Publishing a journal article from your thesis
As you come to the end of your PhD, the desire and the need to publish become greater, but getting your work published and finding the right place to publish can be tricky. One of the most straightforward options for PhD students or early career academics is to publish from your thesis.
But how do you do it? With all of the material already in place, surely you just need to reduce it down, remove any cross-references to different chapters and give it a quick edit before submission? Unfortunately, this isn’t quite the case.
Whilst it is tempting to rush the process, editors are likely to be able to easily identify a rushed conversion of a thesis to an article, so you need to make sure you dedicate the time to making your article fit for purpose. It needs to be a stand-alone journal article which has its own identity separate from the thesis and which demonstrates a significant contribution to knowledge, whether on a theoretical, research or practice level.
Understanding the differences between theses and journal articles is an important first step.
What is the difference between a thesis and a journal article?
A PhD thesis is a detailed and lengthy document submitted for examination and produced to meet the requirements of the PhD. The intention is to demonstrate competence in the conduct of research within an original topic area, with adherence to academic conventions and a target audience of committee members/examiners.
With an in-depth literature review, a detailed methodology, an extensive discussion of your findings and underlining of your own contribution to the field, the word count is significantly higher than journal articles, many at between 80,000 and 100,000 words (although this can vary according to institution).
A journal article, on the other hand, is a more concise piece of work which aims to contribute to scholarly discussion or debate on a specific topic. You will be adhering to the standards of the journal article and writing for a more scholarly readership, with reviews taking place by peer reviewers.
In contrast to a thesis, where you present a thorough overview of existing research in the field before outlining your own contribution, you will present your scholarly contribution much earlier in the paper. The overview of the literature will be much more focused and limited to only the most relevant and significant works, and you will be more selective about the methods and findings that you present. Whilst the length of journal articles varies depending on the type of article and the journal requirements, an empirical paper will often be between 7,000 and 12,000 words.
These key differences are summarised in the table below:
How do I convert my thesis into a publishable journal article?
There are many different types of journal articles that you could consider writing. Three of the most common are theoretical, literature review and empirical journal articles. Theoretical journal articles evaluate or revise existing theory or propose new theory and literature review articles collate or synthesise existing literature on a particular topic to present existing evidence in the field. Empirical journal articles are based on research and are structured in a particular way, including a review of the literature, research questions and methodology, findings, discussion and conclusion. The latter might be the most appropriate option if presenting new and original findings from your thesis.
There are also several different options for turning your thesis into a journal article. You could:
1) Condense the whole thesis into one article.
2) Turn one or two chapters into an article.
3) Write several papers focused on different research questions from your thesis if they each contribute new and original insights to the field.
4) Take a smaller element of the thesis; something interesting or unique that you could develop into a standalone article. There may be something about your thesis that you particularly want to share, such as some unique methodology or a theoretical discussion. You may choose to focus one article on this issue.
Whichever option you choose, you are likely to need to do some condensing work on the thesis for sections of the article. The following table makes some recommendations to help you with this process.
Some final tips and advice for writing your journal article include:
Spend time finding the most suitable journal for your work (think about the discipline, type of paper, the aims and scope of the journals) (see my blog: Choosing the right journal for your journal article)
Make sure that your article fits with the aims and scope of your selected journal
Take a look at journal articles in the journal you have selected to get an idea of what they have published before, as well as style and format
Adhere to the submission guidelines (word count, formatting requirements, referencing style, copyright permission for any figures or tables used)
Pay attention to the content of your work, ensuring it has a strong structure, methodology and analysis
Make sure you have included some sources in your work which have previously been published in the journal you are submitting to
Get someone else to read the article for you, whether a colleague, friend or supervisor. Or you might want to send it to a professional proofreader, especially if you are writing in a language different to that of your home country
Include a strong cover letter, if required as part of your submission (for help and a template, please take a look at my blog: Writing your cover letter for journal article submission).
What happens when I have submitted my article?
Once you have submitted your work, it will be sent to reviewers for feedback. When you get work peer-reviewed, it means that it has been through a lengthy and thorough process of review by experts in the field prior to publication. This gives it greater credibility and ensures that the details presented have been checked. Each reviewer will provide detailed feedback and suggestions, as well as their verdict on whether or not the paper should be accepted.
The majority of papers will either be rejected or accepted with minor or major revisions. If you receive corrections, see this as an opportunity to improve and strengthen your work. Take time to address the requested changes point-by-point and show clearly how you have addressed them (or explain why you have not). Include a clear response letter with your re-submission (if you would like some advice here, please see my blog: Writing your response letter for a journal article resubmission).
I need more information. Where can I look?
There are some really helpful sources out there on producing a journal article from your thesis. I have drawn on the sources below for some key insights, but for further information, you can find the details below:
American Psychological Association (APA) (2020) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. 7th Edition. Washington: APA.
Belcher, W.L. (2019) Writing your journal article in twelve weeks: A guide to academic publishing success. Second edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Soule, D., Whiteley, L. and McIntosh, S. (eds) (2007) Publishing in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Glasgow: eSharp.
Taylor and Francis: Extracting a journal article from your thesis
https://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/extracting-a-journal-article-from-your-thesis/
I hope this blog helps you on your writing journey!
If you would like further support or advice, please don’t hesitate to get in touch to enquire about academic coaching via this website.