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Dissertations

Citing dissertations using APA style

Elements required for a dissertation citation

  • A dissertation or thesis is considered published when it is available from a database such as ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global or PDQT Open, an institutional repository, or an archive.
  • If the database assigns publication numbers to dissertations and theses, include the publication number in parentheses after the title of the dissertation or thesis without italics.
  • Include the description “Doctoral dissertation” or “Master’s thesis” followed by a comma and the name of the institution that awarded the degree. Place this information in square brackets after the dissertation or thesis title and any publication number.
  • In the source element of the reference, provide the name of the database, repository, or archive.
  • The same format can be adapted for other published theses, including undergraduate theses, by changing the wording of the bracketed description as appropriate (e.g., “Undergraduate honors thesis”).
  • Include a URL for the dissertation or thesis if the URL will resolve for readers .

APA Style tables have the following basic components:

  • number: The table number (e.g., Table 1) appears above the table title and body in bold font. Number tables in the order in which they are mentioned in your paper.
  • title: The table title appears in one double-spaced line below the table number. Give each table a brief but descriptive title, and capitalize the table title in the italic title case.
  • headings: Tables may include a variety of headings depending on the nature and arrangement of the data. All tables should include column headings, including a stub heading (heading for the leftmost, or stub, column). The heading “Variable” is often used for the stub column if no other heading is suitable. Some tables also include column spanners, decked heads, and table spanners; these are described in the Publication ManualCenter column headings and capitalize them in sentence case.
  • body: The table body includes all the rows and columns of a table (including the headings row). A cell is the point of intersection between a row and a column.
    • The table body may be single-spaced, one-and-a-half-spaced, or double-spaced.
    • Left-align the information in the leftmost column or stub column of the table body (but center the heading).
    • In general, center information in all other cells of the table. However, left-align the information if doing so would improve readability, particularly when cells contain lots of text.
  • note: Three types of notes (general, specific, and probability) appear below the table as needed to describe contents of the table that cannot be understood from the table title or body alone (e.g., definitions of abbreviations, copyright attribution, explanations of asterisks used to indicate p values). Include table notes only as needed.

Figure components

The most important principle to follow when creating a figure or table is to present information in a way that is easy for readers to understand. Provide sufficient information in the figure so readers do not need to read the text to understand it. When creating a figure, ensure you meet the following standards:

  • images are clear
  • lines are smooth and sharp
  • font is legible and simple
  • units of measurement are provided
  • axes are clearly labeled
  • elements within the figure are clearly labeled or explained

Use graphics software to create figures in APA Style papers. For example, use the built-in graphics features of your word-processing program (e.g., Microsoft Word or Excel) or dedicated programs such as Photoshop or Inkscape.

Placement of figures and tables in a paper

APA Style figures have these basic components:

There are two options for placing figures (and tables) in a paper. The first is to embed figures in the text after each is first mentioned (or "called out"); the second is to place each figure on a separate page after the reference list.

An embedded figure may take up an entire page; if the figure is short, however, text may appear on the same page as the figure. In that case, place the figure at the top or bottom of the page rather than in the middle. Also, add one blank double-spaced line between the figure and any text to improve the visual presentation.