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• Dissertation Binding and Printing | Options, Tips, & Comparison

Dissertation Binding and Printing | Options, Tips, & Comparison

Published on September 9, 2022 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on July 18, 2023.

Congratulations, you’ve finally finished your dissertation . It’s been professionally proofread and checked by a solid plagiarism checker .

The final step is printing your dissertation, which means choosing between:

• Types of binding
• Color vs. black & white

Single vs. double-sided

• Paper thickness

There are a few printing and binding services to choose from as well. This article presents a few options that can help you make the right decisions.

Printing service options

Table of contents

Types of dissertation binding, dissertation printing options, production and delivery times, last checks before printing, overview of printing and binding services, other interesting articles.

Binding keeps the pages of your dissertation together, and comes in a variety of price points. Spiral binding is cheaper, a hardcover book binding is much pricier.

The type of binding you choose can depend on:

• Guidelines from your university or department
• The version (draft vs. final)
• The type of work you’re submitting ( PhD vs. master’s thesis vs. undergraduate thesis )

Spiral binding (± $7)

• Professional appearance
• Opens flat, so browsing through the pages is easy
• Fairly inexpensive

Comb binding (± $5)

• Pages are easy to browse
• Binding can be opened and closed
• Can be cheap-looking

Fastback binding (± $8)

• Professional, book-like appearance
• Available in different colors
• Individual sheets can come loose with time

Paperback binding ($10–20)

This type of binding makes your dissertation more durable and professional. In most cases, it’s possible to add front and spine lettering.

• Durable and professional
• Book-like appearance
• Opening and browsing is less smooth than with spiral or comb binding

Hardback binding ($20–50)

• Customizable cover
• Quality comes at a price

Color vs. Black & White

Check your university’s guidelines to see if there is guidance about whether to print your dissertation in color or black & white. Note that printing in color is on average two to four times more expensive.

In general, a color-printed dissertation looks more professional, but it is often not required.

Printing double-sided is often cheaper than printing single-sided, due to the paper savings — it makes your dissertation half as thick. However, some universities require you to print your dissertation single-sided. Be sure to check the guidelines.

When printing your dissertation double-sided, pay attention to the following points:

• New chapters should start on the front side of the paper. You will need to take this into account and insert “blank pages” when preparing to print.
• Add a blank page after the title page so that the acknowledgments and abstract are not printed on the back of your title page.
• The page numbering is often placed in the bottom right on the right side of the page and bottom left on the left side. You can easily set this in Word by choosing “outside alignment”.
• Check your style guide to make sure there aren’t any rules for printing.

Paper weight

The thickness of the paper (measured in gsm or grams) is something most students don’t think about, but it does have a significant impact on the look and feel of your printed thesis or dissertation.

Standard printing paper has a weight of 75–90 gsm. For a bachelor’s or master’s dissertation, this is likely fine. If you want the paper to look and feel more professional and durable, a paper weight of 100–130 gsm is better. This is often used for PhD dissertations.

Number of copies

It is common to print three to five copies of your dissertation. Depending on your university’s guidelines, you might need to submit one to three copies to your supervisor and department. In addition, you might want to have a copy for yourself or your family.

The production time for printing and binding takes on average two days, and delivery takes at least another day. For an additional charge (ranging from +20 to +80%), the production and delivery time can be shortened.

Have a looming deadline? Your local print shop is likely able to print and bind your dissertation faster, and it eliminates delivery time. However, keep in mind that this is often a little more expensive.

Before sending your dissertation to a print shop, there are three things you should do:

• Save your file as a PDF By saving your file as a PDF, the formatting will be consistent on every computer. This way you prevent any unpleasant surprises, such as offset pages, when receiving your printed product.
• Check for language mistakes There’s nothing worse than finding a language mistake in your printed version. Make sure to proofread your dissertation or make use of a professional proofreading service .
• Update the contents page Before saving your dissertation as a PDF, don’t forget to update the table of contents and cross-check the page numbers listed there with the actual page numbers.

The table below provides an overview of two popular dissertation printing and binding shops, including information on delivery costs and review score.

*Prices are based on a spiral-bound dissertation of 40 pages , printed single-sided , in black , on 80-90gsm  paper, including a clear outer front and back cover .

**Prices are based on a hardback-bound dissertation of 200 pages , printed single-sided , in black , on 90-100gsm  paper.

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Dissertation Binding and Printing Options | Comparison and Tips

Published on 3 April 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk . Revised on 10 July 2019.

Your dissertation is finally finished, you got it proofread and checked for plagiarism . The final step is printing your dissertation, which means choosing between:

• Types of binding
• Colour vs. black & white

Single vs. double sided

• Paper type and thickness

You also need to decide which printing and binding service to use. This independent article explains all options and helps you make the right decisions.

Overview of printing services

Table of contents

Types of dissertation binding, dissertation printing options, production and delivery times, last checks before printing, overview of printing and binding services.

Aside from keeping the pages of your dissertation together, the binding is also responsible for your supervisor’s first impression of your dissertation. There are various types of binding, ranging from the cheaper spiral binding to the more expensive hardcover book binding .

The type of binding should depend on:

• Guidelines from your university or professor
• Your dissertation’s version (draft vs. final)
• Type of dissertation (PhD vs. undergraduate dissertation)

Spiral binding (± £7)

• Professional appearance
• Browsing through the pages is easy (can be opened flat)
• Fairly cheap

Comb binding (± £5)

• Enables easy browsing of the pages
• Binding can be opened and closed (not easily)
• Has a cheap appearance

Fastback binding (± £8)

• Professional book-like appearance
• Available in different colours
• Risk of pages falling out after a while

Paperback binding (£10-20)

• Durable and professional
• Book-like appearance
• Opening and browsing is less smooth than with spiral or comb binding

Hardback binding (£20-40)

• Customizable cover
• Quality comes at a price

Colour vs. Black & White

Unless specifically stated in your university guidelines, it is up to you to decide whether to print your dissertation in colour or black & white. Printing in colour is on average two to four times more expensive.

In general, a colour-printed dissertation looks more professional, but it is not required. Does your dissertation contain graphs or figures that rely on colour? Be sure to print at least these pages in colour.

Printing double sided is often cheaper than printing single sided due to the paper savings – it makes your dissertation half as thick. However, some universities require you to print your dissertation single sided. Be sure to check the guidelines.

When printing your dissertation double sided, pay attention to the following points:

• New chapters should start on the right side. You will need to take this into account and insert “blank pages” when preparing your dissertation.
• Add a blank page after the title page so that the acknowledgements or abstract are not printed on the back of your title page.
• The page numbering is often placed bottom right on the right side of the page and bottom left on the left side. You can easily set this in Word by choosing “outside alignment”.

Paper weight

The thickness of the paper (measured in gsm or grams) is something most students don’t think about, but it does have a significant impact on the look and feel of your dissertation.

Standard printing paper has a weight of 75-90 gsm. For a bachelor’s or master’s dissertation this is fine. If you want the paper to look and feel more professional and durable, a paper weight of 100-130 gsm is better. This is often used for PhD dissertations.

Number of copies

It is common to print three to five copies of your dissertation. Depending on your university’s guidelines you might need to submit one to three copies to your supervisor. In addition, you might want to have a copy for yourself or your family.

The production (printing and binding) takes on average two days, and delivery takes another day. For an additional charge (ranging from +20 to +80%), the production and delivery time can be shortened.

Have a looming deadline? Your local printing shop is probably able to print and bind your dissertation faster, and it eliminates delivery time. However, keep in mind that this is often a little more expensive.

