How To Cite Your Dissertation: 7 Basic Rules To Remember

When it comes to writing a dissertation, perhaps one of the most important things you’ll have to know is how to cite it properly. This will make sure you avoid things like plagiarism and essentially keep you out of trouble. Citing your sources is easy, just take a deep breath and get down to it.

7 Rules to Remember When Citing Your Dissertation

  1. Know what format your professor wants the citing done in
  2. APA, Chicago, MLA - there are so many different formats when it comes to citing. Always double check with your professor that format he or she wants.

  3. There are websites online that will cite for you
  4. If you’re stuck and don’t understand the differences between the formats, there are online websites that will do your bibliography for you! That’s right, you can put the information that you used into a website, and it’ll produce the properly done citations for you.

  5. Use them whenever you think it’s warranted
  6. When in doubt, throw in a source. If you think it’s a little dodgy and you’re unsure if it’s plagiarism or not, put in where you got your information. This is a sure way to have your own back and saving yourself from any kind of trouble.

  7. Be aware of all your source options
  8. It’s not just books you can use! You can take advantage of TV, movies, documentaries - anything that has information, you’re able to cite.

  9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
  10. Citing dissertations is tough stuff. It’s always a little unclear when you should use them, and when the work is your own. The best person to ask for this would be your professor. They alone will know if they’ll accept it as your work, or if a strong source is necessary.

  11. Remember where the citation goes
  12. Don’t get yourself in trouble just because you put your source in the wrong spot! Citations always go directly to the sentence that you’re sourcing. Make sure they come after the last letter, including after the punctuation.

  13. Sometimes, you don’t have to cite
  14. You need to remember that you’re writing your paper. You’ve clearly gained some knowledge, enough of it to write an entire dissertation. If you’re proving a point, or if you’re arguing something - you don’t have to cite, it is your work, after all.