phd thesis publishing

• Communications
• Computer Science
• Criminal Justice
• Environmental Management
• Forensic Psychology
• Healthcare Admin
• Human Resources
• Project Management
• Social work
• Special Education
• Sports Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Adult Education
• Business Intelligence
• Early Childhood Education
• Educational Technology
• Homeland Security
• Information Systems Security
• Information Technology
• International Business
• Management Information Systems
• Nonprofit Management
• School Counseling
• Academic Publishing Guide
• Building a Graduate School Resume or CV
• Choosing Between a Thesis or Non-thesis Master's Degree
• Expert Guide to Studying Abroad
• FAQ: Online Master's Degrees
• Grad School Guide Book
• Graduate School for Students with Disabilities
• Green Graduate Degrees
• How to Be a Successful Grad Student
• How to Choose the Right Graduate Program
• How to Get a Master's Degree in an Unrelated Field
• How to Transfer College Credits in Grad School
• How to Write a Winning Personal Statement
• Inside Graduate Admissions
• Ivy League Grad Schools
• Master's Degrees for Veterans
• Master's Degree for Women
• Mental Health in Grad School
• Progressive LGBTQ Graduate Degrees
• Should You Apply for a Graduate School Assistantship?
• Surviving Grad School with a Family
• Taking a Gap Year Before Grad School
• Women in STEM Graduate Resources
• Writing a Successful Statement of Purpose
• Alternative Ways to Pay for School
• The Best Part-Time Jobs During Grad School
• Company Funded Graduate School
• FAFSA For Grad Students
• Financial Aid Resources
• Graduate Student Loans
• Paying for Your Master's Degree
• Paying Off Student Loans
• Paying for Your PhD
• Fellowship Opportunities
• LGBTQ Scholarships
• MBA Scholarships
• Scholarship Resources
• Scholarships for Veterans
• Scholarships for Women
• Crushing the GRE Guidebook
• GMAT Guidebook
• Guide to the LSAT
• MCAT Prep for Medical School
• Study Guide: Exam Resources
• TOEFL Prep for Non-Native English Speakers
•       Resources       Publish or Perish: Graduate Students' Guide to Publishing

Publish or Perish: Graduate Students' Guide to Publishing

In addition to endless piles of reading, demanding expectations in the classroom, student teaching responsibilities, and the always-looming awareness that they need to research, write, and edit a high-quality dissertation before graduating, today’s Ph.D. students also commonly feel stress about another topic: publishing. As more prospective employers expect degree seekers to get their names in academic journals and conferences while still in school, many learners feel overwhelmed by the prospects of making the grade. The following guide answers some of their most pressing questions, provides guidance on the ins and outs of publishing while still in school, and offers expert advice from a professor who knows better than most what it takes to publish rather than perish.

Understanding Publishing in Graduate School

Getting published as a grad student can feel overwhelming at first, because there’s so much to learn about the process and expectations surrounding it. With a bit of research, however, students can familiarize themselves with the specific language surrounding publishing and make in-roads towards getting their first paper published.

What Does it Mean to Get Published?

Within the context of graduate school, publishing refers to getting essays, papers, and research findings published in one of the academic journals or related forms seen as a leader in the field. As jobs in academia continue to become more competitive, it isn’t enough for learners to simply do well in their coursework. The degree seeker who hopes to land an important post-doctoral fellowship or find a teaching position at a college or university must make themselves stand out in other ways.

When Should a Ph.D. Candidate Get Published?

Getting a paper published takes a lot of time and effort, and those students who wait until the final year or two of a doctoral program may fail to actually have any published materials by the time they graduate. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Graduate Connections program , getting a paper published – especially if it’s your first – can take up to three years. In addition to the fact that most journals publish quarterly, the panel review process typically takes a significant amount of time and those submitting for the first or second time usually need to make a large number of edits and complete rewrites in order to reach a publishable standard.

How to Get Published

In order to get published, students submit their work to the journal or conference of their choosing. They frequently also provide a cover letter outlining their research interests. Most journals put out generic calls for submissions once or twice a year, while some may ask for papers addressing specific topics that have a much shorter turnaround time. Grad students may find it intimidating to go up against more seasoned academics, but another option revolves around partnering with their dissertation supervisor or another professor with whom they work closely with to co-author a paper. This not only helps ensure the validity of their findings, but alerts the academic world know that this other, more recognized faculty member believes in the research the student is doing.

Who Should Get Published?

Learners most anxious to get published are those who see their future careers in teaching and research. Because the world of academia is relatively small when divided into individual subjects, it’s important for students who want to break into these ambitious arenas to make a name for themselves early on and create a curriculum vitae that captures the attention of hiring committees.

Where Should Students Get Published?

When deciding which publications to pursue, students should consider the research aims of each and their likelihood of getting published. Newer journals tend to take more submissions as they are still working on building up their roster of contributors. While less venerated than other publications, getting printed in these can help build up name recognition and make it easier to break into the top-tier publications over time.

In terms of where work is published, the majority of students look to academic journals when sending out cover letters and examples of their work. But other options exist as well. Presenting papers at conferences is a popular avenue, as are chapters in books. The following sections takes a more in-depth look at how and where to publish.

Realities & Challenges of Getting Published

Getting published, especially while still in grad school, takes tenacity, focus, and a thick skin. Those who continue working on their craft, presenting at conferences, collaborating with others, and not taking no for an answer, however, frequently find success. Some of the challenges students may encounter include:

Lack of time

It’s no secret that doctoral students have busy schedules that seldom allow for outside – or sometimes, even related – interests to take up much of their days. Because publishing is not a degree requirement, carving out the time needed to research, write, and edit the type of paper required for publishing can feel impossible. With this in mind, student should look for ways to multitask. If presenting at a conference, think about how that paper could be transformed into a journal article.

Lack of confidence

Studies have shown that mental stress and illness frequently increase in grad school as students feel intense pressure to stand out from their peers. These feelings are often intensified when considering publishing, as learners are going up against academics and researchers who have been working in the field far longer than them. It’s important to remember that each of those renowned individuals had to start somewhere.

Lack of funding

Completing the research needed for a competitive paper doesn’t only take time – it requires money. Whether traveling to archives or printing all the necessary documentation, funding for outside research can be scarce while in school. Some programs provide competitive grants for research travel to help offset these costs.

Intense competition

As discussed earlier, competition for publishing is fierce. Academic journals and conferences only have space for so many authors and trying to get noticed can feel like a losing battle. In addition to seeking out newer publications and co-authoring with more notable figures, consider taking part in symposiums at the school you attend to get your foot in the door. While research on the average number of rejections is lacking, don’t feel discouraged if it takes a long time to be chosen for publication.

Finding the right publisher

While getting your name in print within an academic journal you greatly admire is the ultimate goal, it may take some years for it to come to fruition. One of the biggest mistakes students make is applying to ill-suited publications. Look for journals with editorial board members whose names you recognize. If a professor knows one of them, don’t be afraid to ask if they can help get your paper in front of them.

Adequately addressing feedback

Getting a paper published often requires intense editing and even completely restructuring and rewriting what you conceived in the initial abstract. If an academic journal shows interest in your essay but suggests rewrites, pay close attention to their requests and try to work with an advisor to ensure you meet all the stated requirements.

