how to cite a dissertation in chicago

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How to Cite a Thesis/Dissertation in Chicago/Turabian

Academic theses and dissertations can be a good source of information when writing your own paper. They are usually accessed via a university’s database or a third party database, or found on the web. The main difference between a thesis and a dissertation is the degree type they are submitted for:

• Thesis—A document submitted to earn a degree, such as a master’s degree, at a university.
• Dissertation—A document submitted to earn an advanced degree, such as a doctorate, at a university.

This guide will show you how to create notes-bibliography style citations for theses and dissertations in a variety of formats using the 17th edition of the  Chicago Manual of Style.

Guide Overview

• Citing a thesis or dissertation from a database
• Citing a thesis or dissertation from the web
• Citing an unpublished thesis or dissertation

Citing a Thesis or Dissertation from a Database

Citation structure.

1. First name Last name, “Title” (master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published), page number, Database (Identification Number).

Bibliography:

Last name, First name. “Title.” Master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published. Database (Identification Number).

Citation Example

1. Kimberly Knight,  “Media Epidemics: Viral Structures in Literature and New Media” (PhD diss., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011), 17, MLA International Bibliography (2013420395).

Knight, Kimberly.  “Media Epidemics: Viral Structures in Literature and New Media.” PhD diss., University of California, Santa Barbara, 2011. MLA International Bibliography (2013420395).

Citing a Thesis or Dissertation from the Web

1. First name Last name, “Title” (master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published), page number, URL.

Last name, First name. “Title.” Master’s thesis or PhD diss., University Name, year published. URL.

1. Peggy Lynn Wilson, “Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County” (PhD diss., University of Maryland, College Park, 2011), 25, https://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/11801/1/Wilson_umd_0117E_12354.pdf.

Wilson, Peggy Lynn. “Pedagogical Practices in the Teaching of English Language in Secondary Public Schools in Parker County.” PhD diss., University of Maryland, College Park, 2011. https://drum.lib.umd.edu/bitstream/1903/11801/1/Wilson_umd_0117E_12354.pdf.

Citing an Unpublished Thesis or Dissertation

In rare cases, you may need to cite a thesis or dissertation that has not yet been published. This is particularly the case if you want to cite your own work or the work of a colleague.

1. First name Last name, “Title” (unpublished manuscript, Month Day, Year last modified), format.

Last name, First name. “Title.” Unpublished manuscript, last modified Month Day, Year. Format.

1. John Doe, “A Study of Generic Topic” (unpublished manuscript, June 19, 2021), Microsoft Word file.

Doe, John. “A Study of Generic Topic.” Unpublished manuscript, last modified June 19, 2021. Microsoft Word file.

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Theses & Dissertations

Citing a published thesis, citing an unpublished thesis, citing a thesis in online database or repository.

• CMS 14.224: Theses and dissertations

Titles of unpublished works appear in "quotation marks"—not in italics . This treatment extends to theses and dissertations, which are otherwise cited like books.

The kind of thesis, the academic institution, and the date follow the title. Like the publication data of a book, these are enclosed in parentheses in a note but not in a bibliography.

If the document was consulted online, include a URL or, for documents retrieved from a commercial database, give the name of the database and, in parentheses, any identification number supplied or recommended by the database.

For dissertations issued on microfilm, see 14.120 . For published abstracts of dissertations, see 14.197 .

Note-Bibliography

First-name Last-name, "Title of Thesis: Subtitle," (Publisher, Year).

      Mihwa Choi, “Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty,” PhD diss., (University of Chicago, 2008).

Short Note:

Last-name, "Title of Thesis."

Choi. “Contesting Imaginaires ."

Bibliography Entry:

Last-name, First-name. "Title of Thesis: Subtitle." Year.

Choi, Mihwa. “Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty.” PhD diss. University      of Chicago, 2008.

Author-Date

Text Citation:

(Last-name Year)

(Mihwa 2008)

Reference Entry:

Last-name, First-name. Year. "Title of Thesis: Subtitle."

Choi, Mihwa. 2008. “Contesting  Imaginaires  in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty.”  PhD diss.       University of Chicago.

Note -Bibliography

Note #. First-name Last-name, "Title of Thesis: Subtitle," Unpublished thesis type, University. Year.

Barry C. Hosking, "The Control of Gastro-intestinal Nematodes in Sheep with the Amino-acetonitrile Derivative, Monepantel with a Particular Focus on Australia and New Zealand," PhD diss., (Ghent University, 2010).

Note #. Last-name,"Title of Thesis."

Barry C. Hosking, "The Control of Gastro-intestinal Nematodes."

