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How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in MLA
Citing a thesis or dissertation.
Thesis – A document submitted to earn a degree at a university.
Dissertation – A document submitted to earn an advanced degree, such as a doctorate, at a university.
The formatting for thesis and dissertation citations is largely the same. However, you should be sure to include the type of degree after the publication year as supplemental information. For instance, state if the source you are citing is an undergraduate thesis or a PhD dissertation.
MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (print)
Last, First M. Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree.
MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (online)
Last, First M. Title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Year Published. Name of University, type of degree. Website Name , URL.
Wilson, Peggy Lynn. Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County . 2011. University of Maryland, PhD dissertation.
In-text Citation Structure
(Author Last Name page #)
In-text Citation Example
(Wilson 14)
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Mla 8th ed. style guide: dissertations, theses.
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Essential Elements
Citations for dissertations/master's theses should include the following:
1. Name of Author
2. Title of dissertation/thesis (italicized)
3. Date of Publication
5. Institution granting the degree (optional)
6. Description of the work (optional)
7. Database and URL if accessed through a database or repository
Sample Citation - Dissertations
Dissertations
The institution granting the degree and description of the work are optional. If you accessed the work online, include that information.
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Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting . 2010. Northwestern U,
MA thesis. ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.
Dissertation
PhD dissertation. ProQuest , search.proquest.com/docview/305212264?accountid=7432.
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Citation Help for MLA, 8th Edition: Master's Thesis or Project
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Panasuk, Noel. What Variables Appear to Work in Stress Management Programs in the Workplace and How Effective are These Programs? MS Thesis, The College of St. Scholastica, 2008.
Explanation
Author: Panasuk, Noel. Last name first, followed by first and middle names. End with a period.
Title & subtitle of the book: What Variables Appear to Work in Stress Managment Programs in the Workplace and How Effective are These Programs? The title and subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize all important and proper words. Place in Italics and end with a period or if it has a question mark in the title, that is sufficient. Status of Publishing: MA Thesis, Use the words MA Thesis followed by a comma. If it is a project, then use the words MA project. If it is a doctoral dissertation, use the word Dissertation. Name of Institution Where Degree was Granted: The College of St. Scholastica, The full name of the college or university followed by a comma. Year of Publication: 2008. List the year of publication, which appears on the title page or the title page verso (back side of title page). End citation with a period.
[Th e above information is based on Purdue OWL .]
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Relevance : Importance of the information to your topic
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Dissertation and Theses: Unpublished
Dissertation and theses: published, contact kelly.
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General, Electronic:
Last-name, First-name. “Title of Dissertation.” Diss. Place of Study, Year. Title of Database . Web. Date Month Year of Access.
Forrester, Pearl. “Psychological Distress and Repeated Television Viewing.” Diss. Miskatonic University, 1990. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses . Web. 13 May 2010.
General, Print:
Last-name, First-name. “Title of Dissertation.” Diss. Place of Study, Year. Print.
Forrester, Pearl. “Psychological Distress and Repeated Television Viewing.” Diss. Miskatonic University, 1990. Print.
General Rule:
Author's Last-name, First-name. Title of Disstertaion . Diss. Place of Study, Year. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Format.
Diamond, Oscar. How to Care for Your Diabetic Cat . Diss. West Virginia University, 1999. New York: Knopf, 2000. Print.
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How do I format a thesis or dissertation in MLA style?
Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .
The MLA Handbook does not provide guidelines for formatting a thesis or dissertation—or for preparing the parts of such a project, like a preface, dedication, or acknowledgments page—because most schools maintain their own formatting requirements. Although the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing , out of print since 2016, summarized some of these requirements, it did so only in a very general way.
Writers of theses and dissertations should follow any guidelines their schools provide. If a school does not provide such guidelines, a successfully defended dissertation in the writer’s department might provide an example to follow.
Citation guides
All you need to know about citations
How to cite a dissertation in MLA
To cite a dissertation in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements:
- Author(s) name: Give the last name and name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For three or more authors, list the first name followed by et al. (e. g. Watson, John, et al.)