What do Graduate Students Publish?

Academic journals may receive the lion’s share of discussion in the publishing world, but graduate students can actually choose from numerous outlets and paths for getting their work to a larger audience. Students should review the options listed below and think about which format might showcase their work best.

Tips for Publishing

Despite the great amount of work required to publish, students who meet the challenges and persevere stand to position themselves favorably for future job opportunities. The following section addresses some of the most common questions about the process and alleviates general fears about how publishing (or not) reflects upon them.

How many papers should a Ph.D. student try to publish before graduating?

According to scholar-practitioner Dr. Deniece Dortch, no single answer exists. “There is no hard and fast rule as to the number of publications students should have prior to graduation,” she notes. “The reality is students in STEM disciplines and those who use quantitative methods are more likely to have publications prior to graduation because they often work in research teams and labs. This is not to say that qualitative scholars or those in other disciplines aren’t, but it’s a much more standardized practice in STEM for students to graduate with two or three publications. Personally, I had one sole-authored publication accepted prior to graduation, one first-authored piece, and one second-authored piece.”

How many journal articles is it possible to publish during a PhD?

“The answer varies and is determined by factors such as length of program, research team access, and faculty relationships,” says Dr. Dortch. “I’ve seen folks finish with as many as 10 publications, although this is extreme and doesn’t happen often.” She continues, “Imagine you are in a four-year program and you get your idea to write an article in year two. You submit that article in year three after getting approval, collecting data, analyzing it, and then writing your paper. Year three you submit that paper; it may be accepted in year four after months of revisions at the request of the editor. You finally have one published paper as you graduate.”

Are there PhD students who have no journal publications? Should they be worried about that?

“It depends on the type of employment the student is seeking upon graduation,” says Dr. Dortch, “Students applying to or wanting to work in institutions and organizations with the highest levels of research productivity who have no publications may want to consider post-doctoral positions so they have the time and space to work on increasing their publication record after graduation.” She continues, “Postdocs are a very common practice in many disciplines and are used as a way to gain additional training and expertise in research and teaching.”

Is it absolutely essential to have publications to apply for a PhD program?

In a word, no. Individuals working toward doctoral degrees have many reasons for doing so, not all of which require them to publish. Admissions panels also recognize that students focus their efforts on many different goals (e.g. jobs, internships, presenting at symposiums) throughout bachelor’s and master’s programs. As long as learners can demonstrate an ongoing commitment to scholarship, publishing is not an absolute requirement.

Does publish or perish begin before starting a PhD program?

It’s true that many students begin worrying about publishing before starting a Ph.D. program, but the reality is that they have ample time during and after completing a doctorate to make their mark on the world of scholarship. According to a recent article by Inside Higher Ed , some individuals in the academy now wonder if too much emphasis is being placed on grad students publishing. Learners unsure about this should speak to a trusted advisor or mentor to figure out when to focus on getting published.

What is the difference between a published article and a Ph.D. thesis?

While a Ph.D. thesis is required for satisfactory completion of a degree, a published article is not. A Ph.D. also takes a much longer form than a published article, averaging approximately 90,000 words. Academic journal entries, conversely, are usually between 4,000 and 7,000 words.

Should I first write my Ph.D. thesis or publish journal articles?

Though publishing at the doctoral level is increasingly seen as a requirement in the job market, it is not part of degree requirements. With this in mind, students should prioritize the research and writing of their thesis above all else. If they have the time and mental clarity needed to publish journal articles, this can be a secondary focus.

From the Expert

Dr. Deniece Dortch is a scholar-practitioner known for her commitment to diversity, social justice and activism. Dr. Dortch holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an Ed.M. in Higher & Postsecondary Education from Columbia University, an M.A. in Intercultural Service, Diversity Leadership & Management from the School for International Training and a B.A. in Spanish from Eastern Michigan University. Hailed a graduate school expert by NPR, she has published numerous articles on the experiences of historically underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students. She is the creator of the African American Doctoral Scholars Initiative at the University of Utah and currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Higher Education at The George Washington University .

Publishing as a student can feel intimidating. Why is this process important for learners to go through?

Long gone are the days of getting a good job by just having a solid dissertation or an award-winning thesis. Publishing your work while in school demonstrates a commitment to answering and understanding our world’s most complex problems. Further, institutions want to know that you have the capacity to publish. Now, publishing doesn’t mean you have to be first author or that you must publish sole-authored pieces only. Collaboration is also sufficient and often encouraged. The publishing process is intimidating for folks because it involves critique and, most often, rejection.

Receiving and giving critical feedback is part of the learning process and students should not shy away from it because it will only serve them well in the end as they learn to cope with disappointment and reward. But more importantly, there is no point spending months and years conducting research if you are just going to keep your findings to yourself. What you learn is meant to be shared.

What are some common mistakes these learners make when preparing their first papers?

Common mistakes that individuals make include not adhering to the guidelines outlined in the submission process. Examples of this can include ignoring formatting requirements (e.g. APA, MLA, etc.), going over the stated word count, inadequately proofreading, and not submitting a cover letter. This is probably the most important one.

What specific advice do you have for them in terms of finding the right outlet, preparing their work, and submitting to journals?

Students should have multiple individuals read over their work before submission. Writing is a process and even after it is submitted, it will need to be revised many more times before you will read it in print. It is part of the process. To find a good outlet for your work, pay attention to where other scholars are submitting their work. If you’re subject is aligned with theirs, you have a shot. Make a list of at least three outlets that fit your article. Also look out for special calls. A special call for submissions usually goes a lot faster than the regular submission process, so if you’re a student who is about to go on the job market, submit to those first. Also, the more competitive the academic, the longer the process, so keep that in mind. If you are rejected, just re-submit to the the next journal on your list.

In addition to publishing in journals, how else might a student go about getting recognition in their field while still in school?

Apply for all fellowships, grants, and awards that are specific to you and what you do. People in the academy love an award winner and they especially love people whose work has been recognized and/or funded by outside groups. A great way to increase a student’s visibility is to publish outside academic journals and publish in other media outlets. Also attend conferences in your field. Try to get on the program as a presenter or facilitator so that people in your field will start to know who you are and your research interests.

Academic Publishing

From Thesis to Book: A Guide to Publishing Your PhD Research Publishing phd thesis as a book

From thesis to Published Book: Transforming Academic Research into a Wider Audience

Completing a PhD is a tremendous accomplishment that requires dedication, perseverance, and countless hours of research and writing. After years of hard work, it’s only natural to want to share your findings with the wider world. One option for doing so is to publish your thesis as a book.

Turning a thesis into a book can be a rewarding experience, as it allows you to reach a broader audience and share your research with people beyond the academic community. While the process of publishing a book can be daunting, it’s not as complicated as it may seem.

The first step is to determine whether your thesis is suitable for publication as a book. Consider the following questions:

• Does your thesis address a topic that is of interest to a wider audience?
• Can you present your research in a way that is accessible to non-specialists?
• Are there existing books on your topic, and if so, what makes your research unique?

If you believe that your thesis has the potential to be published as a book, the next step is to identify potential publishers. Look for publishers that specialize in your subject area and have a strong track record of publishing academic works. Many publishers have guidelines on their websites that will give you an idea of what they are looking for in a book proposal.

