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Manuscript-Based (Article-Based) Theses

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FAQ on manuscript-based theses

As an alternative to the traditional format, a thesis may be presented as a collection of scholarly papers of which the student is the first author or co-first author. A manuscript-based doctoral thesis must include the text of a minimum of two manuscripts published, submitted or to be submitted for publication. A manuscript-based Master’s thesis must include the text of one or more manuscripts. Articles must be formatted according to the requirements described below. Note that a manuscript-based thesis must follow the general structure of a thesis as explained here . An FAQ explaining the difference between a standard and a manuscript-based thesis is available here .

Manuscripts for publication in journals are frequently very concise documents. A thesis, however, is expected to consist of more detailed, scholarly work. A manuscript-based thesis will be evaluated by the examiners as a unified, logically coherent document in the same way a traditional thesis is evaluated. Publication of manuscripts, or acceptance for publication by a peer-reviewed journal, does not guarantee that the thesis will be found acceptable for the degree sought.

A manuscript-based thesis must:

• be presented with uniform font size, line spacing, and margin sizes (see Thesis Format under Preparation of a Thesis );
• conform to all other requirements listed under Thesis Components on the Preparation of a Thesis page;
• contain additional text that connects the manuscript(s) in a logical progression from one chapter to the next, producing a cohesive, unitary focus, and documenting a single program of research - the manuscript(s) alone do not constitute the thesis;
• stand as an integrated whole.

Any manuscripts that are under review, accepted or published in a journal must be included in your manuscript-based thesis without changes (i.e. identical to the published or submitted versions). The only change is with respect to the font/size which should be the same as the one used for the rest of the thesis for consistency and homogeneity reasons. So each chapter represents a full manuscript and has its own reference list. Then at the end of the thesis, you have a master reference list which includes all the other references cited throughout the other sections of the thesis, mostly within the general introduction but also from the general discussion.

Depending on the feedback of your examiners and/or the oral defence committee, you may be required to make revisions to your thesis before final submission. The committee’s comments must be addressed in the connecting text between chapters and/or the discussion section. You must not make any changes to the manuscripts themselves in your final thesis.

In the case of multiple-authored articles, the student must be the first author . Multiple-authored articles cannot be used in more than one thesis. In the case of students who have worked collaboratively on projects, it may be preferable for both students to write a traditional format thesis, identifying individual contributions. Consult this page for information on intellectual property and required permissions/waivers.

In the case of co-first authored articles , only one student can use the article in a manuscript-based thesis and must have a written agreement from the other co-first author student(s).

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 International License . Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University .

Department and University Information

Graduate and postdoctoral studies.

Guidelines for the introductory chapter of article-based theses at the Faculty of Humanities

From the programme plan:

"The scope of a PhD thesis should be such that it can be completed within the framework of the PhD programme, nominally 3 years net time for research training. A PhD thesis will normally consist of 200-250 pages (550-700,000 characters).

The thesis can consist of one continuous work or several smaller works. A thesis based on several smaller works shall normally consist of at least 3 works, as well as a summary/introductory article. In case of co-authorship, the thesis shall normally encompass more than 3 works. The candidate shall normally be the sole author of at least one of the contributions."

Introductory chapter

Theses that are composed of a number of individual works must have an introductory chapter, or if relevant an introduction and a conclusion (known in Norwegian as a ’kappe’), that explains how the individual works are interconnected. The introductory chapter must be a scholarly text of high academic standard. It shall both summarize and compare the issues and conclusions presented in the individual works, giving them an overall perspective and thus ensuring that the thesis forms a coherent whole. Even though the individual works may have co-authors, the candidate shall be the sole author of the introductory chapter. If the thesis contains previously-published articles, the introductory chapter shall if necessary also contain updated information so that the thesis as a whole is presented as academically updated. Each article can be updated if appropriate.

The length will vary, but the introductory chapter will normally consist of between 40 and 80 pages (110-220,000 strokes including spaces), excluding references and appendices.

Although the guidelines and practices for different subjects may vary, the introductory chapter should normally contain the components given below.

Introduction

The introduction presents the overarching topic of the thesis, the issue(s) discussed and the research questions, and gives grounds for the choice of issue(s). In addition the titles of the articles on which the thesis is based should be listed, along with information on how far the articles have progressed in the publication process.

Research status

The introductory chapter shall contain a literature review that shows the results that other researchers have previously reported in the relevant subject area. To demonstrate that the thesis makes a significant contribution, the candidate must document that he/she is familiar with the current state of knowledge in the field in question.

