How many references should your dissertation have?

One of the most common questions students ask when writing their dissertation is: “How many references should I have?” Some believe that citing more references automatically leads to a higher grade, while others worry they aren’t citing enough. The truth is, there isn’t a magic number - but there are some clear patterns. I explain this in my recent video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHmuiARtHVk

Do more references equal a better grade?

It might seem logical that the more references you use, the better your dissertation will be. After all, citing a wide range of sources shows that you’ve engaged deeply with your topic. However, quantity alone does not guarantee success. I have supervised a dissertation with nearly 250 references that did not receive a top grade, while another with 92 references achieved a high first-class mark (80%+). This proves that it isn’t just about listing references - it’s about how well they are used.

What influences the number of references in a dissertation?

Some students seamlessly integrate a large number of references, while others struggle to use even a small number effectively. Several factors contribute to the final reference count, and in the video I highlght the following:

⏩ Academic Progression The ability to use references well develops over time. In year 1, my students are expected to use a few academic sources. By the second and third year, these expectations increase, and students with strong skills will cite more sources naturally. For example, for a third year events management student (the degree I teach in), the expectation is as follows:

• A 1,500-word essay might include 20-40 references.

• A 10,000-word dissertation usually exceeds 100 references, depending on the depth of research.

When I say this to my 1st year students their reaction is ‘no way!’. But this progression is natural: the more academic writing practice they have, the more comfortable they become embedding sources into their arguments. By the time they get to their dissertation, citing many references becomes natural.

Just because your degree has not nurtured such routine citation practices it does not mean that you cannot cite many references in your dissertation. It just means you have a bit more to catch up with regards to your ability to do so.

📷 Theoretical and methodological focus: If your dissertation is highly theoretical and is underpinned on a solid methodology, you will use more academic references. For example, dissertations that build on well established theoretical concepts for which a lot of research exists demand extensive literature to define and frame their arguments. By contrast, dissertations with a more practical or descriptive focus might lean less on theoretical literature resulting in fewer references.

💰 The richness of existing literature:  Some research areas have a vast amount of existing studies, making it easy to find many relevant sources. For example, 'normative message framing' has a wealth of research, so dissertations in this area tend to cite more sources. In contrast, 'existential authenticity' is a niche topic with fewer available studies, leading to a naturally lower reference count.

🥨 How scattered the literature is: Some topics are covered in a few major studies, meaning students rely heavily on a handful of key sources. Other topics are spread across a great number of studies, requiring students to pull from a wide range of publications. Thus, a dissertation with fewer studies available will naturally cite fewer references.

Final takeaway: It’s about quality, not just quantity

Ultimately, the number of references in your dissertation is not the most important factor—it’s how well you use them. You don’t need to hit 200+ references to get a top grade, but you do need to:

• Cite relevant and high-quality sources.

• Embed them effectively to support your arguments.

• Maintain a balance between theory, methodology, and analysis.

If you're worried about not having enough references, focus on depth of analysis rather than chasing a high number. Your dissertation should demonstrate that you’ve engaged critically with the literature—not just collected sources for the sake of numbers.

If you want to know what it takes to be able to use many references effectively, check out the literature review resource, where I explain literature analysis. This resource alone contains four hours of tutorials. Alternatively, consider buying the entire Virtual Tutor resource, which contains the literature review resource and more than 10 other resources. If you want support from an experienced supervisor to help you learn how to use references effective, consider getting my support.