Before sending your dissertation to a printing shop, there are three things you should do:

1. Save your dissertation as a PDF By saving your file as a PDF, the formatting will be consistent on every computer. This way you prevent any unpleasant surprises such as offsets when receiving your printed dissertation.

2. Check for language mistakes There’s nothing worse than finding a language mistake in your printed version. Make sure to proofread your dissertation or make use of a professional dissertation proofreading service .

3. Update the contents page Before saving your dissertation as a PDF, update the (automatic) table of contents. Don’t forget to cross-check the page numbers listed in the table of contents with the actual page number.

The table below provides an overview of the most popular dissertation printing and binding shops, both online and offline. The shops are ordered by price, with information on delivery costs and review score.

*Prices are based on a spiral bound dissertation of 40 pages , printed single-sided , in black , on 80-90gsm  paper, including a clear outer front and back cover .

**Prices are based on a hardback bound dissertation of 200 pages , printed single-sided , in black , on 90-100gsm  paper.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Streefkerk, R. (2019, July 10). Dissertation Binding and Printing Options | Comparison and Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 April 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/binding-printing/

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How to Turn Your Dissertation Into a Book: A Step-By-Step Guide for New Authors

Whether you are just starting graduate school, writing your dissertation, or the proud recipient of a recent Ph.D., you may be thinking about turning your dissertation into a published book. There are many reasons why this might be a good idea. In some fields, a published scholarly book is a preferred method for presenting a comprehensive view of pivotal research. A book gives you the space to discuss details, complications, connections, and ramifications in a way that is not possible in a journal article. In these fields, a well-reviewed book gives you instant credibility when applying for faculty positions, tenure, and related positions. A published book also has a much longer shelf life than an unpublished dissertation, and will occupy a respected place on your CV or resume for years to come.

In other fields, good dissertations are expected to produce one or more published journal articles, and many tenured faculty at top research institutions never publish a book. In these fields, publishing a book may still be an asset for those pursuing a traditional academic career, and can be a great way to transition into other careers such as science communication, education, or public policy. So if turning your dissertation into a book is something you are considering, here are some steps to get started.

Step 1: Identify your audience

Publishers are businesses that make money by selling books. This is true of "trade" publishers that sell books for the general public, and "academic" publishers that sell books primarily for students and scholars. Therefore, in order for a publisher to consider publishing your book, there must be a sufficiently large audience to buy your book. This audience will strongly influence how you organize and write your book, and may cause your book to be massively different from your dissertation. After all, the purpose of a dissertation is to show that you are knowledgeable about your field of study, and have made a significant contribution to it. In contrast, the purpose of a book is to serve a need for the reader.

Some dissertation topics may work well as required reading for college and university courses. In that case, you need to identify the types of courses that would be appropriate (e.g. courses in sociology that cover gender identity), and develop an understanding of how many students take such courses. For example, you might find that almost all colleges in the California State system have a sociology department. At California State AnyTown, there are 20,000 undergraduate students, and 400 students a year take a sociology course that focuses on gender identity. Other dissertation topics might appeal to people in specific professions (e.g. people who work with children who suffer concussions), and you might look at the number of people in relevant professional organizations (e.g. associations for coaches or pediatric nurses). At the other end of the spectrum, you might imagine a book that appeals to a fairly wide audience (e.g. a book that addresses recent events linked to gender identity, or a broader discussion of concussion in youth sports). For these books, the intended audience may be harder to define, so you can estimate its size in the next step.

Step 2: Identify competing books

Once you have identified a potential audience, you need to familiarize yourself with the books they are reading. Your book will be competing with these books, so you need to determine how your book will fill a gap for this audience. Here you have the opportunity—and the obligation—to read widely in your intended niche. If this opportunity doesn't excite you, do not try to write a book for this niche. The process of writing a good book is laborious and time consuming, so if you are not interested in exploring similar books for what works and what doesn't, you will not enjoy writing your own book for this category.

As you identify and read competing books, you should pay attention to the topics that they cover, and how the author writes about these topics. Consider whether the text is instructive or narrative, what details are included, how the text is organized, and whether visual aids such as photographs, diagrams, or tables are included. Also find out when the book was published, how long it is, how much it sells for, and how many copies have been sold (or at least what its Amazon sales rank is).

You may find books that are very similar to your book, or that are different in significant ways (such as the specific topic) but that have characteristics you want to emulate (e.g. a good strategy for presenting technically challenging research to a broad audience). As you gain a good understanding of related books, you'll need to develop a list of 3-10 books that will compete with your book. You will use this list to support two points:

• Books similar to your book have been successful with your intended audiences; and
• Your book fills an unmet need for this audience, so they will buy it.

That unmet need might be a more recent book that incorporates new knowledge, or a book that takes a different approach to a question that has already been addressed.

This survey of related books will also help you plan your book. If you find that multiple books already exist for your intended topic, you may need to shift your emphasis so that your book offers something new. If you find that there are few successful competing books, it may be that your intended audience is too small, and that you need to shift your emphasis to fit into a more productive niche.

Step 3: Create an outline for your book

Once you have an intended audience, an excellent understanding of successful books in the same category, and an idea for how you can fill a need in that category, you can start planning your book in detail. Put together an outline, starting with the major topic for each chapter, and thinking about how the overall theme will progress through the entire book. Even for a purely academic book, there must be an overall arch to your story.

While it may be tempting to slip into the same mindset that you used for planning and writing your dissertation, remember that the purpose of your book is to serve a need for the reader. So rather than focusing on your specific research contributions (which is essential for a dissertation), focus on what the reader needs to know. To facilitate this mindset, it may be useful to put away your dissertation for a bit (assuming that it is already complete) and focus on other projects. Then revisit your dissertation topic when you have fresh eyes and a better understanding of what would be useful for your intended audience.

As you flesh out the details for each chapter, set a target word count and think about any images or tables that should be included. Keep in mind that book publishers must pay for every page, image, and footnote to be edited, prepared, and printed. Books that are only available electronically still have most of these per-page expenses. Therefore, use successful books in your category as a guide for how long your book should be, and how many images should be included. Color images also add significantly to the production costs .

As you are preparing your outline, you will likely reach a point where you are unsure if the details of your plan will work. Then it is time to write.

Step 4: Write a sample chapter

If you want a publisher or agent to consider your book, you will typically need to submit a sample chapter or two. You may be asked to submit your first chapter or your "best" chapter, so I recommend starting with your first chapter and making it excellent.

While there are many different approaches to successful writing, one common theme is that the first draft is usually terrible. So write the first draft of your first chapter and let it be terrible. Then read and revise, and repeat. As you are writing and revising, I recommend regularly taking time to read some of your competing titles. How do they deal with some of the challenges you are facing? Are their approaches successful or can you envision a better way?

As you write your first chapter or two, you may find that you need to revise your outline. Pay attention to what you can effectively cover for your audience in the space available.

Step 5: Identify appropriate publishers or agents

Once you have a strong plan and a sample chapter or two, you need to identify potential publishers. Start by looking at your list of competing titles, and learn about those publishers. Also talk to colleagues who have published books, and ask if they would be willing to put you in contact with their publisher or agent. The process can be quite complicated, and for a comprehensive guide I recommend The Essential Guide to Getting Your Book Published by Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry. Many publishers also post guidelines for potential authors on their websites. For most publishers, you will need to show that you understand your audience and competing books, and provide a detailed book outline and convincing sample chapter.

Here is an infographic that breaks down all of these major points:

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How to Turn Your Dissertation into a Book

Why write a book? There are many reasons. Writing a book helps you clarify your thinking, establishes your authority, boosts your confidence, promotes your research, expands your audience, helps other people, brings you income, and outlives you. As students at the GC, many of us write book-length dissertations at the cutting edge of our research fields.

