how to cite bachelor thesis harvard

Think of yourself as a member of a jury, listening to a lawyer who is presenting an opening argument. You'll want to know very soon whether the lawyer believes the accused to be guilty or not guilty, and how the lawyer plans to convince you. Readers of academic essays are like jury members: before they have read too far, they want to know what the essay argues as well as how the writer plans to make the argument. After reading your thesis statement, the reader should think, "This essay is going to try to convince me of something. I'm not convinced yet, but I'm interested to see how I might be."

An effective thesis cannot be answered with a simple "yes" or "no." A thesis is not a topic; nor is it a fact; nor is it an opinion. "Reasons for the fall of communism" is a topic. "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" is a fact known by educated people. "The fall of communism is the best thing that ever happened in Europe" is an opinion. (Superlatives like "the best" almost always lead to trouble. It's impossible to weigh every "thing" that ever happened in Europe. And what about the fall of Hitler? Couldn't that be "the best thing"?)

A good thesis has two parts. It should tell what you plan to argue, and it should "telegraph" how you plan to argue—that is, what particular support for your claim is going where in your essay.

Steps in Constructing a Thesis

First, analyze your primary sources.  Look for tension, interest, ambiguity, controversy, and/or complication. Does the author contradict himself or herself? Is a point made and later reversed? What are the deeper implications of the author's argument? Figuring out the why to one or more of these questions, or to related questions, will put you on the path to developing a working thesis. (Without the why, you probably have only come up with an observation—that there are, for instance, many different metaphors in such-and-such a poem—which is not a thesis.)

Once you have a working thesis, write it down.  There is nothing as frustrating as hitting on a great idea for a thesis, then forgetting it when you lose concentration. And by writing down your thesis you will be forced to think of it clearly, logically, and concisely. You probably will not be able to write out a final-draft version of your thesis the first time you try, but you'll get yourself on the right track by writing down what you have.

Keep your thesis prominent in your introduction.  A good, standard place for your thesis statement is at the end of an introductory paragraph, especially in shorter (5-15 page) essays. Readers are used to finding theses there, so they automatically pay more attention when they read the last sentence of your introduction. Although this is not required in all academic essays, it is a good rule of thumb.

Anticipate the counterarguments.  Once you have a working thesis, you should think about what might be said against it. This will help you to refine your thesis, and it will also make you think of the arguments that you'll need to refute later on in your essay. (Every argument has a counterargument. If yours doesn't, then it's not an argument—it may be a fact, or an opinion, but it is not an argument.)

This statement is on its way to being a thesis. However, it is too easy to imagine possible counterarguments. For example, a political observer might believe that Dukakis lost because he suffered from a "soft-on-crime" image. If you complicate your thesis by anticipating the counterargument, you'll strengthen your argument, as shown in the sentence below.

Some Caveats and Some Examples

A thesis is never a question.  Readers of academic essays expect to have questions discussed, explored, or even answered. A question ("Why did communism collapse in Eastern Europe?") is not an argument, and without an argument, a thesis is dead in the water.

A thesis is never a list.  "For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe" does a good job of "telegraphing" the reader what to expect in the essay—a section about political reasons, a section about economic reasons, a section about social reasons, and a section about cultural reasons. However, political, economic, social and cultural reasons are pretty much the only possible reasons why communism could collapse. This sentence lacks tension and doesn't advance an argument. Everyone knows that politics, economics, and culture are important.

A thesis should never be vague, combative or confrontational.  An ineffective thesis would be, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because communism is evil." This is hard to argue (evil from whose perspective? what does evil mean?) and it is likely to mark you as moralistic and judgmental rather than rational and thorough. It also may spark a defensive reaction from readers sympathetic to communism. If readers strongly disagree with you right off the bat, they may stop reading.

An effective thesis has a definable, arguable claim.  "While cultural forces contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe, the disintegration of economies played the key role in driving its decline" is an effective thesis sentence that "telegraphs," so that the reader expects the essay to have a section about cultural forces and another about the disintegration of economies. This thesis makes a definite, arguable claim: that the disintegration of economies played a more important role than cultural forces in defeating communism in Eastern Europe. The reader would react to this statement by thinking, "Perhaps what the author says is true, but I am not convinced. I want to read further to see how the author argues this claim."

A thesis should be as clear and specific as possible.  Avoid overused, general terms and abstractions. For example, "Communism collapsed in Eastern Europe because of the ruling elite's inability to address the economic concerns of the people" is more powerful than "Communism collapsed due to societal discontent."

Copyright 1999, Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University

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Reference : Author, Initial. (Year of submission) Title of thesis . Degree statement. Degree-awarding body.         

Example : Allen, S. J. (2009) The social and moral fibre of Celtic Tiger Ireland . Unpublished PhD thesis. University College Dublin.

In-Text-Citation :

• Author Last name (Year)
• (Author Last name, Year)
• Allen (2009) disagrees with this…..
• As argued elsewhere (Allen, 2009)….

Still unsure what in-text citation and referencing mean? Check here . 

Still unsure why you need to reference all this information? Check here . 

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Dissertation (thesis): how to cite in Harvard style?

