LEO: Literacy Education Online APA Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Examples of how to document the most common types of dissertations and theses are illustrated in this document. However, you might need to use a reference for a source which is not listed on this document.

In such a case, look over the general form given in the document APA: General Guidelines or refer to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. (2001). (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Choose the example that is most like your source and follow that format.

• Dissertation abstracted in DAI and obtained from university
• Master's thesis abstract in MAI and obtained from university
• Unpublished dissertation
• Unpublished thesis

Dissertation abstracted in DAI and obtained from university

Wu, L. H. (1986). The transactive-developmental writing process

as an instructional theory in response to competency testing

(Doctoral dissertation, Pennsylvania State University, 1986).

Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, Z5603.

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Master's thesis abstracted in MAI and obtained from university

Pritchert, P. W. (1979). The social impact of new journalism

(Masters thesis, Iowa State University, 1979). Master's

Abstracts International, 40, T3044.

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Unpublished dissertation

Van Zee, G. R. (1990). The life of the peasant class in Renaissance

England. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Minnesota.

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Unpublished thesis

Boleman, J. M. (1989). The human animal: the unbreakable chain

between mother and child. Unpublished master's thesis, University of

Southern California.

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