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How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in APA

In this citation guide, you will learn how to reference and cite an undergraduate thesis, master’s thesis, or doctoral dissertation. This guide will also review the differences between a thesis or dissertation that is published and one that has remained unpublished. The guidelines below come from the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2020a), pages 333 and 334. Please note that the association is not affiliated with this guide.

Alternatively, you can visit EasyBib.com for helpful citation tools to cite your thesis or dissertation .

Guide Overview

Citing an unpublished thesis or dissertation, citing a published dissertation or thesis from a database, citing a thesis or dissertation published online but not from a database, citing a thesis or dissertation: reference overview, what you need.

Since unpublished theses can usually only be sourced in print form from a university library, the correct citation structure includes the university name where the publisher element usually goes.

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case [Unpublished degree type thesis or dissertation]. Name of institution.

Ames, J. H., & Doughty, L. H. (1911). The proposed plans for the Iowa State College athletic field including the design of a reinforced concrete grandstand and wall [Unpublished bachelor’s thesis]. Iowa State University.

In-text citation example:

• Parenthetical :  (Ames & Doughty, 1911)
• Narrative :  Ames & Doughty (1911)

If a thesis or dissertation has been published and is found on a database, then follow the structure below. It’s similar to the format for an unpublished dissertation/thesis, but with a few differences:

• The institution is presented in brackets after the title
• The archive or database name is included

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year published). Title in sentence case (Publication or Document No.) [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Database name.

Examples 1:

Knight, K. A. (2011). Media epidemics: Viral structures in literature and new media (Accession No. 2013420395) [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Trotman, J.B. (2018). New insights into the biochemistry and cell biology of RNA recapping (Document No. osu1523896565730483) [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses & Dissertations Center.

In the example given above, the dissertation is presented with a Document Number (Document No.). Sometimes called a database number or publication number, this is the identifier that is used by the database’s indexing system. If the database you are using provides you with such a number, then include it directly after the work’s title in parentheses.

If you are interested in learning more about how to handle works that were accessed via academic research databases, see Section 9.3 of the Publication Manual.

In-text citation examples :

• Parenthetical citation : (Trotman, 2018)
• Narrative citation : Trotman (2018)

Author’s last name, F. M. (Year Published). Title in sentence case [Degree type thesis or dissertation, Name of institution]. Name of archive or collection. URL

Kim, O. (2019). Soviet tableau: cinema and history under late socialism [Doctoral dissertation, University of Pittsburgh]. Institutional Repository at the University of Pittsburgh. https://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/37669/7/Olga%20Kim%20Final%20ETD.pdf

Stiles, T. W. (2001). Doing science: Teachers’ authentic experiences at the Lone Star Dinosaur Field Institute [Master’s thesis, Texas A&M University]. OAKTrust. https://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/ETD-TAMU-2001-THESIS-S745

It is important to note that not every thesis or dissertation published online will be associated with a specific archive or collection. If the work is published on a private website, provide only the URL as the source element.

In-text citation examples:

• Parenthetical citation : (Kim, 2019)
• Narrative citation : Kim (2019)
• Parenthetical citation : (Stiles, 2001)
• Narrative citation : Stiles (2001)

We hope that the information provided here will serve as an effective guide for your research. If you’re looking for even more citation info, visit EasyBib.com for a comprehensive collection of educational materials covering multiple source types.

If you’re citing a variety of different sources, consider taking the EasyBib citation generator for a spin. It can help you cite easily and offers citation forms for several different kinds of sources.

To start things off, let’s take a look at the different types of literature that are classified under Chapter 10.6 of the Publication Manual :

• Undergraduate thesis
• Master’s thesis
• Doctoral dissertation

You will need to know which type you are citing. You’ll also need to know if it is published or unpublished .

When you decide to cite a dissertation or thesis, you’ll need to look for the following information to use in your citation:

• Author’s last name, and first and middle initials
• Year published
• Title of thesis or dissertation
• If it is unpublished
• Publication or document number (if applicable; for published work)
• Degree type (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral)
• Thesis or dissertation
• Name of institution awarding degree
• DOI (https://doi.org/xxxxx) or URL (if applicable)

Since theses and dissertations are directly linked to educational degrees, it is necessary to list the name of the associated institution; i.e., the college, university, or school that is awarding the associated degree.

To get an idea of the proper form, take a look at the examples below. There are three outlined scenarios:

• Unpublished thesis or dissertation
• Published thesis or dissertation from a database
• Thesis or dissertation published online but not from a database

American Psychological Association. (2020a). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

American Psychological Association. (2020b). Style-Grammar-Guidelines. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/basic-principles/parenthetical-versus-narrative

Published August 10, 2012. Updated March 24, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau. Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib.com. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Multiple Authors
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Parenthetical Citations
• Reference Page
• Sample Paper
• APA 7 Updates
• View APA Guide

Citation Examples

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• View all APA Examples

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To cite a published thesis in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the author, publication year, title of the thesis, institute name, archive name, and URL (uniform resource locator). The templates for an in-text citation and reference list entry of a thesis, along with examples, are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

Use the author surname and the publication year in the in-text citation.

Author Surname (Publication Year)

Cartmel (2007)

Parenthetical:

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

(Cartmel, 2007)

Reference list entry template and example:

The title of the thesis is set in sentence case and italicized. Enclose the thesis and the institute awarding the degree inside brackets following the publication year. Then add the name of the database followed by the URL.

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the thesis [Master’s thesis, Institute Name]. Name of the Database. URL

Cartmel, J. (2007). Outside school hours care and schools [Master’s thesis, Queensland University of Technology]. EPrints. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/17810/1/Jennifer_Cartmel_Thesis.pdf

To cite an unpublished dissertation in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the author, year, title of the dissertation, and institute name. The templates for in-text citation and reference list entry of an online thesis, along with examples, are given below:

Author Surname (Year)

Averill (2009)

(Author Surname, Year)

(Averill, 2009)

The title of the dissertation is set in sentence case and italicized. Enclose “Unpublished doctoral dissertation” inside brackets following the year. Then add the name of the institution awarding the degree.

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the dissertation [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Name of the Institute.

Averill, R. (2009). Teacher–student relationships in diverse New Zealand year 10 mathematics classrooms: Teacher care [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Victoria University of Wellington.

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APA 7th referencing style

• About APA 7th
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Thesis - from website

Thesis - from database.

• Works in non-English languages
• Works in non-English scripts, such as Arabic or Chinese

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Citation Help for APA, 7th Edition: Master's Thesis, Dissertation, or Capstone Project

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Introduction

When creating references for dissertations, theses, and projects, you will need to determine the correct reference type to follow. Dissertations, theses, and projects are generally divided into two separate groups; those that are published and those that are unpublished.

In most cases, unpublished projects are those that are in print and available only from the degree-granting institution. On the other hand, published projects are those that are available in a database, a university archive, or a personal website. 

