How to Cite Sources in APA Format  Tags: apa citations style_guides how_to  

The basic APA citation format for dissertations is similar to the APA format for citing books:

Citing a dissertation found in ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database:

Format:

Author. (Year). Title of dissertation (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. (Accession, publication, or order number).

Example:

Olds, J. L. (2008). An investigation of district promotion, retention, and intervention policies and practices for elementary students in four Southern California counties (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. (AAT 3308864).

Note: You may have to look carefully at the record in ProQuest to determine the publication number.

Citing a print dissertation found in a library:

Format:

Author. (Year). Title of dissertation (Doctoral dissertation). Name of institution, Location.

Example:

Olds, J. L. (2008). An investigation of district promotion, retention, and intervention policies and practices for elementary students in four Southern California counties (Doctoral dissertation). Azusa Pacific University, Azusa, CA.

Note: Every dissertation at APU should also appear in ProQuest. If you are going to cite the dissertation, you should look it up in ProQuest to find the AAT number, then follow the guidelines for citing dissertations found in ProQuest. This is the most consistent way to ensure that readers of your paper will be able to retrieve the original source.

The APA citation format for government documents is similar to the APA format for citing eBooks.

Citing a U.S. government report available on government agency Web site:

Format:

Government Agency. (Year of publication). Title of report (Report No. xxx, if given). Retrieved from http://xxxxxxxxxx

Examples:

United States Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). America's children and the environment (ACE). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/envirohealth/children/

Baldi, S. (2007). Highlights from PISA 2006: Performance of U.S. 15-year-old students in science and mathematics literacy in an international context (NCES Report No. 2008016). Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/PUBSEARCH/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2008016

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. (2005). Pathways to Hispanic family learning: Highlighting public and private efforts to meet the education needs of the Hispanic family. Retrieved from http://www.yesican.gov/publications/pdf/pathways.pdf

Note: Not every government document will have a report number. If you’re unable to find one, just leave that part out of the citation. Always use the personal name of an author, if it is given. If a corporate author is listed instead of a personal author, use the agency/department name instead of a personal name.