Citing a thesis in Modern Language Association (MLA) style is similar to citing any other type of published work. The key difference is that a thesis is a work that has not been published in a journal or other publication, but rather has been submitted as part of the requirements for a degree program at a university. Here are the steps to follow when citing a thesis in MLA style:
Start with the author's name: List the author's last name, followed by a comma, then their first and middle initials (if available). If the author's name is not available, use the title of the thesis as the author.
Add the title of the thesis: Place the title of the thesis in quotation marks, followed by a period. If the title is long, you may use a shortened version in your citation.
Provide the name of the degree program: Include the name of the degree program for which the thesis was submitted, followed by a period.
List the name of the university: Include the name of the university that awarded the degree, followed by a period.
Add the date of submission: Include the year that the thesis was submitted, followed by a period.
Provide the name of the degree: Include the name of the degree that was awarded, followed by a period.
Add the name of the department: Include the name of the department within the university that oversaw the research and submission of the thesis, followed by a period.
Here is an example of a complete MLA citation for a thesis:
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. "Title of Thesis." Degree Program, University, Year of Submission. Degree. Department.
For example:
Smith, John. "The Effects of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health." PhD in Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 2020. PhD. Psychology Department.
If you are citing a thesis from an online repository, you will need to include the name of the repository and the URL of the thesis. Here is an example of a complete MLA citation for an online thesis:
Author's Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. "Title of Thesis." Degree Program, University, Year of Submission. Degree. Department. Name of Repository, URL.
For example:
Johnson, Mary. "The Role of Parenting Styles in Childhood Development." MA in Education, Stanford University, 2019. MA. Education Department. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, https://www.proquest.com/docview/12345678.
It is important to accurately cite the sources you use in your academic work, including theses. Proper citation helps to give credit to the original author and allows readers to locate the source material if they wish to read it themselves. By following the guidelines outlined above, you can correctly cite a thesis in MLA style.