How To Cite a Thesis Paper APA Style

To cite a thesis paper in APA style, you generally follow the format for citing unpublished works. Here's a basic guide:

Author, A. A. (Year). Title of thesis/dissertation (Unpublished doctoral dissertation or Unpublished master's thesis). Name of Institution, Location.

Let's break down the components:

1. Author: Include the author's last name followed by their initials. If there is more than one author, separate each author's initials with a comma and use an ampersand (&) before the last author's name.

2. Year: Put the year of publication in parentheses, followed by a period.

3. Title of thesis/dissertation: Use sentence case (only the first word and proper nouns capitalized), and end with a period. If the thesis or dissertation title is italicized in the reference list, it should also be italicized in the in-text citation.

4. Publication status: Specify whether it is an unpublished doctoral dissertation or an unpublished master's thesis in parentheses. Use the appropriate term (either "Unpublished doctoral dissertation" or "Unpublished master's thesis"). Place a period outside the closing parenthesis.

5. Name of Institution: Include the name of the institution where the thesis or dissertation was defended.

6. Location: Specify the location (city and state) of the institution.

Here is an example:

Smith, J. A. (2005). An analysis of factors influencing success in online learning (Unpublished master's thesis). University of XYZ, Cityville, State.

Remember to format the citation according to the guidelines provided by the APA manual (7th edition as of my last knowledge update in January 2022). Additionally, if you accessed the thesis online, you may need to include the URL or database information, as per APA guidelines for online sources. Always check the latest edition of the APA Publication Manual for any updates or changes in citation guidelines.

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Check our previous article: How To Cite a Thesis Mla Format