Variations - URLs?

Some URLs may be long and complicated. APA 7th edition allows the use of shorter URLs. Shortened URLs can be created using any URL shortener service; however, if you choose to shorten the URL, you must double-check that the URL is functioning and brings the reader to the correct website. 

Common URL Shortner websites include:

More Information

For more information about URLs, see Section 9.36 on page 300 of APA Manual, 7th edition. 

NOTE:  Check your instructor's preference about using short URLs. Some instructors may want the full URL. 

Variations - DOIs?

Some DOIs may be long and complicated. APA 7th edition allows the use of shorter DOI numbers. Shortened DOIs can be located at the International DOI Foundations, shortDOI Service . 

More Information:

For more information about DOIs, see Section 9.36 on page 300 of APA Manual, 7th edition. 

NOTE: Check your instructor's preference for using short DOIs. Some instructors may want the full DOI. 

Variations - Live Hyperlinks?

Should my urls be live.

It depends. When adding URLs to a paper or other work, first, be sure to include the full hyperlink. This includes the http:// or the https://. Additionally, consider where and how the paper or work will be published or read. If the work will only be read in print or as a Word doc or Google Doc, then the URLs should not be live (i.e., they are not blue or underlined). However, if the work will be published or read online, then APA advises to include live URLs. This would allow the reader to click on a link and go to the source.   

For more information, see Section 9.35 on pages 299-300 of the APA Manual, 7th edition. 

NOTE: Check your instructor's preference about using live URLs. Some instructors may not want you to use live URLs. 

Print Master's Thesis, Dissertation, or Project

When creating references for dissertations, theses, and projects, you will need to determine the correct reference type to follow. Dissertations, theses, and projects are generally divided into two separate groups; those that are published and those that are unpublished. In most cases, unpublished projects are those that are in print and available only from the degree-granting institution. 

Panasuk, K. N. (2008). What variables appear to work in stress management programs in the workplace and how effective are

these  programs  [Unpublished master’s final project]? The College of St. Scholastica.

Author: Panasuk, K. N.

Begin the reference with the author's last name first. then, add the initials for the first and middle names (if the middle name or middle initial is provided). add a period after each initial, and if there is a middle initial, add a space between the initials., year of publication: (2008)..

Next, in parentheses, list the year of publication, which appears on the title page or the title verso page (back side of title page). Follow the parentheses with a period.   

Title & Subtitle of the Book: What variables appear to work in stress management programs in the workplace and how effective are these programs [Unpublished master's final project]?

Next, add the title and subtitle of the master's thesis, dissertation, final applied project, or capstone. The title and subtitle are separated by a colon. Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle and all proper nouns.  Italicize the title and subtitle. Do not add a period immediately after the title. Instead, add brackets with the type of project (Master's project, doctoral dissertation, etc.) you are referencing. Before the type of project add "Unpublished". When choosing wording to describe the project, use the language the degree-granting institution uses to describe the project (e.g., Master's thesis, Doctoral dissertation, Final Applied Project, Capstone Project, Clinical Project, etc.). Add a period after the brackets. If the title has a question mark or exclamation mark, replace the period after the brackets with the proper punctuation mark used in the title.   

Source Information: The College of St. Scholastica.

Complete the reference with the source information, which is the full name of the college or university awarding the degree. add a period after the institution's name.  more information:.

For more information about master's theses, dissertations, or capstone projects, Section 10.6 on pages 333-334 in the APA Manual, 7th edition.

Parenthetical Citation Example:

 (Panasuk, 2008)

Narrative Citation Example:

Panasuk (2008) identified ...

For more information about author format within parenthetical and narrative citations, see Section 8.17 and Table 8.1 on page 266 of the APA Manual, 7th edition. 

Master's Thesis Published in a Commercial Database (like ProQuest Dissertations & Theses)

When creating references for dissertations, theses, and projects, you will need to determine the correct reference type to follow. Dissertations, theses, and projects are generally divided into two separate groups; those that are published and those that are unpublished. In most cases, published projects are those that are available in a database, a university archive, or a personal website. 

Skallet, S. (2016). Environmental approval duration estimating model for improved linear energy construction project schedules  (Publication No.

10125148)  [Master's capstone project, The College of St. Scholastica]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. 

Author: Skallet, S.

Begin the reference with the author's last name first. then, add the initials for the author's first and middle names (if a middle name or middle initial is provided). add a period after each initial, and if there is a middle initial, add a space between the initials.     year of publication: (2016)..

Next, in parentheses, add the year of publication, which appears on the title page or the title page verso (back side of title page). Follow the parentheses with a period.   

Title & Subtitle of the Book:  Environmental approval duration estimating model for improved linear energy construction project schedules  (Publication No. 10125148) [Master's capstone project, The College of St. Scholastica].

Next, add the title and subtitle (if there is a subtitle) of the capstone, final applied project, thesis, or dissertation. Separate the title and subtitle with a colon. Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle and all proper nouns. Italicize the title. Do NOT add a period after the title.

After the title, in parentheses, add the publication number (normally found in the record of the project within ProQuest). Before the publication number put "Publication No." Do NOT add a period after the parentheses. 

After the publication number, add brackets with the type of project (Master's thesis, Master's capstone project, doctoral dissertation, etc.) you are referencing. Use the language described by the degree-granting institution to describe the project. Then, add a comma and the name of the institution. Add a period after the brackets.      

Source Information: ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. 

Complete the reference with the commercial database where you found the masters thesis/project. end with a period.    more information:  .

For more information on Master's Theses/Projects, see Section 10.6 on pages 333-334 in the APA Manual, 7th edition.

 (Skallet, 2016)

Skallet (2016) argued ...

Dissertation Published Online

Adame, A. (2019). Fully immersed, fully present: Examining the user experience through the multimodal presence scale and virtual reality gaming

variables [Master's thesis, California State University San Bernardino]. CSUSB ScholarWorks Electronic Theses, Projects, &

Dissertations.  https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/918/

Author: Adame, A. 

Begin the reference with the author's last name first. Then, add the initials of the author's first and middle names (if a middle name or middle initial is provided). Add a period after each initial, and if there is a middle initial, add a space between the initials. 

Year of Publication: (2019). 

Next, in parentheses, add the year of publication, which appears on the title page or the title verso page (back side of the title page). Follow the parentheses with a period. 

Title & Subtitle of the Book: Fully immersed, fully present: Examining the user experience through the multimodal presence scale and virtual reality gaming variables [Master's thesis, California State University San Bernardino]. 

Next, add the title and subtitle (if there a subtitle present) of the thesis or project. Separate the title and subtitle with a colon. Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle as well as proper nouns. Italicize the title and subtitle. Do NOT add a period after the title. Instead, after the title, add brackets with the type of project (Master's thesis, doctoral dissertation, etc.) you are referencing. Use the language described by the degree-granting institution to describe the project. Then, add a comma and the name of the institution. Add a period after the brackets.   