Theoretical framework

This part shall present the overarching theoretical approach that ties the theoretical suppositions and the issues discussed in the individual articles together. Here the candidate may discuss relevant theory and research literature in more detail than in the individual articles, although in a way that is justified in relation to the articles. It is important that the candidate operationalises and clearly specifies how theories and key concepts will be used in the rest of the thesis.

Methodology

There is often insufficient room in thesis articles for an in-depth discussion of methodological considerations and choices. The methodology of the thesis should therefore be assigned more space in the introductory chapter. In this part the methodological and strategic research choices made in the articles are justified and accounted for. The data collection process is presented, and the quality of the data and the data analysis work are discussed.

The introductory chapter shall provide a short summary of each article. The main findings of the thesis shall be reported in a brief and systematic manner that allows the main theme of the thesis and the connection between the content of the various articles to be clearly seen.

Discussion and conclusion

The candidate shall give an account of how findings presented in the articles contribute to existing research literature in the field and shall discuss the theoretical implications of the results. The introductory chapter also gives the candidate the opportunity to update the content of the articles. Such academic updating can be necessary due to the publication dates of the articles or the completion date. However, the candidate shall not introduce new empirical data.

The discussion shall also allow for competing interpretations of the results in the thesis, and shall show that the candidate has the critical distance and ability to reflect on the limitations of his/her research and that of others. The candidate is expected to address any research-methodological issues such as the validity of the methods in the light of the issues discussed and the limitations of the work that has been performed. Where relevant the candidate shall also address ethical problems associated with his/her research and shall demonstrate the practical implications of the findings and the need for future research. The conclusion of the introductory chapter shall be clearly related to the issues and research questions of the thesis.

Reference list

In connection with the introductory chapter, a complete reference list shall be compiled that conforms to the standard that is used in the relevant academic field.

The thesis may have an appendix if required. Interview guides, questionnaires and other documents of significance for understanding the results, and which are not covered by the articles, shall be included here. The appendix is given at the end of the thesis after the individual articles.

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PhD thesis types: Monograph and collection of articles

Starting PhD students often face a difficult choice. They have to decide whether they want to write their dissertation in the form of a monograph, or as a collection of journal articles. Some universities have strict requirements, not leaving a choice. But most offer both options. The decision is left to students and their supervisors and requires careful consideration.

Advantages of writing a monograph

Disadvantages of writing a monograph, advantages of a cumulative dissertation, disadvantages of a cumulative dissertation, checklist before deciding on a monograph or an article-based phd, writing a thesis as a monograph.

A monograph is a detailed study in one piece. Think of a book.

A monograph resembles an academic book. It typically has an introductory chapter, a methodology chapter, and a literature review chapter. Then, the empirical results of the PhD study are presented in several chapters of analysis. The final discussion and conclusion chapter wraps up the study.

A monograph is generally the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about a PhD thesis.

In some countries, monographs are still the norm. In others, theses based on academic articles are becoming increasingly popular.

• Writing a coherent thesis is easier: You can edit all chapters of your thesis until your submission deadline.
• You can write very detailed empirical analyses. In contrast, many journals have word limits for their articles.
• You gain valuable skills in writing and editing long (academic) texts. When you finish your PhD, you can even try to publish your monograph as a book.
• You are never done. If you change something in Chapter 5, you might have to adjust Chapter 2 as well.
• A PhD as a monograph does not automatically lead to journal publications. Journal publications are key indicators for academic careers.
• Writing good, publishable articles for high-ranking academic journals is a skill. You are not developing these skills as part of your thesis writing process.

Writing a thesis as a collection of articles (cumulative dissertation)

A thesis based on a collection of articles is based on individual journal publications. Universities tend to require 3-5 academic articles, published or submitted to academic journals.

The specific regulations differ from university to university, so make sure that you check what applies to you!

Combined, the individual articles form the body of the thesis. Nonetheless, a PhD thesis in the form of articles begins with an introduction. Some also have an extra chapter here and there, which is not published as a journal article.

Then, the journal articles are packed together, and followed by a general conclusion that rounds up the thesis.

• The overwhelming task of writing a PhD is divided into concrete parts. Many PhD students write one article every 9 to 12 months.
• Once an article is published, you cannot edit it anymore. This saves you from obsessive perfectionism, editing your work over and over again.
• You will have a head start in terms of publications. Publishing is a lengthy process. 3-5 completed articles at the end of your PhD is a big advantage.
• Cumulative PhD theses are often less coherent than monographs. It is difficult to integrate independent journal articles into a coherent whole.
• For each journal article, you need to develop a distinct theoretical framework. If the theory is not your forte, you might struggle with this.
• In some countries, PhD theses based on articles are considered worth less than monographs, and are looked down upon.