Create a spot-on reference in harvard, general rules.

According to the Harvard citation style, the same template is used for referencing a master's thesis and a doctoral dissertation in a list of bibliographic references:

Author , ( year ).  Title . Work type , University .

NB: Fill in the 'Work type' field the type of work and the academic grade, for instance, 'Ph.D. thesis'.

If the text of the work can be accessed online, use the following template for your reference:

Author , ( year ). Title . Work type , University . [Viewed date viewed ]. Available from: URL

NB: The text '[online]' is not given after the title of the work, in contrast to the references to a book , a journal article , etc.

Examples in a list of references

Middleton,   H.   J., (2020). *ABA syncretism patterns in pronominal morphology . Ph.D. thesis, University College London. [Viewed 12 January 2021]. Available from: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10105591/

Reed,   B.   H., (1992). The genetic analysis of endoreduplication in Drosophila melanogaster. Ph.D. thesis, University of Cambridge.

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Harvard Citation Style: Theses

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Citing Theses: Examples

• A table of examples in all formats for quick reference

Citing Theses

Theses can come in a number for formats, they can be published, unpublished, or retrieved from a database. The principles when citing a thesis are similar to those employed when citing a book.

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Introduction to referencing using Harvard

Welcome to the UCL guide to referencing with Harvard. This site contains guidance on how to reference a range of different types of source using (a form of) Harvard. Watch the video above for an overview of Harvard referencing, and some of the basic principles to follow when using Harvard.

Essentials for referencing with Harvard

Harvard referencing uses in-text citations, in an author-date format. This means that when citing a source in your work you will include:

• author(s) or editor(s) surname or family name.
• year of publication.
• page number(s) if needed.

For example:

There is a broadly accepted view of the secondary school Maths classroom as one in which the didactic method reigns: an expert/teacher communicates subject-specific information and a room of pupils ‘sit in rows passively absorbing knowledge’ (Wright, 2020, p. 735).  However this view is one that Wright challenges ...

The full reference to each source that you cite in your work should be included in a References section, at the end of the essay. This will list each source referenced, ordered alphabetically by author's surname. 

The information included will vary depending on the type of source, but will broadly include:

• Who has ‘made’ the item (the author, creator, compiler…)?
• What is it called?
• If part of a larger work, what is that called?
• Where was (is) it disseminated/published?
• Who is responsible for the dissemination/publishing?
• When was it disseminated/published?
• A direct quotation, or allusion, should always include the page number(s).

Common examples

An example of a reference for a book:

Ronson , J. (2012). The psychopath test: a journey through the madness industry. London: Picador.

An example of a reference for a journal article

Skelton, A. (2011). ‘Value conflicts in higher education teaching’, Teaching in Higher Education, 17(3), pp.257-268. doi : 10.1080/13562517.2011.611875.

A References list, that includes the three examples above, will look as follows:

References Ronson, J. (2012). The psychopath test: a journey through the madness industry . London: Picador. Skelton, A. (2011). ‘Value conflicts in higher education teaching’,  Teaching in Higher Education , 17(3), pp.257-268. doi: 10.1080/13562517.2011.611875. Wright, P. (2020). ‘Visible and socially-just pedagogy: implications for mathematics teacher education', Journal of Curriculum Studies , 52(6), pp.733-751. doi: 10.1080/00220272.2020.1790667.

Harvard Versions

This guide supports the UCL Library Services Harvard style, which has been developed for UCL staff and students. However, there are many variations of the Harvard style. Be sure to match the Harvard style that best suits the style recommended in your course handbook, and always ask your tutor which referencing style they want you to use in your academic work.

Referencing examples in this guide are based on the 9th Edition of Cite them right: the essential referencing guide by Pears and Shields (2013). Other examples in this guide have been adapted from online support produced by Sue Stevens and Alex Jubb at the University of Birmingham.

The content in this guide is available under a CC-BY-NC-SA License.

This guide will be reviewed and updated annually.

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Cite A Dissertation in Harvard style

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Use the following template or our Harvard Referencing Generator to cite a dissertation. For help with other source types, like books, PDFs, or websites, check out our other guides. To have your reference list or bibliography automatically made for you, try our free citation generator .

Reference list

Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

Popular Harvard Citation Guides

• How to cite a Book in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Online image or video in Harvard style

Other Harvard Citation Guides

• How to cite a Archive material in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Chapter of an edited book in Harvard style
• How to cite a Conference proceedings in Harvard style
• How to cite a Court case in Harvard style
• How to cite a Dictionary entry in Harvard style
• How to cite a Dissertation in Harvard style
• How to cite a E-book or PDF in Harvard style
• How to cite a Edited book in Harvard style
• How to cite a Email in Harvard style
• How to cite a Encyclopedia article in Harvard style
• How to cite a Government publication in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Magazine in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Newspaper in Harvard style
• How to cite a Patent in Harvard style
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• How to cite a Presentation or lecture in Harvard style
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Harvard Referencing (2002 version)

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Thesis - online

Thesis - print.

• Web site/Web document

The title is not italicised and is placed in single 'quotation marks'.

