Dissertations & Theses

Dissertations and theses are substantial works of original research completed by candidates for academic degrees (e.g., PhD, MA, MS, MPhil, EdD). They often represent the culmination of years of study and can be invaluable sources for specialized information, literature reviews, and original research findings that may not be available elsewhere. Citing them correctly in the Chicago/Turabian Notes and Bibliography (NB) system is important for acknowledging this original scholarship and enabling other researchers to locate these works. The citation style varies slightly depending on whether the work is unpublished or accessed through an online database or institutional repository.

This section provides more detailed guidelines on how to format citations for various forms of dissertations and theses, including expanded explanations of core elements and additional considerations.

Core Elements for Citing Dissertations & Theses (Expanded Explanation):

  • Author:
    The full name of the individual who wrote the dissertation or thesis, as it appears on the title page.
  • "Title of Dissertation/Thesis":
    The complete and exact title of the work, including any subtitle.
    Enclose the title in double quotation marks. Do not italicize it.
    Use headline-style capitalization (capitalize the first and last words, and all principal words).
  • Type of Work:
    A specific description of the academic work. This is crucial for identifying its nature.
    Examples: PhD diss. (for Doctor of Philosophy dissertation), doctoral dissertation (more general), MA thesis, MS thesis, MPhil thesis, EdD diss. Use the designation preferred by the degree-granting institution or as found on the work itself.
  • Academic Institution:
    The full, official name of the degree-granting university or institution.
    If the institution has a well-known location that might be ambiguous (e.g., if there are multiple universities with similar names), you can add the city and state/country, but often the university name alone is sufficient if unambiguous. (e.g., University of Delhi; Stanford University).
  • Year of Completion/Award:
    The year the degree was formally conferred or the work was officially accepted/completed. This is usually found on the title page or in the university's records.
  • For Online or Database Versions:
    • Name of Database or Repository: If accessed through a commercial database, provide its name (e.g., ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global). If from an institutional repository, give its name (e.g., Harvard Digital Collections, Shodhganga@INFLIBNET, Oxford University Research Archive). Italicize the name of formal databases or repositories if they are presented as titled collections.
    • Publication Number/Identifier: Commercial databases like ProQuest often assign a unique publication or order number (e.g., UMI No. XXXXXXX, Publication No. XXXXXXX). Include this if available, as it's a stable identifier.
    • URL or DOI: If accessed online, a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is the most stable and preferred link. If no DOI is available, provide the direct URL (e.g., from an institutional repository or university webpage). Persistent URLs (like handles from hdl.handle.net) are also good.
    • Access Date: Chicago style (CMOS 17th ed., 14.214) generally does not require an access date for dissertations and theses retrieved from established commercial databases (like ProQuest, especially if a publication number or DOI is provided) or stable institutional repositories with persistent URLs. However, an access date can be useful and is often recommended by Turabian if the work is retrieved from a less formal university webpage, if the URL seems unstable, or if no other date (like a publication date for the online version) is present. If included, format as: accessed May 28, 2025.
  • Page Number(s) in Notes:
    When citing a specific passage, include the exact page number(s) in the note.
    If an online version lacks stable page numbers, refer to chapter (chap.), section (sec.), or paragraph (para.) numbers if available and clearly marked in the document.

A. Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis

This applies to works typically held in print in a university library or archive, not formally disseminated through online databases or repositories.

Full Note (N):
Author's First Name Last Name, "Title of Dissertation or Thesis" (Type of Work, Name of Academic Institution, Year of Completion), Specific Page(s) Cited.
Example: Priya Venkatesh, "The Role of Folk Traditions in Modern Indian Theatre: A Study of Performance and Cultural Identity" (PhD diss., Jawaharlal Nehru University, 2022), 115–17.
Shortened Note (SN):
2. Author's Last Name, "Shortened Title of Dissertation/Thesis", Specific Page(s) Cited.
Example: 2. Venkatesh, "Folk Traditions in Modern Indian Theatre," 120.
Bibliography Entry (B):
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Dissertation or Thesis." Type of Work, Name of Academic Institution, Year of Completion.
Example: Venkatesh, Priya. "The Role of Folk Traditions in Modern Indian Theatre: A Study of Performance and Cultural Identity." PhD diss., Jawaharlal Nehru University, 2022.

B. Dissertation or Thesis from an Online Database (e.g., ProQuest)

These are often considered "published" or formally disseminated.