On the other hand, your dissertation and your book proposal exist in two different genres. Whereas your dissertation is a document designed to show your work and support your candidature as a newly-minted (or soon-to-be) PhD, your book is an exercise in storytelling. You are now the expert, and you’re crafting a story for a broader audience that should take them on an intellectual as well as emotional journey.

Whether you’re considering an academic or a popular press, this blog post discusses some tips and guidelines in turning your dissertation into a book. It is adapted from advice given by the GC’s own Ken Wissoker, director of the Intellectual Publics initiative and editorial director of Duke University Press, at his recent GC event  From Dissertation to First Book: A Practical Guide .

Building the Foundation

It’s important for people to know who you are as an author for your book to have success. Try to publish a few articles based on chapters of your dissertation in journals that are relevant to the topic and area you’ve been researching. Alternatively, publish an article or two based on research you’ve done that is more peripheral to your main book argument. Try to avoid distilling all the points that will form the core of your book in a single article.

You can also establish a print presence by writing for blogs (read more about how to write and publish op-eds in our recent  blog post ), as well as local print and magazines. While this can help you to get a potential following, it also helps prospective publishers feel more confident in your brand image, as well as your expertise and ability to deliver and promote your message to a broad, academic or non-academic audience.

Today’s world is digital, so it’s a good idea to have a website and a blog. It’s also good to be active on social media like Facebook and Twitter. Consider making a professional Facebook page. You could even consider making short YouTube videos about your research findings or teaching modules. These are all ways you can think about branding yourself, and creating a broader impact that will make publishers see your presence and be more likely to want to invest in you! (Read more about how to re-brand yourself for non-academic careers in our  blog post .)

Re-working Your Dissertation

After you’ve completed your dissertation, take a step back. Ask yourself, what is my dissertation trying to do? Think about it as a film: you’re the director, so what scenes does the audience need to get to understand the film? To help yourself in this process, try to define your audience who will read the book. Focus on what your audience needs: go to their conferences, talk to people, and look at recent and widely-read publications in the field.

The books that become the most valuable and influential are those that generate their own theory. Take the time to ask yourself, “What am I going to be most quoted for by other people?” Let the theoretical concepts you’re articulating come out of the actual research work and empirical data. Don’t force it! Only add what helps to make your points clearer. It’s the way in which your story and your theory go together that will make your book compelling.

As in other styles of persuasive writing (like  grant writing ), it’s a good idea to structure your book around a “hook”. This means don’t make it a predictable narrative, but instead present the narrative as a paradox, an unexpected development, or an unresolved question that merits further inquiry. This helps to get your reader emotionally invested in your prose, and provides intellectual energy that keeps the reader’s interest over the pages that follow.

There are many ways to write a dissertation. Typically, you want to provide the historical and theoretical background to your thesis, a discussion of how you got there (your methodology), followed by chapters discussing and unpacking different facets of the experience; finally, draw your conclusions. For your first book, everything is flipped. You have to demonstrate what you want to argue at the beginning. You have to commit to that core message, and let the other pieces of the investigation fall away. Most of the literature review that took a substantive place in your dissertation will now drop down into the footnotes of your book.

When putting your proposal in front of an editor, try to anticipate the objections that will be raised in the book review process, and do the minimal work necessary to allay those objections in advance. While it may sound obvious, it’s worth restating the importance of writing confidently. You are now the expert! Because of this, the flow and style of the prose should reflect your own writing voice.

Remember that reframing your dissertation as a book is a process that takes time. For people working in full-time academic positions, it typically takes three or four years to develop the book while juggling other commitments, so don’t be too hard on yourself if progress goes more slowly than you’d like.

Getting a Book Deal

If you’re considering an academic press, consider that when it comes to getting academic tenure, all publishers are not weighted equally on the job market. Bear in mind the implications of your choice of publisher on the career you want to make for yourself. Search out prestigious university publishers, or smaller publishers that specialize directly in your area of expertise.

When courting an editor, the important things to give them when making your introduction are these. First, let them know your intervention, and what’s at stake in your work. Second, communicate what stage of completion your dissertation is currently in. Third, show them a chapter-by-chapter outline. And finally, send them a writing sample. It’s also a good idea to have on hand an introduction chapter handy, as well as a chapter from the body of the book, to send to the editor.

Your cover letter to the publishing house is the equivalent of an extended “elevator pitch,” in which you discuss the topic, methods, main findings, and broader impacts of your research in a concise manner. In terms of format, your cover letter should spend two or three paragraphs describing your project and your authorial credentials. It’s important to review the submission guidelines on a publishing agent’s website first, and make sure you tailor the description of your proposed book to their requirements.

More rarely, other things you may be asked for include a biographical sketch of the author. Depending on the publisher, you may be asked to provide a marketing proposal, along with sample publicity to promote the book, and possibly a discussion of competing books.

If you are asked to select potential readers for your book, think of people whom you think it would be helpful to receive comments from in your field.

Remember that it’s ok to have presses be in competition over your book. You can even tell the editors which other presses your book is under consideration for, and this will tend to solicit these editors to give you different feedback and advice about your manuscript.

Finally, if you’re writing for a popular press, you may want to hire an agent to promote your work. Do your research beforehand to find out if getting an agent is the right choice for you. A good way to find a suitable agent is to ask for referrals from people in your professional network, or from authors and book acknowledgments that may be topical to your own research. Consider joining the website  www.publishersmarketplace.com , where you can create a web page to promote your work and network with agents and other authors (for a monthly subscription fee of $25).

Once You’ve Been Published

Leverage your book to build your brand. Solicit positive reviews on Amazon from friends, family, colleagues, and people in your social networks. Make friends with your local bookstore/s, and volunteer to sign all their copies. They’ll be grateful, and more willing to promote your work and give you free marketing in your city. There’s nothing better than word-of-mouth advertising!

Finally… start thinking about your next book.

Further References:

Germano, William. 2013.  From Dissertation to Book . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Germano, William. 2016.  Getting it Published: A Guide for Scholars and Anyone Else Serious about Serious Books . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

– Anders Wallace

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How Do I Get My Thesis Printed?

As a culmination of your educational journey, creating a thesis paper is a highly significant milestone and an undertaking that should be a great source of pride. For many students, this academic research paper marks the end of their degree program and a fresh, new beginning as a professional in their field of study.   

Depending on university policy, you may have to print and bind your thesis in book format. To do this, you'll need to take the following steps: research design options, find a publishing company, and place your order. 

While crafting your thesis may have been a long, painstaking endeavor during the school year, getting it printed is the easy part. At Book1One, we'll walk you through each step of this process.  

Research Thesis Design Options

A publishing company will take your research paper and turn it into a beautifully bound book. But what will the final product look like? Figuring out how your thesis should look is the first step. Do you want a cloth or leather cover? Do the pages need to be in color to highlight graphs and images, or will they be printed with sharp, black text?  

While there are several design elements to consider, the choices can often be narrowed down by your university. Find out if your school has thesis guidelines students are required to follow. Learning these guidelines can help inform your next steps forward. Depending on the university, these requirements may include:  

• Cover material and color  
• Paper size and weight  
• Single- or double-sided printing  
• Binding options  
• Number of copies required 

If you're unsure of where to look for these guidelines, consult your academic adviser, who should be able to give this information to you or show you where to find it.  