Author, AA Year of preparation of thesis, ‘Title of thesis', award (g.g PhD, Masters, etc), Institution issuing degree, Location of institution, viewed date, <URL>.

Adam, B 2016, 'Cosmic warfare: changing models of the universe and C.S. Lewis's defence of truth and meaning', PhD thesis, James Cook University, viewed 17 April 2017, <https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/52960/>.

In-text citation:

Adam (2016) suggests that  …

Author, AA Year of preparation of thesis, ‘Title of thesis', award (g.g PhD, Masters, etc), Institution issuing degree, Location of institution.

Ward, I 1998, 'Sedimentary history of the Pandora wreck and surrounds', M.A. thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.

Ward (1998) described the process …

… processing gold (Ward 1978)

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• How it works

How to Cite a Dissertation in Harvard Style

Published by Alaxendra Bets at August 27th, 2021 , Revised On September 25, 2023

What is a Dissertation?

In the UK, countries of Western Europe, as well as New Zealand and Australia, the term ‘ dissertation ’ is used instead of a ‘thesis.’ The majority of the remaining countries in the world prefer to use ‘thesis’ instead of ‘dissertation.’

Both represent the same thing, though: a full-length, academic piece of writing that students must submit after their undergraduate, post-graduate (Master), or PhD studies.

More specifically, a dissertation can refer to:

• Large-scale research as part of a degree.
• An article based on a small-scale study as part of a degree.
• A review of another study, research or an accumulation of both.
• Other full-length body texts are a requirement of the student’s degree program, no matter which level it is.

1.    Basic Format

In Harvard, the following in-text citation format is used for the dissertation:

(Author Surname, Year Published)

For example, ‘Occasionally the talent for drawing passes beyond mere picture-copying and shows the presence of a real artistic capacity of no mean order. (Darius, 2014)’

In Harvard, the following reference list entry format is used for the dissertation:

Author Surname, Author Initials. (Year Published). Title of the dissertation in italics. Level. Institution Name.

For example, reference list entry for the above source would be:

Darius, H. (2014). Running head: SAVANT SYNDROME – THEORIES AND EMPIRICAL FINDINGS . University of Skövde, University of Turku.

However, a slightly different format is also used in some institutions. According to that, in-text citations are done in the following way:

Author surname Year, p.#

For instance, Exelby (1997, p. 3) described the process … OR … processing gold (Exelby 1997, p. 3).

But in the case of reference list entries, these ‘other’ institutions recommend naming the dissertation title not in italics but in single quotation marks. The format would then be:

Author Surname, Initials Year of Publication, ‘Title of thesis in single quotation marks’, Award, Institution issuing degree, Location of the institution.

So, according to this format, the above example’s reference list entry would be:

Exelby, HRA 1997, ‘Aspects of Gold and Mineral Liberation’, PhD thesis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld.

Whichever format is followed largely depends on one’s institutional guidelines. The format specified by the university is the one that should be followed. Furthermore, it should be followed consistently throughout a manuscript.

2.    Citing a Dissertation Published Online

The format for both in-text and reference list entries is the same for online and print dissertations. For example:

• In-text citation: (Ram 2012) OR (Ram 2011, p. 130)
• Reference list entry: Ram, R 2012, ‘Development of the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Medium-sized Entities’, PhD thesis, The University of Sydney, viewed 23 May 2014, <http://hdl.handle.net/2123/8208>.

An important point to note: While referencing dissertations published online, the URL may or may not be enclosed within < > symbols. Whichever format is chosen, it should be used consistently throughout the text.

3.    Citing an Unpublished Dissertation

This type of dissertation also uses the same formatting for in-text and reference list entries in Harvard style. For example:

• In-text citation: (Sakunasingha 2006) OR (Sakunasingha 2006, p. 36)
• Reference list entry: Sakunasingha, B 2006, ‘An empirical study into factors influencing the use of value-based management tools’, DBA thesis, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do i cite my dissertation.

To cite your dissertation, follow your chosen citation style (e.g., APA, MLA). Generally, include author name, year, title, and source details. For APA: Author. (Year). Title. Source. For MLA: Author. “Title.” Degree, University, Year.

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Here is a definitive guide on how to Cite Documents, Regulations and Guidelines, and other Sources in Harvard Referencing Style.

To cite a speech in Harvard style, you must know the speaker name, date and speech title, and the URL of the speech.

Author Surname, Author Initial. Year Published. Title [online]. City: Publisher.

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The Harvard system is another name for the Author-Date referencing style and citation . A Harvard referencing thesis uses the Harvard referencing system to cite sources. Developed at Harvard University in the USA, this is probably Australia's most commonly used referencing system, especially in the sciences. If studying law, OSCOLA (Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities) is the most appropriate choice. 

In this article, I will share Harvard referencing thesis examples for your inspiration. 

Harvard Referencing thesis Examples;

• Example 1: Internet Censorship in the UAE: Freedom of the Internet
• Example 2: Development of Sustainable Homes Through Renewable Energy Sources
• Example 3: The Importance of Procurement Strategy & Impact on Construction Projects

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What is harvard referencing style, and why should you use it.

