LEO: Literacy Education Online MLA 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, refer to The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (Sixth Edition, New York: Modern Language Association, 2003) or the MLA Style Guide to Scholarly Publishing (Second Edition, New York: Modern Language Association, 1998). Choose the example that is most like your source and follow that format.

• Dissertation abstracted in DAI and obtained from university
• Published dissertation
• Unpublished dissertation
• Unpublished thesis

Dissertation abstracted in DAI and obtained from university

Wu, Li. H. "The Transactive-developmental Writing Process

as an Instructional Theory in Response to Competency Testing."

Diss. Penn. State U, 1986. DAI 47 (1986): Z5603.

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Published dissertation

Johnson, Janet Lynn. The Théâtre Italien and Opera and Theatrical Life

in Restoration Paris, 1818-1827. Diss. U of Chicago, 1988. Ann

Arbor, Mich.: UMI, 1994. ATT 003068322.

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Unpublished dissertation

Van Zee, George R. "The Life of the Peasant Class in Renaissance

England." Diss. U of Minnesota, 1990.

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Unpublished thesis

Boleman, James M. "The Human Animal: The Unbreakable Chain between

Mother and Child." MA thesis, U of Southern California, 1989.

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