How to Cite a Dissertation in APA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 09/09/2025
• Updated on09/13/2025

For a published dissertation, the reference entry should contain a number of unique features:

• Author – Provide the author’s last name and initial(s). If the author is an organization, provide the full organizational name.
• Year of Publication – Place the year in parentheses.
• Title – Provide the dissertation or thesis title in italics, sentence case (capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle, and proper nouns only).
• Publication Number – If a database provides a publication number, put it in parentheses right after the title. Do not italicize the number.
• Description and Institution – Specify whether it is a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation, then add a comma followed by the institution granting it. Place this in square brackets.
• Source – Indicate the database, repository, or archive from which the dissertation can be retrieved. Where a stable URL can be made available to users, include it at the conclusion of the citation. Where not, end the reference with the name of the database.

Examples of Published Dissertations

Unpublished Dissertations

Not every dissertation is published. Some exist in print or electronic form only within the library system of a university and have not otherwise been made available in databases or repositories. Such works therefore constitute as unpublished.

When citing an unpublished dissertation, the entry in the reference should include:

• Author – Surname and initials or organization details.
• Year of Completion – In brackets.
• Title – In italics, sentence case.
• Description and Institution – Place the phrase “[Unpublished doctoral dissertation]” or “[Unpublished master’s thesis]” in square brackets after the institution granting it.
• Source – Since the work is unpublished, only the institution name is required.

Example of an Unpublished Dissertation

Check Accessibility – Before quoting, verify if the dissertation is published or unpublished. This will decide whether to include a database name, repository, or only the institution. Use Publication Numbers When Available – If a number is provided by the database, always include it in parentheses immediately after the title. Use Proper Bracketed Descriptions – Properly mark the work as a doctoral dissertation, master’s thesis, or undergraduate thesis, with “Unpublished” when required. Check URLs – Employ only URLs that can be resolved by readers without login authentication. If the article is paywalled or otherwise closed, end the citation with the database name. Titles in Title Case – Cap the first word of the title, the first word following a colon or dash, and proper nouns. Do not use title case (where most words are capitalized).