Source Information: CSUSB ScholarWorks Electronic Theses, Projects, & Dissertations.  https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd/918/

Complete the reference with the name of the website or archive where you found the project. After the name of the website or archive, add a period. Then, add the URL to the project. 

For more information about Master's Theses or Projects, see Section 10.6 on page 333 and example 66 on page 334 in the APA Manual, 7th edition. 

(Adame, 2019)

Adame (2019) distinguished between ...

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APA 7th Edition Citation Examples

• Volume and Issue Numbers
• Page Numbers
• Undated Sources
• Citing a Source Within a Source
• In-Text Citations
• Academic Journals
• Encyclopedia Articles
• Book, Film, and Product Reviews
• Online Classroom Materials
• Conference Papers
• Technical + Research Reports
• Court Decisions
• Treaties and Other International Agreements
• Federal Regulations: I. The Code of Federal Regulations
• Federal Regulations: II. The Federal Register
• Executive Orders
• Charter of the United Nations
• Federal Statutes

Format for dissertations and theses

Dissertations and theses database.

• Interviews, E-mail Messages + Other Personal Communications
• Social Media
• Business Sources
• PowerPoints
• AI: ChatGPT, etc.

Author last name, first initial. (Year).  Title of dissertation/thesis  (Publication No.) [Doctoral dissertation/Master's thesis, University]. Database. URL

• Author:  List the last name, followed by the first initial (and second initial). See  Authors  for more information.
• Year:  List the year between parentheses, followed by a period.
• Title of dissertation/thesis:  In italics. Capitalize the first word of the title, subtitle, and proper nouns.
• Publication number: Can be found in Dissertations and Theses database, listed in the item record as “Dissertation/thesis number.”
• Doctoral dissertation/Master's thesis:  List whether it is a dissertation or a thesis.
• University:  List the university associated with the dissertation/thesis.
• Database:  List database the dissertation/thesis was found in, if found in a database.
• URL:  List URL if found on the free Web rather than in a database.

See specific examples below.

Dissertations:

Pecore, J. T. (2004). Sounding the spirit of Cambodia: The living tradition of Khmer music and dance-drama in a Washington, DC community  (Publication No. 3114720) [Doctoral dissertation, University of Maryland]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. 

Master's Theses:

Hollander, M. M. (2017). Resitance to authority: Methodological innovations and new lessons from the Milgram experiment   (Publication No. 10289373) [Master's thesis, University of Wisconsin - Madison]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

APA calls for the citation to include a unique identifying number for the dissertation, labeling it “Publication No.” That number can be found in Dissertations and Theses database, listed in the item record as “Dissertation/thesis number.”

Karamanos, X. (2020). The influence of professional development models on student mathematics performance in New Jersey public elementary schools [Doctoral dissertation, Seton Hall University]. Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs). https://scholarship.shu.edu/dissertations/2732

Bordo, V. C. (2011). Making a case for the use of foreign language in the educational activities of nonprofit arts organizations [Master's thesis, University of Akron]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses & Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1311135640

Caprette, C. L. (2005). Conquering the cold shudder: The origin and evolution of snake eyes  [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University].

Angelova, A. N. (2004). Data pruning  [Master's thesis, California Institute of Technology].

See  Publication Manual , 10.6.

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APA Style 6th Edition: Citing Your Sources

• Basics of APA Formatting
• In Text Quick View
• Block Quotes
• Books & eBooks
• Thesis/Dissertation

Standard Format

Various examples.

• Conference Presentations
• Course Documents
• Social Media
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• Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
• Additional Resources
• Sample Reference Page

Dissertation or thesis available from a database service:

Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (year of publication).  Title of dissertation or thesis (Doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis).  Retrieved from Name of database.  (Accession or Order No.)

For an unpublished dissertation or thesis:

Author Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (year of creation).  Title of dissertation or thesis (Unpublished doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis).  Name of Institution, Location.

See Ch 7 pp. 207-208 APA Manual for more examples and formatting rules

Formatting:

• Italicize the title
• Identify whether source is doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis in parentheses after the title
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Sample Papers

This page contains sample papers formatted in seventh edition APA Style. The sample papers show the format that authors should use to submit a manuscript for publication in a professional journal and that students should use to submit a paper to an instructor for a course assignment. You can download the Word files to use as templates and edit them as needed for the purposes of your own papers.

Most guidelines in the Publication Manual apply to both professional manuscripts and student papers. However, there are specific guidelines for professional papers versus student papers, including professional and student title page formats. All authors should check with the person or entity to whom they are submitting their paper (e.g., publisher or instructor) for guidelines that are different from or in addition to those specified by APA Style.

Sample papers from the Publication Manual

The following two sample papers were published in annotated form in the Publication Manual and are reproduced here as PDFs for your ease of use. The annotations draw attention to content and formatting and provide the relevant sections of the Publication Manual (7th ed.) to consult for more information.

• Student sample paper with annotations (PDF, 5MB)
• Professional sample paper with annotations (PDF, 2.7MB)

We also offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format with the annotations as comments to the text.

• Student sample paper with annotations as comments (DOCX, 42KB)
• Professional sample paper with annotations as comments (DOCX, 103KB)

Finally, we offer these sample papers in Microsoft Word (.docx) format without the annotations.

• Student sample paper without annotations (DOCX, 36KB)
• Professional sample paper without annotations (DOCX, 96KB)

Sample professional paper templates by paper type

These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different professional paper types. Professional papers can contain many different elements depending on the nature of the work. Authors seeking publication should refer to the journal’s instructions for authors or manuscript submission guidelines for specific requirements and/or sections to include.

• Literature review professional paper template (DOCX, 47KB)
• Mixed methods professional paper template (DOCX, 68KB)
• Qualitative professional paper template (DOCX, 72KB)
• Quantitative professional paper template (DOCX, 77KB)
• Review professional paper template (DOCX, 112KB)

Sample papers are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Chapter 2 and the Concise Guide Chapter 1

Related handouts

• Heading Levels Template: Student Paper (PDF, 257KB)
• Heading Levels Template: Professional Paper (PDF, 213KB)

Other instructional aids

• Journal Article Reporting Standards (JARS)
• APA Style Tutorials and Webinars
• Handouts and Guides
• Paper Format

View all instructional aids

Sample student paper templates by paper type

These sample papers demonstrate APA Style formatting standards for different student paper types. Students may write the same types of papers as professional authors (e.g., quantitative studies, literature reviews) or other types of papers for course assignments (e.g., reaction or response papers, discussion posts), dissertations, and theses.

APA does not set formal requirements for the nature or contents of an APA Style student paper. Students should follow the guidelines and requirements of their instructor, department, and/or institution when writing papers. For instance, an abstract and keywords are not required for APA Style student papers, although an instructor may request them in student papers that are longer or more complex. Specific questions about a paper being written for a course assignment should be directed to the instructor or institution assigning the paper.

