Best Practices for Formatting a PhD by Publication

The PhD by publication (sometimes called PhD by prior publication or thesis by publication) is becoming increasingly common across universities worldwide. Instead of submitting a single monograph-style thesis, candidates compile a set of published (or publishable) papers and integrate them with contextual material that demonstrates the coherence and contribution of the research as a whole.

Because this format differs from the traditional thesis, getting the formatting right is crucial for clarity, consistency, and compliance with institutional requirements. Below are some best practices to guide you.

1. Check University Guidelines Early

Every university—and sometimes every faculty—will have specific formatting rules for a PhD by publication. These can include:

• Minimum and maximum number of papers
• Requirements for published vs. under-review papers
• Placement of contextual chapters
• Word limits for the exegesis or commentary

Tip: Obtain the official guidelines early, and look at recent theses from your institution’s repository to see how others structured theirs.

2. Create a Coherent Narrative

One of the biggest challenges of a PhD by publication is avoiding the “stapled papers” effect. Your thesis should read as a single body of work, not a disconnected collection of articles. Ensure coherence by:

• Writing an introductory chapter that frames your research questions, objectives, and methodology.
• Adding bridging text between papers to explain how each study connects to the broader argument.
• Concluding with a synthesis chapter that highlights your original contribution to knowledge.

3. Standardise Formatting Across Chapters

Published papers often use different journal styles. Resist the temptation to copy-paste them directly into your thesis without adjustment. Instead:

• Reformat references into a consistent citation style (usually the one mandated by your university).
• Align headings, tables, and figure captions with thesis formatting standards.
• If journals restrict reformatting, include a statement noting that the article appears in its accepted/published form.

Tip: Keep both the publisher’s version and a thesis-ready version of each paper so you can adapt quickly.

4. Manage Authorship and Copyright Transparently

A PhD is about demonstrating your individual contribution. If your papers are co-authored:

• Include a statement of contribution clarifying your role (e.g., conception, data collection, analysis, writing).
• Check copyright agreements—some publishers require you to include only the accepted manuscript version, not the formatted PDF.

Universities often provide template statements or policies for this.

5. Use Consistent Referencing Across the Thesis

Even if different papers used different styles, your thesis should adopt a single referencing style throughout the commentary and contextual chapters. Common choices include APA, Harvard, or Vancouver depending on the discipline.

6. Present Papers Clearly and Accessibly

When inserting papers into the thesis:

• Start each with a single page listing the citation, journal, and publication status.
• Ensure figures, tables, and appendices are legible when printed or viewed digitally.
• Consider numbering chapters consistently (e.g., Chapter 3: Paper 1; Chapter 4: Paper 2) while maintaining the original article pagination in an appendix if required.

7. Maintain Professional Formatting Standards

Like a traditional thesis, a PhD by publication should look polished and professional:

• Use consistent margins, spacing, and fonts.
• Include a well-structured table of contents that separates contextual chapters from papers.
• Add lists of tables, figures, and abbreviations if relevant.

8. Don’t Neglect the Commentary (Exegesis)

The commentary chapters are where you demonstrate critical reflection and originality. A common structure includes:

• Introduction: rationale, research questions, and overview of publications.
• Literature review: situating your work within the field.
• Methodology: justifying and connecting approaches across papers.
• Synthesis/Discussion: drawing threads together, noting limitations, and pointing to future research.

Formatting these chapters clearly is essential to showcase your scholarly voice beyond the journal articles.

Tips when Using Write.studio

Writing papers in seperate documents does not make it easy to consolidate your work into a coherent dissertation. Citations may need to be re-done. Write.studio allows you to change the style guide at any point in time. We recommend this procedure:

• Add each paper directly into the thesis outline. This allows you to write-and-cite without having to reapply citation styles in a different document.
• Add each paper into a seperate divider (group); this enables you to export the divider section (i.e., paper) on its own.
• Apply the journal style to the thesis when you want to submit your paper to a specific journal; the paper will be formatted to the journal style.
• When you are ready to publish the next paper, and so on, simply change the style guide to the target journal.
• When you are ready to submit your thesis, simply change the style guide to the Univiersity recommended style guide.

Summary

A PhD by publication is a powerful way to demonstrate research productivity and impact during candidature. But it requires careful attention to formatting and coherence to ensure the thesis meets academic standards and tells a unified story.

By following university requirements, maintaining consistent formatting, and foregrounding your contribution, you’ll produce a thesis that not only satisfies examiners but also showcases your research career trajectory.