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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...

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your dissertation or thesis.
  2. Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
  3. Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
  4. Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
  5. Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.

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Cite a Dissertation or Thesis in Other Styles

Dissertation or Thesis in APADissertation or Thesis in MLADissertation or Thesis in HarvardDissertation or Thesis in VancouverDissertation or Thesis in IEEEDissertation or Thesis in AMADissertation or Thesis in TurabianDissertation or Thesis in CSEDissertation or Thesis in BibTeXDissertation or Thesis in NatureDissertation or Thesis in ACSDissertation or Thesis in OSCOLADissertation or Thesis in BluebookDissertation or Thesis in AGLCDissertation or Thesis in ASADissertation or Thesis in APSADissertation or Thesis in AAADissertation or Thesis in NLMDissertation or Thesis in ACMDissertation or Thesis in APSDissertation or Thesis in AIPDissertation or Thesis in CellDissertation or Thesis in ScienceDissertation or Thesis in PLOSDissertation or Thesis in BMJDissertation or Thesis in LancetDissertation or Thesis in JAMADissertation or Thesis in Elsevier HarvardDissertation or Thesis in Springer

Cite Other Sources in Chicago

Website in ChicagoBook in ChicagoJournal Article in ChicagoYouTube Video in ChicagoPodcast in ChicagoNewspaper Article in ChicagoMagazine Article in ChicagoBlog Post in ChicagoWikipedia in ChicagoPDF in ChicagoInterview in ChicagoSocial Media Post in ChicagoGovernment Document in ChicagoConference Paper in ChicagoLecture or PowerPoint in ChicagoWebinar in ChicagoOnline Course in ChicagoPowerPoint Presentation in ChicagoImage or Photograph in ChicagoMovie or Film in ChicagoDocumentary in ChicagoTV Show in ChicagoSong or Music in ChicagoPoem in ChicagoCourt Case in ChicagoPatent in ChicagoEncyclopedia Entry in ChicagoDictionary Entry in ChicagoDataset in ChicagoSoftware or App in ChicagoVideo Game in ChicagoPress Release in ChicagoReport in ChicagoPreprint in ChicagoBook Chapter in ChicagoChatGPT in ChicagoBible in ChicagoTED Talk in ChicagoEmail in ChicagoReddit or Forum Post in ChicagoX (Twitter) Post in ChicagoMap in Chicago

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