• Discussion post student paper template (DOCX, 31KB)
• Literature review student paper template (DOCX, 37KB)
• Quantitative study student paper template (DOCX, 53KB)

Sample papers in real life

Although published articles differ in format from manuscripts submitted for publication or student papers (e.g., different line spacing, font, margins, and column format), articles published in APA journals provide excellent demonstrations of APA Style in action.

APA journals began publishing papers in seventh edition APA Style in 2020. Professional authors should check the author submission guidelines for the journal to which they want to submit their paper for any journal-specific style requirements.

Credits for sample professional paper templates

Quantitative professional paper template: Adapted from “Fake News, Fast and Slow: Deliberation Reduces Belief in False (but Not True) News Headlines,” by B. Bago, D. G. Rand, and G. Pennycook, 2020, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General , 149 (8), pp. 1608–1613 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000729 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.

Qualitative professional paper template: Adapted from “‘My Smartphone Is an Extension of Myself’: A Holistic Qualitative Exploration of the Impact of Using a Smartphone,” by L. J. Harkin and D. Kuss, 2020, Psychology of Popular Media , 10 (1), pp. 28–38 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000278 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.

Mixed methods professional paper template: Adapted from “‘I Am a Change Agent’: A Mixed Methods Analysis of Students’ Social Justice Value Orientation in an Undergraduate Community Psychology Course,” by D. X. Henderson, A. T. Majors, and M. Wright, 2019,  Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 7 (1), 68–80. ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000171 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.

Literature review professional paper template: Adapted from “Rethinking Emotions in the Context of Infants’ Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Interest and Positive Emotions,” by S. I. Hammond and J. K. Drummond, 2019, Developmental Psychology , 55 (9), pp. 1882–1888 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0000685 ). Copyright 2019 by the American Psychological Association.

Review professional paper template: Adapted from “Joining the Conversation: Teaching Students to Think and Communicate Like Scholars,” by E. L. Parks, 2022, Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology , 8 (1), pp. 70–78 ( https://doi.org/10.1037/stl0000193 ). Copyright 2020 by the American Psychological Association.

Credits for sample student paper templates

These papers came from real students who gave their permission to have them edited and posted by APA.

Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite a master's thesis in APA

• Google Docs

To cite a master's thesis in a reference entry in APA style 6th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the thesis: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to seven authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For eight or more authors include the first six names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
• Year of publication: Give the year in brackets followed by a full stop.
• Title of the master's thesis: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• URL: Give the full URL where the document can be retrieved from.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a master's thesis in APA style 6th edition:

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the master's thesis (Master's thesis). Retrieved from URL

If the thesis is available from a database, archive or any online platform use the following template:

• Author(s) of the thesis: Give the last name and initials (e. g. Watson, J. D.) of up to 20 authors with the last name preceded by an ampersand (&). For 21 or more authors include the first 19 names followed by an ellipsis (…) and add the last author's name.
• Title of the Master's thesis: Only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Publication number: Give the identification number of the thesis, if available.
• Name of the degree awarding institution: Give the name of the institution.
• Name of Platform: Give the name of the database, archive or any platform that holds the thesis.
• URL: If the thesis was found on a database, omit this element.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a master's thesis in APA style 7th edition:

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the Master's thesis ( Publication number ) [Master's thesis, Name of the degree awarding institution ]. Name of Platform . URL

If the thesis has not been published or is available from a database use the following template:

• Location: Give the location of the institution. If outside the United States also include the country name.

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the master's thesis (Unpublished master's thesis). Name of the degree awarding institution , Location .

If the thesis is not published, use the following template:

Author(s) of the thesis . ( Year of publication ). Title of the master's thesis [Unpublished master's thesis]. Name of the degree awarding institution .

APA reference list examples

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the APA style guidelines for a master's thesis citation in action:

A master's thesis found in an online platform

Bauger, L . ( 2011 ). Personality, passion, self-esteem and psychological well-being among junior elite athletes in Norway ( Master's Thesis ). Retrieved from https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/29a9/ef96c34e577211246b83b11813a2585033c5.pdf

Bauger, L . ( 2011 ). Personality, passion, self-esteem and psychological well-being among junior elite athletes in Norway [ Master's Thesis , University of Tromsø ]. Semantic Scholar . https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/29a9/ef96c34e577211246b83b11813a2585033c5.pdf

An unpublished master's thesis

Aube, K. E . ( 2019 ). A comparison of water main failure prediction models in San Luis Obispo, CA ( Unpublished master's thesis ). Cal Poly , San Luis Obispo, CA .

Aube, K. E . ( 2019 ). A comparison of water main failure prediction models in San Luis Obispo, CA [ Unpublished master's thesis ]. Cal Poly .

This citation style guide is based on the official Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association ( 6 th edition).

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Yale Child Study Center welcomes new clinical trainees for the 2024-2025 academic year

The Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) welcomes new trainees to its world-renowned educational fellowships, internships, and practicum programs in July each year. YCSC training programs share a common goal of providing a deep understanding adaptive and maladaptive development in children and their families. This is gained through supervised clinical intervention delivery, didactic experiences, and involvement in research initiatives designed to increase knowledge and inform clinical decision-making.

The following trainees have joined YCSC education and training programs this summer as fellows, residents, interns, and practicum students.

Advanced Clinical Social Work Fellows

Phoebe Josephson, MSW attended the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Barnard College. During her graduate training, she worked with parents, supporting them with financial, well-being, education, and career-related goals. She also provided individual psychodynamic psychotherapy to college-aged young adults. She is passionate about working with the unique needs of families and creating a warm, supportive environment to foster change in their lives. In her free time, she enjoys playing piano and spending quality time with family, friends, and her dog.

Hector Zaragoza Valentin, MSW received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Portland State University School of Social Work in Portland, Oregon. During his graduate training, he served as a Bilingual/Bicultural Mental Health Clinician at Raices de Bienestar providing Spanish language therapy. His decade-long career has been in service of k-12 students, LGBTQ+ communities, communities impacted by HIV, and most recently as a statewide crisis responder. Hector is a celebrated mariachi, violinist, and Mexican folk dancer.

Albert J. Solnit Integrated Adult & Child Psychiatry Residents

Rachel Hennein, MD, PhD received her MD and PhD from Yale School of Medicine and Yale School of Public Health, respectively. She worked with Dr. Luke Davis to study the implementation of evidence-based care for tuberculosis in Uganda, as well as with Dr. Sarah Lowe to study the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers. Before coming to Yale, she graduated from Duke in 2016 with a double major in global health and psychology. In her free time, she enjoys making pottery on the wheel, going for walks in East Rock Park, and trying new restaurants.