Bibliography:

Last-name, First-name. "Title of Thesis: Subtitle." Unpublished thesis type. University. Year.

Hosking, Barry C. "The Control of Gastro-intestinal Nematodes in Sheep with the Amino-acetonitrile Derivative, Monepantel with a Particular Focus on Australia and New Zealand." PhD diss., Ghent University, 2010.

(Hosking 2010)

Last-name, First-name.  Year.  "Title of Thesis: Subtitle." Unpublished thesis type. University.

Hosking, Barry C.    2010.  "The Control of Gastro-intestinal Nematodes in Sheep with the Amino-acetonitrile Derivative, Monepantel with a Particular Focus on Australia and New Zealand." PhD diss., Ghent University.

Note #. First-name Last-name, "Title of Thesis: Subtitle," Database Name (Identifier if given), Year, Internet address.

      12. Meredith Stewart, "An Investigation into Aspects of the Replication of Jembrana Disease Virus, " Australasian Digital Theses Program (WMU2005.1222), 2005, http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20051222.104106.

Note #. Last-name, "Title of Thesis."

21. Stewart, "An Investigation into Aspects."

Last-name, First-name. "Title of Thesis: Subtitle." Database Name (Identifier if given), Year. Internet address.

Stewart, Meredith. "An Investigation into Aspects of the Replication of Jembrana Disease Virus ." Australasian Digital Theses Program (WMU2005.1222),  2005. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20051222.104106.

(Stewart 2005)

Last-name, First-name. Year. "Title of Thesis: Subtitle."  Database Name  (Identifier if given), Internet address.

Stewart, Meredith. 2005. "An Investigation into Aspects of the Replication of Jembrana Disease Virus ." Australasian Digital Theses Program  (WMU2005.1222),    http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20051222.104106.

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Citation Help: Dissertations & Theses

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A quick note:

The following examples follow the Notes-Bibliography style. For Author-Date style, please consult The Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition.

Chicago AND Turabian Citation Examples: Dissertations & Theses

Chicago and Turabian use the exact same format for citing dissertations and theses.

Important Elements:

• Author 
• Title of Dissertation or Thesis
• Type of Document (Dissertation or Thesis)
• Name of Degree Granting Institution

Thesis or dissertation

1. Author First Last, "Title of Dissertation or Theis" (Doctoral diss. or Master's Thesis, Name of Institution, Year), pp.-pp.

1. Dana S. Levin, "Let's Talk about Sex . . . Education: Exploring Youth Perspectives, Implicit Messages, and Unexamined Implications of Sex Education in Schools" (PhD diss., University of Michigan, 2010), 101-2.

Shortened note

2. Author Last, "Shortened Title," pp.

2. Levin, "Let's Talk about Sex," 98.

Bibliography Entry

Author Last, First. "Title of Dissertation or Thesis." Doctoral diss. or Master's Thesis, Name of Institution, Year.

Levin, Dana S. "Let's Talk about Sex . . . Education: Exploring Youth Perspectives, Implicit Messages, and Unexamined Implications of Sex Education in Schools." PhD diss., University of Michigan, 2010.

Examples courtesy of  The Turabian 8th edition .

Chicago/Turabian Examples by Source

•    Articles
•    Audio & Video
•    Books
•    Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
•    Dissertations & Theses
•    Websites, Including Social Media
•    Other Source Types

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Useful Resources for Chicago/Turabian

Check out the  Chicago Manual of Style's Shop Talk website  for more great information about using the Chicago Manual of Style through the links below!

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Chicago Referencing Guide

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Thesis - general pattern

Thesis, dissertation or exegesis, type of thesis.

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Bibliography:

Thesis and dissertation can mean different things, depending on which institution the work is from.

At Auckland University of Technology (and other NZ universities):

• Thesis is used either for a doctoral or a master's degree.
• Dissertation is used either for a master's or a bachelor's degree with honours.
• Exegesis is the written component of a practice-based thesis where the major output is a creative work;  e.g. a film, artwork, novel.

In some other parts of the world, such as the United States, a dissertation may be used for a doctoral degree and a thesis   used for a master's degree. You can use the same citation pattern, no matter what the type of thesis is called.

List the type of thesis as it appears on the title page, but abbreviate dissertation as diss .

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How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in Chicago Author–Date Referencing

2-minute read

• 17th May 2020

Want to reference someone else’s thesis or dissertation in your own work ? This can be useful if you are working on an unusual topic where little research has been published or when you know someone who wrote their final master’s or PhD piece on the same topic you are studying.

As with any source, though, you’ll need to cite it properly. Check out our guide to find out how this works in Chicago author–date referencing.

