How to Cite a Thesis/Dissertation in CSE Name-Year
Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.
Citation Format
Basic Template
Author. Year. Title [dissertation]. Place: Institution.
Citation Components
Author(s)
Invert each name and write initials with no periods or spaces (Smith JD). List up to 10 authors, then et al.
Year
Place the year immediately after the author, followed by a period.
Title
Use sentence case: capitalize only the first word and proper nouns. Titles are not italicized.
Source Details
Give the journal (abbreviation allowed) or publisher, then the locator as Volume(Issue):pages with no spaces.
Real-World Example
Example Source
Smith, John David; Jones, Anne B
2024
Population dynamics of coastal species
University of California
Berkeley (CA)
dissertation
Formatted Citation
Smith JD, Jones AB. 2024. Population dynamics of coastal species [dissertation]. Berkeley (CA): University of California.
In-Text Citation
(Smith and Jones 2024)
(Author Year) with no comma; (Author and Author Year) for two authors; (Author et al. Year) for three or more
Common Mistakes
Wrong:
Smith, J. D. 2024. Effects of sleep on memory. J Neurosci. 44(3):211-220.
Right:
Smith JD. 2024. Effects of sleep on memory. J Neurosci. 44(3):211-220.
Why: CSE initials carry no periods or spaces and follow the surname directly.
Wrong:
(Smith, 2024)
Right:
(Smith 2024)
Why: The name-year system uses no comma between the author and the year in the text.
Wrong:
Smith JD. 2024. Effects of Sleep on Memory. J Neurosci. 44(3):211-220.
Right:
Smith JD. 2024. Effects of sleep on memory. J Neurosci. 44(3):211-220.
Why: Article and chapter titles use sentence case, not title case, and are not italicized.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I format a thesis/dissertation in CSE name-year style? ▼
Follow the template above: author with periodless initials, the year, a sentence-case title, and the source details. The end references are listed alphabetically by author surname.
How do CSE in-text citations work? ▼
Use the author surname and year with no comma between them: (Smith 2024). For two authors use (Smith and Jones 2024); for three or more use (Smith et al. 2024).
Does CSE italicize titles? ▼
The name-year system does not italicize journal, book, or article titles. Keep the whole reference in plain roman type.
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