A new submission option, Thesis with Publications, is now available to all postgraduate research students at Queen's. Thesis with Publications enables students to incorporate material within their thesis submission which has been published or is in a format suitable for publication, which they have produced during their registration on the research degree programme.
By choosing this option, I can expedite the distribution of my results and establish myself as a budding scholar with a verifiable record of scholarly work. The incorporation of publications is consistent with the collaborative and interdisciplinary character of my research, cultivating relationships within the academic community and augmenting the programme's overall efficacy. PhD student
School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
Upcoming Training for Supervisors and Students
Book your place now for TWP training in March 2025.
Thesis with Publications training is provided by the Open Research library team. Please contact openaccess@qub.ac.uk for specific questions about this training.
Please select the relevant training option (supervisor or student) below for booking and details.
For Supervisors (12 March 2pm - 3pm)
Thesis with Publications: a guide for supervisors on submission to the University repository
BOOKING & DETAILS 
For Students (26 March 2pm - 3pm)
Thesis with Publications: guidance for submission to the University repository
BOOKING & DETAILS 
Guidelines for
Thesis with Publications
Guidelines are available to support the submission of a Thesis with Publications. These guidelines, written for students, staff, examiners, and other stakeholders, were approved by the University's Education Committee (Quality and Standards) following extensive consultation and a successful pilot involving 40 students from disciplines across the University.
Access the Guidelines
-
What are the benefits of the Thesis with Publications submission model?
The introduction of the Thesis with Publications submission model is one of a number of projects belonging to the Programme Management Framework theme of the Education and Skills Strategy. The Programme Management Framework aims to establish programme design rules, programme ‘building blocks’ and risk-based, streamlined quality assurance processes to enable agile development and enhancement of programmes.
One of the key commitments of Education and Skills Strategy, as part of Strategy 2030, is to educate global citizens through a transformative student experience and develop graduates who are sought after by employers. The Thesis with Publications option provides research students with the choice and flexibility to include work in their submission that they have published during their registration on their current research degree programme. It will enhance their skill set and employability prospects by allowing them to acquire and develop skills in academic writing, peer review and response to critique during doctoral study and in preparation for assessment. The Thesis with Publications option has the added benefit of allowing students to include work in their submission that they have published without having to rewrite it to the traditional thesis format.
Hear what students who took part in the Thesis with Publications pilot said:
“This scheme will enable me to publish my papers sooner, which will be beneficial for applying to post-doctoral positions after I hand in my thesis. This could really benefit my career. The scheme will be more efficient than the traditional method of completing a PhD, as I won't need to write two versions of each paper.”
- PhD student, School of Psychology
“By choosing this option, I can expedite the distribution of my results and establish myself as a budding scholar with a verifiable record of scholarly work. The incorporation of publications is consistent with the collaborative and interdisciplinary character of my research, cultivating relationships within the academic community and augmenting the programme's overall efficacy.”
- PhD student, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences
“Thesis with Publications will allow me to devote more to time completing a third peer-reviewed publication that can also then be included in my thesis, rather than having to spend a significant amount of time re-working already written and reviewed work into thesis chapters.”
- PhD student, School of Mathematics and Physics
“Sharing my research through peer-reviewed journals not only secures feedback from fellow experts, ensuring the quality of my research, but also disseminates my findings to a wider audience.”
- PhD student, School of Nursing and Midwifery
“I plan to create an audit tool and therefore will require a few publications to justify the creation of the tool. This option will therefore benefit my final submission, by allowing me to integrate the publications I will have produced.”
- PhD student, School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work
- FAQs (Formatting)
Q: What is the difference between the traditional thesis and TWP structure?
A: The main difference is that TWP allows you to include your authored and co-authored publications (which can be published or in a format suitable for publication) in your thesis without rewriting them in traditional monograph format. However, the publications must constitute a body of knowledge within a coherent and continuous thesis, rather than a series of disconnected publications.
The publications can be included within chapters in their submitted manuscript format, provided that they are stylistically integrated into the submission, matching typeface, margins, and continuous pagination. The University guidelines on writing and presenting a thesis, still apply and use of the TWP Template Cover Page is required for each publication. See Section 5 of the TWP Guidelines for further details.
A Thesis with Publications submission must meet the normal standards required for the award as outlined within the Study Regulations for Research Degree Programmes, Regulation 6.3 and 6.4.
Q: Do I need to add text to each published chapter, or just write an introduction and background section?
A: You have the option to add text to publications for your submission. The necessity of this should be decided by you and your supervisory team. If additional context is needed, you can add text to various areas of the publications and use the TWP Template Cover Page to identify revisions and indicate how you integrated your publications.
Q: Do the introduction and conclusion chapters still need to be written?
A: Yes, it is recommended to have an introduction and conclusion chapter to provide context around your publications. You may also interweave further text within each publication to ensure your thesis is coherent and continuous. Use of the TWP Template Cover Page is required for each chapter containing publications.
Q: Can the PDF from the publisher be included?
A: It is not advisable to use the Final Published Version (FPV) in your thesis due to formatting differences. Your publications must be stylistically integrated into the submission, matching typeface, margins, and continuous pagination. Use the author manuscript version if it matches the rest of your thesis. Otherwise, it is best to convert the manuscript version to match the formatting (margins and spacing) and typeface (font) of your thesis.