Eric B. Zheng, MD, PhD earned his MD from Weill Cornell Medical College as part of the Tri-Institutional Weill Cornell / Rockefeller / Memorial Sloan-Kettering MD-PhD Program. He completed his PhD research at the Rockefeller University in the Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics and Genomics, where he worked with Prof. Li Zhao to study the origins of genetic novelty using computational techniques applied to the fruit fly Drosophila. He completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard College, where he was also a member of the men’s varsity swimming team. Outside of research, he is very interested in education and outreach, particularly related to pipeline programs designed to expose talented potential trainees from underrepresented backgrounds to biomedical research careers. In his free time, he enjoys exploring new foods, reading, and searching for forgotten writing instruments.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows

Alexandra Desir-Clarke, MD earned her bachelor’s in sociology from Boston University with a minor in public health, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in health studies from Cornell University. She went on to earn her MD from Frank H. Netter School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University, with a distinction in Humanities. She completed her psychiatry residency at Northwell Health at Zucker Hillside Hospital, where her clinical and academic focuses included first-episode psychosis, school-based mental health, trauma-focused care, and health equity initiatives.

Alayna Freeman, MD received her MD from the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences F. Edward Hèbert School of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. She received her bachelor’s degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in 2017. During that time, she commissioned into the United States Air Force, and she continues to serve as an active-duty military officer. During her graduate training, she completed internship and residency training at UT Health San Antonio in Texas. Her professional interests include substance use disorders in adolescence, adjustment disorders in the context of military trauma, trauma-informed care for African American children and families, and separation—individuation coping. In her free time, she enjoys photography, practicing as a licensed esthetician, and playing the piano.

Richard Gomez, MD is originally from Dallas, Texas and has lived in various places. Shortly after high school, he moved to the Bay Area to complete his bachelor's degree in biology at Stanford University. He then spent six years in Los Angeles, working in different fields, from a health technical startup in Santa Monica, to clinical research at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Recognizing his passion for medicine, he left California to complete his medical education at Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine. After graduation, he moved to New York City to do his residency training at New York Medical College, Metropolitan hospital in Manhattan. Additionally, he is an APA Child & Adolescent fellow and has enjoyed the opportunity to meet and build relationships with other amazing professionals passionate about child mental health. In his free time, he enjoys sleeping, eating, and (sometimes) exercising.

Alero Mayuku-Dore, MBBS earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She completed her residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, New York. She enjoys candid photography, watching animated movies, and socializing with friends in her spare time.

Savion Smith, MD completed his adult psychiatry residency at the University of Arizona-Tucson, his medical degree at the University of Arizona-Phoenix, his bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Arizona State University, and his premed postbaccalaureate certification at Washington University in St. Louis. During his medical education and training he enjoyed various volunteer and shadowing opportunities, including assisting in providing care at St. Louis Crisis Nursery and In Balance Academy. He has found fulfillment supporting disadvantaged youth in various settings such his six years acting as a YMCA swim coach in addition to years of tutoring, counseling, and volunteering in Title 1 school districts. Clinically, Smith is interested in school-based mental health, psychotherapy, and trauma. In his free time, he enjoys leading social groups, roller skating, and science-fiction/fantasy films.

Ulunma Natalie Umesi, MD, MBA completed her adult psychiatry training in Brooklyn, New York with the One Brooklyn Health system. She obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree from Medical University of the Americas and her master's in business administration degree from Davenport University. She currently presides over the Board of Directors for SMART Recovery NYC (R), a non-profit organization that provides peer support and tools for those living with addictive and maladaptive behaviors. Umesi started SMART Recovery NYC's first women-only meeting, for those who identify as a woman. She is a REACH (Recognizing and Eliminating Disparities in Addiction through Culturally Informed Healthcare) fellow and the recipient of a research grant, funded by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). She hopes to better understand family dynamics as they relate to substance abuse through research and community mental health education. In her free time, she enjoys trivia nights, practicing mindfulness, playing soccer or badminton, and spending quality time with friends.

Richard Zhang, MD, MA received his medical degree from Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, his master’s in history of science and medicine from Yale, and his bachelor's degree from Penn State. During his psychiatry residency training at the University of Connecticut, he concurrently served as affiliated faculty at the UConn Asian and Asian American Studies Institute, and as Chair of the American Psychiatric Association's Assembly Committee of Area Resident-Fellow Members. His scholarly and advocacy work has centered on cultural psychiatry, medical education and humanities, and policymaking. Zhang’s drive toward preventing and reducing the progression of mood, thought, and personality conditions led to his interest in working with youth. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his partner and pets.

Child Psychology Fellows

Anthony Cifre, MA is a doctoral candidate in the clinical psychology program at the University of Houston. He received his bachelor's degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University and a master's degree in Exercise Science from Southern Connecticut State University. Before his graduate studies, he worked as a clinical research assistant at Yale, where he discovered a clinical/research interest in behavioral sleep medicine for underserved populations. As a graduate student, Cifre has received clinical training at various hospitals and specialty clinics, including Texas Children's Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, and the Sleep and Anxiety Center of Houston. He has specialized training working with children and families with chronic medical illness and comorbid psychosocial concerns, as well as outpatient settings specializing in treatment for childhood sleep and disruptive behavior disorders. Born and raised in Connecticut, Anthony enjoys playing volleyball, rock climbing, and eating pizza.

Liz DeLucia, MS is a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Virginia Tech, where her research is focused on access to mental health care for autistic youth. She received her bachelor's degree in psychology and economics at the University of Notre Dame. Prior to attending graduate school, she completed a post-undergraduate research fellowship at the Yale Child Study Center. She is excited to be returning to complete her clinical internship and postdoctoral training. In her free time, Liz enjoys watching Gilmore Girls reruns and creating crochet projects.

Michael B. Hager, MA received his master's in general psychology at the New School for Social Research and a bachelor's degree in liberal arts at the New School for Public Engagement. During his graduate training, he has completed clinical externships at the New York Psychoanalytic Society and Institute (School-Based Therapy Program), The New School Student Health Services (Counseling Center), Montefiore Medical Center (Group Attachment-Based Intervention), and Lenox Hill Hospital (Center for Attention and Learning). His master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation work has focused on the development of a novel observational measure of parental reflective functioning and sensitivity within parent-child free play settings, titled the Parent Rearing Coding System (PRCS). He currently works as a senior research assistant at the Center for Attachment Research and a research consultant at Nurse-Family Partnership/Child First's Center for Prevention and Early Trauma Treatment. In his free time, he enjoys going on adventures with his dog, cooking, weightlifting, and spending time with loved ones.

