Thesis/Dissertation - APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources

Skip to Main Content

1. USC Libraries
2. Research Guides
3. *APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources
4. Thesis/Dissertation

Search this Guide Search *APA Style 7th Edition: Citing Your Sources Provide guidance on APA format style based on the 7th edition of the APA Publication Manual.

• Basics of APA Formatting
• In Text Citations Toggle Dropdown
  • In Text Quick View
  • Block Quotes
• References
  • Books & eBooks
  • Articles
  • Thesis/Dissertation
  • Standard Format
  • Formatting Rules
  • Examples
  • Websites
  • Audiovisual
  • Conference Presentations
  • Social Media
  • Legal References
  • Data Sets
  • Reports and Gray Literature
  • Generative AI
• Paper Elements & Formatting Toggle Dropdown
  • Headings
• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
• Tutorials
• Additional Resources
• Reference Page

Standard Format

Click on the categories below to see what types of information is included for that reference component for Dissertations and Theses

Basic Format: Who = Author (When = year). What = Title. Where = Name of Institution Awarding Degree

Unpublished Dissertations and Theses

Who

Author Surname, A. A.

When

(year).

What

Title of dissertation/thesis: Use sentence case [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master’s thesis].

Where

Name of Institution Awarding the Degree

Published Dissertations and Theses

Who

Author Surname, A. A.

When

(year).

What

Title of dissertation: Use sentence case [Doctoral dissertation, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree].

Where

Provide Database or Archive name and URL (if available)

Database Name. https://xxxx...

Archive Name.

Formatting Rules

Formatting:

• Italicize the title
• Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title

Examples

Click on categories below to see examples.

Thesis, from a commercial database

Lope, M. D. (2014). Perceptions of global mindedness in the international baccalaureate middle years programme: The relationship to student academic performance and teacher characteristics (Order No. 3682837) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Dissertation, from an institutional database

Andrea, H. (2014). Effective networked nonprofit organizations: Defining the behavior and creating an instrument for measurement (Doctoral dissertation). https://etd.ohiolink.edu/

Unpublished master’s thesis

Curry, J. (2016). A guide to educating single mothers about early gang intervention and prevention (Unpublished master’s thesis). Pacific Oaks College.

• << Previous: Articles
• Next: Websites >>

• Last Updated: Dec 2, 2025 4:21 PM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/APA7th
• Print Page

Login to LibApps Subjects: Applied Psychology, Citation, General Reference & Research Help, Gerontology, Health Sciences, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Social Work