If your school has no guidelines, it will be up to you to design your book in a way that puts your hard work in the best possible light. Take a step-by-step approach to this part of your project:   

• Step 1: Start by exploring cover options – this is the part that's most noticeable at first glance. Faux leather covers create an upscale appearance while adding an element of durability to your final work. Softcover designs are also a popular choice for many students, as they're typically more cost-effective.   
• Step 2: Next, select a color for the cover. Many publishers offer thesis covers in several shades. While a black or navy cover offers a sleek, professional appearance, selecting your school's color is another option for your project.  
• Step 3: Finally, choose the ideal paper type. A heavier paper stock not only lends a premium feel, but it's also ideal for theses that are printed on both sides of the paper. This helps ensure each page is easy to read and offers a crisp, clean appearance throughout.  

A publishing company can help you make any final decisions throughout the process. Many companies are well-versed in this type of book printing and can provide samples for your review.  

Find a Thesis Publishing Company

After you've either learned what your university expects or settled on a design of your own, it's time to research publishing companies that have exactly what you need. From online self-publishing companies to local printing establishments near campus, there are many places to print your thesis. Some of the factors that may go into this decision include:  

• Printing options: Most local and online publishers should offer a variety of cover, paper, and binding options. Well before it's time to order, make sure they have what you need to ensure your thesis will come out just right.  
• Delivery timeline: Between the time it takes you to finalize your thesis and when it's due, will the company be able to deliver the final product? Make sure to leave enough time for you to review your newly bound thesis once it's complete.  
• Price per item: The price of having a thesis bound varies by company and is often affected by your design choices. If you're on a tight budget, explore pricing options before partnering with a publisher. Many companies will provide a preliminary price quote for quick reference. 
• Minimum quantity requirements: Some printing companies require a minimum order. If you only need one or two copies of your thesis, but your prospective publishing company requires a minimum of five, you may want to opt for someplace different to conserve valuable time, money, and resources.

If you're not sure where to go to have your thesis bound, your peers or university adviser may have some suggestions as to where to start your search.  

Print Your Thesis Paper

Once you've nailed down a publisher, it's time to craft the final product. By the time you've hit this step, your thesis should be thoroughly edited, proofread for errors, and ready to go. Having a second pair of eyes can be essential in catching hidden typos that may have been overlooked during your revisions. Asking a peer or professor to give it a once-over can save you in the end.   

Next, review the printing guidelines. During this stage, it's important to find out if any of your design choices will affect your work. Here are just a few things to consider:  

• Margin sizes: Some binding processes require larger margins, while others do not. Format your document accordingly to ensure words won't get cut off during production.  
• Length: Some bindings have a page limit. Make sure your paper choice and thesis length won't conflict with the binding you've selected.  
• Special features: Some publishing companies specialize in a variety of elegant features, such as foil stamping . If you have a special feature in mind, make sure the other elements of your design are in alignment with this choice.  

A self-publishing company should offer some guidelines as to how to place your order. Many online companies request a simple PDF, while others may prefer other file formats or even a hard copy of your paper. As far as placing your order, it's always a good idea to give your publishing company ample time for production. Many orders can be delivered within a couple of weeks. However, some offer rush ordering options (often at an added expense) for clients who are shorter on time.   

Additionally, some companies can provide a proof copy. While this service likely also comes with an additional fee, it gives students a chance to review their work before receiving the final product. If you're considering this service, leave ample time to finalize your paper.  

Once you've received your thesis, make sure to look it over from cover to cover to ensure it's exactly the way you've envisioned before submission.  

Up until this point in their academic career, most students have never even considered binding a research paper. However, theses and dissertations are typically the exceptions to the rule. After researching design options, finding the ideal publishing company, and placing your order, it's time to wait for the final product to be delivered to your hands.  

When your thesis is bound and delivered, you'll have a keepsake from your college career that you can look back on for years to come.  

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Print Your Thesis

We can help you print a professional thesis, print your thesis.

Printing your thesis is simple, and most people tend to do this at home or at their university library. If you’re looking to make an impression however, you might want to print your thesis as a book. This is of course standard for PhD theses, but we’re here to offer you a method of printing any type of thesis in book form without breaking the bank.

Not only does a proper book look better and more professional than a ring binder, but we’re able to print it cheaper than most libraries, copy shops, or even home printers could!

Our platform provides clear step-by-step instructions and automates most of the technical bits to make it as easy as possible for you to print your thesis. We also let you select from various different materials, sizes, and finishing details, allowing you to create a tailor-made thesis in no time.

Lastly, we don’t require a minimum order quantity. It doesn’t matter whether you want a single copy or one hundred; we’ll print your order and ship it to you.

What does it cost? Well, that depends on the number of pages and the various formatting options you select. Click the button below to use our price calculator to find and compare prices.

Printing Your Thesis: The Process

Format and print your thesis in a few easy steps

Basic settings

Select your book size, format, and paper type. These things are most likely determined by university guidelines, so check if there are specific requirements for your thesis. You can skip the ISBN step, unless of course you want to put your thesis up for sale.

Upload files

Upload your thesis as a Word or PDF file. We have pre-formatted Word templates you can download, though you might want to check if they are compatible with the formatting guidelines provided by your university.

Prices and samples

Printing costs vary depending on a variety of factors, e.g. the number of pages, the paper, and whether you’re printing in colour. We strongly recommend ordering a proof copy before settling on the final version of your thesis.

Once you’re happy with your thesis, just go ahead and order as many copies as you need. You can stick to a single copy if you like, but we also offer some attractive bulk discounts if you need more copies. You can also choose to put your work up for sale if you wish.

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Dissertation Printing

Online dissertation printing and binding.

• Print hardback, paperback or spiral bound
• Instant quote and free Royal Mail Tracked delivery for orders £10 or over
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Print your Dissertation online

Doxdirect specialises in online dissertation printing and dissertation binding services for students around the world.

We know that it’s the most important (and possibly the most challenging) piece of work you’ll complete during your time at university. That’s why we’ve made printing and binding it easier.

Doxdirect offers undergraduate, postgraduate and PHD students a high quality and easy to use device-to-door solution to print your dissertation online, and have it bound professionally and delivered quickly.

How should I bind my Dissertation?

The most popular dissertation binding option is a full colour hardback book . We also offer a paperback version, and an economical spiral bound option (also known as coil binding, wire binding and wir-o binding). Your printed dissertation will look something like this…

Options for dissertation printing

Size / Orientation Hardback A4/A5 portrait or landscape (left binding edge) Paperback A4/A5 portrait or landscape (left binding edge) Spiral bound A4/A5 portrait or landscape (left or top binding edge) A3 landscape (left binding edge)

Paper Hardback 80-300gsm (plain or satin) Hard cover with spine Paperback 80-300gsm (plain or satin) Soft cover with spine Spiral bound 80-300gsm (plain or satin) Printed covers are 300gsm and printed single sided

Quantity / Pages Hardback 20 to 638 pages (double sided) Paperback 20 to 638 pages (double sided) Spiral bound 2 to 586 pages (double sided)

How much will my dissertation cost?

Royal Mail Tracked delivery to UK addresses is free for all orders over £10, and creating a cover for hardback or paperback dissertations is also free.

Cover Design Tool

You can create a cover online for both paperback and hardback dissertations, using the free in-browser Cover Designer. For spiral bound dissertations, the front and back page of your Word Doc or PDF can be used for the front and back cover.

When should I order my Dissertation by?

Standard Service

• 2 day processing + Royal Mail Tracked delivery = Delivery in 3-5 working days (estimated)
• Please note : Royal Mail do not guarantee delivery dates

If you have a little less time on your hands, you may want to use a faster premium service.

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• Same day processing* + Courier delivery = Delivery next working day
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*(Order before 2pm for same day processing. See the Delivery Policy for further details or Contact Us for guidance.)

