Mastering Dissertation Citations in MLA Style: A Student's Guide

In the realm of academia, students often find themselves navigating the complexities of writing and citing research papers, including dissertations. Proper citation is an essential aspect of scholarly work, ensuring that your sources are credited accurately and that your work maintains academic integrity. In this article, we will delve into the specifics of in MLA style, providing students with a comprehensive guide to this critical aspect of academic writing.

Understanding the Significance of Citation

Citation is a fundamental practice in academic writing that serves multiple purposes:

Acknowledgment of Sources: It gives credit to the authors or researchers whose work you have referred to or used in your research.

Validation of Research: https://essayservices.review/blog/dissertation-writing-how-to-cite-a-dissertation Proper citations validate your research by showing that it is based on credible and relevant sources.

Avoiding Plagiarism: Correct citation is crucial in preventing plagiarism, which is a serious academic offense.

Citing a Dissertation in MLA Style

The Modern Language Association (MLA) style is commonly used in humanities disciplines and provides guidelines for citing various sources, including dissertations. When citing a dissertation in MLA style, follow these guidelines:

Author: Begin the citation with the author's name, last name first, followed by a comma and their first name.

Title of the Dissertation: Italicize the title of the dissertation and place it in quotation marks.

Description: In the source element, include a clear and brief description of the dissertation.

Institution: Mention the name of the institution where the dissertation was published, followed by a comma.

Year: Provide the publication year in parentheses, followed by a period.

Medium: Specify the medium of publication, which is typically "Diss."

URL (Optional): If the dissertation is available online, include the URL at the end of the citation.

Example of a Dissertation Citation in MLA Style:

Smith, John. "Exploring the Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Ecosystems." Diss., University of Environmental Studies, 2021.

Additional Tips for Citing Dissertations

Access Online Resources: If the dissertation is available online, include the URL. Ensure that the URL is accessible to readers.

Use DOI (Digital Object Identifier): If the dissertation has a DOI, you can use it in place of the URL.

Parenthetical Citations: In your research paper, when you reference the dissertation, create a parenthetical citation by including the author's last name and the page number (if applicable). For example: (Smith 45).

Bibliography or Works Cited Page: In the Works Cited page at the end of your paper, list the dissertation citation alphabetically by the author's last name.

Citing a dissertation in MLA style is a crucial aspect of academic writing, ensuring proper acknowledgment of sources, research validity, and prevention of plagiarism. Understanding the elements of a dissertation citation and how to format it correctly is essential for students across various disciplines, especially in the humanities. By following the guidelines outlined in this article, students can confidently cite dissertations in MLA style and maintain the integrity of their research papers.