There is no right or wrong. Both monographs and theses based on a collection of articles have advantages and disadvantages.

One is also not easier than the other. But one might be more suited to your specific situation.

When making a decision, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are your university’s regulations when it comes to thesis types?
• What is the reputation of both thesis types in your (national) context? And in the context in which you aspire to work in?
• What is your strength? (conducting detailed empirical analyses vs abstract theoretical thinking)
• What is your end goal? (a non-academic career vs. an academic career requiring high numbers of journal publications)
• Which thesis type fits best with your research topic?

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Tress Academic

#132: 5 tips for an article-based (cumulative) PhD thesis

September 20, 2022 by Tress Academic

Are you planning to write a PhD dissertation that is based on peer-reviewed publications? If so, consider these 5 tips to help you to avoid common pitfalls. An article-based dissertation can gives you the opportunity to make your research known to an international audience early in your career. But it comes with a few strings attached and a couple of hurdles to overcome! With our suggestions you’ll be able to take it all in your stride! 

Most universities today offer two options for the submission of a PhD dissertation or thesis: You can write a monograph or an article-based dissertation. 

The article-based PhD dissertation consists of a string of scholarly articles, some or all of which have to be accepted or published by the time you submit your dissertation. The peer-reviewed papers included in an article-based dissertation have to originate from your PhD project. We’ve outlined the differences between both types as well as the pros and cons in our previous SMART ACADEMICS blog-post #6: Dissertation dilemma? Hand in a monograph or papers? And FYI: the article-based dissertation is also called a manuscript-based or cumulative dissertation. 

In many subject areas, particularly in the natural sciences, life sciences, and empirical social sciences, the article-based dissertation is more common than the traditional way of writing the thesis as a monograph. This is why we want to outline 5 critical issues that you should be aware of when planning to write and submit an article-based dissertation. All of these are easily avoided if you know them from the outset, but tricky to remedy if you’ve not considered them. So give yourself a headstart to planning your cumulative dissertation the right way.

Tip #1: Decide early-on

From discussions with PhD candidates in our PhD and publishing courses , we know that some students work with the strategy to “just wing-it” and see if they manage to write a cumulative dissertation, and if not, they’ll opt for the monograph as a kind of fall-back option. They also seem to think that dissertation writing is a task that is only tackled towards the end of the PhD when everything else is done. The creed is: first do your research, then write it up! 

While this common belief is never a good strategy, it’s likely lethal for achieving a cumulative dissertation. Both types of dissertations are fundamentally different in their structure and how they are written. How you organise the writing process is very different, and so is the writing-style. See the SMART ACADEMICS blog-post #6: Dissertation dilemma? Hand in a monograph or papers? for more detail. 

We suggest you get informed about the advantages and disadvantages of both types, what is common in your discipline, and what is the best choice given your personal circumstances, writing and publishing skills, and career plans. Then make that decision early on and plan your project–aka your studies–with this end-product in mind.

Tip #2: Clarify university requirements

When we ask our PhD candidates what they need to submit as a cumulative dissertation, they often come up with a vague ‘3 papers I guess’-answer. That is not good enough! Figure out exactly what you have to submit as an article-based dissertation at your university in your faculty for your exact discipline. Why? Because many universities do not have one set of rules that apply to all subject areas, but have different regulations for different faculties or individual disciplines. 

While one university may ask for 2 published papers, another may ask for 4 or 5. But not only does the number of included peer-reviewed papers vary, there are often  further specifications regarding the

• publishing status of the papers
• review articles/meta-analysis 

The regulations of your university may e.g. ask you to include 3 peer-reviewed publications, 2 of which have to be published by the time you hand in your dissertation. In addition, you need to be first-author of 2 papers and only one paper can consist of a meta-analysis. There are also regulations which require you to be the sole author for one paper, or exempt your main-supervisor from being a co-author and so on. You see, the devil’s in the details. You can navigate this for sure, but you need to know! So don’t rely on hearsay, not even if it’s your supervisor. You want to see the regulations for yourself and see what’s written there in black-and-white. Here are two random links specifying requirements for an article-based thesis from one German and one Canadian university, just so you get an idea: 

• McGill University, CA, Manuscript-Based (Article-Based) Theses.  
• University of Jena, DE, Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, 2018: Implementing provisions for cumulative doctoral theses

But please check for yourself and see if the university/faculty where you are enrolled has similar requirements. 