Faigy Mandelbaum, MA is a 7th-year doctoral candidate in the PhD in Clinical Psychology program at Hofstra University. She received her master’s degree in clinical psychology from Hofstra University, her post-bac in psychology from Brooklyn College of CUNY, and bachelor’s in behavioral science and human services from Bellevue University. She completed practicums at Mclean Hospital-Harvard Medical School in the 3 East DBT outpatient and partial hospital programs located in Boston, at the Suicidal and Self-Injurious Behaviors unit and Orthodox Jewish unit in New York Presbyterian-Cornell, and in the Phobia and Trauma Clinic and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) Clinic at Hofstra University's Psychological Evaluation Research and Counseling Clinic. Her thesis examined the impact of childhood trauma on PTSD development in Israeli lone soldiers and found that lone soldiers are 8.54x more likely to develop PTSD when compared to non-lone soldiers. Through a Research Fulbright in Israel and her dissertation, she studied how childhood trauma impacts the development of C-PTSD in military populations. She is passionate about working with children, families, and veterans who have experienced trauma. In her free time, she enjoys scuba diving to explore beautiful corals and historical shipwrecks.

Clinical Interns & Practicum Students

Lillian Blanchard is currently a graduate student in the clinical psychology PhD program at the University of Connecticut. Her research and clinical interests include intervention for young children with emotion regulation difficulties, particularly those who have experienced trauma or early childhood stressors. She has served as a clinician at the University of Connecticut's Psychological Services Clinic and Connecticut Pediatric Neuropsychology Associates. She received her bachelor's degree at Duke University and is originally from Cambridge, Massachusetts. In her spare time, she enjoys baking bread, reading, and doing Pilates.

Alexandria Crawford, MA is currently working toward her PhD in school psychology at the University of Connecticut. She completed her bachelor's degree at the University of New Mexico while she was active duty in the US Air Force. Throughout her graduate training, she has completed practicum experiences at various schools, including The American School for the Deaf, as well as trauma treatment centers in her home state of Illinois. Her dissertation examines teacher accommodation of anxiety and its impact on teacher well-being. In her free time, she enjoys learning new things, hanging out with her two cats, and spending time with her friends and family.

Sabrina Danard received her master's in social work at the University of Connecticut in 2013. She then worked with children and adolescents through IICAPS before an eight-year stretch working in an outpatient setting at The Branford Counseling Center. During this time, she worked with all ages as well as a variety of mental health conditions including bipolar, depression, anxiety, OCD, trauma, and schizophrenia. She opened a private practice during this time and continued to refine her skills working with children, adolescents, adults, and families. The pandemic allowed her time to think about what she wanted from a career and in 2021, she applied to Yale's Graduate Entry Nurse Practitioner program. Danard’s desire is to augment her knowledge as a mental health counselor with a medical lens in order to better support those who are suffering. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, rock climbing, working out, and taking pictures of her geriatric cat, Louie.

Jessica M. Duda, MS is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at Yale University working with Jutta Joormann. She obtained her bachelor’s degree at Tufts University in 2015 with dual degrees in economics and international relations. She worked for several years in the financial services industry before launching a psychology research career. Prior to starting at Yale, Duda worked with Dr. Diego Pizzagalli at the Laboratory for Affective and Translational Neuroscience at McLean Hospital, where she investigated the neural correlates of stress reactivity in major depression. She is interested in the effects of stress across development on cognitive and neurobiological functioning, with an emphasis on mechanisms of anxiety and depression. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the fiddle and hiking in New England woods.

Maurice A. Evans received a Master of Divinity in Biblical studies from Hartford Seminary and bachelor's degree in psychology from Southern Connecticut State University. He has conducted clinical research at Yale University in the AIDS and alcohol research communities. For the past 11years, Evans has served as a social worker for the Connecticut Department of Social Services. In his free time, he enjoys going out for a good dinner and a Broadway show.

Fanta Faro relocated to the United States at the age of 12. She speaks six languages and is enrolled at Simmons University, where she is pursuing a master's degree in social work. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work at Eastern Connecticut State University. She has been applying behavior analysis to individuals with psychological disorders for the past five years. In her spare time, she likes to shop, cook, and clean.

Lidiane Fernandes is working on a master’s in marriage and family therapy at Southern Connecticut State University. She graduated with honors with a bachelor’s in psychology and received an Academic Excellence in Psychology Award while pursuing her associate’s degree in psychology. For the past six months, she has served as a behavioral therapist in Hamden, Connecticut, serving children on the autism spectrum. When she has downtime, she enjoys ladies' night with her girlfriends from her local church, a riveting board game evening, and karaoke.

Alison Kelly, MS received her master's in mental health counseling at Fordham University, and her bachelor's degree at Swarthmore College. She is currently in the counseling psychology doctoral program at Fordham University. During her graduate training, she completed externships at Family Services of Westchester and Montefiore in the Bronx, NY. Her current doctoral thesis examines linkages between school climate and early adolescent symptoms of depression among Black/African American students in grades 6 through 9. For the past three years, she has served as a therapist to children and adolescents at Sasco River Center in Connecticut. In her free time, she enjoys needlepointing, playing with her dog Cooper, and listening to true crime podcasts.

Anna Kilbride, PsyM, MA is a doctoral student in clinical psychology at the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology at Rutgers University. She received a master's degree in child development at Sarah Lawrence College, where her master’s thesis examined representational markers of risk for child outcomes in the attachment narratives of trauma-exposed mothers. During her clinical training, she has completed externships in child, family, and couples therapy at Rutgers University and Montefiore Medical Center. Her areas of interest include the intergenerational transmission of trauma and the role of attachment security in emotion regulation and developmental psychopathology.

Retta Laumann is a second year masters of social work student at Virginia Commonwealth University. She received a bachelor’s of fine arts in acting from Baldwin Wallace University in 2022 and she looks forward to incorporating her arts background into clinical work. She completed her first-year graduate school internship with Arlington County, Virginia's Child and Family Services, where she worked with children and families involved in child protective services. In her free time, Laumann loves to sew, sing, play with her pets, and spend time with family and friends.

Kimmia Lyon, NCSP, MEd, MA received a master's of education in school psychology and a master of arts in educational psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, following a bachelor's degree at The Ohio State University. During her graduate training, she completed an internship at Greenwich Public Schools. She is currently enrolled in a school psychology PhD program at UConn. Her dissertation examines student preferences for sharing social determinants of health information with school providers and factors influencing their comfort level. She is currently a research assistant at UConn, where she is part of a team developing a comprehensive, contextual screener for use in schools. In her free time, Lyon enjoys spending time outside, trying new places to eat, and binge-watching true crime documentaries.

Antuanett Ortiz has a bachelor’s of science in developmental psychology and is currently working toward a master’s in clinical mental health counseling at University of Bridgeport. During her undergraduate studies, she completed internships at the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut. After graduating, she continued to work with children and families through IICAPS and Birth to Three programs. She is dedicated to the field and is continuing her education and training in DBT, CBT, Motivational Interviewing, Circle of Security, and Theraplay. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family of her fiancé, little buddy, and two pups.

Iryiana Rivera received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2021 and is currently pursuing a master's degree in social work at the University of Connecticut, with a concentration in individuals, groups, and families. She recently completed an internship at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut, where she worked closely with monolingual Spanish speaking students. Rivera currently serves as a medical case manager, assisting individuals who are HIV+ in maintaining their health and serving the overall community. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling.