Harvard referencing style is a widely used system for citing sources in academic writing. This referencing style is typically used in the academic community and professional settings. It can help to ensure that research materials are properly cited and referenced throughout your work.

By using Harvard referencing, you demonstrate study breadth and respect for cited academics. It ensures proper source listing and formatting, portraying you as a reliable researcher following academic norms. Employing Harvard referencing in your thesis showcases your competence and gains reader appreciation.

How to Use Harvard Referencing Style in Thesis or Dissertation in 

Harvard referencing system is an Author-Date system. When citing a thesis in Harvard style, two elements are very important:

• The author’s last name and first initials 
• The year the thesis was published

This basic format can be used for both online and offline sources. While referencing an online thesis , you must include the URL or DOI (Digital Object Identifier). For an offline source, you will need to include the name of the institution where the thesis was published.

In-Text Citations in Harvard Referencing Thesis

Citing others' work is essential. It's called citing or quoting references. Consistency and precision help readers locate the information (e.g., Smith 2020 ). Include page numbers when quoting directly (e.g., Smith 2020, p. 23 ).

Reference List 

The reference list should be arranged alphabetically by the author's last name. If an author has written more than one thesis, they should be listed from oldest to newest. Thesis reference entry should include:

• Author’s last name and first initials 
• Year of publication (in brackets) 
• Title of thesis (in italics)
• Type of thesis [PhD, Masters]
• Name of institution where located [if offline source]  OR  URL/DOI [if online source]

Examples of How to Reference a Thesis in Harvard Style

Here is an example of reference list entry in Harvard Style: 

Smith, J. (2020). The impact of social media on society. PhD thesis, University of Miami. https://doi.org/10.1123/abc123456  

Smith, J. (2020). The impact of social media on society [PhD thesis]

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Tips for Avoiding Common Mistakes When Referencing a Thesis in Harvard Style

1. citing the author.

When referencing a thesis in Harvard style, citing the work's author is important. It can be done by including the author's last name and the year of publication in parentheses after the quote or paraphrase.

For example: (Smith, 2020).

2. Citing the Title

In addition to citing the author, it is also important to include the title of the work referenced. This can be done by including the title in quotation marks after the author's last name and publication year.

For example: (Smith, 2020, "Thesis Title").

3. Citing the Date of Publication

Including the publication date when referencing a thesis in Harvard style is also important. It can be done by including the year of publication in parentheses after the author's last name and title.

4. Citing the URL

When referencing a thesis that is available online, it is important to include the URL of the website where it can be found. It can be done by including the URL in parentheses after the author's last name, publication date, and title.

For example: (Smith, 2020, "Thesis Title," http://www.example.com).

5. Citing Page Numbers

When quoting or paraphrasing specific passages from a thesis, it is important to include page numbers in citations. This can be done by including the page number or range of pages in parentheses after the author's last name, date of publication, and title.

For example: (Smith, 2020, "Thesis Title," p. 12).

6. Creating a Reference List

In Harvard style, reference a thesis with a final reference list. Include all cited works, alphabetized by author's last name. Entries should provide author, publication date, title, and URL if relevant.

7. Formatting

When writing a paper in Harvard style, it is important to format it correctly. This includes using 12-point Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins on all sides of your paper.

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Mistakes to Avoid

As a student writing a Harvard Referencing thesis, you must be mindful of following mistakes that can ruin your research work.

1. Not Citing All Sources

A major student blunder is not citing all sources used. Remember to cite direct quotes, paraphrased, and summarized content to avoid plagiarism claims.

2. Incorrectly Citing Sources

Another error is wrong source citing, often due to format uncertainty or careless data entry. This causes confusion and potential plagiarism allegations .

3. Not Updating the Reference List

As students continue to work on their thesis, they will inevitably use new sources of information. It is important to add these new sources to the reference list as they are used; otherwise, the reference list will become outdated and inaccurate.

4. Using Unreliable Sources

Students should only use reliable sources of information. Unreliable sources include websites that are not reputable, personal blogs, and social media posts. Using unreliable sources could lead to incorrect or misleading information being included in the thesis.

5. Failing to Proofread the Reference List

Once the reference list has been completed, it is important to proofread it carefully to ensure that all information is accurate and correctly formatted. Any errors in the reference list could reflect poorly on the student’s attention to detail and organizational skills.

6. Including Too Much Detail in the Reference List

Students should only include relevant and necessary information when adding citations to the reference list. Including too much detail could make a list difficult to read and understand and lead to accusations of plagiarism.

Referencing a thesis in Harvard style is simple when you grasp key elements. In-text, cite author's last name, initials, publication year, and thesis title. For the reference list, alphabetize by author's last name. Include details like thesis type and institution name (if offline).

Check these examples to see how to use the Harvard referencing style professionally in your thesis writing .