Tip #3: Identify paper topics

The identification of potential topics for your individual papers is a strategic move to avoid problems (e.g. paper rejection), save time, and increase the quality of your thesis. 

In the case of a cumulative dissertation, you still need an overall topic which binds the papers together in a logical sequence. Plus, you have to write a substantial introduction, method section, and overall discussion and conclusion. So no, you can’t write 3 papers from 3 unrelated experiments and then patch it together as a PhD thesis. Think carefully about the overall theme of your thesis before deciding on individual paper topics. 

While you can report on nearly everything you did in a monograph, for the article-based thesis, you have to decide strategically on aspects of your work that are the most original, novel, and outstanding. These will have the highest chance of passing the review process of an international journal.  

If you or your supervisor are great strategists, you’ll design your experiments or field-work in a way that results in the required number of papers. Collaborations can be used strategically so they result in co-authorship if that is an option. But the same paper cannot normally be used as part of a cumulative dissertation by two PhD candidates. 

Very specific decision-making and PhD project design with a focus on the thesis requirements has its own beauty and can save you from doing a lot of unnecessary work that otherwise would not get published in the end. 

See also our Small Academics Blog post #103: How to find a paper topic.

Tip #4: Consider the time-line

Nothing else will torpedo your plans for a cumulative dissertation like not considering the time-line. You need to carefully calculate time for 

• Paper writing (including communicating back-and-forth with co-authors)
• Awaiting the results of the peer-review process
• Revisions after you’ve received a review-report 

Knowing that it may take anywhere between 6 to 10 months from submission to acceptance (seldom quicker, sometimes slower), you have to plan out exactly when you’ll submit one paper and write the next. That is often a tight game if your PhD contract or scholarship ends after 3 or 4 years. 

If you need e.g. 2 first-authored, accepted papers and a 3rd one submitted, you’ll carefully need to identify the timeline for submission of your papers (including the results you’ll present and when these have to be available) so that your PhD completion won’t be delayed because you’re still awaiting acceptance of one paper. 

So surely, with such requirements, postponing paper-writing until the final year of your thesis is a no-go. Probably, it would be good to devise a publishing strategy, see our Smart Academics Blog #38: Why you need a publishing strategy .

Tip #5: Mitigate risk of paper rejection

There’s a real risk of one of your papers getting rejected by the journal to which you submit it first. So planning for that risk and having one additional paper in the pipe-line can be a good mitigation strategy. Another strategy can be to carefully select the journal you’re submitting to with regards to its impact factor. The higher the impact-factor, the higher the rejection-rate. Discuss this with your co-authors and supervisors. If they are very experienced and prolific authors, and they know that your results will be outstanding, the risk of a rejection might be slim. But if you’ve got to be the sole author and you don’t have great support in the writing process, it might be a good strategy to play it safe. 

Check our Smart Academics Blog post # 121: How do you prevent paper rejection?

You can see that there are quite a few pit-falls in the writing of a cumulative dissertation. And as you’ve seen, it’s not only the writing of papers that needs to be carefully planned. There are also some decisions to make regarding their content, timing, (co-)authorship, topics, journals etc. 

Submitting an article-based dissertation with published or accepted papers can positively influence your PhD thesis assessment, since your work has already been deemed ‘acceptable’ by independent international experts in the peer-review process. Still, each assessment committee will have an independent look at the overall quality.  So go for it, if you have the option, but make sure you make the crucial decisions early-on. 

• Smart Academics Blog #6: Dissertation dilemma? Hand in a monograph or papers?
• Smart Academics Blog #38: Why you need a publishing strategy
• Smart Academics Blog #62: Twenty things you should know when writing a journal paper
• Smart Academics Blog #67: Writing productivity: Write more in less time
• Small Academics Blog post #103: How to find a paper topic.
• Smart Academics Blog #111: Boost your chances of paper acceptance with these 3 tips
• Smart Academics Blog post 121: How do you prevent paper rejection?
• Hendawy, M. 2021. How to structure a cumulative dissertation: Five strategies. Elephant in the Lab. 