Full Note (N):
Author's First Name Last Name, "Title of Dissertation or Thesis" (Type of Work, Name of Academic Institution, Year of Completion), Page(s) Cited (if applicable), Name of Database, Publication No. XXXXXXX (or similar identifier).
Example: John Michael Smith, "Computational Models of Language Acquisition: A Connectionist Approach" (PhD diss., Stanford University, 2023), 78, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, pub. no. 28345678.
(If a DOI is provided by ProQuest, prefer it: ...2023), 78, https://doi.org/xxxxxxx.)
Shortened Note (SN):
2. Author's Last Name, "Shortened Title," Page(s).
Example: 2. Smith, "Computational Models," 81.
Bibliography Entry (B):
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Dissertation or Thesis." Type of Work, Name of Academic Institution, Year of Completion. Name of Database, Publication No. XXXXXXX (if available). (Or DOI if available).
Example: Smith, John Michael. "Computational Models of Language Acquisition: A Connectionist Approach." PhD diss., Stanford University, 2023. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, pub. no. 28345678.
(If a DOI is available: Smith, John Michael. "Computational Models of Language Acquisition: A Connectionist Approach." PhD diss., Stanford University, 2023. https://doi.org/xxxxxxx.)

C. Dissertation or Thesis from an Institutional Repository or University Website

Full Note (N):
Author's First Name Last Name, "Title of Dissertation or Thesis" (Type of Work, Name of Academic Institution, Year of Completion), Page(s) Cited (or chap./sec. if no stable pages), Name of Repository (if distinct), URL or DOI. (Access date optional, but consider for non-DOI URLs).
Example (with URL from repository like Shodhganga):
Rina Banerjee, "Impact of Microfinance on Women Empowerment in West Bengal" (PhD diss., University of Calcutta, 2020), chap. 4, Shodhganga@INFLIBNET, http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/123456. (Accessed May 28, 2025).
Example (with DOI from institutional repository):
David Lee, "Particle Physics Beyond the Standard Model: Theoretical Explorations" (PhD diss., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024), 102, https://doi.org/10.xxxx/mit.phd.2024.123.
Shortened Note (SN):
2. Author's Last Name, "Shortened Title," Page(s) (or chap./sec.).
Example: 2. Banerjee, "Impact of Microfinance," chap. 4. 2. Lee, "Particle Physics," 105.
Bibliography Entry (B):
Author's Last Name, First Name. "Title of Dissertation or Thesis." Type of Work, Name of Academic Institution, Year of Completion. Name of Repository (if distinct). URL or DOI. (Access date optional).
Example (with URL): Banerjee, Rina. "Impact of Microfinance on Women Empowerment in West Bengal." PhD diss., University of Calcutta, 2020. Shodhganga@INFLIBNET. http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/123456. (Accessed May 28, 2025).
Example (with DOI): Lee, David. "Particle Physics Beyond the Standard Model: Theoretical Explorations." PhD diss., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2024. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/mit.phd.2024.123.

Note on Dissertations or Theses Subsequently Published as Books (Expanded):

If a dissertation or thesis is later revised and formally published as a book by a commercial or university press, you should cite the published book version whenever possible. The book version is generally preferred because:

  • It has typically undergone further peer review and editorial refinement.
  • It is often more widely accessible to readers than the original dissertation or thesis.
  • It represents the author's more finalized and polished thoughts on the subject.

You would only cite the original dissertation or thesis in such cases if you are specifically discussing that original version (e.g., to trace the evolution of the author's ideas, to compare it to the published book) or if the published book is unavailable to you. If you cite the book, follow the standard Chicago NB format for books.

Additional Considerations / Further Details:

  • Citing Specific Parts (Chapters/Sections): When citing specific content from a dissertation or thesis in your notes, always include page numbers if the document is paginated. If you are using an online version that lacks stable or reliable page numbers, refer to formally designated chapter (chap.), section (sec.), or paragraph (para.) numbers if these are present in the document (e.g., chap. 3, sec. 2.1 or para. 15).
  • "Ibid.": Remember that Chicago style (CMOS 17th ed. and later; Turabian 9th ed.) discourages the use of "ibid." for consecutive citations of the same source, favoring shortened citations for greater clarity.
  • Title in Quotation Marks: Reiterate that dissertation and thesis titles are enclosed in quotation marks in Chicago style, unlike book titles which are italicized. This is a key distinction.