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NWU Harvard Referencing Guide

• Introduction
• Text references
• Reference list
• Elements of a reference list entry
• Chapter in a collected work
• Electronic books (ebooks)
• Encyclopedias
• Dictionaries

Theses and dissertations

• Journal articles
• Internet and other electronic sources
• Conference publications
• Study guides
• Newspaper articles
• Acts and law reports
• Government publications
• Bible and other religious writings
• Classical works
• Personal correspondance
• Patents and standards
• Musical scores
• Audiovisual and other media
• Unpublished work
• Harvard PDF document

Other styles

• NWU Law Referencing Guide 
• APA Referencing Guide

Use recognised abbreviations for universities and degrees. According to the NWU manual for master’s and doctoral studies, the following terms are used:

For international theses and dissertations use the terms on the title page. Full stops are optional in the abbreviations for qualifications, eg: M.Sc. or MSc (Magister Scientiae), Ph.D. or PhD (Philosophiae Doctor).

Saah, P. 2017. Exploring Mintzberg’s managerial roles of academic leaders at a selected higher education institution in South Africa . Mafikeng: North-West University. (Mini-dissertation – MBA). Text reference: (Saah, 2017:103).

Doctoral theses and master’s dissertations are widely available on institutional repositories. Include the permanent link (“handle”) to the thesis / dissertation in the reference list.

Note: when giving a permanent link, a date of access is not necessary.

International theses / dissertations accessed from a commercial database e.g. ProQuest:

Carroll, A.R. 2018. Ecosystems, communities, and species: understanding mammalian response to ancient carbon cycle perturbations . Ann Arbor, MI: University of New Hampshire. (Dissertation – PhD). http://nwulib.nwu.ac.za/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.nwulib.nwu.ac.za/docview/2058145688? accountid=12865 Date of access: 13 Apr. 2019. Text reference: (Carroll, 2018:59).

• ~[123]~: May 15, 2024 12:49 PM
• ~[124]~: https://libguides.nwu.ac.za/harvard-referencing

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• Referencing
• Leeds Harvard referencing examples
• Thesis or dissertation

Leeds Harvard: Thesis or dissertation

Reference examples.

Family name, INITIAL(S). Year. Title . Type of qualification, academic institution.

Dang, V.A. 2007 . Three essays in financial economics . Ph.D. thesis, University of Leeds.

Citation examples

Author and date.

When the author name is not mentioned in the text, the citation consists of the author’s name and the year of publication in brackets.

It was emphasised that citations in the text should be consistent (Jones, 2017).

If you have already named the author in the text, only the publication year needs to be mentioned in brackets.

Jones (2017) emphasised that citations in the text should be consistent.

Three or more authors

If a source has three or more authors, the name of the first author should be given, followed by the phrase "et al."

It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent (Jones et al., 2017).

Jones et al. (2017) emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent.

Leeds Harvard does not use ibid to refer to previously cited items. If you are citing the same item twice in a row (i.e. you do not cite any other items in the text between the two citations) you must write the full citation again. As usual, if you are directly quoting or paraphrasing specific ideas, you should include a page number (if there is one). 

Jones et al. (2017, p.24) emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent and argued that referencing is a key part of academic integrity (2017, p.27). Furthermore, having a broad range of references in a text is an indicator of the breadth of a scholar's reading and research (Jones et al., 2017, p.14).

When to include page numbers

You should include page numbers in your citation if you quote directly from the text, paraphrase specific ideas or explanations, or use an image, diagram, table, etc. from a source.

"It was emphasised that citations in a text should be consistent" (Jones, 2017, p.24).

When referencing a single page, you should use p. For a range of pages, use pp.

p.7 or pp.20-29.

If the page numbers are in Roman numerals, do not include p. before them.

(Amis, 1958, iv)

Common issues

When you're referencing with Leeds Harvard you may come across issues with missing details, multiple authors, edited books, references to another author's work or online items, to name a few. Here are some tips on how to deal with some common issues when using Leeds Harvard.

Skip straight to the issue that affects you:

• Online items
• URL web addresses
• Multiple authors
• Corporate author(s) or organisation(s)
• Multiple publisher details
• Editions and reprints
• Missing details
• Multiple sources with different authors
• Sources written by the same author in the same year
• Sources with the same author in different years
• Two authors with the same surname in the same year
• The work of one author referred to by another
• Anonymising sources for confidentiality
• Identifying the authors’ family name (surname)

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APA

How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APA

In this citation guide, you will learn how to reference and cite an undergraduate thesis, master’s thesis, or doctoral dissertation. This guide will also review the differences between a thesis or dissertation that is published and one that has remained unpublished. The guidelines below come from the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2020a), pages 333 and 334. Please note that the association is not affiliated with this guide.

Alternatively, you can visit EasyBib.com for helpful citation tools to cite your thesis or dissertation .

Guide Overview

Citing an unpublished thesis or dissertation, citing a published dissertation or thesis from a database, citing a thesis or dissertation published online but not from a database, citing a thesis or dissertation: reference overview, what you need.

Since unpublished theses can usually only be sourced in print form from a university library, the correct citation structure includes the university name where the publisher element usually goes.

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case [Unpublished degree type thesis or dissertation]. Name of institution.

Ames, J. H., & Doughty, L. H. (1911). The proposed plans for the Iowa State College athletic field including the design of a reinforced concrete grandstand and wall [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Iowa State University.