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Writing a compelling integrated discussion: a guide for integrated discussions in article-based theses and dissertations

• Krystina B. Lewis , Ian D. Graham , Laura Boland and Dawn Stacey

Article-based theses and dissertations are increasingly being used in nursing and the health sciences as an alternate format to the traditional five-chapter monograph. A unique chapter in the article-based thesis is the integrated discussion, which differs in breadth and depth as compared to the discussion for a traditional thesis monograph or journal article. For many students and faculty, the integrated discussion is a challenging chapter to write, with minimal or no published guidance available. In this article, we offer a four-step approach with templates for planning and writing an integrated discussion. We also share several lessons learned with examples from published theses and dissertations. Writing an integrated discussion can be facilitated and written more efficiently by developing a clear and detailed outline of the chapter and broad discussion points prior to drafting the text, to achieve a higher-level synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of the overall significance of the thesis findings.

Introduction

An increasing number of university graduate programs in nursing and the health sciences offer the option of writing an article-based thesis or dissertation as an alternate format to the traditional five-chapter monograph ( De Jong, Moser, & Hall, 2005 ; Graves et al., 2018 ; Robinson & Dracup, 2008 ; Smaldone, Heitkemper, Jackman, Joanne Woo, & Kelson, 2019 ). This format has gained traction internationally to facilitate the earlier and more frequent publication of graduate student research for the timelier advancement of knowledge and impact on clinical practice ( Evans, Amaro, Herbert, Blossom, & Roberts, 2018 ; Maynard, Vaughn, Sarteschi, & Berglund, 2012 ; Smaldone et al., 2019 ). An article-based thesis, also known as the manuscript option, thesis-by manuscript, integrated thesis, or PhD by published works, typically includes one or more articles suitable for publication in peer-reviewed journals and bounded together with an introduction chapter and integrated discussion chapter ( Baggs, 2011 ). The integrated discussion is a unique chapter in an article-based thesis. Integrated (2020) is defined as “ many different parts [that] are closely connected and work successfully together ” (“Integrated,” 2020). The general purpose of the integrated discussion chapter is to provide an overall synthesis and demonstrate high level abstraction, analysis, and interpretation of the thesis findings. It is an opportunity to showcase the thesis’ findings, the student’s reflections about the findings, and its implications ( Smith, 2015 ).

Requirements and expectations for the integrated discussion chapter vary by institution and department. Supervising faculty within individual institutions may also have differing approaches and expectations. We found no general rules or expectations in the literature for writing an integrated discussion. An inquiry of select institutional guidance documents in various international jurisdictions revealed that academic institutions provide few details about this chapter. Descriptions focus more on the overall contribution of the integrated discussion chapter to the thesis, rather than guidance on how to write it ( Table 1 ).

Examples of institutional guidelines for the integrated discussion chapter in an article-based thesis.

Writing a compelling integrated discussion can be challenging, and there is a scarcity of resources, instructions, or published guidance for students and supervising faculty on this subject. Existing guidance is focused primarily on writing discussions for a single journal article or a traditional thesis monograph. Yet, the integrated discussion chapter differs in breadth and depth. In journal articles, a discussion usually consists of a statement of the main findings, interpretation of the results in the context of the broader literature, strengths and limitations of the study, and implications for potential users of the findings (clinicians, administrators, policy makers, and others), the discipline, and future research ( Makar, Foltz, Lendner, & Vaccaro, 2018 ). The discussion section of the traditional monograph thesis has a similar format to that of a journal article as it discusses a single study but is often more detailed. In comparison, the integrated discussion chapter of the article-based thesis provides students with a space in which to weave the results and discussion points from the individual articles comprising the thesis, elaborate on the logic and linkages between them, and convincingly argue for the unified, coherent, and original nature of their findings and contributions to the field-at-large. Smith (2015) refers to this as the golden thread. Grant (2011) refers to it as the logic of connectivity . Ultimately, it is about how the student links the key ideas from the individual papers and articulates the connectedness between them, so as to make readers understand the thesis’ broader meaning which make it accessible to a larger audience ( Smith, 2015 ).

The educational value of conceptualizing and writing an integrated discussion can be best classified at the highest level of Bloom’s revised taxonomy of educational objectives, to Create  — formerly known as Synthesis in Bloom’s original taxonomy — whereby parts are combined in novel ways to produce a coherent whole and to formulate new points of view ( Anderson & Krathwohl, 2001 ; Bloom, 1956 ). According to the taxonomy, the integrated discussion represents the pinnacle of cognitive tasks and processes by requiring higher-order thinking and critical reflections expected of graduate level students. Hence, the integrated discussion chapter provides the graduate student an opportunity to synthesize, integrate, and raise the discussion to a higher level of abstraction; allowing them to demonstrate the coherence between all articles reported in the thesis. It is often in the integrated discussion where thesis advisory committee members and examiners can assess the student’s depth of theoretical and applied knowledge of the subject matter, capacity for critical inquiry, and judge the overall value of the student’s conclusions and contributions to the substantive area of study ( Gould, 2016 ). Specifically in nursing, this higher-level thinking can be articulated by discussing how the knowledge generated advances nursing practice, education and research, and how it contributes to the delivery of high quality health care, and improved health and health system outcomes ( Institute of Medicine [US] Committee on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Initiative on the Future of Nursing, 2011 ). Yet, with little guidance available on how to think about and write an integrated discussion, graduate students may miss the opportunity to engage in this higher-order thinking and critical reflections.