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• Standard: 80gsm, 100gsm
• Higher quality: 120gsm, 130gsm
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• Plain - matt and bright white, better for large amounts of text
• Satin - soft sheen, off-white, ideal for full coverage
• No cover: All pages will be printed on the same paper
• Colour Printed: Covers will be printed on 300gsm card in Colour
• B&W Printed: Covers will be printed on 300gsm card in B&W

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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

From Dissertation to Book

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

After many years of hard work, a dissertation is a monumental accomplishment. With so much time and effort coupled with the desire to add to scholarly discourse, many people hope to transform their dissertations into a book. Graduate writing has equipped scholars with extensive information about their discipline-specific genres, but the genre of book - and certainly a book hoping to appeal to audience outside of their field - requires new ways of writing. This page provides information and considerations aiding one’s efforts in a “publish or perish” world

Before you Begin

Many people feel the pressure of publication, especially of a book valued by scholars in your field, as they add that “Dr.” to their email signature. The truth is, book publication is still considered the standard even though many entities like the Modern Language Association (MLA) suggest moving away from a book as being the standard for tenure, instead giving articles and chapters more weight. Despite this pressure, it is highly recommended that you take some time (ideally at least a year) away from your dissertation. After dedicating so much time to such a specific topic over the past years, it can be difficult to look at your dissertation with the fresh eyes necessary to reshape it into a book without taking time away. 

Once you have taken this break and are able to greet your research anew, critically think about whether this should be a book. Trying to be objective, ask yourself if you really need a book-number of pages to convey your argument or if it would perhaps be better suited for an article or series of articles. Consider that the dissertation may actually have potential for both articles and a book. Another consideration for this choice is timeliness - articles come out much quicker whereas books can take a few years until they hit the shelves. If you think something might be old news in a few years, an article is the way to go. 

You may also consider researching subsidies. As a new author, you are a risk to your editor. Coming with funding to offset printing costs will make you less of a risk and ideally have your editor look at your proposal a little more deeply. 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, remember to resource yourself. With workshops, grants, editors, senior scholars, and presses, you are not alone on this journey. While you may consider avoiding your committee so that your feedback is coming from fresh eyes, colleagues often have words of wisdom regarding the book-publishing process. Throughout the process, you’ll also get feedback from your editor and anonymous peer reviews. While it’s easy to get defensive, it’s important to acknowledge and value their opinions and explain your reasoning if you decide not to incorporate a suggestion. You and your editor are on a team, so you both may make compromises throughout the process. Remember - they are on your so team, so go in with a growth mindset and you’re next academic accomplishment will be more in reach. 

During the Process

Once you’ve decided that you are, in fact, going to make a book out of your dissertation, it’s time to prepare for the practicalities of this process. First, you need to figure out how you are going to make it possible for you to accomplish such a feat. Writing a book takes intense discipline, so it’s important to create clear goals and plans by considering all the steps it will take you to get to that finish line. Simple actions like scheduling protected writing time can make a huge difference in success. Perhaps you set a goal of writing one page every day. Remember that writing constructs knowledge and the act will get you closer to your final product, even if it isn’t writing that actually ends up in your book,

The process of transforming your dissertation into a book is centered around audience, so you’ll want to keep that audience at the forefront of your mind throughout the writing process. Consider very carefully who your ideal reader(s) are. There may be multiple, and that’s great. Is it scholars in your field? An “intelligent layperson” (Luey, 2004) outside of your field? Whatever group of ideal readers you end up with, review your writing from each individual perspective. People often dream of a broad audience of people outside of academia without actually seeking feedback from anyone outside of the academy. If you’re telling your editor that you believe this will appeal to a history buff outside of the academy, get feedback from someone in that group and have them note places where your writing is not clear. This generalist perspective will help you see what items like jargon are confusing or what information feels boring, increasing the chances of success for this book. 

When considering your new audience, remember that you no long need to share everything you know about your topic in this document. While you did have to prove yourself to your committee, this audience automatically assumes you are an expert, so sections that were proving you’re reliable can be ditched or significantly parsed down. This means your literature review will be significantly cut, if not deleted altogether. This is also true of methodologies unless your methodology is exceptionally groundbreaking and interesting. 

Your old audience had to listen to you - it’s part of their job description. This new audience will need to be actively reached. Even if your main goal is people in your field, to make a book broad enough to sell - which your editor is going to look for - you’ll need to write for a wider audience which may require you to let go of any anxiety about being “taken seriously in your field.” 

A book will require broadening the appeal of your topic. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways such as: 

• Humanizing your subject - this may take additional research (such as interviewing the people who make up your statistics) or be as simple as adding personal elements about your topic (such as adding personal life information that was outside of the scope of your dissertation focused on a person’s political career).
• Adding narrative elements - plot, characters, setting, your own voice, and a beginning, middle, and end that pushes the reader forward are all key to marketability.
• Finding a new angle - an angle that directly impacts your reader such as financial or navigation of a life event is going to reach a larger audience.
• Expanding the topic culturally and temporally - take a broad topic related to your subject and see the impacts and/or comparisons of contexts such as religions, race, communities, geographical region, politics, time period, etc. perhaps referencing other studies in your field.
• Justifying your topic’s value - you may hope to create a guide showing your topic’s influence in hopes of affecting mindsets, policy, and funding of stakeholders and those in power. 

While your presses’ and editors’ feedback trumps all, there are some general considerations all editors are looking for. As you walk the line between theory and narrative, you’ll want to consider items such as: 

• Transitions - does the book flow in a way that keeps the reader interested? 
• Chapter length - are the chapters similar in length? If not, what can be combined or split up? 
• Repetition - do you find places where facts, stories, or claims are being repeated? Where do those best fit? 
• Hyperquotation - do you have too many or too long of quotes? How can you reframe that information with a focus on your work? 
• Bibliography/End Notes - is this information necessary? Does your editor/press have limitations on these sections? 
• Hagiography - are you ever writing about a subject without criticism? How can you make sure your argument is balanced? 
• Tables and Graphs - Does the chart fit without having to turn the book sideways? Does it repeat what’s in the prose making it not worth the cost? Can charts be combined? 

Now That You Have a Book

While some people may not have a completed book when they submit a proposal, many have at least a large chunk written and certainly a general outline and thesis. If you do have a whole book complete, you may consider the following advice in the “before you begin” part of the process. 

With the reality of budget cuts, editors are accepting fewer and fewer book proposals, making it more imperative than ever that your proposal sticks out. If you are an emerging scholar in your field, you probably won’t have the benefit of being actively sought out by publishers. This means you’ll need to do your research to find the right press and editor for you. Editors tend to have niche areas of topics they like to publish. Check out who published resources you used or check out the list of latest book releases in your field to see who is publishing work in your subject area. These are the publishers that you should propose to. 

First, make sure that you follow proposal formatting and content requirements. If you don’t, an editor may disregard your proposal due to the inability to fit within their genre guidelines. Furthermore, if you write more than they ask for, they may assume you cannot write in a concise and clear way and choose to put it in the “no” pile. Beyond this, to make your proposal attention-grabbing, you’ll want to draw them in with a title, table of contents, and abstract or first chapter that are clear, concise, and interesting to someone who may not share your natural enthusiasm for your topic. Typically, the more concisely you can get your points across, the more faith they’ll have in you as a writer. 

This also ties in with something academics may feel uncomfortable facing - this book needs to make money. Editors often look to see if their writers are able to get their point across concisely because fewer pages means less printing cost. Similarly, having low numbers of pictures, graphs, and charts, which cost more to print, can make your book feel less risky to an editor. Being upfront about what costs you anticipate and which you can avoid will help your editor calculate if this book is worth taking the risk of taking on a new voice to the field. 

