How to Cite a Thesis or Dissertation in Vancouver
Complete guide with examples for citing published and unpublished theses and dissertations in Vancouver referencing style.
Unpublished Thesis or Dissertation
In Vancouver style, "dissertation" refers to a PhD submission, while "thesis" refers to a Master's submission.[reference:7]
Reference List Entry
1. Author AA. Title of thesis [dissertation]. Place of publication: Publisher; Year.
Example: Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation
Citation
1. Tremblay S. Social media use and adolescent identity formation in rural Quebec [dissertation]. Montreal (QC): McGill University; 2025.
In‑Text Citation
Tremblay (1) found that social media influences adolescent identity formation.
Published Dissertation (Online)
Example
2. Babazadeh A. Nano-carrier mediated delivery of small molecule activators of proteasome and autophagy enhancers [dissertation on the Internet]. Macquarie Park (AU): Macquarie University; 2023 [cited 2026 Apr 8]. Available from: https://figshare.mq.edu.au/articles/thesis/Nano-carrier_mediated_delivery_of_small_molecule_activators_of_proteasome_and_autophagy_enhancers/23974659
Master's Thesis from an Institutional Repository
Example
3. Nguyen L. Urban heat islands and equity: a case study of Vancouver neighbourhoods [master's thesis on the Internet]. Vancouver (BC): University of British Columbia; 2023 [cited 2026 Apr 8]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.14288/1.0123456
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between "thesis" and "dissertation"?
In Vancouver style, use [dissertation] for PhD submissions and [master's thesis] for Master's degree submissions.[reference:8]
Should the title be italicized?
No. In Vancouver style, titles are not italicized. Only the first word of the title is capitalized.