In this paper, we offer a practical four-step approach with templates for writing an integrated discussion for article-based theses. KBL initially developed the steps and templates as she conceptualized and wrote her integrated discussion for her PhD dissertation. The steps and templates were refined as a result of (a) her own integrated discussion writing process; (b) discussion with her thesis supervisor and thesis advisory committee members; and, (c) feedback from several graduate students who have used it successfully. As recent doctoral graduates and faculty supervisors, we are sharing this approach and our lessons learned with examples from published theses and dissertations.

Writing an integrated discussion chapter

Step 1: outlining the integrated discussion chapter.

To begin, we propose drafting an outline for the integrated discussion chapter with six major sections ( Table 2 ). First, provide an opening paragraph introducing the information to be presented in the chapter. Second, present a summary of the overall purpose of the thesis as a unified piece of work and a brief summary of each individual article prepared for publication. Each article summary should include the study aim, study design, and key results. Keep in mind that by the time supervisors, thesis advisory committee members, and examiners read the integrated discussion chapter, they have probably just finished reading the previous chapters and articles, so there is no need to repeat information in detail. Rather, the purpose of this section is to refresh the readers’ focus and to begin demonstrating how the articles logically link to each other. Third, outline the main points of the integrated discussion as clearly and concisely as possible (see Step 2 and 3 for more details). Fourth, discuss the strengths and limitations of the thesis, as a whole, if applicable. Typically, strengths and limitations are only presented at the individual article level, but if there are broader strengths or limitations that apply to the thesis, they can be discussed in this chapter. Fifth, discuss the implications of the thesis for the specific discipline (e.g., nursing, medicine, population health, epidemiology, rehabilitation) in terms of the findings’ applicability to practice, education, leadership, and/or policy. Sixth, describe implications for future research. Finally, this chapter should end with a strong, clear, and logical conclusion summarizing the entire work across all elements of the thesis. The conclusions should clearly state the original contribution(s) to the advancement of knowledge and overall significance for the field at-large.

Suggested structure for an integrated discussion.

a Approximate length based on 12-point type font, double spacing, left-justified, 1-inch margins, and format for 8 ½ × 11 paper.

Step 2. Mapping individual articles’ findings to inform the integrated discussion

The next step is to draft the main integrated discussion points. Using Template I, capture the main discussion points from each individual article ( Table 3 ). If there is only one article in the thesis, these can be generated from the literature review, guiding theoretical framework, and/or chosen methodology. This exercise is intended to facilitate the student’s thinking about how to build convincing overarching discussion points and explore the key messages they want readers to come away with after reading the thesis.

Template I to summarize individual article discussion points to identify overarching discussion points.

a If there is only one article in the thesis, additional discussion points/contributions/implications can come from the literature review, guiding theoretical framework, and/or chosen methodology. b Whether these implications are included in the individual article or not, this explicitly offers a starting point to think of the implications arising from individual articles.

The last row in this template is reserved for listing the actual and potential disciplinary implications arising from each article, which may address any of the following domains: practice, education, leadership, policy and/or research. Depending on journal requirements, these implications may be directly discussed in the individual articles. If not, this section offers the student a starting point for thinking about the disciplinary implications arising from their thesis as a whole.

Completing Template I as individual articles are finalized, and sharing it with a faculty supervisor or thesis advisory committee can facilitate discussion about the evolving integrated discussion points. It can also facilitate requisite critical thinking and reflection necessary for linking findings across the individual articles.

Step 3. Drafting the main integrated discussion points

Consider the discussion points and disciplinary implications across all individual articles of the thesis to identify commonalities or differences;

Draft main integrated discussion points, logically connecting the individual articles;

Identify findings from, ideally, two individual articles that support (or refute) the proposed main integrated discussion points (aiming for evidence from two articles helps achieve a higher level integrated discussion); and

Identify and classify theoretical and empirical literature relevant to the main integrated discussion points. Select regional, national, and international empirical studies, theoretical works, clinical practice guidelines, technical reports, and/or policy documents; highlight what the thesis adds to the field (of knowledge) and how it will enhance understanding of the subject.