When preparing your book proposal, keep in mind that you will need to present your research in a way that is engaging and accessible to a wider audience. This may require revising some parts of your thesis and presenting your findings in a way that is relevant to non-academic readers.

Once you have submitted your book proposal, be prepared for a long wait. The publishing process can take months or even years, as publishers carefully review proposals and decide which ones to pursue. If your proposal is accepted, you will work closely with an editor to revise and refine your manuscript.

Publishing your thesis as a book can be a rewarding experience that allows you to share your research with a wider audience. With careful planning and preparation, you can turn your thesis into a book that is engaging, accessible, and informative.

Ok, now that we discussed the “why”, let’s elaborate on the “How”.

Easy and fast ways to publish a PhD thesis as a book?

While publishing a PhD thesis as a book is not necessarily an easy or fast process, as was discussed before, there are some steps you can take to make it happen more efficiently.

One option is to self-publish your book . This means that you will need to take care of all aspects of the publishing process, from editing and formatting the manuscript to designing the cover and promoting the book. Self-publishing platforms / publishers such as LAP Publishing which may offer an easier and more accessible route to publishing your work.

Another option is to consider a publisher that specializes in publishing academic books. Some publishers may even offer expedited publication services for PhD theses that have already undergone rigorous review and editing.

It’s also worth considering publishing individual chapters of your thesis as articles in academic journals. This can help increase the visibility of your research and potentially lead to book deals with publishers who are interested in your work.

In any case, it’s important to research publishers and their submission guidelines, prepare a strong book proposal, and work closely with an editor to refine your manuscript. While there may not be a shortcut to publishing your PhD thesis as a book, taking these steps can help streamline the process and increase the likelihood of success.

How expensive is it to publish a PhD thesis as a book?

The cost of publishing a PhD thesis as a book can vary widely depending on several factors, such as the publisher, the length of the book, the number of copies printed, the type of printing, and the marketing budget.

If you decide to self-publish your book, you will need to cover all the costs associated with publishing, such as editing, formatting, cover design, printing, and marketing. However, the cost of self-publishing can vary widely, depending on the services you require and the quality of the work. For example if you self publish your book in the LAP Publishing platform the fee is minimal compared to other publishers. Which allows the option to publish a PhD to a wide variety of authors. 

If you go through a traditional academic publisher, there may be some upfront costs associated with the publishing process. For example, some publishers may require an author to pay for the cost of indexing or for any images used in the book. However, most academic publishers will cover the majority of the costs, including editing, formatting, printing, and marketing.

It’s important to note that while the cost of publishing a PhD thesis as a book can be significant, there are also potential financial benefits. For example, some publishers offer royalties on book sales, which can generate income for the author over time. Additionally, publishing a book can enhance an author’s reputation in their field and potentially lead to additional speaking engagements or consulting opportunities.

Overall, the cost of publishing a PhD thesis as a book can vary widely depending on the publishing route you choose, the services required, and the marketing budget. It’s important to carefully research publishers and their costs before making a decision.

Are you a researcher or an author struggling to get your thesis published? Look no further than Lambert Academic Publishing! We offer an easy and affordable publishing process that allows you to share your research with a global audience. With no publishing contract required and professional editing and formatting services included, publishing your thesis with us has never been easier. Plus, our worldwide distribution network ensures that your work will be seen by a wider audience. Don’t let your research go unnoticed – publish your thesis with Lambert Academic Publishing today and take the first step towards sharing your findings with the world!

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Search Search
• CN (Chinese)
• DE (German)
• ES (Spanish)
• FR (Français)
• JP (Japanese)
• Open Research
• Booksellers
• Peer Reviewers
• Springer Nature Group ↗
• Publish an article
• Roles and responsibilities
• Signing your contract
• Writing your manuscript
• Submitting your manuscript
• Producing your book
• Promoting your book
• Submit your book idea
• Manuscript guidelines

Book author services

• Publish a book
• Publish conference proceedings

Our common goal is the publication of your book. Before your book is published, there are numerous internal steps in the publishing process.

To ensure timely publication, these steps should be planned and scheduled in good time, so don't be surprised if your editor contacts you during the writing process! Don’t worry, your editor just wants to make sure that the company can plan its internal resources for your book.

Below you can explore these steps, along with some helpful tools and tips to aid you in writing your manuscript.

How to prepare your manuscript

With these clear manuscript guidelines and easy-to-follow checklists, submitting your finished work couldn’t be easier.

Once you've submitted your final manuscript, our team of experts will work on the formatting and typesetting. They will transform your work into a print book, an eBook, or our own digital format, MyCopy.  Learn more about MyCopy .

Writing your manuscript in your native language

You want to publish with Springer Nature in English or German, but you have written your manuscript in another language? Or you prefer writing your current manuscript in your mother tongue?

Your English or German language skills are fine but you lack the time or funding for a translation?

Springer Nature offers a free  auto-translation service . 

• Accessibility

At Springer Nature, we’re committed to Accessibility and we want to help you make your research accessible too. Many factors regarding accessibility are handled by Springer Nature, but we request you to take some actions as well to help make your research accessible.

Alternative Text When preparing your manuscript, it is recommended that you write alternative texts (also known as alt texts) for all figures, illustrations and for tables, which you include in an image format.

• Alternative text is a brief and objective description of the content of an image and/or of the purpose it serves in a digital format. Alt text is crucial for individuals using screen reader technology, as well as for those trying to comprehend the content of an image in case it doesn't load..
• Alt text is not the same as a caption, which typically provides information that is not already in the visual element itself.
• For more tips on how to write good alt text, please visit the Poet Tool .

Requirements for Figures When differentiating elements in charts and graphs, do not just change the color, also change shapes and patterns, or provide other visual differentiation like direct segment labels.

How to Include Alternative Texts in the Manuscript Alternative texts should not be included in the body text to avoid any possibility of confusion with the captions or with the main text. Please include a separate table per chapter in which you make the assignment of figures and the alternative texts clearly. 

Multimedia enhancements

Springer Nature offers a number of multimedia tools that you can add to your book:

Video & audio: Integrate video and audio files into your book to convey specific content in its most suitable form. Both media types can either be streamed online from our electronic book versions or accessed by your readers via the SN More Media app for mobile devices. Learn more about video and audio .

Digital flashcards:  Create digital flashcards for your readers, which can be accessed by your readers via a web and mobile micro-learning app. This way your readers can learn and test their comprehension and better perform on exams.  Learn more about digital flashcards .  

Programming code: Programming code can easily be accessed from your book product page if you use one of our GitHub repositories.

Supplemental files:  It is possible to attach supplemental electronic files (like PDFs, Excel sheets, etc.) to individual chapters of your book. 

Lecturer material:  If you want to provide additional material only available to lecturers (like PowerPoint presentations or solution manuals), you can use our restricted lecturer material service.

ORCID - your personal identifier

Make sure to use your unique, personal, persistent identifier (an iD) that distinguishes you from every other researcher. ORCID also enables organizations to link to your affiliations and works – including your publications - to your iD, ensuring you receive proper credit for your work.  Learn more about ORCID .

Which templates/macros should I use?

To help you in structuring your manuscript you will have access to Word and LaTeX templates for books, as well as for contributed books. See our manuscript guidelines .  

