How to Cite a Dissertation or Thesis

Dissertations and theses are valuable scholarly sources, representing years of focused research. Whether published through ProQuest, available in an institutional repository, or unpublished, here's how to cite them correctly.

Published vs. Unpublished

The key distinction for dissertation citations:

Published dissertations are accessible through databases like ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, institutional repositories with stable URLs, or in rare cases, commercial publishers.

Unpublished dissertations exist only in the university library or haven't been submitted to accessible databases.

The format changes based on publication status.

Quick Reference by Major Style

APA (7th Edition):

Published in database:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation (Publication No. xxx) [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Database Name.

Example:

Chen, S. M. (2023). Neural network approaches to natural language processing (Publication No. 30123456) [Doctoral dissertation, Stanford University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global.

From institutional repository:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Repository Name. URL

Unpublished:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of dissertation [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University Name.

MLA (9th Edition):

Author. Title of Dissertation. Year. University Name, PhD dissertation. Database or URL.

Example:

Chen, Sarah M. Neural Network Approaches to Natural Language Processing. 2023. Stanford University, PhD dissertation. ProQuest.

Chicago (Notes-Bibliography):

Note:

Sarah M. Chen, "Neural Network Approaches to Natural Language Processing" (PhD diss., Stanford University, 2023), 45.

Bibliography:

Chen, Sarah M. "Neural Network Approaches to Natural Language Processing." PhD diss., Stanford University, 2023. ProQuest.

Master's Theses

Same format, different label:

Author. (Year). Title [Master's thesis, University Name].

Use "master's thesis" instead of "doctoral dissertation." Some disciplines distinguish MA, MS, MFA—use the specific degree if known.

Finding Publication Numbers

ProQuest assigns publication numbers. Find them on the database record, the title page of the PDF, or in the URL (often embedded).

Not all dissertations have publication numbers—only include if available.

Institutional Repositories

Many universities make dissertations freely available:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. Repository Name. https://repository.university.edu/...

Use the stable URL or handle, not a search results link.

Citing a Dissertation You Read in Print

If you accessed a physical copy at a library:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title [Doctoral dissertation, University Name]. University Library.

Or simply note it's unpublished if you accessed the library's copy of an undigitized dissertation.

Foreign Dissertations

Include the original language title and translation if relevant:

Müller, K. (2022). Titel auf Deutsch [German title in English] [Doctoral dissertation, University of Munich].

Or if you read a translated version, note that.

What If It's Not Yet Complete?

Citing a dissertation in progress is unusual. If necessary:

Author, A. A. (anticipated Year). Working title [Doctoral dissertation in progress]. University Name.

Only cite with the author's permission—they may not want unfinished work cited.

Dissertations vs. Published Books

Some dissertations are later published as books. If both exist, cite the version you used:

If you read the dissertation, cite the dissertation.
If you read the published book, cite the book.
If they're substantially different, you might reference both.

Citing Specific Chapters

Dissertations are often chapter-structured. Reference specific chapters:

In-text: (Chen, 2023, Chapter 3) or (Chen, 2023, pp. 78-112)

For long dissertations, chapter references help readers find your cited material.

Dissertation Abstracts

Don't cite only the abstract—read the full dissertation. Dissertation abstracts are summaries; citing them instead of the full work is like citing only an article's abstract.

If you genuinely can't access the full dissertation, note this limitation.

The exact formatting for dissertation citations depends on your required citation style. Check the specific guide for your discipline below.

Wonders indexes dissertations among its sources and exports them with the right document type.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a thesis and dissertation?

Terminology varies by country. In the U.S., “dissertation” typically refers to doctoral work, “thesis” to master's. In the UK and elsewhere, these terms may be reversed or used interchangeably. Use the term that matches the degree.

Should I cite the dissertation or the journal articles from it?

If the author published articles from their dissertation research, cite the published articles—they're peer-reviewed and more accessible. Cite the dissertation for material not in the articles.

What if I can't find the dissertation online?

Check ProQuest, the university's institutional repository, and contact the university library. Some older dissertations aren't digitized. If truly inaccessible, cite as unpublished and consider whether you can find alternative sources.

Can I cite a dissertation that's embargoed?

If it's embargoed (restricted access for a period), readers can't verify your citation yet. Note the embargo status, and consider whether alternative sources exist.

How do I cite my own dissertation?

Same format as anyone else's. Use your name, not “my dissertation” or “the author's dissertation.” See our self-citation guide for details. (See our guide on How to Cite Yourself)