Final Thoughts

The transformation from dissertation to book can be very exciting. Oftentimes, creating a broader appeal brings out engaging, compelling writing that will be more readily available to the masses. With this book, you have something to say instead of something to prove. Enjoy your new status as an expert as you get to share your unique findings with the world, moving your discipline forward. There will most likely be obstacles and frustrations along the way, but remember that you have already completed the monumental task of writing a dissertation and you are also capable of this. Best of luck on this journey!

LUEY, B. (Ed.). (2008). Revising Your Dissertation: Advice from Leading Editors (2nd ed.). University of California Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/j.ctt13x1g8x

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Turning Your Dissertation into a Book

Interested in publishing your dissertation as a book? You will likely need to revise it extensively so it will appeal to a wider audience and compete in the literary marketplace. Here are some guidelines to help you in this process.

• Allow plenty of time!
• The review process can easily take up to a year, as it entails a peer review of your manuscript, potential revisions, further peer review and then approval.
• The editing process can easily take a year to a year and a half as it entails copyediting, design, typesetting and proofreading, preparation of the index, printing and binding.

Dissertations differ from books in several ways

• Dissertations are highly specialized, while books are geared to general readers.
• Dissertation audiences are usually fewer than 100 readers — books are about 500 or more, in general.
• In a dissertation, the author’s authority must be proven; in books, it is assumed.
• Dissertations contain extensive documentation (to prove authority), while books document to credit sources and help the reader.
• Dissertations can run long; books are often far shorter.

Elements that make a good book

• A concise, memorable and intriguing title that includes essential key words
• Clear and effective organization
• A succinct introduction
• Illustrations that enhance the text
• Sections that are meaningful either alone or as part of the total book
• Navigational aids, such as chapter titles, running heads, subheads, notes, bibliography, index
• A voice (relationship of author to reader) that functions like an invisible tour guide or creative storyteller, and avoids sounding like a lecturer at a podium

The revision process

• Forget your dissertation. Forget your committee.
• Clarify your modified topic and audience.
• Determine how to present it in a dynamic way.
• Remove unnecessary references to yourself.
• Delete conspicuous chapter intros and summaries.
• Make style parallel in chapter titles, captions, chapter openings and closings, subheads.
• Revisit the introduction and conclusion.
• Remove unnecessary notes; condense or combine others.
• Eliminate most cross-references.
• Cut unnecessary examples and data.
• Make chapter openings strong, clear, and inviting.
• Add definitions of jargon, foreign terms, biographical and historical dates.
• Brainstorm several possible titles and subtitles.
• Tighten prose.
• Use active verbs.
• Begin and end sentences with words you want to emphasize.

The Chicago Manual of Style . 15th ed. (2003). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

German, William. (2005).  From dissertation to book . Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Harmon, Eleanor, et al., ed. (2003).  The thesis and the book: A guide for first-time academic authors. 2nd ed . Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

Lucy, Beth, ed. (2004).  Revising your dissertation: Advice from leading editors . Berkeley: University of California Press.

by Lorri Hagman, executive editor, University of Washington Press

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The final steps of your thesis: Finding the right printing and binding services and choosing the right style for you

One of the best things is the feeling you get when you’ve finished writing your thesis. After months of research and writing, at long last, your paper, thesis, or dissertation is finally done. What’s left to do is the printing and binding of your thesis. But still, you need to find out the best printing and binding services and choose a style that makes you proud of the final result of your work. 

There are a few things to consider when choosing how to print and bind your thesis or dissertation: the quality of the paper, the material, and color of the binding. A few other details can be customized, such as the ribbons and corner protectors. To help you decide, we have selected a few options from our partner, BachelorPrint.

Our pick: Premium Leather book binding

• Page limit: 10 – 370 pages
• Color options: Red, green, blue, black
• Textured, leather-look surface
• Ribbon bookmark in white, silver, gold, blue or black
• Corner protectors in black, gold, and silver
• Customized embossing in gold, silver, and black

BachelorPrint  is your go-to expert when it comes to printing and binding your thesis. The online market leader offers a wide range of bindings and will transform your thesis into a work of art. 

The  ultimate : with their free express shipping they guarantee that your thesis will be in your hands within a few days!

Leather book binding: a thesis to look like a book

• Appearance: textured matte (premium bookbinding) or marbled leather-look with a slightly glossy finish (standard bookbinding)

You’ve made it! You’ve finished writing your thesis. Now all that’s left is printing and binding and knocking your examiner’s socks off! That’s why we recommend leather bookbinding . 

A leather book has the best quality for  printing and binding your thesis . Your thesis will look like a classy book. 

Choosing this type of binding will make your thesis stand out from the rest and leave a lasting impression on your examiner. Combine that with additional options such as customized embossing, corner protectors, and a ribbon bookmark, and after that process your thesis you’ll have a one-of-a-kind, sophisticated-looking book.

There are two options available with this leather book: Premium leather book and standard leather book. Whereas the premium leather book has a matte finish, a standard leather book has a glossy finish. However, both are done in leather-look and consist of a solid and sturdy cover. 

Which leather book you choose for your  thesis binding is a matter of personal preference.

Upgrade your binding

Deciding on a leather book when printing and binding your thesis gives you the option to upgrade it to your tastes and create a one-of-a-kind binding. Here are the upgrade options:

Corners protectors:

Adds a touch of class

Prevents the corners from binding

Available in silver, black & gold

Ribbon Bookmark:

Enhance your book’s appearance

Can be used as a bookmark (your examiner will be grateful!)

Available in white, black, blue, silver & gold

Customized embossing:

E.g.: University logo and title of your dissertation on the cover

Embossed spine optional

Available in black, silver & gold

You can use BachelorPrint preview tool see how your dream binding would look like:

Thermal binding: a clean and classic style

• Page limit: 2 – 450 pages
• Color options: black, red, green, yellow, blue, white, gray
• Appearance: transparent front cover, colored, leather-look back cover

Of all the different types of binding,  thermal binding  is a classic. One of the features is the transparent front cover: it shows off the title page of your dissertation as well as the title of your thesis. This means that attention is immediately drawn to the topic of your dissertation.

Softcover: A thesis for artists

• Page limit: 20 – 150 pages
• Color options: customizable to suit your needs
• Appearance: satin matte, smooth appearance; design and print your cover to your liking (magazine look)
• Cover: 300 g/m² premium paper

Looking to make an impact with your thesis? In that case, the softcover is just for you! You have free reign and can decide what you want your cover to look like: Logos, colors, photos, or different fonts – you’re the one who decides what goes on the cover of your softcover. That is why this type is ideal for more creative fields of study. 

Note: Designing a one-of-a-kind binding that looks super original is tempting, but remember to keep it aligned with your field of studies and professional looking.

Spiral binding: A sleek solution for your thesis

• Page limit: 1 – 300 pages
• Color options for cardboard back cover: black, red, green, gray, blue, yellow or white
• Appearance: Leather-look cardboard back cover, transparent front cover
• Spiral options: Metal or plastic

Of all the different types of binding, spiral binding is the sleekest and simplest type  BachelorPrint  has to offer. It has a transparent front cover. This allows the examiner to see the topic of your Master’s thesis or dissertation right away. However, spiral binding is better for printing shorter dissertations. 

Some professors will require that you use  spiral binding  for printing your thesis. If your post-secondary institution has no guidelines regarding printing and binding, then you should make sure that the “packaging” of your thesis matches the contents: If you are looking into printing and binding your Master’s thesis, we definitely recommend the leather book over spiral binding. 