Q: Are there any minimum number of publications required?
A: No, there is no minimum number of publications required for Thesis with Publications. Publications for a TWP submission can be already published; accepted for publication; submitted for publication; or drafted as a potential publication. The status of each publication should be recorded on the TWP Template Cover Page. See Section 2 of the TWP Guidelines for further details.
Publications produced before registration on your current programme of study as a postgraduate research student at the University cannot be used.
Q: How can I expand on my publications without duplicating the content and still maintain coherency?
A: It is expected that some content or themes may repeat. Contextualising publications as they appear in the thesis and using the TWP Template Cover Page to explain any additional content should help to reduce duplication and promote coherence. Submissions should not exceed the relevant word limit for the degree (this is generally an upper limit, rather than a target). Discuss with your supervisory team whether the traditional monograph submission model would be more advantageous.
Q: Can I expand the "additional context" part of the chapter TWP Cover Page template to discuss the publication in greater detail?
A: The “additional context” field is meant to provide perspective on the selection made in the “inclusion in chapter” options. It is better to use this section to indicate where in the chapter you provide the discussion around the context of the publication.
Q: Should I discuss all the publications individually, or altogether in a final chapter?
A: Publications should be contextualized as they appear in the thesis. You can interweave the necessary additional context of the publications in sections such as ‘Background’, ‘Introduction’, or ‘Discussion’ of each publication.
Q: What if I need to expand upon a published section, like 'Methods'?
A: You can provide expanded method descriptions within the ‘method’ section of the publication. Use the TWP Template Cover Page to note any significant additions and rephrasing.
Q: Can I have one large chapter in my thesis if I merge my results into one publication?
A: The length of a chapter is a decision for you and your supervisory team. You should ensure that all submissions meet the University guidelines for thesis length and present a coherent body of work.
- FAQs (Requirements)
Q: Are there any requirements for quartile 1-3 (Q1-Q3) journals or TCI journals?
A: There is no required quartile for your journal publications. This is a decision for you and your supervisory team. For questions about Open Access publication requirements, contact the Open Access team (openaccess@qub.ac.uk).
Q: Where should I add co-author(s) contributions to publications in my submission?
A: There are two places to declare your contribution and that of any co-author(s). The TWP Template Cover Page includes a specific section to discuss co-authorship and contributions. Additionally, following the LibGuides ‘Co-authored papers’ guidance on declaring co-author contributions, it is also appropriate to include a similar statement of contribution in your introduction chapter. You should ensure that these decisions are discussed with your supervisory team
Q: Do I need to seek permission from every co-author, including my PI?
A: Yes, you should seek permission from all co-authors and maintain evidence of this. This should be done in writing (e.g. by email). It is not required that permission is received, but maintaining evidence of multiple attempts to notify co-authors is recommended. Follow the LibGuide for seeking permission from copyright owners and co-authors.
Q: Do we need to obtain written permission from the co-authors to include the published papers in the thesis?
A: It is not normally required to obtain written permission from co-authors, unless they own the copyright to parts you intend to use. It is good academic practice to notify all contributors that the paper will be included in a thesis and maintain evidence of this. However, depending on how your work is published, publishers may own the copyrights to your publications, which will require you to contact them to request permission to use the published work in your thesis. Refer to the LibGuides 'seeking permission'.
Q: Is there a template for co-author permission?
A: Refer to the LibGuide for a template and discuss with your supervisor(s) when considering co-author and copyright owner permissions.
Q: Can I submit using TWP if I have a specific type of funding?
A: Your funding should not normally impact your eligibility for selecting TWP as your submission model, unless the funding body stipulates a specific model for submitting your work. You should consult your funder's Terms and Conditions if you are unsure. Please review Section 3 of the TWP guidelines for full details on eligibility.
Q: Can I change to TWP after submitting my NOITS?
A: Switching to the Thesis with Publications (TWP) model from another submission model or reverting to a different model (from TWP) after your Notice of Intention to Submit (NOITS) is submitted and approved, is only permitted in exceptional circumstances. It is important that you and your supervisory team carefully select the correct submission model during your NOITS.
Q: How can students include publications without them being identified as self-plagiarised?
A: It is required that students use the TWP Template Cover Page to integrate publications, indicate author contributions, and provide additional context for their included publications. This helps to reduce plagiarism flags. Supervisors and examiners will also be aware that the student is submitting under a model in which they can include publications.
Q: How many examiners will I need if I submit with Thesis with Publications?
A: The number of examiners is consistent with the regulations for other models. Refer to the Study Regulations for Research Degree Programmes, Regulation 6.7 and the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes for further details.
Q: Will my oral examination (viva) different if I submit with the Thesis with Publications model?
A: No, your viva format will remain unchanged if you submit under TWP. It is advised that you discuss the format of your viva with your supervisory team so you know what to expect and how best to prepare.
This scheme will enable me to publish my papers sooner, which will be beneficial for applying to post-doctoral positions after I hand in my thesis. This could really benefit my career. The scheme will be more efficient than the traditional method of completing a PhD, as I won't need to write two versions of each paper. PhD student
School of Psychology
Contact us
Complete this form to submit your query
CHECK BACK AGAIN SOON
This page is under construction. More information on the Thesis with Publications will be added soon so please check back for further updates.