How to Format In-text Citations

In author–date Chicago referencing , you cite a thesis or dissertation by giving the author’s surname and the date of completion in brackets. For instance, we could cite a source by “Carter” from 2001 like this:

Citing your sources is very important (Carter 2001).

If you’re quoting a thesis or dissertation, meanwhile, you should include the page number in your citation:

Place quotes “within quote marks” (Carter 2001, 65).

You will then give the full source information in your reference list.

Reference List Entry for a Thesis or Dissertation

In the reference list at the end of your paper, the basic format for a thesis or dissertation is:

Author Surname, First Name. Year of completion. “Title.” Type of paper, academic institution, year of completion. URL/database ID (if applicable).

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For instance, the entry for a master’s dissertation would look like this:

Carter, Susan. 2001. “Citing Sources.” Master’s diss., University of Learning.

For an online version of a document, make sure to add the URL, too:

Johnson, Luke. 2012. “The Joy of Writing.” PhD diss., University of Learning. http://www.uol.ac.uk/archive/phd/johnson-10122017-final.pdf.

If you’ve only referred to an abstract rather than a full dissertation or thesis, meanwhile, you can simply add this detail after the title:

Carter, Susan. 2001. “Citing Sources.” Abstract. Master’s diss., University of Learning.

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Dissertation | 17th Edition

The second entry is a shortened version for subsequent notes from the same source.

The third entry is the bibliographic citation that will be found at the end of the work. A bibliography is alphabetized by author’s last name.

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Legal, Public and Unpublished Materials

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.

General Guidelines for Public and Unpublished Materials

Notes and bibliographic entries for public documents, like other documents, should include the elements needed to locate the items. These essential elements often include the following:

• Country, city, state, province, county, etc.
• Legislative body, executive department, court, bureau, board commission or committee, etc.
• Subsidiary divisions
• Title, if any, of the document or collection
• Individual author (editor or compiler), if given
• Report number or any other identification necessary or useful in finding the specific document
• Publisher, if different from issuing body

Footnote or Endnote (N):

1. Firstname Lastname, “Title of Document” (source type identifier, Place of Publication, year of publication), page number(s).

Corresponding Bibliographic Entry (B):

Legal Materials and Government Documents

Legal materials and other government documents should be cited using footnotes, endnotes, and/or citation sentences (with clauses including the same information required in a footnote). Print copies of the sources tend to be preferred to digital, though verified digital sources are acceptable.

When writing for law journals or other legal publications, these sources are not usually required to be cited in a bibliography or on a references page. Citation sentences alone are an acceptable form of citation, so long as the document has only a few legal citations (for more information, see The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th ed., sections 14.269-305 and 15.58.)

Court Decisions and Cases

Notes for court cases should include case name, number, volume number, abbreviated name(s) of reporter, and, in parentheses, the abbreviated name of the court and the date. Case names written in full are typeset in roman, while in subsequent shortened citations the short form of the case name is italicized. Citations are assumed to refer to decisions as a whole unless a particular page is cited using “at” (see example 3 below). The CMOS offers the following note examples in section 14.276:

United States v. Christmas, 222 F.3d 141, 145 (4th Cir. 2000).

Profit Sharing Plan v. Mbank Dallas, N.A., 683 F. Supp. 592 (N.D. Tex. 1988).

Christmas, 222 F.3d at 145. The court also noted that under United States v. Sokolow, 490 U.S. 1, 7 (1989), police may briefly detain a person without probable cause if the officer believes criminal activity “may be afoot.” Christmas, 222 F.3d at 143; see also Terry v. Ohio, 392 U.S. 1 (1968).

Theses and Dissertations

Thesis and dissertation titles appear in quotation marks, not in italics, but are cited in all other ways like books. Include name, title, type of document, academic institution, and date, in that order. If the item was found online, include a URL or DOI (see guidelines for citing online sources ).

1. Tara Hostetler, “Bodies at War: Bacteriology and the Carrier Narratives of ‘Typhoid Mary’” (master’s thesis, Florida State University, 2007), 15-16.

Hostetler, Tara. "Bodies at War: Bacteriology and the Carrier Narratives of ‘Typhoid Mary.’” Master’s thesis, Florida State University, 2007.

Letters and Unpublished Manuscripts

Letters and unpublished materials that have not been archived may be cited like other unpublished material, with information on location replaced by wording such as “private collection of Trinity Overmyer” or “in the author’s possession.” The location is not mentioned.

Chicago Style

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From the Chicago Manual of Style Quick Guide :

Chicago style source citations come in two varieties: (1) notes and bibliography and (2) author-date.

• The notes and bibliography system is preferred by many working in the humanities—including literature, history, and the arts. In this system, sources are cited in numbered footnotes or endnotes.
• The author-date system is more common in the sciences and social sciences. In this system, sources are briefly cited in the text, usually in parentheses, by author’s last name and year of publication.