Overview of thesis bindings

Tips from printing experts.

It’s one thing to know what thesis binding to choose when printing your thesis. But there are lots of helpful and important tips that you should consider when it comes to printing. We sat down with BachelorPrint to put together some exclusive advice just for you:

Tip #1- Choosing the right paper:  Most printing services use 80 g/m² paper by default. However, 80 g/m² paper is relatively thin and as a result, the print on the reverse side will shine through if you are printing double-sided. 

Tip:  Remember that printing and binding your thesis is not something you do every day – be sure to use high-quality paper and select 100 g/m² paper – if printing double-sided, we actually recommend 120 g/m² paper. BachelorPrint automatically uses 100 g/m² paper.

Tip #2- Printing single-sided or double-sided:  It’s totally up to you whether you print your thesis single-sided or double-sided. Make sure you check the examiner’s guidelines first – if there are none, the choice is yours! 

Tip:  When printing double-sided, make sure your page numbers are formatted correctly. Uneven page numbers should always be on the right-hand page, and even page numbers should be on the left-hand page.

Tip #3- Printing in color:  It’s up to you whether you print in color or black and white. This depends on your thesis. If your dissertation has lots of charts and photos, color printing would look better. 

Tip:  Color printing gives your thesis a classier appearance. But take note! Too much color and your thesis will look less professional.

Tip #4- Number of copies:  You can assume that two members of the examination board will read your thesis. Furthermore, the person or organization you did your internship with might also like a copy of your thesis. Last but not least, you would probably also like to own a copy of your dissertation, Master’s thesis, or  research paper . 

Tip:  Find out beforehand, how many copies you’ll need. We generally recommend making 4 to 5 copies. Of course, the type of binding is up to you.

Tip #5- Cost:  The cost of printing and binding your thesis is based on various factors: Paperweight, color printing, and actual printing. Many service providers often add a surcharge when you opt for color printing or thicker paper.

Tip:  BachelorPrint printing expert automatically uses 100 g/m² paper, and does not even add a surcharge. The same applies for color printing: whether you choose black/white or color, BachelorPrint charges the same.

Do you need to transcribe interviews for your thesis?

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Submit and publish your thesis.

• The Graduate Thesis: What is it?
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• Turning Thesis into an Article
• Turning Thesis into a Book
• Other Venues of Publication

Turning Your Thesis into a Book

“A dissertation is a report, a book tells a story”

Turning a thesis into a book means more than simply printing and binding your thesis as is. Neither will it be a quick touch up or superficial revision. Your book manuscript will likely mean a substantial rewrite of your thesis. Consider the following aspects that will need to change:

Your audience

The audience for the thesis is mainly your committee whereas for a book it may be fellow researchers, professionals working in the field, policy makers, educators, or the general audience. The majority of your readers will be less familiar with your topic than was your supervisor and will be more interested in the bigger picture than in the methodological details.

A book has a different purpose from a thesis. A thesis is meant to demonstrate your mastery of the subject and research process. A book is an opportunity to discuss the implications of your research to the larger community. The way you define an audience for your book will directly affect its goal and vice versa.

The structure of your thesis

A book’s structure will be different from that of a thesis. You will need to thoroughly re-order your work into chapters. In particular, the Literature Review and Methodology sections would be shortened drastically or incorporated into the introduction. Copious footnotes typical for a thesis could be transformed into stories.

The voice you use for a book is different from the academic voice in your thesis. You will want to edit out the academic jargon, complex sentences, lengthy paragraphs and passive voice. Be ready to show your own voice and clearly say what you think.

When looking to publish a book you would normally follow these steps:

Select a press

Start by selecting a press that would be a good fit for your topic and audience:

• Look at your own bookshelf - where have authors published on similar topics?
• Check presses’ lists in your subject area
• Consider academic vs commercial publishers
• Get in touch with acquisition editors at the presses you are looking at to check if your idea will be of interest

Prepare your book proposal

• Think of your proposal as a pitch that communicates the book’s value in terms of content and your value as the subject matter expert
• Problems or pain points that the book addresses
• How the book addresses these pain points and what value it provides to the reader
• A proposed title
• Market research evidence that there is a need and niche for the book
• Contents page
• A proposal can be submitted to more than one press. Once you get a book deal, commit to that press and discontinue negotiations with other presses.

Negotiate and sign the contract

• The Understanding and Negotiating Book Publication Contracts from the Authors Alliance is a great resource for all questions related to book contracts.

Other tips from book publishers

• Having an article published from your thesis may be a good starting point to get a book deal. However having too many chapters published may be a turn off for a press that looks for original content.
• Consider the timing of publication for your academic career. It takes a while for a book to be written, published, distributed and read. If you would like to proceed with an academic career upon graduation and have reviews of your published book ready for inclusion in your tenure portfolio, you will want to start looking into publishing as soon as possible.

Additional resources on converting your thesis into a book:

• Harman, E. (2003). The thesis and the book: A guide for first-time academic authors. Toronto: University of Toronto Press ( Print | Electronic )
• "Working on a book project? What I wish I knew…" - recording of the April 2021 webinar and presenters' book proposals
• Writers’ How To Series by the Writers’ Union of Canada
• See writing guides for creative non-fiction
• << Previous: Turning Thesis into an Article
• Next: Other Venues of Publication >>
• Last Updated: Sep 15, 2023 3:23 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/thesis

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Why Choose BachelorPrint

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We, at BachelorPrint, offer you numerous types of bindings. Nevertheless, it is imperative to ensure that the work is properly and professionally bound, especially if it’s a significant paper. If you have your Ph.D. thesis bound, we strongly recommend thermal binding. It’s our most popular binding among students. This is due to the exceptional relationship between money and quality.

Tip: The way your work is bound should show how much it means to you. The better the binding, the better it will be. However, do make sure whether your university has special requirements for the submission before ordering your work!

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What does Ph.D. printing cost?

The most important factor for most students when Ph.D. printing is the price. The price includes factors such as the type of binding and the number of pages when printing and binding your Ph.D. thesis. You can get an idea of the costs with the help of the following contribution:

For example, if you want to print a 20-page Ph.D. thesis with premium leather binding and additional embossing, the calculated price would be $64.80. This is 45% less compared to other market prices! Plus: with BachelorPrint, you get a free express delivery!

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Why should I do my Ph.D. binding online?

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Which binding is recommended for a Ph.D. thesis?

For important work, such as the Ph.D., we recommend high-quality, elegant bindings. For this reason, the premium leather binding is our recommendation. The leather binding not only looks chic and high quality, but it is also a real eye-catcher. You’ll make a great first impression with the leather binding.

Where can I order the Ph.D. binding for my thesis?

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Which paper for printing and binding a Ph.D. thesis?

For important academic works such as the Ph.D., 80 g/m² paper or 100 g/m² paper is often used. At BachelorPrint, we use 100 g/m² paper as a standard, as it is not only more robust but also feels better when you leaf through it. However, if you want to print and bind your Ph.D. thesis double-sided, we recommend you even use 120 g/m² paper to ensure that the text does not show through.

If you want to know more about choosing the right paper for your Ph.D. thesis, follow this link to our article: Which paper for thesis printing & binding?

Do you have further questions about the printing and binding of your Ph.D.? Contact us: [email protected] 724 281 3937 Free 24h Customer Service  

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The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook

Exercises for developing and revising your book manuscript.