In-text citation example:

• Parenthetical :  (Ames & Doughty, 1911)
• Narrative :  Ames & Doughty (1911)

If a thesis or dissertation has been published and is found on a database, then follow the structure below. It’s similar to the format for an unpublished dissertation/thesis, but with a few differences:

• The institution is presented in brackets after the title
• The archive or database name is included

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case (Publication or Document No.) [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Database name.

Examples 1:

Knight, K. A. (2011). Media epidemics: Viral structures in literature and new media (Accession No. 2013420395) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Trotman, J.B. (2018). New insights into the biochemistry and cell biology of RNA recapping (Document No. osu1523896565730483) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses & Dissertations Center.

In the example given above, the dissertation is presented with a Document Number (Document No.). Sometimes called a database number or publication number, this is the identifier that is used by the database’s indexing system. If the database you are using provides you with such a number, then include it directly after the work’s title in parentheses.

If you are interested in learning more about how to handle works that were accessed via academic research databases, see Section 9.3 of the Publication Manual.

In-text citation examples :

• Parenthetical citation : (Trotman, 2018)
• Narrative citation : Trotman (2018)

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year Published). Title in sentence case [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Name of archive or collection. URL

Kim, O. (2019). Soviet tableau: cinema and history under late socialism [Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh]. Institutional Repository at the University of Pittsburgh. https://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/37669/7/Olga%20Kim%20Final%20ETD.pdf

Stiles, T. W. (2001). Doing science: Teachers’ authentic experiences at the Lone Star Dinosaur Field Institute [Master’s thesis, Texas A&M University]. OAKTrust. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2001-THESIS-S745

It is important to note that not every thesis or dissertation published online will be associated with a specific archive or collection. If the work is published on a private website, provide only the URL as the source element.

In-text citation examples:

• Parenthetical citation : (Kim, 2019)
• Narrative citation : Kim (2019)
• Parenthetical citation : (Stiles, 2001)
• Narrative citation : Stiles (2001)

We hope that the information provided here will serve as an effective guide for your research. If you’re looking for even more citation info, visit EasyBib.com for a comprehensive collection of educational materials covering multiple source types.

If you’re citing a variety of different sources, consider taking the EasyBib citation generator for a spin. It can help you cite easily and offers citation forms for several different kinds of sources.

To start things off, let’s take a look at the different types of literature that are classified under Chapter 10.6 of the Publication Manual :

• Undergraduate thesis
• Master’s thesis
• Doctoral dissertation

You will need to know which type you are citing. You’ll also need to know if it is published or unpublished .

When you decide to cite a dissertation or thesis, you’ll need to look for the following information to use in your citation:

• Author’s last name, and first and middle initials
• Year published
• Title of thesis or dissertation
• If it is unpublished
• Publication or document number (if applicable; for published work)
• Degree type (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral)
• Thesis or dissertation
• Name of institution awarding degree
• DOI (https://doi.org/xxxxx) or URL (if applicable)

Since theses and dissertations are directly linked to educational degrees, it is necessary to list the name of the associated institution; i.e., the college, university, or school that is awarding the associated degree.

To get an idea of the proper form, take a look at the examples below. There are three outlined scenarios:

• Unpublished thesis or dissertation
• Published thesis or dissertation from a database
• Thesis or dissertation published online but not from a database

American Psychological Association. (2020a). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

American Psychological Association. (2020b). Style-Grammar-Guidelines. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/parenthetical-versus-narrative

Published August 10, 2012. Updated March 24, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Multiple Authors
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Parenthetical Citations
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all APA Examples

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To cite a published thesis in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the author, publication year, title of the thesis, institute name, archive name, and URL (uniform resource locator). The templates for an in-text citation and reference list entry of a thesis, along with examples, are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

Use the author surname and the publication year in the in-text citation.

Author Surname (Publication Year)

Cartmel (2007)

Parenthetical:

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

(Cartmel, 2007)

Reference list entry template and example:

The title of the thesis is set in sentence case and italicized. Enclose the thesis and the institute awarding the degree inside brackets following the publication year. Then add the name of the database followed by the URL.

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the thesis [Master’s thesis, Institute Name]. Name of the Database. URL

Cartmel, J. (2007). Outside school hours care and schools [Master’s thesis, Queensland University of Technology]. EPrints. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/17810/1/Jennifer_Cartmel_Thesis.pdf

To cite an unpublished dissertation in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the author, year, title of the dissertation, and institute name. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of an online thesis, along with examples, are given below:

Author Surname (Year)

Averill (2009)

(Author Surname, Year)

(Averill, 2009)

The title of the dissertation is set in sentence case and italicized. Enclose “Unpublished doctoral dissertation” inside brackets following the year. Then add the name of the institution awarding the degree.

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the dissertation [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Name of the Institute.

Averill, R. (2009). Teacher–student relationships in diverse New Zealand year 10 mathematics classrooms: Teacher care [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Victoria University of Wellington.