- Thesis title: Titles are italicized when independent. If part of a larger source add quotation marks and do not italize.
- Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.
- University: Give the name of the institution.
- Degree: Type of degree.
Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a dissertation in MLA style 9th edition:
Author(s) name . Thesis title . Year of publication . University , Degree .
Take a look at our works cited examples that demonstrate the MLA style guidelines in action:
A doctoral dissertation with one author
Guo, Jia . Trust-based Service Management of Internet of Things Systems and Its Applications . 2018 . Virginia Tech , Doctoral dissertation .
Neel, Breta L . Three Flute Chamber Works by Alberto Ginastera: Intertwining Elements of Art and Folk Music . 2017 . Nebraska-Lincoln U , Doctoral dissertation .
This citation style guide is based on the MLA Handbook (9 th edition).
More useful guides
- MLA 8th ed. Style Guide: Dissertations, Theses
- MLA, 8th Edition: Master's Thesis or Project
- How do I cite a dissertation in MLA style?
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Consider your source's credibility. ask these questions:, contributor/author.
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MLA Citation Style, 9th Edition: Thesis or Dissertation
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Thesis or Dissertation - Examples
Example 1 – MA Thesis
In-Text:
( Gaudette 47 )
Works Cited:
Example 2 – PhD Dissertation
( Thomson 145-51 )
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Home General Guidelines In-Text Reference Works Cited Books One Author or Editor Multiple Authors or Editors Author and Editor Author and Translator Organization as Author Anonymous Work Chapter from an Edited Work Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterword Multivolume Work Edition Other than the First Dictionary or Encyclopedia E-Book Articles Journal Article Magazine Article Newspaper Article Book Review Websites Basic Webpage Blog Post Tweet Audiovisual Media Video Recording Sound Recording YouTube Video Other Sources Interview or Personal Communication Lecture or Presentation Thesis or Dissertation Scripture Indirect Source Government Document Plagiarism
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Dissertation (thesis): how to cite in MLA (8th ed.)?
Create a spot-on reference in mla 8 and 9, basic rules.
MLA Style allows referencing different types of works such as dissertations, master’s theses, etc. following the same template. The information required for creating such a reference includes the name of the author, work title, name of the university or other educational institution, year of publication, and type of work (PhD dissertation, master’s thesis, and so on).
In addition, for a dissertation or thesis accessed by means of a database, the title of the database should be given. For publications accessed online, the URL address and the date of access should be provided.
How to cite in a bibliography
Reference template:
Last Name , First Name Middle Name . Work Title . Year . University , work type . Database , URL . Accessed date of access .
Examples of references in works cited:
Baker, Rachael Dawn. The Use of Novel Cell-Penetrating Peptide Chimeras to Disrupt Cellular Function in Human Cancer Cell Lines and Observations upon Human DNA Mismatch Repair . 2007. University of Wolverhampton, PhD dissertation.
Sanghoon, Kim. Nonlinear Active Metamaterial Surfaces . 2017. University of California, PhD dissertation. eScholarship , escholarship.org/uc/item/4p6652hn . Accessed 11 Aug. 2020.
Peterson, Jessica M. Funny in a Man's World: Women Comedians' Use of Political Satire at the White House Correspondents' Dinner . 2017. University of South Dakota, master's thesis. Open PRAIRIE , www.openprairie.sdstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2174&context=etd . Accessed 10 June 2020.
Other citation styles:
- What is APA Style (7th ed.)?
- Examples of bibliographic references in APA (7th ed.)
- APA 7 vs APA 6: key differences
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- How to format the references page with APA (7th ed.)?
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- What is MLA Style (8th ed.)?
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- Examples of bibliographic references in Chicago Style – notes and bibliography (17th ed.)
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The formatting for thesis and dissertation citations is largely the same. However, you should be sure to include the type of degree after the publication year as supplemental information. For instance, state if the source you are citing is an undergraduate thesis or a PhD dissertation. MLA Thesis and Dissertation Citation Structure (print) ...