If you know you need to use Chicago style but are unsure what variation to use, ask your professor, or talk with a librarian .

Note that Chicago Style and Turabian style are nearly identical. The Turabian style manual was created to be a pared down version of the Chicago style manual for students. 

Chicago Manual of Style Online

This resource, updated to reflect the Chicago Manual of Style (17th ed.), offers examples of common citations in both style variations. Check here for help citing more resources or make an appointment with an Oxford librarian!

Icons are from the Noun Project and under Creative Commons licence (CCBY): books by sandra , article by Arfan Khan Kamol , website by Julynn B, link by Nathan Diesel, Video by Aybige, Audio by Manasa, Image by Mohammad Iqbal, hashtag by Gregor Cresnar.

Some example citations are below, from the Chicago Manual of Style Online . As it is the more commonly used format, we have given examples here in the Notes and Bibliography variation. Please visit the Chicago Manual of Style's page on Author-Date for examples in that format!

How To Cite...

1. Zadie Smith, Swing Time   (New York: Penguin Press, 2016), 315–16.

Bibliography

Smith, Zadie. Swing Time . New York: Penguin Press, 2016.

2. Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015), 12.

Grazer, Brian, and Charles Fishman. A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life . New York: Simon & Schuster, 2015.

3. Henry David Thoreau, “Walking,” in The Making of the American Essay , ed. John D’Agata (Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2016), 177–78.

Thoreau, Henry David. “Walking.” In The Making of the American Essay , edited by John D’Agata, 167–95. Minneapolis: Graywolf Press, 2016.

From the Chicago Manual of Style Online :

If there are four or more authors, list up to ten in the bibliography; in a note, list only the first, followed by et al . (“and others”).

1. Rebecca Mead, “The Prophet of Dystopia,” New Yorker , April 17, 2017, 43.

2. Farhad Manjoo, “Snap Makes a Bet on the Cultural Supremacy of the Camera,” New York Times , March 8, 2017, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/technology/snap-makes-a-bet-on-the-cultural-supremacy-of-the-camera.html.

Manjoo, Farhad. “Snap Makes a Bet on the Cultural Supremacy of the Camera.” New York Times , March 8, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/technology/snap-makes-a-bet-on-the-cultural-supremacy-of-the-camera.html.

Mead, Rebecca. “The Prophet of Dystopia.” New Yorker , April 17, 2017.

1. Susan Satterfield, “Livy and the Pax Deum ,” Classical Philology 111, no. 2 (April 2016): 170.

Satterfield, Susan. “Livy and the Pax Deum .” Classical Philology 111, no. 2 (April 2016): 165–76.

From an Online Database

2. Shao-Hsun Keng, Chun-Hung Lin, and Peter F. Orazem, “Expanding College Access in Taiwan, 1978–2014: Effects on Graduate Quality and Income Inequality,” Journal of Human Capital 11, no. 1 (Spring 2017): 9–10, https://doi.org/10.1086/690235.

Keng, Shao-Hsun, Chun-Hung Lin, and Peter F. Orazem. “Expanding College Access in Taiwan, 1978–2014: Effects on Graduate Quality and Income Inequality.” Journal of Human Capital 11, no. 1 (Spring 2017): 1–34. https://doi.org/10.1086/690235.

1. Michiko Kakutani, “Friendship Takes a Path That Diverges,” review of Swing Time , by Zadie Smith, New York Times , November 7, 2016.

Kakutani, Michiko. “Friendship Takes a Path That Diverges.” Review of Swing Time , by Zadie Smith. New York Times , November 7, 2016.

Some example citations are below, from the Chicago Manual of Style Online . As it is the more commonly used format, we have given examples here in the Notes and Bibliography variation. Please visit the Chicago Manual of Style's page on Author-Date for examples in that format!           

Please note that in Chicago Style, the URL of an online resource is always included.

1. “Privacy Policy,” Privacy & Terms, Google, last modified April 17, 2017, https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.

2. “About Yale: Yale Facts,” Yale University, accessed May 1, 2017, https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

Google. “Privacy Policy.” Privacy & Terms. Last modified April 17, 2017. https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.

Yale University. “About Yale: Yale Facts.” Accessed May 1, 2017. https://www.yale.edu/about-yale/yale-facts.

1. “Libraries = Strong Communities: Celebrating National Library Week,” Oxford College Library, accessed July 25, 2019, https://scholarblogs.emory.edu/oxford/events/libraries-strong-communities-celebrating-national-library-week/.