Once it is well structured, the production teams will work on your manuscript to be in proper Springer Nature style.

How to improve search engine optimisation (SEO)

Interesting fact: Over two thirds of our website visitors come from search engines. This shows how critical search engine optimization (SEO) is!

To make sure your book's homepage and content appears at the top of the results list of an appropriate keyword search, Springer Nature constantly lay emphasis on the further optimisation of our product pages.

Check out some  SEO tips for book authors      

How to revise your thesis into a book

Springer Nature will consider submissions containing material that has previously formed part of a PhD or other academic thesis. 

This includes those that have been made publicly available according to the requirements of the institution awarding the qualification. Theses should be nominated for publication by heads of department at internationally leading institutions.

Prospective authors should bear in mind that every PhD thesis will need to undergo rigorous revision in order to be published as a monograph with our press. To help with this revision, our editors have put together the following advice:

How do you go about planning the revisions, and when should you start?

Be aware that transforming your dissertation into a publishable book is a complex process that will take time and require some careful planning. Most authors take at least a year to complete a PhD-based book; however, this timeline may be extended if the book requires fresh data and new research. 

You should only start working on your book proposal after you’ve submitted your thesis, defended it successfully, and completed your PhD program. This will allow you to look at the thesis with a fresh eye and to take into account any helpful feedback from your examiners as you develop your proposal.

Consider all the available formats. Depending on the subject and breadth of the topic, some proposals may develop into a full-length authored book (approximately 90,000 words), whilst for others a shorter format like Palgrave Pivot (25,000 to 50,000 words) may be suitable – for example a single-case or single-country study once they have been extracted out of any redundant or unnecessary content.

What’s the difference between the PhD Thesis and an Authored Book?

• Audience:   While a PhD thesis is meant to be read and scrutinized by your supervisors and examiners, the readership of your book will extend to the broader academic community, scholars and practitioners, who may not be specialized in or even familiar with your research topic.
• Rationale: The motivation behind writing your book will need to be rethought to reflect the expectations of your new audience and should be clearly explained in the introduction. The objective is not to convince your examiners that you have what it takes to complete a PhD, but to make sure the book is coherent and your conclusions are persuasive. 
• Structure:  Your introductory chapter should also offer readers a concise ‘preview’ of the various chapters. The conclusion should summarize your key findings and identify avenues for further research. Look over the table of contents in books which you would consider as related literature or competitors. How does their structure differ from the structure of your thesis? You should simplify and optimize your table of contents to present the material in a logical and accessible fashion.
• Length:  Monographs are typically much shorter than PhD theses. Separate chapters about the review of literature and research methodologies may be essential in a thesis, but will not be necessary in a book, as readers and experts in your field will be familiar already with both. References to the relevant literature can be moved to the endnotes of individual chapters, and what is not pertinent to advancing your own arguments can be removed. The methodology chapter should be reduced and merged with the introduction or omitted altogether.

Learn more about publishing German theses .

Tips for writing your textbook

• Prerequisite knowledge: What topics or concepts should readers already be familiar with? Do you need to review these or provide further explanation?
• Self-contained: Students typically want a one-stop resource so you should try to ensure that as much of the information that student needs is presented in your textbook.
• Modular chapters: Students will likely dip in and out of the textbook rather than read it linearly from start to finish so try to make chapters self-contained where possible, so they can be understood out of context of the rest of the textbook.
• Succinct and to the point: Keep focused on the course that the textbook is supporting and the topics that need to be covered. Avoid including less relevant topics, very advanced topics, explanations of concepts that students should already understand, and any other content that may not actually be useful to the student.
• Didactic elements: Elements such as exercises, case studies, definitions and so on help break up the main chapter text and make it more engaging. Consider what didactic elements you want to include before you start writing so you can ensure that the main chapter text provides the right information to support the didactic element e.g. that a concept is adequately explained in order to answer an exercise question, or that theory is suitably described before a corresponding case study is given
• Writing style: Textbooks can have a lighter, more conversational writing style than monographs and references works. Try to use active rather than passive sentences e.g. “It is believed by some physicians that…” becomes “Some physicians believe that…”
• Online resources: If you have exercises, consider writing a solutions manual for instructors so they don’t have to work out all the solutions themselves. Are there data sets, spreadsheets, programs, etc., that would be useful for students to access so they can test concepts themselves? The same copyright issues apply for online resources as for the print book – see Obtaining Permissions for further information
• Write a helpful Introduction: Explain who the textbook is for and how it should be used. Confirm the level of the students (e.g. 3rd year undergraduates). Confirm the course that the textbook supports. List any prerequisites or assumptions you have made about the student’s background knowledge. Explain how the textbook could be used. If applicable, identify core must-read chapters and chapters that are more advanced or optional; provide short summaries of the chapters (just a sentence or two)
• Test your material as you write: Use your draft chapters as part of your lecture course and see how students respond to it. Do they understand the concepts you are explaining? Are they able to complete any exercises?

Open access

Customer support, translation services.

• Tools & Services
• Account Development
• Sales and account contacts
• Professional
• Press office
• Locations & Contact

We are a world leading research, educational and professional publisher. Visit our main website for more information.

• © 2023 Springer Nature
• General terms and conditions
• Your US State Privacy Rights
• Your Privacy Choices / Manage Cookies
• Legal notice
• Help us to improve this site, send feedback.

• SpringerLink shop

Revising your thesis into a book

Springer will consider submissions containing material that has previously formed part of a PhD or other academic thesis including those that have been made publicly available according to the requirements of the institution awarding the qualification.

• Manuscript Preparation

Know How to Structure Your PhD Thesis

• 4 minute read
• 33.4K views

Table of Contents

In your academic career, few projects are more important than your PhD thesis. Unfortunately, many university professors and advisors assume that their students know how to structure a PhD. Books have literally been written on the subject, but there’s no need to read a book in order to know about PhD thesis paper format and structure. With that said, however, it’s important to understand that your PhD thesis format requirement may not be the same as another student’s. The bottom line is that how to structure a PhD thesis often depends on your university and department guidelines.

But, let’s take a look at a general PhD thesis format. We’ll look at the main sections, and how to connect them to each other. We’ll also examine different hints and tips for each of the sections. As you read through this toolkit, compare it to published PhD theses in your area of study to see how a real-life example looks.

Main Sections of a PhD Thesis

In almost every PhD thesis or dissertation, there are standard sections. Of course, some of these may differ, depending on your university or department requirements, as well as your topic of study, but this will give you a good idea of the basic components of a PhD thesis format.