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How to cite an online thesis in Harvard

To cite an online thesis in a reference entry in Harvard style include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the online thesis: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J.) of up to three authors with the last name preceded by 'and'. For four authors or more include the first name followed by et al., unless your institution requires referencing of all named authors.
• Year of submission: Give the year in round brackets.
• Title of the online thesis: Give the title as presented in the source. Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Degree description: Type of degree.
• Degree-awarding institution: Give the name of the institution.
• URL: Give the full URL of the web page including the protocol (http:// or https://).
• Date of access: Give the day month and year.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of an online thesis in Harvard style:

Author(s) of the online thesis . ( Year of submission ) Title of the online thesis . Degree description . Degree-awarding institution . Available at: URL (Accessed: Date of access ).

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the Harvard style guidelines in action:

A master's thesis found in an online platform

Bauger, L . ( 2011 ) Personality, Passion, Self-esteem and Psychological Well-being among Junior Elite Athletes in Norway . Master's Thesis . University of Tromsø . Available at: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/29a9/ef96c34e577211246b83b11813a2585033c5.pdf (Accessed: 5 July 2018 ).

A PhD thesis found in an online platform

Confait, M. F . ( 2018 ) Maximising the contributions of PHD graduates to national development: the case of the Seychelles . PhD thesis . Edith Cowan University . Available at: Retrieved from https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2060"> (Accessed: 5 June 2019 ).

This citation style guide is based on the Cite Them Right (10 th edition) Harvard referencing guide.

More useful guides

• Harvard Referencing: Theses
• Referencing with Harvard: Thesis or dissertation
• Citing and referencing: Theses/Dissertations

More great BibGuru guides

• MLA: how to cite an online newspaper article
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• Chicago: how to cite a book

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How to search for Harvard dissertations

• DASH , Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard, is the university's central, open-access repository for the scholarly output of faculty and the broader research community at Harvard.  Most Ph.D. dissertations submitted from  March 2012 forward  are available online in DASH.
• Check HOLLIS, the Library Catalog, and refine your results by using the   Advanced Search   and limiting Resource  Type   to Dissertations
• Search the database  ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global Don't hesitate to  Ask a Librarian  for assistance.

How to search for Non-Harvard dissertations

Library Database:

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global

Free Resources:

• Many  universities  provide full-text access to their dissertations via a digital repository.  If you know the title of a particular dissertation or thesis, try doing a Google search.  

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🤔 What is Cite Them Right Harvard Referencing?

Cite Them Right is a version of Harvard referencing , created by Richard Pears and Graham Shields, and published by Macmillan Study Skills. There are many subtly different ways to do Harvard referencing, and the Cite Them Right way is one of the most commonly-used. For other ways to do Harvard referencing, including ways that are specific to different universities, see our list of Harvard referencing versions .

🍏 How is the Cite Them Right style different to other Harvard styles?

The main differentiator of the Cite Them Right style is the use of parenthesis (also known as round brackets) -- they are used to surround both the publish date, and the access date. Aside from that, the style follows similar rules to most other Harvard styles.

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's Cite Them Right Harvard Referencing Generator?

Our generator can create perfect Cite Them Right Harvard references and in-text citations. Here's how:

• Enter the URL, book title, or article title into the search bar at the top of the page and press the search button.
• Choose the most relevant result from the list of search results.
• Our generator will automatically locate the source details and format them in the Cite Them Right Harvard format. You can make further changes if required.
• Then either copy the formatted reference directly into your reference list by clicking the 'copy' button, or save it to your MyBib account for later.

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

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Citation Styles Guide | Examples for All Major Styles

Published on June 24, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on November 7, 2022.

A citation style is a set of guidelines on how to cite sources in your academic writing . You always need a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize a source to avoid plagiarism . How you present these citations depends on the style you follow. Scribbr’s citation generator can help!

Different styles are set by different universities, academic associations, and publishers, often published in an official handbook with in-depth instructions and examples.

There are many different citation styles, but they typically use one of three basic approaches: parenthetical citations , numerical citations, or note citations.

Parenthetical citations

• Chicago (Turabian) author-date

CSE name-year

Numerical citations

CSE citation-name or citation-sequence

Note citations

• Chicago (Turabian) notes and bibliography

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Table of contents

Types of citation: parenthetical, note, numerical, which citation style should i use, parenthetical citation styles, numerical citation styles, note citation styles, frequently asked questions about citation styles.

The clearest identifying characteristic of any citation style is how the citations in the text are presented. There are three main approaches:

• Parenthetical citations: You include identifying details of the source in parentheses in the text—usually the author’s last name and the publication date, plus a page number if relevant ( author-date ). Sometimes the publication date is omitted ( author-page ).
• Numerical citations: You include a number in brackets or in superscript, which corresponds to an entry in your numbered reference list.
• Note citations: You include a full citation in a footnote or endnote, which is indicated in the text with a superscript number or symbol.

Citation styles also differ in terms of how you format the reference list or bibliography entries themselves (e.g., capitalization, order of information, use of italics). And many style guides also provide guidance on more general issues like text formatting, punctuation, and numbers.

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In most cases, your university, department, or instructor will tell you which citation style you need to follow in your writing. If you’re not sure, it’s best to consult your institution’s guidelines or ask someone. If you’re submitting to a journal, they will usually require a specific style.