Template II to build the main integrated discussion points from the individual articles and summarize implications.

a If there is only one article in the thesis, the supporting contributions/arguments can come from the literature review, guiding theoretical framework, and/or chosen methodology. b Broader literature can include empirical studies, theoretical works, practice guidelines, technical reports, and/or policy documents. c List the disciplinary implications identified across all articles. This explicitly offers a starting point to think of the disciplinary implications arising across the individual articles’ findings and discussion points.

This exercise is intended to help organize the content of the integrated discussion early in the writing process. We recommend sharing the evolving Templates I and II with the faculty supervisor or thesis advisory committee and use it as a tool for discussion before writing the integrated discussion chapter. As supervisors (DS, IDG), we also initiate Template I in discussion with our graduate students – often using a blank piece of paper. This reflective exercise may save time in the long run, as it facilitates staying focused on the key points and avoids repeating elements of the discussions within the individual papers. The more detailed the completed templates, the more content is available to transform into text.

Step 4. Writing the integrated discussion chapter

The final step is to turn the planned outline (Step 1) and the drafted main integrated discussion points (Step 3) into narrative prose. To remain focused, start by adding subheadings from the outline and lower level subheadings for each of the main integrated discussion points. A compelling integrated discussion is often preceded by multiple revisions. It should not be written when rushing to meet the thesis submission deadline as writing this chapter requires considerable reflection and introspection. For these reasons, we remind students that the integrated discussion is the last chapter their examiners will read, and it will leave a lasting impression. Getting this chapter right allows the student to demonstrate their mastery of the totality of their thesis work and sets the stage for the examination. In our experience, when an integrated discussion is well-written, the examiners’ comments indicate that the integrated discussion chapter tied all elements of the thesis together and helped them understand the thesis in its entirety.

Lessons learned

When applying this approach for writing our own integrated discussions, or when guiding graduate students through the process, we have learned several lessons. To exemplify these lessons, we offer examples of published theses and dissertations in nursing and other health professions.

Lesson 1. Use stepwise approach with templates to plan and structure the chapter

Using the attached templates and proposed stepwise approach to structure the writing process reduces the inclination to simply repeat the discussion points found in the individual articles. The templates may also help graduate students overcome procrastination resulting from not knowing where to start with the integrated discussion. Further, Templates I and II may be used to guide discussions between graduate student and faculty supervisor, allowing for progress to be monitored prior to writing. Another advantage to doing this early is that some supervisors are less familiar with the article-based thesis format and may have little experience guiding their students in writing the integrated discussion. As such, using the template to walk through this process may be helpful for both parties.

Lesson 2. Think ahead

Avoid delaying until all the individual thesis articles are written before thinking about the integrated discussion. We recommend filling out the templates as individual articles are completed. When analyzing the results for individual articles and thinking about the discussion sections for these, we often identified relevant discussion points that were too broad for the articles. Keeping a log of discussions with faculty supervisors and thesis advisory committee members throughout the thesis writing process, and keeping record of personal reflections that were beyond the scope of individual articles, may help gather ideas early. For example, when first considering her integrated discussion, Hoefel (2019) chose the Walker and Avant (2011) theory testing approach to validate the decisional needs concept and test the main hypothesis of the Ottawa Decision Support Framework ( O’Connor et al., 1998 ). For her thesis, Hoefel (2019) wrote two articles based upon this framework. Her first was a systematic review article on decisional needs of people making health decisions and the second was a sub-analysis of a systematic review on patient decision aids. Hence, evidence from these articles contributed to the higher level discussion about validating the concepts and testing the hypotheses in the framework.

Lesson 3. Dedicate sufficient time

Dedicating sufficient time to writing the integrated discussion is important. For many students, the integrated discussion is a challenging chapter to write. It calls for a different style of writing than that which is required for individual research study articles. It requires conveying abstract and conceptual ideas to generate broader insights. Prior to developing and using these templates, our experience with many students has been that it can take many months of re-writing the integrated discussion chapter for it to adequately reflect the breadth and depth of the student’s thesis work and its vital contribution to the field. We have found that our stepwise approach involves more careful planning and conceptualizing of the integrated discussion prior to drafting the chapter, and therefore results in a more efficient writing and editing process.

