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MLA Style:  Theses

UON Library guide to MLA referencing style 8th edition for UON students

Theses and dissertations

 

General rules:

The exact format of references to theses and dissertations is dependent upon whether the thesis/dissertation is published or unpublished, and how it is available (via a database, freely available on the internet, or in print). 

The elements common to all references to a thesis/dissertation are:

Author Name

  • Use full author name as the first element in the reference.

Thesis Title

  • Capitalise the thesis title in headline style in quotation marks—not in italics.

Thesis Type

  • The type of thesis (e.g. Diss, MA thesis, or MS thesis) is included after the title of the thesis.

Academic Institution

  • The academic institution is included after the thesis type.

Date

  • The Date of thesis is included after the academic institution.

Database name

  • For theses retrieved from a commercial database, include the database name as a container title. 

DOI or URL 

  • If the document was consulted online, include the DOI if available, or a URL.

Publisher for published theses

  • Cite published theses as books and add the publisher's name and date of publication in addition to the elements listed above.  

Open online theses and dissertations 

 

The following is the general format of a reference to a thesis freely available on the internet. 

See general rules for theses for more details. 

 

In-text citation: format and example

... (Author's Last Name Page/s cited) ...

... (Baker 28) ...

... (Vedrashko 26) ...

 

Works-cited list entry: format and example

Author's Last Name, First Name.  "Thesis Title: Subtitle." Type of Thesis, University, Year. Online Collection, DOI or URL.

Baker, Phillip. "A Genealogy of Australian Educational Revolutions." Diss. U of Newcastle, 2018. Nova, nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:33328.

Vedrashko, Ilya. “Advertising in Computer Games.” MS thesis, MIT, 2006. DSpace, hdl.handle.net/1721.1/39144.

Theses and dissertations in databases

 

The following is the general format of a reference to a thesis retrieved from a library database. 

See general rules for theses for more details. 

 

In-text citation: format and example

... (Author's Last Name Page/s cited) ...

... (Choi 28) ...

 

Works cited list entry: format and example

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Thesis Title: Subtitle." Type of Thesis, University, Year. Database Name (DOI or Access No if available).

Choi, Mihwa. “Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty.” Diss. U of Chicago, 2008. ProQuest (AAT 3300426).

Theses and dissertations - in print

 

The following is the general format of a reference to an unpublished thesis in print. 

See general rules for theses for more details. 

 

In-text citation: format and example

... (Author's Last Name Page/s cited) ...

... (Rutzi 23) ...

 

Works cited list entry: format and example

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Thesis Title: Subtitle." Type of Thesis, University, Year. 

Rutz, Cynthia Lillian. “King Lear and Its Folktale Analogues.” Diss. U of Chicago, 2013.

Theses and dissertations - published

 

Cite a published thesis as you would a book, but add pertinent thesis information before the publication details. 

The following is the general format of a reference to a published thesis in print. 

See general rules for theses for more details. 

 

In-text citation: format and example

... (Author's Last Name Page/s cited) ...

... (Rutzi 23) ...

 

Works cited list entry: format and example

Author's Last Name, First Name. "Thesis Title: Subtitle." Type of Thesis, University, Year of thesis. Publisher, Year of publication. 

Fullerton, Matilda. Women's Leadership in the Public Schools: Towards a Feminist Educational Leadership Model. Diss. Washington State U, 2001. UMI, 2001.