How To Cite a PhD Thesis in APA Style

To cite a PhD thesis in APA style, you'll generally follow the format for citing a book, as a thesis is typically published as a standalone work. Here's the basic format:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of thesis/dissertation (Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis). Name of Institution, Location.

Here's a breakdown of the components:

Author:

• Last name, followed by a comma and initials of the author's first and middle names (if available).

Year:

• The year the thesis was completed or published.

Title of Thesis/Dissertation:

• Italicize the title and capitalize only the first word of the title, the first word of any subtitles, and any proper nouns.

Publication Type:

• Specify whether it is a Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis in parentheses after the title.

Name of Institution:

• The name of the university or institution where the thesis was completed.

Location:

• The city and state (if in the United States) or the city and country (if outside the United States) where the institution is located.

Here is an example:

Smith, J. A. (2005). The impact of climate change on agricultural practices (Doctoral dissertation). University of California, Berkeley, CA.

Please note that the above example is a general guideline. Ensure that you check the specific requirements of your institution or the publisher you are submitting to, as they may have additional guidelines or variations.

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Check our previous article: How To Cite a Masters Thesis