Dessa Shepherd is an NYU Steinhardt alumnus experienced in program development and management, as well as creating strategic and innovative education curricula and programmatic events. As a proactive leader, she thrives on tackling complex challenges related to creating a more equitable society. She is currently a school counselor and is experienced in program design, curriculum development, and operational strategy. As a former teacher, and now a clinical mental health counselor in training at Long Island University, she aims to be a resource for all teachers, parents, and staff as they guide and educate children, especially those from immigrant families.

Featured in this article

• Phoebe Josephson
• Hector Zaragoza Valentin
• Rachel Hennein, MD/PhD
• Eric Bo Zheng, MD, PhD
• Alexandra Desir-Clarke
• Alayna Freeman
• Richard Gomez, MD
• Alero Mayuku-Dore
• Savion Smith
• Ulunma Natalie Umesi
• Richard Zhang
• Anthony Cifre, MA, MS
• Elizabeth DeLucia
• Michael B. Hager
• Faigy Mandelbaum
• Linda Mayes, MD
• Dorothy Stubbe, MD
• Michele Goyette-Ewing, PhD
• Karen McLachlan Franchi

Related Links

• YCSC Clinical Internships, Residencies, & Fellowships

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Reference List: Other Print Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Important Note: Because the 7 th edition of the APA Publication Manual heavily emphasizes digital and electronic sources, it does not contain explicit instructions for certain less-common print sources that earlier editions covered. For this reason, some of the examples below have been adapted from the instructions for sources with similar attributes (e.g., the conference proceedings example is derived from the instructions the 7 th edition manual gives for citing edited collections). Every example below that has been adapted in this way is accompanied by a note explaining how it was adapted.

Please also note: While this resource contains many examples of citations for uncommon print sources that we think are helpful, it may not account for every possibility. For even more examples of how to cite uncommon print sources, please refer to the 7 th edition of the APA Publication Manual.

Entry in a Dictionary, Thesaurus, or Encyclopedia with a Group Author

The 7 th edition of the APA manual does not provide specific guidance on how to cite physical reference works such as dictionaries, thesauruses, or encyclopedias. Therefore, this citation, as well as the one for an individual author of an entry in a reference work, is modeled on that of a chapter in an edited book or anthology, both which are similar in format to reference works.

Institution or organization name. (Year). Title of entry. In Title of reference work (edition, page numbers). Publisher name.

Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. (1997). Goat. In Merriam Webster’s collegiate dictionary (10 th ed., pp. 499-500). Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.

Entry in a Dictionary, Thesaurus, or Encyclopedia with an Individual Author

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of entry. In F. M. Lastname (ed.), Title of reference work (edition, page numbers). Publisher.

Tatum, S. R. (2009). Spirituality and religion in hip hop literature and culture. In T. L. Stanley (ed.), Encyclopedia of hip hop literature (pp. 250-252). Greenwood.

Work Discussed in a Secondary Source

Provide the source in which the original work was referenced:

Nail, T. (2017). What is an assemblage? SubStance , 46 (1), 21-37. http://sub.uwpress.org/lookup/doi/10.3368/ss.46.1.21

Note: Provide the secondary source in the references list; in the text, name the original work, and give a citation for the secondary source. For example, if Deleuze and Guattari’s work is cited in Nail and you did not read the original work, list the Nail reference in the References. In the text, use the following citation: 

Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of the assemblage (as cited in Nail, 2017)….

Dissertation Abstract

The 7 th edition of the APA manual does not provide specific guidance on how to cite dissertation abstracts. Therefore, this citation models that of a journal article, which is similar in format.

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of dissertation. Dissertation Abstracts International , Vol., Page.

Angeli, E. L. (2012). Networks of communication in emergency medical services. Dissertation Abstracts International, 74 , 03(E).

Dissertation or Master’s Thesis, Published

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis (Publication No.) [Doctoral dissertation/Master’s thesis, Name of Institution Awarding the Degree]. Database or Archive Name.

Angeli, E. L. (2012). Networks of communication in emergency medical services (Publication No. 3544643) [Doctoral dissertation, Purdue University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Note: If the dissertation or thesis is not published in a database, include the URL of the site where the document is located.

Dissertation or Master’s Thesis, Unpublished

Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of dissertation/thesis [Unpublished doctoral dissertation/master’s thesis]. Name of Institution Awarding the Degree. 

Samson, J. M. (2016). Human trafficking and globalization [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Federal or State Statute

Name of Act, Public Law No. (Year). URL

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Publ. L. No. 111-148, 124 Stat. 119 (2010).  https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-111publ148/pdf/PLAW-111publ148.pdf

Report by a Government Agency or Other Organization

Organization Name. (Year). Title of report. URL

United States Government Accountability Office. (2019). Performance and accountability report: Fiscal year 2019 . https://www.gao.gov/assets/710/702715.pdf

Report by Individual Authors at Government Agency or Other Organization

Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of report . Organization Name. URL

Palanker, D., Volk, J., Lucia, K., & Thomas, K. (2018). Mental health parity at risk: Deregulating the individual market and the impact on mental health coverage . National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://www.nami.org/About-NAMI/Publications-Reports/Public-Policy-Reports/Parity-at-Risk/ParityatRisk.pdf  

Conference Proceedings

The 7 th edition of the APA manual does not provide guidance on citing conference proceedings. Therefore, this citation models that of an edited collection, which is similar in format.

Lastname, F. M., & Lastname, F. M. (Eds.). (Year). Title of Proceedings . Publisher. URL (if applicable)

Huang, S., Pierce, R., & Stamey, J. (Eds.). (2006). Proceedings of the 24 th annual ACM international conference on the design of communication . ACM Digital Library. https://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1166324&picked=prox

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Congratulations to Psychology undergraduate students Liam McCloskey and Taelor Lay on being awarded the 2024 APA Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship! 

This prestigious fellowship program aims to promote access and equity among psychology undergraduates by expanding opportunities and mentorship to those who have not had the opportunity to access research experiences. 

The 2024 SUPER fellows cohort represents 23 universities across the United States and Canada. Liam McCloskey and Taelor Lay are the only two fellows from a Canadian institution, with Simon Fraser University being the only institution to have more than one SUPER Fellow selected for 2024. 

Liam McCloskey

Liam McCloskey is a 4th year Psychology honours student at Simon Fraser University. This summer, he had the privilege of working under Dr. Joanna Peplak at the Grow to Care Lab .

Their study, titled "The Ripple Effects of Happiness: Sympathetic Joy and Mental Health in Adolescents", looks to understand the experience of sympathetic joy and the possible unique effects of sympathetic joy on the mental health of adolescents ages 14-18. Sympathetic joy is the delight one may feel when a friend or family member wins an award. They are fortunate to parter with local schools with the hopes that these findings can provide stakeholders additional information to improve adolescent mental health in the community. 