Oxford College Library. “ Libraries = Strong Communities: Celebrating National Library Week .” Accessed July 25, 2019. https:// scholarblogs.emory.edu/oxford/events/libraries-strong-communities-celebrating-national-library-week/ .

Digital Resources

Citing personal photos, digital files, or other electronic resources can be confusing. The important thing to remember is that everything you use for academic or professional work, even if you made it yourself , does need to be cited - every time! Click on the tabs above to see some commonly cited items in each style. Remember to follow the indentation guidelines of your chosen style.

Some URL Notes from Purdue OWL :

• Many scholarly journal articles found in databases include a DOI (digital object identifier). If a DOI is available, cite the DOI number instead of the URL.
• Online newspapers and magazines sometimes include a permalink , which is a shortened, stable version of a URL. Look for a “share” or “cite this” button to see if a source includes a permalink. If you can find a permalink, use that instead of a URL.

If you have a question or need to cite something not listed here, schedule a consultation with a librarian!

Some of the examples used here are from the Purdue OWL guide to Chicago Style. As it is the more commonly used format, we have given examples here in the Notes and Bibliography variation. Please visit the Chicago Manual of Style's page on Author-Date for examples in that format!

1. Alejandra Ortega, “Grammar: Active and Passive Voice,” Purdue OWL, February 1, 2019, video, 4:22, http://youtu.be/GEP-8lFTKKg.

Ortega, Alejandra. “Grammar: Active and Passive Voice.” Purdue OWL. February 1, 2019. Video, 4:22. http://youtu.be/GEP-8lFTKKg.

1. Jeremy Zuckerman, "To Heal," 2015, Soundcloud, https://soundcloud.com/jeremy-zuckerman/to-heal?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing.

2. Ray Charles, vocalist, “Georgia on My Mind,” by Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell, recorded March 1960, track 2 on The Genius Hits the Road , ABC-Paramount, vinyl LP.

Charles, Ray. “Georgia on My Mind.” By Hoagy Carmichael and Stuart Gorrell. Recorded March 1960. Track 2 on  The Genius Hits the Road . ABC-Paramount, vinyl LP.

Zuckerman, Jeremy. To Heal . Soundcloud. Audio file.

Podcast - Note/Bibliography

1. Sean Cole and Ira Glass, “622: Who You Gonna Call?,” August 4, 2017, in This American Life , produced by WBEZ, podcast, MP3 audio, 1:00:27, https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/622/who-you-gonna-call.

Cole, Sean and Ira Glass. “622: Who You Gonna Call?.” Produced by WBEZ. This American Life. August 4, 2017. Podcast, MP3 audio, 1:00:27. https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/622/who-you-gonna-call.

In Chicago style, information about art pieces is usually given in the text, not the bibliography. If an entry is needed, use these guidelines.

Remember to get the permission of all the people in the photo (or their guardians, if minors) before you use it in your work! For your own photographs, it is sufficient to give just a credit line/ caption below the image. Example caption:

Figure 1. Christopher Garofalo, CSCE contributor gift table , April 12, 2019, SmugMug . www.christophervisuals.com/OxfordCollege/CSCE/i-wP8vMbB/A.

Online Photo or Image - Note /Bibliography

If the work is posted via a username, use that username for the author.

1. Maynard Owen Williams, "An Ouled Nail woman in Algeria wears a tattoo that is customary for dancers, 1949 ," NatGeoFound , March 10, 2016. https://natgeofound.tumblr.com/post/140802561912/an-ouled-nail-woman-in-algeria-wears-a-tattoo-that.

Williams, Maynard Owen. "An Ouled Nail woman in Algeria wears a tattoo that is customary for dancers, 1949 ." NatGeoFound. March 10, 2016. https://natgeofound.tumblr.com/post/140802561912/an-ouled-nail-woman-in-algeria-wears-a-tattoo-that.

Posts on social media will often be cited only as notes, though if you intend to discuss the content in depth, you should also put a citation in the bibliography. The Chicago Manual of Style recommends taking a screenshot of social media posts as they may be edited or deleted in the future.

Conan O’Brien’s tweet was characteristically deadpan: “In honor of Earth Day, I’m recycling my tweets” (@ConanOBrien, April 22, 2015).

Example - Note/Bibliography

2. Bill Nye (@BillNye), “While I’m not much for skipping school, I sure am in favor of calling attention to the seriousness of climate change. Our students can see the problem…,” Twitter, March 14, 2019, https://twitter.com/BillNye/status/1106242216123486209.

Nye, Bill (@BillNye). “While I’m not much for skipping school, I sure am in favor of calling attention to the seriousness of climate change. Our students can see the problem….” Twitter, March 14, 2019. https://twitter.com/BillNye/status/1106242216123486209.

