Skip to Main Content UTHealth School of Dentistry: Logout Page

Thesis Tips

CAUTION:

If you use a citation manager tool (EndNote, RefWorks, Zotero, etc.), do not trust that it is 100% correct. 

Look at the citations in your reference lists ONE BY ONE and make sure they follow the rules.

Anatomy of a Journal Article Citation (APA 7th ed. Style)

Most of your references will be journal articles.

Four main parts to an article citation:

  • Author—who is responsible for writing?
  • Date—date the article was published
  • Title of Article—title of the article
  • Source—where the reader can find the article

For each section, pay attention to:

  • appropriate punctuation between sections
  • proper capitalization rules for each section
  • font formatting for each section--which parts should be in italics

Capitalization of Various Document Types (APA 7th ed. Style)

Document type

Capitalization

Example

Notes

Journal article title

Sentence-case

Simplified versus conventional complete dentures: A randomized crossover clinical trial.
  • First word and first word after colon, plus any proper nouns or acronyms capitalized

Journal title

Title-case

The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry
  • In italics.
  • Not abbreviated—written out fully

Book chapter title

Sentence-case

Mechanical properties of solids.
  • First word and first word after colon, plus any proper nouns or acronyms capitalized

Book title

Sentence-case

 Phillips’ science of dental materials (Thirteenth edition.).
  • In italics
  • Include edition, if available

Thesis title

Sentence-case

Microbiologic outcomes of non-surgical treatment of peri-implant diseases with and without the use of adjunctive antimicrobial photodynamic therapy: A randomized controlled trial
  • First word and subtitle first word, plus any proper nouns or acronyms capitalized
  • In italics

APA 7th ed. Citation Helpful Resources

AMA Citation Helpful Resources

"Dentistry Journals and Abbreviations" from NCBI

Capitalization of Various Document Types (MLA 11th ed. Style)

Document type

Capitalization

Example

Notes

Journal article title

Sentence-case

Simplified versus conventional complete dentures: A randomized crossover clinical trial.
  • First word and first word after colon, plus any proper nouns or acronyms capitalized

Journal title

Title-case

J Prosthet Dent
  • In italics.
  • Abbreviated according to NLM

Book chapter title

Sentence-case

Mechanical properties of solids.
  • First word and first word after colon, plus any proper nouns or acronyms capitalized

Book title

Title-case

 Phillips’ Science of Dental Materials. 13th edition.
  • Every major word capitalized
  • In italics
  • Include edition, if available (editions statement not in italics)

Thesis title

Title-case

 Microbiologic Outcomes of Non-Surgical Treatment of Peri-Implant Diseases with and Without the Use of Adjunctive Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
  • Every major word capitalized
  • In italics