• Abstract : The abstract is a brief summary that quickly outlines your research, touches on each of the main sections of your thesis, and clearly outlines your contribution to the field by way of your PhD thesis. Even though the abstract is very short, similar to what you’ve seen in published research articles, its impact shouldn’t be underestimated. The abstract is there to answer the most important question to the reviewer. “Why is this important?”
• Introduction : In this section, you help the reviewer understand your entire dissertation, including what your paper is about, why it’s important to the field, a brief description of your methodology, and how your research and the thesis are laid out. Think of your introduction as an expansion of your abstract.
• Literature Review : Within the literature review, you are making a case for your new research by telling the story of the work that’s already been done. You’ll cover a bit about the history of the topic at hand, and how your study fits into the present and future.
• Theory Framework : Here, you explain assumptions related to your study. Here you’re explaining to the review what theoretical concepts you might have used in your research, how it relates to existing knowledge and ideas.
• Methods : This section of a PhD thesis is typically the most detailed and descriptive, depending of course on your research design. Here you’ll discuss the specific techniques you used to get the information you were looking for, in addition to how those methods are relevant and appropriate, as well as how you specifically used each method described.
• Results : Here you present your empirical findings. This section is sometimes also called the “empiracles” chapter. This section is usually pretty straightforward and technical, and full of details. Don’t shortcut this chapter.
• Discussion : This can be a tricky chapter, because it’s where you want to show the reviewer that you know what you’re talking about. You need to speak as a PhD versus a student. The discussion chapter is similar to the empirical/results chapter, but you’re building on those results to push the new information that you learned, prior to making your conclusion.
• Conclusion : Here, you take a step back and reflect on what your original goals and intentions for the research were. You’ll outline them in context of your new findings and expertise.

Tips for your PhD Thesis Format

As you put together your PhD thesis, it’s easy to get a little overwhelmed. Here are some tips that might keep you on track.

• Don’t try to write your PhD as a first-draft. Every great masterwork has typically been edited, and edited, and…edited.
• Work with your thesis supervisor to plan the structure and format of your PhD thesis. Be prepared to rewrite each section, as you work out rough drafts. Don’t get discouraged by this process. It’s typical.
• Make your writing interesting. Academic writing has a reputation of being very dry.
• You don’t have to necessarily work on the chapters and sections outlined above in chronological order. Work on each section as things come up, and while your work on that section is relevant to what you’re doing.
• Don’t rush things. Write a first draft, and leave it for a few days, so you can come back to it with a more critical take. Look at it objectively and carefully grammatical errors, clarity, logic and flow.
• Know what style your references need to be in, and utilize tools out there to organize them in the required format.
• It’s easier to accidentally plagiarize than you think. Make sure you’re referencing appropriately, and check your document for inadvertent plagiarism throughout your writing process.

PhD Thesis Editing Plus

Want some support during your PhD writing process? Our PhD Thesis Editing Plus service includes extensive and detailed editing of your thesis to improve the flow and quality of your writing. Unlimited editing support for guaranteed results. Learn more here , and get started today!

• Publication Process

Journal Acceptance Rates: Everything You Need to Know

• Publication Recognition

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation of Your Research Paper

You may also like.

Make Hook, Line, and Sinker: The Art of Crafting Engaging Introductions

Can Describing Study Limitations Improve the Quality of Your Paper?

A Guide to Crafting Shorter, Impactful Sentences in Academic Writing

6 Steps to Write an Excellent Discussion in Your Manuscript

How to Write Clear and Crisp Civil Engineering Papers? Here are 5 Key Tips to Consider

The Clear Path to An Impactful Paper: ②

The Essentials of Writing to Communicate Research in Medicine

Changing Lines: Sentence Patterns in Academic Writing

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

• Find My Rep

You are here

How to Publish Your PhD

• Sarah Caro - Oxford University Press
• Description

Drawing on nearly twenty years in the book business Sarah Caro explains in a clear and accessible way the key issues facing the would-be author. Within the context of today's fast changing world where new technologies and increasing globalization continue to impact on academia and the world of academic publishing, key issues are discussed ranging from whether publishing your PhD is always the best way to enhance your career prospects to whether you should focus on journals or books.

A wealth of practical information and advice is included on:

• choosing a publisher
• revising your thesis
• putting together a proposal
• surviving the review process
• negotiating a contract
• working with your publishers marketing department.

The book is designed to be an easy to use, one stop guide with examples, chapter summaries and further reading. It will be an invaluable resource for emerging researchers across the broadest range of the humanities and social sciences and for all those teaching and advising them, in Europe and the US.

SAGE Study Skills are essential study guides for students of all levels. From how to write great essays and succeeding at university, to writing your undergraduate dissertation and doing postgraduate research, SAGE Study Skills help you get the best from your time at university. Visit the SAGE Study Skills hub for tips, resources and videos on study success!

Supplements

Visit the SAGE Study Skills hub for tips, resources and videos on study success!

Every PhD student should buy a copy of How to Publish your Research before and not after they enroll for a doctoral degree. Informative, practical and insightful, Sarah Caro will become the mentor of every successful PhD student. A mine of information and practical advice, this text is the definitive nuts-and-bolts manual on how to do it.  A safe and sure guide. ? ? ? ? ? ?

The book benefits from some mini-case studies of experienced academics’ experiences. These provide a useful alternative perspective. That said, the most valuable parts of the book are those where Caro writes most clearly as a publishing industry insider.

Good supplemental reading early in post-PhD publishing

This book has been recommended to my colleagues who are developing a Teesside University doctorate programme.

Good book with practical advice written in an easy to read style. Good for anyone embarking on a PhD or appropaching completion.

This book contain good practical information on how to get the PhD published.

It is clear and concise with excellents tips.

Preview this book

Sample materials & chapters.

Chapter One PDF

For instructors

Please select a format:

Select a Purchasing Option

Order from:.

• VitalSource
• Amazon Kindle
• Google Play

Related Products

PhDLife Blog

Sharing PhD experiences across the University of Warwick and beyond

Getting your thesis published

Wondering how to go about getting your thesis published? In this guide Georgina Collins provides information for early career researchers on the process of converting your thesis into a published book.

From PhD to publication

Following the PhD, if you wish to remain in academia or move into a related profession, publishing your thesis is often considered essential. Few PhD theses are published in their original form; the PhD is an academic exercise aimed at gaining a qualification and a set of skills, whereas a book is intended to be read by others. Converting your thesis into a book can be used as a building block to an academic career, to influence your discipline and expand your knowledge of the field.

One practical way in which the academic exercise and publication process differ is over copyright. Your thesis may contain content which is copyrighted to others that you will need permission from rights owners to include in publication.

Adapting a thesis

When adapting your thesis for publication you should take into account the shift in audience: as a thesis your work had a very small readership, but when published it should attract a much larger one. How will you go about amending your thesis to achieve this?

You will also need to consider whether to publish your thesis as a monograph or series of articles. Bear in mind the advice you have been given by supervisors and examiners.

Consider how these decisions may affect your employability. Sometimes three or four strong papers in refereed journals can be better when applying for jobs than having to wait several years for a monograph to come out.

You should also consider how you will balance your publication commitments alongside the inevitable post-doctoral challenges of finding a job, teaching, and pursuing new areas of research.

Choosing a publisher

There are different types of publishers – university presses and commercial presses are the most common ones. Some will pay you, while others that will expect a publishing subsidy from you. It is important to get a good sense of the range of publishers in your field, the kinds of work they publish, and their different strengths. Consider how your work could enhance their current series.

You may also consider how you wish to pitch your book – at a general readership, a trade audience or a specialist academic audience. Whether your thesis is published or not is usually decided by the commissioning editor or editorial board. That decision will be made on the grounds of intellectual coherence, whether the research is cutting edge, and also if the book is commercially viable.