In his free time, he enjoys exploring new coffee shops, going to concerts and taking photos around Vancouver. 

Taelor Lay is a 3rd year Psychology student and undergraduate volunteer research assistant who is passionate about knowledge mobilization and better understanding the variety of factors that lead to social, psychological and physical well-being. She is honoured to be an APA SUPER fellow under the guidance and mentorship of Dr. Lara Aknin this year. 

Through this fellowship, Taelor is leading a project that seeks to understand whether land acknowledgements can promote prosociality. Dr. Aknin's research in the Helping and Happiness Lab aligns strongly with Taelor's interest in understanding the many components that contribute to subjective well-being. She hopes to mobilize this knowledge, communicating these findings to those who would benefit from it most over the course of her career. 

Outside of research and academics, Taelor enjoys spending quality time with loved ones, learning new languages, working as a community mental health worker and training for her next half-marathon.

Learn more about the APA SUPER Fellowship here .

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• Knowledge Base
• APA Style 7th edition
• How to format tables and figures in APA Style

APA Format for Tables and Figures | Annotated Examples

Published on November 5, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on January 17, 2024.

A table concisely presents information (often numbers) in rows and columns. A figure is any other image or illustration you include in your text—anything from a bar chart to a photograph.

Tables and figures differ in terms of how they convey information, but APA Style presents them in a similar format—preceded by a number and title, and followed by explanatory notes (if necessary).

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Table of contents

Apa table format, apa figure format, numbering and titling tables and figures, formatting table and figure notes, where to place tables and figures, referring to tables and figures in the text, frequently asked questions about apa tables and figures.

Tables will vary in size and structure depending on the data you’re presenting, but APA gives some general guidelines for their design. To correctly format an APA table, follow these rules:

• Table number in bold above the table.
• Brief title, in italics and title case, below the table number.
• No vertical lines.
• Horizontal lines only where necessary for clarity.
• Clear, concise labels for column and row headings.
• Numbers consistently formatted (e.g. with the same number of decimal places).
• Any relevant notes below the table.

An example of a table formatted according to APA guidelines is shown below.

The table above uses only four lines: Those at the top and bottom, and those separating the main data from the column heads and the totals.

Create your tables using the tools built into your word processor. In Word, you can use the “ Insert table ” tool.

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Any images used within your text are called figures. Figures include data visualization graphics—e.g. graphs, diagrams, flowcharts—as well as things like photographs and artworks.

To correctly format an APA figure, follow these rules:

• Figure number in bold above the figure.
• Brief title, in italics and title case, under the figure number.
• If necessary, clear labels and legends integrated into the image.
• Any relevant notes below the figure.

An example of a figure formatted according to APA guidelines is shown below.

Keep the design of figures as simple as possible. Use colors only where necessary, not just to make the image look more appealing.

For text within the image itself, APA recommends using a sans serif font (e.g. Arial) with a size between 8 and 14 points.

For other figures, such as photographs, you won’t need a legend; the figure consists simply of the image itself, reproduced at an appropriate size and resolution.

Each table or figure is preceded by a number and title.

Tables and figures are each numbered separately, in the order they are referred to in your text. For example, the first table you refer to is Table 1; the fourth figure you refer to is Figure 4.

The title should clearly and straightforwardly describe the content of the table or figure. Omit articles to keep it concise.

The table or figure number appears on its own line, in bold, followed by the title on the following line, in italics and title case.

Where a table or figure needs further explanation, notes should be included immediately after it. These are not your analysis of the data presented; save that for the main text.

There are three kinds of notes: general , specific , and probability . Each type of note appears in a new paragraph, but multiple notes of the same kind all appear in one paragraph.

Only include the notes that are needed to understand the table or figure. It may be that it is clear in itself, and has no notes, or only probability notes; be as concise as possible.

General notes

General notes come first. They are preceded by the word “ Note ” in italics, followed by a period. They include any explanations that apply to the table or figure as a whole and a citation if it was adapted from another source, and they end with definitions of any abbreviations used.

Specific notes

Specific notes refer to specific points in the table or figure. Superscript letters (a, b, c …) appear at the relevant points in the table or figure and at the start of each note to indicate what they refer to. They are used when it’s necessary to comment on a specific data point or term.

Probability notes

Probability notes give p -values for the data in the table or figure. They correspond to asterisks (and/or other symbols) in the table or figure.

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You have two options for the placement of tables and figures in APA Style:

• Option 1: Place tables and figures throughout your text, shortly after the parts of the text that refer to them.
• Option 2: Place them all together at the end of your text (after the reference list) to avoid breaking up the text.

If you place them throughout the text, note that each table or figure should only appear once. If you refer to the same table or figure more than once, don’t reproduce it each time—just place it after the paragraph in which it’s first discussed.

Align the table or figure with the text along the left margin. Leave a line break before and after the table or figure to clearly distinguish it from the main text, and place it on a new page if necessary to avoid splitting it across multiple pages.

If you place all your tables and figures at the end, you should have one table or figure on each page. Begin with all your tables, then place all your figures afterwards.

Avoid making redundant statements about your tables and figures in your text. When you write about data from tables and figures, it should be to highlight or analyze a particular data point or trend, not simply to restate what is already clearly shown in the table or figure:

• As Table 1 shows, there are 115 boys in Grade 4, 130 in Grade 5, and 117 in Grade 6 …
• Table 1 indicates a notable preponderance of boys in Grade 5. It is important to take this into account because …

Additionally, even if you have embedded your tables and figures in your text, refer to them by their numbers, not by their position relative to the text or by description:

• The table below shows…
• Table 1 shows…
• As can be seen in the image on page 4…
• As can be seen in Figure 3…
• The photograph of a bald eagle is an example of…
• Figure 1 is an example of…

In an APA Style paper , use a table or figure when it’s a clearer way to present important data than describing it in your main text. This is often the case when you need to communicate a large amount of information.

Before including a table or figure in your text, always reflect on whether it’s useful to your readers’ understanding:

• Could this information be quickly summarized in the text instead?
• Is it important to your arguments?
• Does the table or figure require too much explanation to be efficient?

If the data you need to present only contains a few relevant numbers, try summarizing it in the text (potentially including full data in an appendix ). If describing the data makes your text overly long and difficult to read, a table or figure may be the best option.

APA doesn’t require you to include a list of tables or a list of figures . However, it is advisable to do so if your text is long enough to feature a table of contents and it includes a lot of tables and/or figures.

A list of tables and list of figures appear (in that order) after your table of contents , and are presented in a similar way.

If you adapt or reproduce a table or figure from another source, you should include that source in your APA reference list . You should also acknowledge the original source in the note or caption for the table or figure.

Tables and figures you created yourself, based on your own data, are not included in the reference list.

In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.

Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.

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Caulfield, J. (2024, January 17). APA Format for Tables and Figures | Annotated Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/apa-style/tables-and-figures/

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