Sometimes, the choice of citation style may be left up to you. In those cases, you can base your decision on which citation styles are commonly used in your field. Try reading other articles from your discipline to see how they cite their sources, or consult the table below.

The American Anthropological Association (AAA) recommends citing your sources using Chicago author-date style . AAA style doesn’t have its own separate rules. This style is used in the field of anthropology.

APA Style is defined by the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . It was designed for use in psychology, but today it’s widely used across various disciplines, especially in the social sciences.

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The citation style of the American Political Science Association (APSA) is used mainly in the field of political science.

The citation style of the American Sociological Association (ASA) is used primarily in the discipline of sociology.

Chicago author-date

Chicago author-date style is one of the two citation styles presented in the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition). It’s used mainly in the sciences and social sciences.

The citation style of the Council of Science Editors (CSE) is used in various scientific disciplines. It includes multiple options for citing your sources, including the name-year system.

Harvard style is often used in the field of economics. It is also very widely used across disciplines in UK universities. There are various versions of Harvard style defined by different universities—it’s not a style with one definitive style guide.

Check out Scribbr’s Harvard Reference Generator

MLA style is the official style of the Modern Language Association, defined in the MLA Handbook (9th edition). It’s widely used across various humanities disciplines. Unlike most parenthetical citation styles, it’s author-page rather than author-date.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) provides guidelines for a citation style using numbers in superscript or italics in the text, corresponding to entries in a numbered reference list at the end. It is used in chemistry.

The American Medical Association ( AMA ) provides guidelines for a numerical citation style using superscript numbers in the text, which correspond to entries in a numbered reference list. It is used in the field of medicine.

CSE style includes multiple options for citing your sources, including the citation-name and citation-sequence systems. Your references are listed alphabetically in the citation-name system; in the citation-sequence system, they appear in the order in which you cited them.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers ( IEEE ) provides guidelines for citing your sources with IEEE in-text citations that consist of numbers enclosed in brackets, corresponding to entries in a numbered reference list. This style is used in various engineering and IT disciplines.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) citation style is defined in Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (2nd edition).

Vancouver style is also used in various medical disciplines. As with Harvard style, a lot of institutions and publications have their own versions of Vancouver—it doesn’t have one fixed style guide.

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The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation is the main style guide for legal citations in the US. It’s widely used in law, and also when legal materials need to be cited in other disciplines.

Chicago notes and bibliography

Chicago notes and bibliography is one of the two citation styles presented in the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition). It’s used mainly in the humanities.

The Oxford University Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities ( OSCOLA ) is the main legal citation style in the UK (similar to Bluebook for the US).

There are many different citation styles used across different academic disciplines, but they fall into three basic approaches to citation:

• Parenthetical citations : Including identifying details of the source in parentheses —usually the author’s last name and the publication date, plus a page number if available ( author-date ). The publication date is occasionally omitted ( author-page ).
• Numerical citations: Including a number in brackets or superscript, corresponding to an entry in your numbered reference list.
• Note citations: Including a full citation in a footnote or endnote , which is indicated in the text with a superscript number or symbol.

Check if your university or course guidelines specify which citation style to use. If the choice is left up to you, consider which style is most commonly used in your field.

• APA Style is the most popular citation style, widely used in the social and behavioral sciences.
• MLA style is the second most popular, used mainly in the humanities.
• Chicago notes and bibliography style is also popular in the humanities, especially history.
• Chicago author-date style tends to be used in the sciences.

Other more specialized styles exist for certain fields, such as Bluebook and OSCOLA for law.

The most important thing is to choose one style and use it consistently throughout your text.

A scientific citation style is a system of source citation that is used in scientific disciplines. Some commonly used scientific citation styles are:

• Chicago author-date , CSE , and Harvard , used across various sciences
• ACS , used in chemistry
• AMA , NLM , and Vancouver , used in medicine and related disciplines
• AAA , APA , and ASA , commonly used in the social sciences

APA format is widely used by professionals, researchers, and students in the social and behavioral sciences, including fields like education, psychology, and business.

Be sure to check the guidelines of your university or the journal you want to be published in to double-check which style you should be using.

MLA Style  is the second most used citation style (after APA ). It is mainly used by students and researchers in humanities fields such as literature, languages, and philosophy.

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Caulfield, J. (2022, November 07). Citation Styles Guide | Examples for All Major Styles. Scribbr. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/citation-styles/

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How well do distributed representations convey contextual lexical semantics: a Thesis Proposal

Modern neural networks (NNs), trained on extensive raw sentence data, construct distributed representations by compressing individual words into dense, continuous, high-dimensional vectors. These representations are specifically designed to capture the varied meanings, including ambiguity, of word occurrences within context. In this thesis, our objective is to examine the efficacy of distributed representations from NNs in encoding lexical meaning. Initially, we identify four sources of ambiguity - homonymy, polysemy, semantic roles, and multifunctionality - based on the relatedness and similarity of meanings influenced by context. Subsequently, we aim to evaluate these sources by collecting or constructing multilingual datasets, leveraging various language models, and employing linguistic analysis tools.

• Computer Science - Computation and Language