Writing a book proposal

A major step in the process of publishing your thesis is getting the book proposal right. Make sure you read publishers’ guidelines. Catch their eye by being brief and punchy. Carefully proofread your work and do not just cut and paste an abstract from your thesis. There are four key criteria to consider:

• Rigour – is it a scholarly piece of work?
• Significance – is it talking to a wide audience?
• Originality – are you doing something brand new?
• Marketability – is the book commercially viable?

Your goal is to convince them that your book will be essential reading in your field.

Rewards, royalties and subsidies

In the UK, research is judged by the Research Excellence Framework (REF)  which is based on peer review. Therefore, whether you are paid or have paid to be published should not make a difference to how your work is viewed: it is the opinion of your peers that will matter.

Most of the big presses do not charge and have very well-established peer review systems of their own – so on the whole, work published by these large publishers tends to be of a higher standard. The ultimate prize is a contract with royalties, but unless your first book is a trade book that will have a huge impact, do not expect much. Also bear in mind whether your publisher is tying you in for your next book – this could be either a good or bad thing.

If you are required to pay a publishing subsidy, find out who is expected to pay. Many university departments will only pay if the book is likely to form part of an REF submission, which means it will have to reach a certain quality threshold – three-star or four-star in REF terms.

With these smaller publishers, you may have to do much of the quality control, proofing and marketing yourself. If this is the case, you may choose instead to go for articles – but on the other hand, sometime these publishers can provide you with a quick turnaround which will allow you to move on to the next book or project.

The challenges of PhD publication

Don’t leave it too long to publish your thesis. PhDs are perishable and the literature review and methodological foundations will often be out of date after five or six years.

This article is based on a paper given by Professor Charles Forsdick, Series Editor at Liverpool University Press. Listen to his paper in full here .   (podcast of event: Publishing Your Thesis in the Humanities and Social Sciences)

Click here for a guide to publishing for first-timers.

Image: Alex Proimos, Wikicommons

Share this:

15 thoughts on “ getting your thesis published ”.

• Pingback: Approaching a publisher | PhD Life

I’m amazed, I must say. Seldom do I come acroas a blog that’s both equally educative and amusing, and without a doubt, you’ve hit the nail on thhe head. The issue is something which not enough folks are speaking intelligently about. Now i’m very happy that I stumbled across this in my search for something relating to this.

I want to publish my thesis but its been 5yrs now

Depending on the field that you were researching and the intended output format, I guess you would have to check whether something similar has already been published. If not, I cannot see why, following updates in literature and other parts where needed, you would not be able to write a proposal, either for a monograph, a chapter in an edited volume or something else. 🙂

Good luck! Ana

This is Really Nice Post & Appreciating for reading this piece of blog.

Does anyone publish a PhD on line?

Thanks for your comment. I’m not sure are you referring to publishing the actual thesis or a monograph/papers based on it? I think quite a few people do the former, for example in the UK most PhD students are obliged to leave their thesis with university’s repository (I believe you can choose the period of time after which you’d like to make it available to the public). Some are available in larger repositories, like http://ethos.bl.uk/Home.do , and in some cases the funding body might have special regulations regarding this.

In terms of reworking your thesis into a monograph, I suppose you could do it online (publishing or self-publishing), but do consider the impact you are trying to achieve.

All the best, Ana, PhD Life

I was thinking of a web site on which the whole PhD was published as approved by the University with search tags to find content

I want to publish my Ph D thesis in form of book

I want to publish my thesis into book

I want to publish my thesis on ‘Investigation of Bio mass Stirling Engine’ into book

How can i publish my MS thesis online, can you help me with it?

Hi, publishing a thesis is a very individual process and it’s hard to give specific advice for your question. I’d highly recommend speaking to your supervisor and other academics in your faculty as a starting point. Best of luck! -Jessica

• Pingback: Como publicar sua tese? – Biblioteca Prof. Lydio Machado Bandeira de Mello – Faculdade de Direito da UFMG
• Pingback: Titl - comparison and contrast essays blog posts

Comments are closed.

Want the latest PhD Life posts direct to your inbox? Subscribe below.

Type your email…

Blog at WordPress.com.

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

Tress Academic

#123: Publishing papers from a PhD thesis

May 17, 2022 by Tress Academic

If you have completed your PhD with a monograph, AKA a thesis, you might wonder if you can convert your thesis into journal papers. Are you allowed to do this, and what is the best way to do it? Here, we describe the steps you should consider when you convert your PhD thesis into papers.

Converting a monograph PhD thesis into papers is a great idea, particularly if you want a career in academia. Papers are the current currency in academic career development. You want to show others that you’ve done good work. And if you have not written papers alongside the monograph, it seems obvious to consider writing papers  based on your PhD project after the monograph is completed. Journal papers will help spread the results of your PhD study in your community; papers have a better reach and are easier to consume by your peers than a monograph thesis. So there are very good reasons to publish papers from a PhD thesis! 

Of course you could have written papers from the start, but if your PhD ended with a monograph, it is pointless starting such a discussion now. There are often many practical reasons why you published a monograph and not papers. For more details on this discussion, see our post #6, Dissertation dilemma? Hand in a monograph or papers?  

What counts now is that you’re considering getting more out of your thesis by turning some of your thesis work into papers. We want to help you with these 10 steps that you can follow: 

1. Answer these essential questions first

Successfully completed PhD researchers often ask the question: “Can I publish papers from my monograph?” In general, we say: “Yes, you can, but … you first must determine whether you’re allowed to publish your work with regard to permissions, copyright, ethics, originality, plagiarism, and foreign language versions.” If you’re unsure on these issues, please have a critical look at the 7 questions that we’ve prepared for you in the free worksheet “Key questions before you start.” Once you’ve checked this and you know you’re allowed to publish your work, follow the remaining steps outlined below. 

2. Select content from your thesis

The structure and extent of detail vary between PhD monographs and journal papers. Don’t aim to include all of your thesis in one paper—this will likely result in a too long, too broad, and less interesting paper. Readers of journal papers often look for answers and input on specific problems, and your thesis encompasses too many problems and topics. Select one of the topics from your thesis for one paper, and another one for another paper, if you like. Of course, you can write several papers from your thesis, and also several paper types. Have a look at post #28 about What type of journal paper to write?

3. Don’t copy and paste but rewrite and update 

You might feel tempted to copy whole sections, if not chapters, from your thesis and paste them into your paper.Don’t do it! A journal paper is less wordy and has a different internal logic than a monograph chapter. It is much better to rewrite what you wrote in the monograph and update it with new references or information where necessary and possible. Doing so will strengthen the originality of this new paper compared to your monograph!  

4. What is original in your work?

Space in the journal paper is very limited, and so you should  try to fill it with your most original work. In a monograph, you typically give the reader the big picture of a problem, including its historical development. Cut this down in your paper and focus on your work. You can assume that the readers of your paper are from your field, and they will know a lot about the background already. They are more interested in the new stuff that you’re contributing to the field. 

5. Start with the most important work

You may plan to write at least 3, 4, or even 5 papers from your PhD work. If you can do this, you should definitely go for it, but sometimes life moves on and there isn’t enough time to follow through on all the plans we have. Most likely, you will only manage to write 1 or 2  papers from your monograph because you are working on a new project or a new position and there’s a lot of work to do there. To prevent running out of time to write up the really cool stuff from your PhD study, start writing the first paper on this stuff first. Pick your most important work from your PhD study and make sure it gets published. If something else comes up afterwards, you at least got this important work out there! 

