one-on-one support
Waiting to Get Your Dissertation Accepted?
Last Updated on: 21st May 2024, 10:43 am
PhD by publication, also known as “PhD by portfolio” or “PhD by published works,” is a relatively new route to completing your dissertation requirements for your doctoral degree. In the traditional dissertation route, you have to write one document ranging in length from 100-250 pages, on a research topic. The PhD by publication route has evolved to where, if you get a certain agreed-upon number of publications in peer-reviewed journals, you have met the requirements of a dissertation and then can graduate with your doctorate.
What are the Requirements of PhD by Publication?
While a dissertation is relatively standard in format, the PhD by publication route can have variations based on the school that you’re attending. Generally, if you get three articles published in journals, you have met the requirements. From here, it varies by school.
There are schools that may want your publications to be in Q1 (first-quartile) journals. In other schools, the publication requirements could be Q2 or possibly any level of peer-reviewed journal. There are even schools that will consider conference presentations at selected conferences to count as a publication
It’s important to know these requirements ahead of time, as they can affect how long the process takes. Journals with higher ratings typically take longer to get through the publication process.
There are schools that will also require you to put the name of your chair and possibly other committee members on accepted publications as co-authors.
At a number of schools, getting the 3 papers published is necessary for graduation but not sufficient. It’s not uncommon for them to require you to package them in a portfolio that includes an introduction, the articles, and discussion about future research as part of the overall document.
While this route may be the optimal route for you, you want to know the exact requirements before moving forward. There may be committee members who are not fully aware of university guidelines and requirements for this approach, and you want to be sure that you don’t head down this route and then find out later on that there are different requirements from what you believed at the beginning. Doing so can slow you down a lot. You also have to have your committee fully endorse this route before the process begins. Another way of saying that is, avoid surprises.
Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.
Advantages of PhD by Publication
The advantages of dissertation by publication include:
- You get multiple publications to add to your CV
- Once you have committee approval for the topic, then most of the approval is out of the hands of your committee
- Depending on the types of journals that you accept, acceptance can be relatively speedy
- May allow you to look at an issue from multiple perspectives and broaden your and the academic community’s understanding
- At some institutions, you may be able to collaborate with other authors on the process, potentially enhancing your academic reputation
If you are headed into the academic world after your dissertation – if you’re looking for a tenure track job – the PhD by Publication route may be a good option for you in that you emerge with a minimum number of publications in peer-reviewed outlets. This can help schools understand that you have the ability to publish multiple times.
Disadvantages of PhD by Publication
Disadvantages include:
- You are at the whim of the acceptance cycle at journals
- Reviewers are not members of your committee and may not be as supportive as a committee member might be
- There are still many people who are not aware of or familiar with this path to completion
- The peer review process can be challenging.
- You have to be careful about self plagiarism and self citation
- While a dissertation allows scores of pages to develop material, journal articles are typically limited in length, so you may not be able to expound as deeply in your articles as you would be able to in a traditional dissertation
PhD by publication is not a simpler route or one that you can do on your own. First of all, you have to make sure that your school will allow this for you instead of a traditional dissertation.
Second, you do not eliminate the role of a committee by pursuing this route. Even in the PhD by publication route, your committee has to approve the research. So it’s not a route to avoid committee oversight or committee involvement. However, if you’re aware of the potential challenges, it can be a great route for the right person.
Is a PhD by Publication Worth It?
Is this a good route to follow? I use the adage, “the only good dissertation is a done dissertation.” Considering that, this is a great path to follow if:
- You’re fully aware of the requirements upfront,
- You have committee buy-in
- You’re ready to live with the acceptance cycle of journals
This route may not be worth it if:
- You don’t have three different approaches to a topic or three different samples you want to explore in your journey
- Your committee does not wholeheartedly support this path forward
Neither route – traditional dissertation or dissertation by publication – is easier than the other. They both have limitations and advantages, and you want to make sure you’ve explored both options, as well as any potential issues with either approach.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can do this in most disciplines as long as your institution allows it. It may not be known by many people at the institution that it’s an available option, so it doesn’t hurt to ask. Start with your committee, then ask the head of your doctoral program, and then go to the registrar’s office.
Neither approach is better or faster. It all depends on the level of journal you need to approach and their review cycle. If there is a long review cycle and you are requested to revise and resubmit, then you will need to go through the review cycle twice or even three times. I’ve seen this process take 3-4 months, and I’ve also seen it take several years for those trying to make it into the top-tier journals.
Submitted papers at journals typically range from 20-45 pages. This depends on the journal and their submission requirements.
Most doctoral students at traditional institutions have funding for a certain number of years, including their dissertation process. The type of dissertation, as long as the institution supports that route, should not affect funding. External funding depends on the requirements of the funder, but some may support students doing PhD by publication.
The route will not impact the cost, the cost is only impacted by the time it takes you to complete it.