*Figures cited in-text must be both captioned and cited in the bibliography.

In-text citation:

Photographs and Online Images Caption:

* Captions can be short incomplete sentences or more formal description of the work providing explanatory information about the image. This then must be followed by a credit line for the image.   A caption can just be the credit line. Credit line will vary based on the copyright of the item. Below are examples for how to cite items used without restrictions. 

Fig. X.  Description of work, (type of item) courtesy of Creator Name, source of item. 

Fig. 5. Atlanta Streetcar. (Photograph courtesy by Lauren Holley. Flickr. 2014. flickr.com/photos/atlantadowntown/16106577510/. CC BY 2.0)

Artwork Captions: 

Fig. X. Artist’s name (last name, first name),  Title , Date, Medium and support. Source. (Copyright Information).

Fig. 3.  Cézanne, Paul,   Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses,  1890, Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 x 36 3/8 in. New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882.  (Public Domain).

Note: 

#. Author Name  Title , Date, Medium and support, Source, URL. 

1.  Paul  Cézanne,   Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses,  1890, Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 x 36 3/8 in., New York, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882.  

Bibliography:

Artist’s name (last name, first name).  Title.  Date. Medium and support. Source. the location of the work. URL. 

Cézanne, Paul.   Still Life with Apples and a Pot of Primroses.  1890, Oil on canvas, 28 3/4 x 36 3/8 in. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/435882.  

Chicago style source citations come in two varieties: (1) notes and bibliography and (2) author-date. Always check with your professor or a librarian about which style to use. 

Note-Bibliography:

In note-bibliography style you are using footnotes for in-text citation. This means in your text, you have a note number superscripted at the end of the clause or sentence you are citing. Then you have a corresponding full-sized number followed by a period in your footer that lists the full note for the source.

The full note needs to correspond to a source listed in your bibliography. Full notes, while providing the same information as a citation in your bibliography, have different formatting. Be aware of these differences when creating your notes and bibliography. 

After you cite the source for the first time in the subsequent citations of the source you can use a shortened version of the citation. That is just the author’s last name, a shortened title, and page number. Make sure to include enough of the title that readers can recognize the source.  

Most word processors will insert footnotes into your work for you and keep track of the order. You will just need to supply the citation. Zotero also can insert footnotes - make sure to select Chicago full note when setting up your document preferences.  

Author-date:

Chicago’s parenthetical citations include the author's last name, the date, and a page number. Note that you do not put a comma between the author's last name and the date in Chicago style parenthetical citations. 

To cite more than one source put a semicolon between the two sources' citations.

For more information about Chicago, see the Purdue OWL page about in-text citation .

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Chicago Citation Style, 17th Edition: Thesis or Dissertation

• Bibliography
• One Author or Editor
• Multiple Authors or Editors
• Author and Editor
• Author and Translator
• Organization as Author
• Anonymous Work
• Chapter from an Edited Work
• Multivolume Work
• Edition Other than the First
• Dictionary or Encyclopedia
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Book Review
• Basic Webpage
• Blogs and Social Media
• Government Website
• Audio/Video Recording
• Online Multimedia
• Interview or Personal Communication
• Lecture or Presentation
• Primary Source Published in an Edited Collection
• Thesis or Dissertation
• Pamphlet or Brochure
• Sacred Text
• Indirect Source
• Government Document
• Paintings, Illustrations, Tables
• AI Generated Content
• Plagiarism This link opens in a new window

Thesis or Dissertation (14.215)

Example 1 – Print

N:           1. Lindsey Bingley, "From Overalls to Aprons? The Paid and Unpaid Labour of Southern Alberta Women, 1939-1959" (master's thesis, University of Lethbridge, 2006), 58.

B:     Bingley, Lindsey. "From Overalls to Aprons? The Paid and Unpaid Labour of Southern Alberta Women,              1939-1959." Master's thesis, University of Lethbridge, 2006.

Example 2 – Online (Commercial Database)

N:           1. Libra Rose Hilde, "Worth a Dozen Men: Women, Nursing, and Medical Care during the American Civil War" (PhD diss., Harvard University, 2003), 295, ProQuest ( 3091579).

B:     Hilde, Libra Rose. "Worth a Dozen Men: Women, Nursing, and Medical Care during the American              Civil War." PhD diss., Harvard University, 2003. ProQuest (3091579).

Example 3 – Online (Institutional Repository)

N:           1. Hiroshi Ishida, "A Geography of Contemporary Maori Agriculture." (PhD diss., University of Auckland, 1966), 110-16, https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/2489.