6. Transfer your introduction into a review paper

An obvious paper to write from your PhD monograph is a review paper. You have most likely done a detailed literature study on your PhD topic in a separate chapter of your thesis. This would be a great starting point for a literature review on the topic as you’ve done most of the work already. You would need to focus on a specific aspect for your review, report how you selected the literature in the first place, and look for recent updates to the literature since you did the review for your thesis. Then, identify a journal that could be interested in a review on this topic and go for it. Check our two posts #50, Mastering the literature review during the Corona lockdown , and #91, Find the right journal for your paper following these 8 steps for further help. 

7. Tell the journal 

In your cover letter, tell the journal editors that your submitted paper is based on your (un-)published PhD thesis and include the reference to it. Be very clear and open about it and don’t try to hide it, but also make it clear to the journal that you consider your paper a valuable and original contribution to the wider readership of the journal. Journals are not against publishing work from PhD theses in general as they would not consider a thesis a formal publication.  

8. Cite your thesis

It’s not enough to tell the editors that your work is derived from your PhD monograph–make this clear to your readers and actively cite your PhD monograph. No need to cite it all the time in the paper–either pick a prominent place within your paper to cite it or add it to the acknowledgment section. 

9. Limit the number of references

A PhD monograph is often a reference work where interested readers can find all the important literature that has been published on the topic so far. That’s not needed in a journal paper. Here, you’ll write for readers who are experts in the field, just like you. Of course you should refer to the most recent relevant studies and give credit to all the work you used, but don’t provide any additional references.

10. Keep your text short

How many pages is your monograph? About 100, 200, or more? However long, it is far longer than the paper you’re going to write and this can make it difficult to pare down. You’ll probably think that your paper is too short and then you’ll add one more paragraph and another because there’s plenty of material to take from the monograph. Don’t be afraid when your paper looks skinny next to your monograph–if all relevant, and not all available information is included, it’s the right length!

For any academic career you might pursue, having a selection of papers that detail your work is indispensable! Therefore, seriously consider turning some of the material from your PhD monograph into journal papers—only the material you’re most proud of. You’ll need to check first that you’re not running into any ethical or legal conflict by doing so, and you’ll also need to consider the specific rules within your academic field. A great source for help is the website of the Imperial College London (2022), and our worksheet Key questions before you start will help you double-check, but for most cases, it won’t be a problem to turn your thesis into papers. In fact we think it is a great idea, and encourage you to do so! 

Resources: 

• Free worksheet: Key questions before you start
• Smart Academics Blog #6: Dissertation dilemma? Hand in a monograph or papers?
• Smart Academics Blog #28: What type of journal paper to write?
• Smart Academics Blog #50: Mastering the literature review during the Corona lockdown
• Smart Academics Blog #91: Find the right journal for your paper following these 8 steps
• Imperial College London, 2022. Publishing material from your thesis . Accessed 9 May 2022.

More information:

Do you want to successfully write and publish a journal paper? If so, please sign up to receive our free guides.

Photo by Aaron Burdon on Unsplash

© 2022 Tress Academic

Book series

Springer Theses

Recognizing Outstanding Ph.D. Research

About this book series

Aims and Scope  

The series “Springer Theses” brings together a selection of the very best Ph.D. theses from around the world and across the physical sciences. Nominated and endorsed by two recognized specialists, each published volume has been selected for its scientific excellence and the high impact of its contents for the pertinent field of research. For greater accessibility to non-specialists, the published versions include an extended introduction, as well as a foreword by the student’s supervisor explaining the special relevance of the work for the field. As a whole, the series will provide a valuable resource both for newcomers to the research fields described, and for other scientists seeking detailed background information on special questions. Finally, it provides an accredited documentation of the valuable contributions made by today’s younger generation of scientists.

Theses may be nominated for publication in this series by heads of department at internationally leading universities or institutes and should fulfill all of the following criteria  

• They must be written in good English.
• The topic should fall within the confines of Chemistry, Physics, Earth Sciences, Engineering and related interdisciplinary fields such as Materials, Nanoscience, Chemical Engineering, Complex Systems and Biophysics. 
• The work reported in the thesis must represent a significant scientific advance. 
• If the thesis includes previously published material, permission to reproduce this must be gained from the respective copyright holder (a maximum 30% of the thesis should be a verbatim reproduction from the author's previous publications).
• They must have been examined and passed during the 12 months prior to nomination. 
• Each thesis should include a foreword by the supervisor outlining the significance of its content.
• The theses should have a clearly defined structure including an introduction accessible to new PhD students and scientists not expert in the relevant field.

Book titles in this series

High energy efficiency neural network processor with combined digital and computing-in-memory architecture.

• Jinshan Yue
• Copyright: 2024

Available Renditions

Enhanced Microbial and Chemical Catalysis in Bio-electrochemical Systems

• Xian-Wei Liu

Micromachined Mixed-potential-type YSZ-based Sensors for Nitrogen Dioxide Monitoring in Automobile Exhaust

Dynamical Properties of Baryon Resonances in the Holographic QCD

• Daisuke Fujii

Nonequilibrium Phase Transitions in Driven Vortex Matter

The Reversible-Irreversible Transition, Dynamical Ordering, and Kibble-Zurek Mechanism

• Shun Maegochi

Publish with us

Abstracted and indexed in.

How to Get Your Thesis Published

Writing a thesis is tough. Current or recent graduate students understand the time and effort required to successfully complete their research program. Indeed, graduate training involves extensive amounts of research that often reflects years of failures and successes. This research often leads to some type of novel insight, which is organized into either a t hesis paper or dissertation.

When writing a dissertation or a thesis , there is much to consider. Both require extensive amounts of work and reflect the years of research conducted by the student. Some universities require that students publish this final research in peer-reviewed journals prior to being considered eligible to graduate. Meanwhile, others do not require the thesis to be officially published. Ultimately, regardless of the graduation requirements, certain career tracks for PhDs or Master’s students require publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Graduate Writing

The type of graduate writing that is required by a student’s university depends upon where the graduate student has studied. In Europe, a doctoral thesis reflects original research, whereas, in the USA, a thesis is often a shorter document associated with a Master’s degree.

Whatever the title, extensive research projects are organized into a final document. Some of these written documents can be formatted into a book. Before publishing, a graduate student should consider several factors prior to publishing. Namely, the student should ask, is my research

• Rigorous: Is it methodical, scholarly work?
• Significant: Why does it matter to your potential audience?
• Original: Is it novel and unique?
• Marketable: Are there potential customers?

When to Publish?

In the past, universities have published theses graduation research summaries in only a hard copy format, such as a bound book. Now, some theses or dissertations are available online, often with a Creative Commons license. This can be a problem due to the requirement by journals that manuscripts contain only unpublished and original data. However, generally, a thesis or dissertation consisting of original, previously unpublished research that has been made available by your home institution does not prevent you from publishing. Rather, journals will consider these theses and dissertations that were published by universities as, understandably, still sufficiently novel data. Furthermore, peer review is an integral component of publication. To pass the muster of peer review, it is important to consider the feedback of dissertation or thesis committee. The critiques of your committee will often mirror the potential concerns of your peer reviewers.

