How to Cite a Dissertation or Thesis in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite doctoral dissertations and master's theses in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a dissertation or thesis in your bibliography:
Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Dissertation." PhD diss./MA thesis, Institution Name, Year.
Chicago Example for a Dissertation or Thesis
A complete Chicago reference for a dissertation or thesis, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Vasquez, Elena. 2022. “Reading Practices in the Digital Archive.” Doctoral dissertation, State University. https://www.example.org/theses/vasquez.
Matching in-text citation: (Vasquez 2022)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Smith 2024, 45)
Narrative
Smith (2024) demonstrates...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Put the dissertation title in quotation marks, not italics.
- Identify the work as PhD diss. or master's thesis after the title.
- Give the institution and the year.
- Add the database name and identifier or the URL for online access.
- Notes-Bibliography: use footnotes; Author-Date: use parenthetical.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your dissertation or thesis.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: chicago.csl
Metadata to collect
- author
- title
- degree type (doctoral dissertation or master's thesis)
- awarding institution
- year the degree was awarded
- database or repository name and identifier
- URL
Common metadata traps
- State whether the work is published in a database or repository or is unpublished; the formats differ.
- Use the year the degree was awarded, not the date the file was uploaded.
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a dissertation or thesis in Chicago?
- To cite a dissertation or thesis in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Chicago format for a dissertation or thesis citation?
- The Chicago format for a dissertation or thesis is: Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Dissertation." PhD diss./MA thesis, Institution Name, Year.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a dissertation or thesis in Chicago?
- In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Smith 2024, 45)
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