B:     Ishida, Hiroshi. "A Geography of Contemporary Maori Agriculture" PhD diss., University of Auckland,              1966. https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/handle/2292/2489.

Help & Guide Contents

Home General Guidelines     Notes     Bibliography Books     One Author or Editor     Multiple Authors or Editors     Author and Editor     Author and Translator     Organization as Author     Anonymous Work     Chapter from an Edited Work     Multivolume Work     Edition Other than the First     Dictionary or Encyclopedia     E-Book Articles     Journal Article     Magazine Article     Newspaper Article     Book Review Websites     Basic Webpage     Blogs and Social Media     Government Website Audiovisual Media     Audio/Video Recording     Online Multimedia Other Sources     Interview or Personal Communication     Lecture or Presentation    Primary Source Published in an Edited Collection     Thesis or Dissertation     Pamphlet or Brochure     Sacred Text     Indirect Source     Government Document     Paintings, Illustrations, Tables Plagiarism

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Chicago 17th edition notes and bibliography

• Introduction
• Author, title, date
• Book chapter
• ChatGPT and other generative AI tools
• Journal article
• Social Media
• Ancient sources
• Book review
• Dictionary or encyclopaedia

Citing theses

• Personal communication
• Newspaper or magazine articles
• Manuscripts
• Conference papers
• Legal materials

Titles of theses and dissertations appear in quotation marks otherwise they are cited like books.

The kind of thesis, the academic institution, and the date follow the title. Like the publication data of a book, these are enclosed in parentheses in a note but not in a bibliography.

If the document was consulted online, include a URL or, for documents retrieved from a commercial database, the name of the database and, in parentheses, any identification number supplied or recommended by the database.

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Chicago/Turabian/SBL Style Guide (Notes-Bibliography)

• Format for Paper
• Citation Placement
• Reference (encyclopedias, dictionaries, or lexicons)
• Books / eBooks

Citing a Thesis or Dissertation

• Format for A Thesis or Dissertation
• Government Documents
• Other Resources
• Format of the Reference Page
• Grad Ministry
• Contact the Library
• Theses and dissertations are cited much like books except for the title in enclosed in quotation marks.
• After the author and tile, list the kind of paper (degree level and thesis or dissertation), the academic institution, and the date. This replaces the normal publication data (publisher name, place, and date of publication).
• Abbreviate dissertation as diss.

Bibliography:

Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of the Work: Subtitle of the Work." Degree Level Kind of Paper., University Name, Year of Degree.

1. Author's First and Last Names, "Title of Work: Subtitle of the Work" (Degree Level Kind of Paper, University Name, Year of Degree), page number.

Navarro-Garcia, Guadalupe. "Integrating Social Justice Values in Educational Leadership: A Study of African American and black University Presidents." PhD diss., University of California, Los Angeles, 2016.

1. Guadalupe Navarro-Garcia, "Integrating Social Justice Values in Educational Leadership: A Study of African American and black University Presidents" (PhD diss, University of California, Los Angeles, 2016).

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Cite A Dissertation in Chicago Manual of Style citation style

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• Select style:
• Archive material
• Chapter of an edited book
• Conference proceedings
• Dictionary entry
• Dissertation
• DVD, video, or film
• E-book or PDF
• Edited book
• Encyclopedia article
• Government publication
• Music or recording
• Online image or video
• Presentation
• Press release
• Religious text

Notes-Bibliography Format

Reference list.

Place this part in your bibliography or reference list at the end of your assignment.

In-text citation

Place this part right after the quote or reference to the source in your assignment.

Author-Date Format

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Dissertation (thesis): how to cite in Chicago Style – notes and bibliography (17th ed.)?

Create a spot-on reference in chicago 17 and 16, general rules.

Citing dissertations, master's theses, etc. under the requirements of The Chicago Manual of Style is specific due to the particularities of this type of source. Thus, a bibliographic reference should include the university responsible for the preparation and defense of the work and the type of work. The title of the dissertation is put between quotation marks. Use the following templates for references:

Reference in a bibliography:

Author . " Title ." Work type , University , year . URL .

Author , " Title " ( work type , University , year ), number of the cited page , URL .

Short note:

Author , " Title ," number of the cited page .

For a dissertation published online, it is allowed to indicate the database from which it is available and its publication number in the database instead of the URL address.

To order and indicate correctly all reference elements, we recommend using our online reference generator .

Examples of references in a bibliography

Bolton, Emma Victoria. "The Barriers and Facilitators to Stopping Inappropriate Medicines ('Deprescribing') for Older People Living in Care Homes." PhD thesis, University of Leeds, 2020. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/27649/ .

Alotaibi, Sarah. "A Biophysically-Based Skin Reflectance Model for Face Analysis." PhD thesis, University of York, 2019. White Rose eTheses Online.