Katelyn E. Knox and Allison Van Deventer

240 pages | 1 halftone, 176 tables | 8 1/2 x 11 | © 2023

Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing

Reference and Bibliography

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“ The Dissertation-to-Book Workbook not only succeeds but excels in guiding scholars through this process of revision. This pragmatic workbook walks an author through clear steps to identify the organizing principle of the book, write and revise the book’s central claims, and then ensure that the chapters actually function well together before the author sends the book to a press. Since scholars often only have one opportunity to convince a press to publish their book, working through this process before sending to editors is crucial—and this is an essential guide.”

Rebecca K. Marchiel, University of Mississippi

“Based on their years of helping academics revise their dissertations into books, Knox and Van Deventer have distilled their incredible depth of knowledge into a beautifully thought-out book that takes you step by step through the process of revising your dissertation. Too many writing books give vague advice without any practical guidance. This is not that book. From advice on crafting your book’s arc and organizing principle to drafting your book questions and producing chapter answers, this book takes all the guessing out of one of the most stressful tasks academics face. This is the best book I have seen on the topic.”

Wendy Belcher, author of Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks

Table of Contents

On Revision

William Germano

Behind the Book

Chris Mackenzie Jones

The Business of Being a Writer

Jane Friedman

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A Gender Theorist Who Just Wants Everyone to Get Along

Judith Butler’s new book, “Who’s Afraid of Gender?,” tries to turn down the heat on an inflamed argument.

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By Jennifer Szalai

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WHO’S AFRAID OF GENDER?, by Judith Butler

As the example of Judith Butler shows, the boons of intellectual celebrity come at a cost. Yes, your work will command the kind of attention that would be the envy of most scholars; but the substance of that work will get eclipsed by your name, and your name will trigger a reaction in people who have never read a single thing you wrote. Throw some misogyny into the mix, and the most scornful attacks can take a lurid turn — even (or especially) if, like Butler, you identify as nonbinary. In 2017, when Butler visited Brazil for a conference on democracy, far-right protesters burned an effigy of Butler dressed in a pink bra and a witch hat.

Despite its notoriously opaque prose, Butler’s best-known book, “Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity” (1990), has been both credited and blamed for popularizing a multitude of ideas, including some that Butler doesn’t propound, like the notions that biology is entirely unreal and that everybody experiences gender as a choice.

So Butler set out to clarify a few things with “Who’s Afraid of Gender?,” a new book that arrives at a time when gender has “become a matter of extraordinary alarm.” In plain (if occasionally plodding) English, Butler, who uses they/them pronouns, repeatedly affirms that facts do exist, that biology does exist, that plenty of people undoubtedly experience their own gender as “immutable.”

What Butler questions instead is how such facts get framed, and how such framing structures our societies and how we live.

Any framework conditions norms and expectations. A binary framework, Butler says, is necessarily complicated by a more expansive view of gender — one that actually takes into account the variety of human experience and expression. “To refuse gender is, sadly, to refuse to encounter that complexity,” Butler writes, “the complexity that one finds in contemporary life across the world.”

Butler, who was trained as a philosopher, finds it curious that their dense, jargon-filled work has been invested with an almost supernatural authority. Conservative Christians have been especially fervent in their insistence that scholars like Butler are corrupting the youth, as if mere exposure to a text amounts to ideological inculcation: “Gender critics imagine that their opponents read gender theory as they themselves read the Bible.”

“Who’s Afraid of Gender?” started with that burned effigy in Brazil, when Butler realized that gender had become a bugaboo — or “phantasm,” as the book puts it — for a “rights-stripping” movement that is gaining traction worldwide and is “authoritarian at its core.” This “anti-gender ideology movement” targets trans and queer people; it also targets reproductive freedoms. It depicts sexed identity as something that is not only natural, obvious and unquestionable, but also zero-sum; it asserts that tolerance means exclusion, not inclusion — that advocates of “gender ideology” want to take rights away from everyone else.

“It is not possible to fully reconstruct the arguments used by the anti-gender ideology movement because they do not hold themselves to standards of consistency or coherence,” Butler writes. Pope Francis, despite being known for some of his progressive views, has compared gender theory to nuclear annihilation and the indoctrination of Hitler Youth.

But incoherence can be powerful. So-called gender ideology has been portrayed as both a licentious force and a totalitarian one — stoking personal liberty and steamrolling it at the same time. The church draws menacing connections between gender theory and pedophilia and harm to children. Butler finds such sanctimony especially rich: “In this standoff between church and feminism and LGBTQIA+ rights, where has the child molestation actually taken place?”

Butler makes ample use of such rhetorical questions. The tone of “Who’s Afraid of Gender?” is mostly calm, the argument methodical, the mockery gentle. A chapter on the incendiary subject of trans-exclusionary feminism focuses on debates in Britain. Butler calls it “stunning and sad” that feminists who consider themselves progressive could find common cause with a “new fascism,” a movement that is bent on imposing the kind of patriarchal hierarchy that feminism has always opposed. Butler asks trans-exclusionary feminists who argue that “gender mutability” amounts to an attack on “womanhood” to notice that their own bodies and genders are still intact: “Has anything truly been lost or taken away?”

Feminists, Butler says, need to keep their eyes on the prize: “a world in which we can move and breathe and love without fear of violence.” Coalitions have always been necessary to feminism, and they have always been difficult. “Coalitions do not require mutual love,” Butler writes. “They require only a shared insight that oppressive forces can be defeated by acting together and moving forward with difficult differences without insisting on their ultimate resolution.”

It’s certainly a hopeful sentiment — one that stands out in a debate in which hopeful sentiments often seem exceedingly rare. Conversations about gender have become so inflamed that the task, Butler says, “is to slow the entire public discussion down.” Indeed, since “Who’s Afraid of Gender?” was published, some critics have faulted Butler for turning the temperature down too low — for making an argument that is “tepid” and “uninspiringly careful” ; for stating the obvious by training such mighty brainpower on “the silliest figments of conservative fantasies” ; for being so committed to coalition building that the book lands on “a needlessly conciliatory position.”

Yet the same book has also been excoriated for doing the exact opposite: for demonizing opponents and for dismissing them as “fascist-adjacent.” It’s a mark of how charged the subject is that Butler’s book-length intervention, their bid “to slow the entire public discussion down,” has been received as both a tame peace offering and an outrageous insult.

And perhaps there’s a vacuum left by this book precisely because Butler, in a bid to bring people together, generally steers clear of some of the most inflammatory nodes of the debate. They easily challenge red-state directives to investigate parents seeking gender-affirming care for their children, which are patently cruel and controlling; but they don’t really get into the fierce disagreements among people, including those who want to support their children, on what that care should entail and when it should happen.

On a recent episode of the podcast “Why Is This Happening,” Butler was asked how they thought about such questions. “I think gender-affirming care is, broadly speaking, or should be, a commitment to listening to what young people are saying and trying to give them a safe environment in which to explore everything they need to explore,” Butler said. “I don’t think it should be accelerated, in a panicked way. I also am very opposed to it being blocked.” It’s a generous, open-minded answer; but it also sounds like a bit of a cop-out.

Toward the end of the book, Butler makes a few obligatory remarks about the importance of continuing the conversation, about the need to listen to one another, about the dangers of shutting people down. “We cannot censor each other’s positions just because we do not want to hear them,” they declare, somewhat cryptically, issuing this free-speech directive at everyone in general and therefore no one in particular. Still, I appreciated Butler’s commitment to holding open a space for thinking. “In the grip of a phantasm, it is hard to think,” Butler writes. “And yet thinking and imagining have never been more important.”

WHO’S AFRAID OF GENDER? | By Judith Butler | Farrar, Straus & Giroux | 308 pp. | $30

Jennifer Szalai is the nonfiction book critic for The Times. More about Jennifer Szalai

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