Related: Planning to publish your Ph.D. research in a good journal?  Check these journal selection guidelines now!

Tips and Common Concerns

When going to publish your dissertation, there are generally some common errors made by graduate students.

First, it is generally a good practice to reference or acknowledge the thesis. Since the dissertation may be available publicly, it is important to be transparent about the source of the data.  Similarly, always inform journals that some research contained within a thesis or dissertation was published either in a print-only version or in an online repository.

You can publish your thesis as a monograph or a series of articles. It can depend on the type of thesis.

• Traditional thesis: It is usually in the form of chapters and is an original work written by an individual student.
• Thesis by publication: It consists of papers that have already been published in a journal.

According to COPE guidelines , when thesis contains original unpublished work, it should not be considered as prior publication. Therefore, it is acceptable to be published as a manuscript or a monograph in a journal, even if it is available freely in university repositories and Creative Common license may or may not apply.  However, if the thesis is of the second type, then the papers will be considered as prior publication and are not acceptable as original works for publication. As a research lab hosts student’s work, it is important to first review the policies of your host university. Similarly, since fields transform rapidly, don’t wait too long before publishing. If you do, you run the risk of your literature review or methodology becoming outdated.

I have my dissertation i want to published

THANKS A LOT

Rate this article Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Enago Academy's Most Popular Articles

• Manuscripts & Grants
• Reporting Research

Writing a Research Literature Review? — Here are tips to guide you through!

Literature review is both a process and a product. It involves searching within a defined…

How to Develop a Good Research Hypothesis

The story of a research study begins by asking a question. Researchers all around the…

• Publishing Research
• Submitting Manuscripts

13 Tips to Prepare for Your PhD Dissertation Defense

How well do you know your project? Years of experiments, analysis of results, and tons…

• Career Corner
• PhDs & Postdocs

How to Manage Your PhD Timeline for Smoother Research Completion

It’s finally happening! The university has sent you an acceptance letter for the PhD program you had applied to. Getting into a…

• Journal Guidelines

How to Use CSE Style While Drafting Scientific Manuscripts

What is CSE Style Guide? CSE stands for Council of Science Editors. Originated in the…

Top 12 Potential PhD Viva Questions and How to Answer Them

When Your Thesis Advisor Asks You to Quit

Virtual Defense: Top 5 Online Thesis Defense Tips

Sign-up to read more

Subscribe for free to get unrestricted access to all our resources on research writing and academic publishing including:

• 2000+ blog articles
• 50+ Webinars
• 10+ Expert podcasts
• 50+ Infographics
• 10+ Checklists
• Research Guides

We hate spam too. We promise to protect your privacy and never spam you.

I am looking for Editing/ Proofreading services for my manuscript Tentative date of next journal submission:

What should universities' stance be on AI tools in research and academic writing?

• $ 0.00 0 items

Thesis and Dissertation Binding

Click the image of your binding choice for quote or to order, fabric hard cover.

Fabric Hard Cover Binding with Gold Embossed Lettering and Gold Seal

Printed Hard Cover

Printed Hard Cover Binding with full color design on wrap-around Hard Cover

Soft Cover, Perfect Binding

Softcover Perfect Binding with full color design on wrap-around Soft Cover

Gold Embossed School Seals

In addition to gold embossed lettering on the spine and cover of your book, you can add your College / University’s Seal or Emblem. Click here for a list of seals and emblems, or to request your school’s seal.

Quality Paper Selection

We offer archival-quality paper in 25% Cotton or 100% Cotton, as well as standard 20 lb & 60lb Bond paper. You will only pay color printing rates for your specified color pages. Lots of photos? Consider our 80lb Gloss paper. Your entire book will be printed in stunning full color at a low color printing rate. Click here to view a detailed list of available paper options.

Headbands & Archival Endsheets

Our Hard Cover books include top & bottom Headbands – chequered fabric that decorate and protect the edges of the spine of your book. Hard Cover books also use archival-quality Endsheets – the pages which attach your book’s body to its Hard Cover case, as well as heavy blank/fly pages on the front & back cover.

Mail-In your paper document for Binding Only

We can print your document from a PDF file (see sidebar), or you can mail your already printed document for Hard Cover Binding. Simply click your Hard Cover binding style above and follow the instructions. You will be prompted to print your order form. You’ll then pack it with your documents and ship us the package.

Check your Order Status

Shipping date is available on the day that you order. Tracking Number is available only if your order has shipped. For Printed Hardcover binding, shipping date will change based on the time you approve cover proof.

to Order or get a Quote:

That will take you to a page with the description of the binding style. For Fabric Hardcover binding, you can click on any swatch-rectangle to see a full-size book made with the fabric.

You can stop when you’re done, if a Quote is all you want

You now know the Exact Cost of your order with Shipping. You can stop here if Total Cost is all you want

If you’re Mailing a Paper Document, you will instead be prompted to print a form. Follow the instructions on the printed form for Shipping and Payment instructions

Yes, you will upload your file AFTER payment is made.

That’s it. Your order is now complete!

I’ve highly recommended you guys to the administrators, I’ll recommend you to all my MA and PhD colleagues.

– Bob

I received my theses last week and they look great! Cheers.

– Nic

Our first doctoral graduate has received her bound dissertation copies – our first with your company. They are excellent! Thank you for your quality product.

– Harold

Just got back three bound thesis volumes. Beautiful work. Thank you.

– Fred

Your company gained my trust very quickly. You did such a fast, efficient job.

– Natalia

I just received the two books I ordered — they are wonderful. I am very happy!

– Gianni

The thesis binding and the efforts of your company were excellent in all respects. I truly appreciate the promptness. Thank you for making my experience with your company and my finished project remarkable.

– Kimberly

I am completely satisfied with your service and speed. I would definitely recommend you to the grad students in my department. Thank you again for the wonderful job.

– Abdul

Thanks for taking such good care of my work. I will enjoy presenting them to my dissertation chair and the president of my organization next week.

– Barbara

I just received my dissertations in the mail. They’re perfect! They arrived quickly and in mint condition.

– Joe

I am thrilled with my thesis. You did an excellent job. Thank you. I have recommended you to some of my classmates.

– Tau

You put the finishing touches on a 30-month effort and exceeded my expectations…In terms of quality, speed, and overall "wow" factor. Thank you very much.

– David

I had my thesis bound with your company a few years ago and I have been recommending you to fellow grad students ever since. Thanks again!

– Alison

Everything has exceeded my expectation. Thank you so much for making my thesis so memorable.

– Subhendu

I would like for you to know that I was very pleased with the binding of my dissertation.

– Cora

I love it. Thank you so much for doing such an incredible job!

– Pam

I cannot thank you enough for the excellent work you have done to print my Thesis

– Jay

I can’t say enough about the experience of working with your company. I look forward to doing business again in the future.

– Doreen

You’re the best in the businesss! Keep up the great work.

– Leeanne

Just a quick note to thank everyone who worked on putting my book together. It looks beautiful, I could not be happier.

– Elissa

Can definitely recommend the service! Good quality binding, 2-sided, color and at a very acceptable price.

– Scott