How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APSA Style Manual

This guide explains how to format a thesis or dissertation citation in APSA Style Manual. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a thesis or dissertation in APSA Style Manual:

Template

Author, First Name. Year. "Title of Thesis." Type of thesis, University Name.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(Kim 2022)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Kim, David. 2022. "Executive Power and Congressional Oversight in the Post-9/11 Era." PhD diss., Georgetown University.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the author
Last name, First name.
2
Add the year
Write the year followed by a period.
3
Write the thesis title
Place in double quotation marks. Use headline-style capitalization.
4
Specify the thesis type and university
Write "PhD diss." or "MA thesis" followed by a comma and the university name. End with a period.
5
Add URL if accessed online
If accessed through a repository, add the URL and access date.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not placing the thesis title in quotation marks.
Using "Doctoral Dissertation" instead of the APSA-standard "PhD diss." or "MA thesis."
Omitting the university name.
Using initials instead of full first names.
Forgetting the period after "diss" in "PhD diss."

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I italicize thesis titles in APSA?

No. Thesis and dissertation titles are placed in double quotation marks, not italicized.

What abbreviation do I use for the thesis type?

Use "PhD diss." for doctoral dissertations and "MA thesis" for master's theses. These follow Chicago Author-Date conventions.

Do I include the database or repository name?

If accessed through a repository like ProQuest, you may include the database name and URL after the university name.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your thesis or dissertation:

Author
Year
Title
Type (doctoral dissertation or master's thesis)
University name
Database or repository (if applicable)
URL (if available online)

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Step-by-Step Guide

List the author

Last name, First name.

Add the year

Write the year followed by a period.

Write the thesis title

Place in double quotation marks. Use headline-style capitalization.

Specify the thesis type and university

Write "PhD diss." or "MA thesis" followed by a comma and the university name. End with a period.

Add URL if accessed online

If accessed through a repository, add the URL and access date.