Terminology
Thesis and dissertation can mean different things, depending on which institution the work is from. For study purposes and for your APA reference you need to know the level of the work.
At Auckland University of Technology (and other NZ universities)
Thesis is either for a doctoral or a master's degree.
Dissertation is either for a master's or a bachelor's degree with honours.
Exegesis is the written component of a practice-based thesis where the major output is a creative work; e.g. a film, artwork, novel.
Elsewhere
In some other parts of the world such as North America, a dissertation may be for a doctoral degree and a thesis for a master's degree.
See Section 7.05 in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition.
Reference format for a thesis from a commercial database:
Author, A. A. (date). Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis (Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis). Available from Name of database. (Accession or Order No.) |
Reference format for a thesis from an institutional repository:
Author, A. A. (date). Title of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis (Doctoral dissertation or Master's thesis, the name of the University, city, country). Retrieved from http://xxxxx |
A Doctoral dissertation (USA) from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database
Reference list entry:
Pflieger, J. C. (2009). Adolescents' parent and peer relations and romantic outcomes in young adulthood (Doctoral dissertation). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global database. (UMI No. 3371229) |
Thesis from a NZ institutional repository:
Reference list entry:
Thomas, R. (2009). The making of a journalist: The New Zealand way (Doctoral thesis, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10292/466 |
Reference format for unpublished thesis/dissertation:
Author, A. A. (date). TItle of doctoral dissertation or master's thesis (Unpublished doctoral dissertation or master's thesis). Name of Institution, Location. |
Reference list entry:
Knight, A. (2001). Exercise and osteoarthritis of the knee (Unpublished master's dissertation). Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand. |