In the UK, countries of Western Europe, as well as New Zealand and Australia, the term ‘dissertation’ is used instead of a ‘thesis.’ The majority of the remaining countries in the world prefer to use ‘thesis’ instead of ‘dissertation.’
The label does not change the goal. Markers need sources they can trace. Clean in-text citations and a complete reference list make that possible. Harvard Referencing Style has small variations across universities. Follow the local guide first, then stay consistent from start to finish.
What counts as a dissertation source?
Most submissions are PhD theses or Master’s dissertations, hosted by a university repository. Some are unpublished works held in departmental archives. Others appear online with a DOI or a stable handle link. Treat each version the same way at core, then add details for the format.
Common elements to capture
- Author name
- Year of award or deposit
- Exact title of the dissertation or thesis
- Award level (e.g., PhD thesis; Master’s dissertation)
- Institution (and location if your guide requires it)
- Viewed date and URL/DOI for online items
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In-text citation (two common Harvard patterns)
Most Harvard variants accept either of these. Use one pattern consistently.
- General mention: (Author Year)
- Specific point or quote: (Author Year, p. #) or (Author Year, pp. #–#)
Examples
(Exelby 1997) | (Exelby 1997, p. 3)
(Ram 2012) | (Ram 2012, p. 130)
Reference list formats you’ll actually use
Different universities tweak punctuation, italics, and quotation marks. Two widely accepted templates are shown below. Choose the one your department prefers.
A) Title in single quotes (very common in UK guides)
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Title of dissertation’, Award, Institution, Location.
Example
Exelby, H R A 1997, ‘Aspects of gold and mineral liberation’, PhD thesis, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld.
B) Title in italics (used by many repositories)
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, Title of dissertation, Award, Institution.
Example
Darius, H 2014, Savant syndrome: theories and empirical findings, Master’s dissertation, University of Skövde & University of Turku.
Remember
- Keep sentence cases for titles unless your local Harvard specifies otherwise.
- Include the award wording exactly as your guide wants it (“PhD thesis” or “Doctoral dissertation”).
- Add a place only if your style requires it.
Citing a dissertation published online
When the dissertation is accessible on a repository, add the viewed date and the URL or DOI. Some guides enclose URLs in angle brackets; some do not. Either is fine, be consistent.
Template
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Title of dissertation’, Award, Institution, viewed Day Month Year, <URL or DOI>.
Example
Ram, R 2012, ‘Development of the International Financial Reporting Standard for small and medium-sized entities’, PhD thesis, The University of Sydney, viewed 23 May 2014, http://hdl.handle.net/2123/8208.
Good practice
- Prefer a DOI or handle link when offered; it’s stable.
- Use the award year shown on the repository record.
Citing an unpublished dissertation
The core elements stay the same. Note that it is unpublished if your local guide asks for that flag.
Template
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Title of dissertation’, Unpublished [award], Institution, Location.
Example
Sakunasingha, B 2006, ‘An empirical study into factors influencing the use of value-based management tools’, Unpublished DBA thesis, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW.
Dissertations with a DOI
If the repository provides a DOI, most guides prefer the https://doi.org/ form at the end of the entry.
Template
Author Surname, Initial(s) Year, Title of dissertation, Award, Institution, https://doi.org/xxxxx
Example
Nguyen, T Q 2021, Adaptive supply chains under demand shocks, PhD thesis, Monash University, https://doi.org/10.26180/xxxxxx
Edge cases you’ll meet (and how to handle them)
- No clear date: Use n.d. in place of the year, and include a solid viewed date.
- Corporate author: Rare for dissertations, use the named student author.
- Different award labels: Match the repository (e.g., MPhil thesis, EdD thesis).
- Chapters cited: Quote from a chapter as usual, the reference list still cites the whole dissertation.
- Long titles: Keep them as printed; in-text, shorten to a clear short title if needed.
Quick reference table
| Scenario | In-text citation | Reference list (sample) |
|---|---|---|
| Print dissertation | (Surname Year) | Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Title’, PhD thesis, Institution, Location. |
| Online (no DOI) | (Surname Year, p. #) | Surname, Initial(s) Year, Title, Master’s dissertation, Institution, viewed Day Month Year, <URL>. |
| Online (with DOI) | (Surname Year) | Surname, Initial(s) Year, Title, PhD thesis, Institution, https://doi.org/xxxxx |
| Unpublished | (Surname Year) | Surname, Initial(s) Year, ‘Title’, Unpublished [award], Institution, Location. |
| No date (n.d.) | (Surname n.d.) | Surname, Initial(s) n.d., ‘Title’, PhD thesis, Institution, viewed Day Month Year, <URL>. |
Why this matters beyond the reference list
Correct citations support the literature review, make the approach transparent, and keep the discussion and conclusion easy to verify. Strong referencing also reduces plagiarism risk and shows care with academic credibility, integrity, and a core academic skill.
Frequently Asked Questions
To cite your dissertation, follow your chosen citation style (e.g., APA, MLA). Generally, include author name, year, title, and source details. For APA: Author. (Year). Title. Source. For MLA: Author. “Title.” Degree, University, Year.
Match the wording in the repository or university guide. Use “PhD thesis,” “Master’s dissertation,” or the exact degree as given.
Yes, most guides ask for viewed Day Month Year. It’s useful if the record changes.
Follow the local Harvard guide. Both appear in use. Stay consistent.
Use para. # or section headings in the in-text citation when quoting.
Yes. If a DOI is present, include the https://doi.org/ link in the reference.