Examples of notes

1. Emma Victoria Bolton, "The Barriers and Facilitators to Stopping Inappropriate Medicines ('Deprescribing') for Older People Living in Care Homes" (PhD thesis, University of Leeds, 2020), 11, http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/27649/ .

2. Sarah Alotaibi, "A Biophysically-Based Skin Reflectance Model for Face Analysis" (PhD thesis, University of York, 2019), 41, White Rose eTheses Online.

3. Bolton, "Stopping Inappropriate Medicines ('Deprescribing')," 11.

4. Alotaibi, "Skin Reflectance Model," 42.

Other citation styles:

• What is APA Style (7th ed.)?
• Examples of bibliographic references in APA (7th ed.)
• APA 7 vs APA 6: key differences
• How to cite authors?
• How to format the references page with APA (7th ed.)?
• In-text citations
• Archival document
• Book chapter
• Conference paper
• Dictionary/encyclopedia/dictionary entry/encyclopedia article
• Dissertation (thesis)
• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Press release
• Religious text
• Social media post
• Software / mobile app
• Video (online)
• Video game / computer game
• What is MLA Style (8th ed.)?
• Examples of references in works cited in MLA (8th ed.)
• How to format the works cited page in MLA (8th ed.)?
• What is Chicago Style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in Chicago Style – notes and bibliography (17th ed.)
• How to format the bibliography page?
• Notes and in-text citations
• Examples of bibliographic references in Chicago Style – author-date (17th ed.)
• What is Harvard referencing style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in Harvard style
• Online video
• What is IEEE Style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in IEEE Style
• How to format the references pages in IEEE Style?
• What is Vancouver Style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in Vancouver Style

Citation guides

All you need to know about citations

How to cite a master's thesis in Chicago

To cite a master's thesis in a reference entry in Chicago style 17th edition include the following elements:

• Author(s) of the thesis: Give first the last name, then the name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two authors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). For more than seven authors, list the first seven names followed by et al.
• Title of the thesis: Give the title in quotation marks.
• Degree: Type of degree.
• University: Give the name of the institution.
• Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a master's thesis in Chicago style 17th edition:

Author(s) of the thesis . " Title of the thesis ." Degree , University , Year of publication .

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the Chicago style guidelines in action:

A psychology master's thesis with one author

Bauger, Lars . " Personality, Passion, Self-esteem and Psychological Well-being among Junior Elite Athletes in Norway ." Master's Thesis , University of Tromsø , 2011 .

A master's thesis with one author

Aube, Kyle Eric . " A Comparison of Water Main Failure Prediction Models in San Luis Obispo, CA ." Master's Thesis , Cal Poly , 2019 .

This citation style guide is based on the Chicago Manual of Style (17 th edition).

More useful guides

• Chicago Citation Quickguide
• How to Cite A Dissertation
• Citing and referencing: University theses and dissertations

More great BibGuru guides

• AMA: how to cite a magazine article
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Chicago Style Guide

Thesis/dissertation – chicago bibliography, general tips.

• Titles of unpublished works appear in quotation marks—not in italics. This treatment is applied to theses and dissertations.

Thesis/Dissertation Print

Last , First M . " Thesis/Dissertation Title ." PhD diss., [OR] Master's thesis , Academic institution , Year .

1. Mihwa Choi, "Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty," (PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2008).

2. Choi "Contesting Imaginaires".

Choi, Mihwa. "Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty." PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2008.

Thesis/Dissertation Commercial Database

For items retrieved from a commercial database, add the name of the database and an accession number following the facts of publication. This dissertation cited below is shown as it would be cited if it were retrieved from ProQuest's database for dissertations and theses.

Last , First M . " Thesis/Dissertation Title ." PhD diss., [OR] Master's thesis , Academic institution , Year . Database name ( accession number ).

Choi, Mihwa. "Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty." PhD diss.,, University of Chicago, 2008. ProQuest (AAT 3300426).

Thesis/Dissertation Web

Last , First M . " Thesis/Dissertation Title ." PhD diss., [OR] Master's thesis , Academic institution , Year . http:// www.url.com

Johnson, Shakela Carion. "An Examination of the Social Characteristics and Beliefs of Delinquent and Non-Delinquent Youth." PhD thesis. Auburn University, 2007. http://search.proquest.com/docview/304897390?accountid=12528

1. Mihwa Choi, "Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty," (PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2008), ProQuest (AAT 3300426).

Choi, Mihwa. "Contesting Imaginaires in Death Rituals during the Northern Song Dynasty." PhD diss., University of Chicago, 2008. ProQuest (AAT 3300426).