To cite a dissertation, include in the entry the author, title, and date of publication as core elements. As an optional element, list the institution granting the degree and a description of the work. Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting. 2010. Northwestern U, PhD dissertation.
To cite a master's thesis in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements: Author (s) name: Give the last name and name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by 'and' and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson).
This MLA Style Guide has basic examples for citations. For more complex examples, please see the MLA Handbook, 8th edition. ... Citations for dissertations/master's theses should include the following: 1. Name of Author . 2. Title of dissertation/thesis (italicized) 3. Date of Publication. 5. Institution granting the degree (optional) 6 ...
This guide will assist you in formatting in-text citations and a Works Cited list in the current MLA style. Skip to Main Content. Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez, Call Box 9000 Mayagüez, PR 00681 (787) 832-4040 ext. 3810, 2151, 2155 [email protected] ... Thesis. Njus, Jesse. Performing the Passion: A Study on the Nature of Medieval Acting ...
This guide follows the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook, published by the Modern Language Association in 2021. To cite sources in MLA style, you need. In-text citations that give the author's last name and a page number. A list of Works Cited that gives full details of every source. Make sure your paper also adheres to MLA ...
Status of Publishing: MA Thesis, Use the words MA Thesis followed by a comma. If it is a project, then use the words MA project. If it is a doctoral dissertation, use the word Dissertation. Name of Institution Where Degree was Granted: The College of St. Scholastica, The full name of the college or university followed by a comma. Year of ...
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
How to cite in MLA format. MLA is one of the most common citation styles used by students and academics. This quick guide explains how to cite sources according to the 9th edition (the most recent) of the MLA Handbook.You can also use Scribbr's free citation generator to automatically generate references and in-text citations.. An MLA citation has two components:
BibMe lets you easily and automatically create thesis citations and build your bibliography in Modern Language Association 9th edition. It's accurate and free!
General, Electronic: Last-name, First-name. "Title of Dissertation." Diss. Place of Study, Year. Title of Database.Web. Date Month Year of Access.
Thesis Paper AI Proofreader Essay Checker PhD dissertation APA editing Academic editing College admissions essay Personal statement English proofreading Spanish, French, or German. ... Improve your in-text citations and references for errors and inconsistencies using Scribbr's AI technology or human experts. Run a free check.
The MLA Handbook does not provide guidelines for formatting a thesis or dissertation—or for preparing the parts of such a project, like a preface, dedication, or acknowledgments page—because most schools maintain their own formatting requirements. Although the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, out of print since 2016, summarized some of these requirements, it …
To cite a dissertation in a reference entry in MLA style 9th edition include the following elements: Author (s) name: Give the last name and name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by 'and' and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson).
MLA Citation Generator >. Cite a Thesis. Citation Machine® helps students and professionals properly credit the information that they use. Cite sources in APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, and Harvard for free.
U of Lethbridge, MA thesis. Example 2 - PhD Dissertation. In-Text: ( Thomson 145-51) Works Cited: Thomson, David. Tracing the Networks of Postmodernity: Media and Technology in the Novels of Martin Amis and Don DeLillo. 2001. U of British Columbia, PhD dissertation. Last Updated: Mar 26, 2024 3:57 PM.
MLA (Modern Language Association) style is most commonly used to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities. This resource, updated to reflect the MLA Handbook (9th ed.), offers examples for the general format of MLA research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the Works Cited page.
Cite your MLA source. Start by applying these MLA format guidelines to your document: Times New Roman 12. 1″ page margins. Double line spacing. ½" indent for new paragraphs. Title case capitalization for headings. Alternatively, you can automatically apply the formatting with our MLA docx or Google Docs template.
Basic rules. MLA Style allows referencing different types of works such as dissertations, master's theses, etc. following the same template. The information required for creating such a reference includes the name of the author, work title, name of the university or other educational institution, year of publication, and type of work (PhD dissertation, master's thesis, and so on).
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Revised on March 5, 2024. An MLA in-text citation provides the author's last name and a page number in parentheses. If a source has two authors, name both. If a source has more than two authors, name only the first author, followed by " et al. ". If the part you're citing spans multiple pages, include the full page range.