone of research papers. The same is true for dissertations, but it can be difficult to know where and how to cite them.
If you also think that it is a difficult task - Dont worry! CollegeEssay.org is here to help.
This blog post will give you advice on what to do when writing your dissertation so that you don't have any problems with citations down the line.
You must know the citation style formats for different sources when you are citing in your dissertation. If a professor doesn't assign one specific format, be aware that there's another set called "citation referencing," which can include:
Your professor should set the format of a reference list. If you don't know, try to find out which style is best. You can find this information on the internet or in the library at school. It's important to choose a style and stick with it to avoid confusing yourself and get in trouble later on.
The most commonly used citation styles are as follows:
Choose a citation style depending on what you are studying. All the information is the same in all citation styles. However, the way it is written depends on which style you use.
APA style is the most popular citation style. It is usually used by students when citing sources in their dissertation. APA offers a different format for both types of dissertation, considering that they are published and unpublished.
Let’s explore all the formats related to the APA dissertation with examples:
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If you find a published thesis or dissertation on a database, follow the structure below. You can use it for an unpublished thesis or dissertation too, but with some changes such as:
Format
Author’s Last, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case (Publication or Document No.) [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Database name.
Example
MCNiel, D.S. (2004). A personal narrative discussing growing up with an alcoholic father (Publication No, 14596887) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database.
Intext- Citation
(MCNiel, 2004)
Unpublished theses can usually only be found in a university library. The correct citation structure for an unpublished thesis includes the name of the university where it was published.
Format
Author’s Last, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case [Unpublished Degree type thesis or dissertation]. Name of institution.
Example
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.
Intext Citation
(Ames & Doughty, 1911)
In the APA format, a citation for an unpublished thesis or dissertation is going to be different. They don't have a publisher and their number. The basic format of an unpublished dissertation or thesis is:
Format
Author’s Last, F. M. (Year Published). Title in sentence case [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Name of archive or collection. URL
Example
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
Intext Citation
(Stiles, 2001)
MLA is another citation style that is used to cite sources about arts, cultural studies, and humanities. Before you use MLA to cite your sources, you need to know how it works.
Let’s explore all the formats related to the MLA dissertation with examples:
Format
Last name, First Name. Title. Diss. Name of University, Year Published. Web. Date accessed.
Example
Daniel, Marcus Alexander. Challenges of Software Reuse MA thesis. University of California, 2010. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Web. 21 June 2005.
Intext Citation
(Daniel)
Format
Author's Last-name, First-name. Title of Dissertation. Diss. Place of Study, Year. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Format.
Example
Smith, Alexa. How to reuse the software components. Diss. West Virginia University, 2010. New York. 2012. Print.
Intext Citation
(Smith)
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Format
Last-name, First-name. “Title of Dissertation.” Diss. Place of Study, Year. Title of Database. Web. Date Month Year of Access.
Example
Joseph, Harry. “How to take care of diabetic patients.” Diss. Miskatonic University, 2009. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Web. 13 May 2020.
Intext Citation
(Joseph)
A Harvard citation is a style of referencing that follows the author and date format. A citation is added after the paraphrased text and it contains the surname of the author, followed by their date of publication.
The whole reference is added to the references list at the end. Let’s explore all the formats related to the Harward dissertation with examples:
Format
Author of thesis - family name and initials Year of preparation of the thesis, 'Title of thesis in single quotation marks,’ Award, Institution issuing degree, Location of the institution.
Example
Harry, L 2017, ‘Managing the international weather update,’ Ph.D. thesis, Monash University, Melbourne.
Intext Citation
(Harry, 2017)
Format
Author of thesis - family name and initials Year of preparation of the thesis, Title of thesis, Institution issuing degree.
Example
William, CW 2018, Using a model of emotional self-efficacy in predicting work outcomes, Alliant International University, San Diego.
Intext Citation
(William, 2018)
Format
Author of thesis - family name and initials Year of preparation of the thesis, Title of thesis, Award, Institution issuing degree, Location of the institution, Database name
Example
Henry, S 2018, Developing of new technologies, Ph.D. thesis, University of California, California, Dissertation Database.)
Intext Citation
(Henry, 2018)
Chicago's citation style is different from APA and MLA, but it is not a difficult format. Some students mix up Chicago and Turabian citation styles because they are the same. They only have a difference in their number systems for notes.
Let’s explore all the formats related to the Chicago dissertation with examples:
Format
Last, First M. "Thesis/Dissertation Title." PhD diss., [OR] Master's thesis, Academic institution, Year.
Example
Alex Brown, “Advantages and disadvantages of reusing software” Ph.D. diss., University of Chicago, 1995.
Format
First name Last name, “Title” master’s thesis or PhD diss. University, Year published, URL
Example
Smith, Choi, “Pros and cons of genetically modified foods” Ph.D. thesis. The University of Calabria, 2016, http://search.proquest.com/docview/897482642?accountid=55263
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Format
Last, F.M. (Date published). First name Last name, “Title” master’s thesis or Ph.D. diss., University, Year published, Database (Identification Number).
Example
Alex Kerry, “The multimedia and newspaper importance” Ph.D. diss., University of California, 2015, ProQuest (5697168125).
The key to citing an academic or professional paper is understanding the citation style. There are many different styles, so it’s important that you know which one to use.
Have you written a dissertation and need help formatting it in the right style? Hire a college essay writer to make sure your work is ready for submission.
Our team of professional writers knows how to cite dissertations according to APA, MLA, Harvard, or Chicago styles so that no matter what type of school you attend. We can format your paper accordingly. We’ve done all the hard work for you!
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WRITTEN BY
Nova A. (Literature, Marketing)
As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.
As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.
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