Lesson 4. Consider theoretical and methodological implications

Theoretical and methodological implications may be considered as integrated discussion points. A student may choose to closely examine their selected theoretical perspective in light of their thesis findings. For example, in Lewis’ (2018) integrated discussion, she provided a discourse on the use of complementary theoretical frameworks across individual studies: the Ottawa Decision Support Framework ( O’Connor et al., 1998 ) and Normalization Process Theory ( May et al., 2009 ). This provided a link between intervention development and implementation planning, proposing a novel theory-informed approach for the development of decision support interventions ( Lewis, 2018 ). Likewise, methodological implications may be discussed in cases where a student’s thesis advances methods, or to discuss the influence of chosen methodology on key findings where similar research questions are answered using distinct study designs. Wu’s (2014) integrated discussion focused on the methods used for conducting a survey for data collection. He used a set of reminders, with the last reminder being a courier package and return envelope. He then discussed how testing this reminder strategy in his thesis study contributed to survey design methods.

Lesson 5. An integrated discussion is feasible with one article

In cases where there is only one article comprising an article-based thesis, key findings from a more detailed literature review, a theoretical framework guiding the entire research project, or chosen methodology can provide the additional linkages to build the main integrated discussion points. For instance, in her Master of Nursing thesis integrated discussion, Demery Varin (2018) compared and contrasted her secondary analysis findings on the predictors of nurses’ research use in long-term care settings (as reported in one published article) with her review of the literature on the individual and contextual factors to nurses’ research use in all settings.

Lesson 6. Integrated discussions are publishable

The integrated discussion (or elements of it) may be publishable in its own right. When written well, the integrated discussion often results in an important academic contribution to the body of knowledge. Some graduate students have used the integrated discussion as the basis for a commentary paper or an updated theoretical framework paper. In her integrated discussion chapter of her doctoral thesis, Jull (2014) described the development of a collaborative framework for community-research partnerships co-produced by First Nations, Inuit, and Metis women’s community members and researchers. This framework was based on her findings and experience conducting the studies comprising her thesis. Jull et al. (2018) subsequently published a paper based on her integrated discussion.

Lesson 7. Integrated discussions can lay the foundation for subsequent research

Many students who are completing a Master’s or PhD thesis also intend to pursue further research. A well thought out and articulated integrated discussion can inform subsequent research projects, grant proposals, or programs of research. For example, Boland (2018) drew from her PhD integrated discussion to identify evidence-practice gaps and potential solutions in pediatric shared decision-making, which she used to underpin a successful Canadian Institutes of Health Research post-doctoral fellowship and guide the establishment of her research program.

In this paper, we propose an approach to writing an integrated discussion chapter for an article-based thesis. Our advice provided in this paper is intended to position graduate students to adequately plan and produce a unified, coherent, and higher-level synthesis of the articles comprising their thesis. Challenges in writing an integrated discussion include avoiding repetition of discussion points already included within the individual articles comprising the thesis and achieving a higher-level discussion to integrate findings across the individual articles. Writing an integrated discussion can be facilitated by developing a clear and detailed outline of the chapter and, in particular, by identifying broader, more overarching points of discussion, than those presented within the individual articles. We encourage graduate students, faculty supervisors and thesis advisory committees to use the templates provided and share their experiences.

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the graduate students who have used this approach, reported that it was useful, and offered feedback to improve it. The authors also wish to thank the reviewers. Their critical read and constructive comments strengthened this manuscript.

Research funding: The authors received no financial support for the authorship and publication of this manuscript. IDG is a recipient of a CIHR Foundation Grant (FDN# 143237). DS holds a University Research Chair in Knowledge Translation to Patients at the University of Ottawa.

Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.

Competing interest: Authors state no conflict of interest.

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© 2021 Krystina B. Lewis et al., published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston

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Journal and Issue

Articles in the same issue.

Article-based Thesis

An article-based thesis essentially consists of a set of scholarly articles that fulfill some conditions in which the doctoral candidate has participated very significantly.

The conditions to submit an article-based thesis are outlined in the specific regulations for the doctoral programme (document in Catalan language.) A summary of the regulations and criteria for acceptance by the Academic Commission are explained below.

Conditions of the papers

The procedure for article-based thesis is considered exceptional, since all thesis are expected to generate papers of high quality. Therefore, the papers that make up an article-based thesis need to fulfill special conditions:

• All papers presented as article-based thesis shall not be part of any other thesis. All other authors are required to sign a document stating that they renounce to use that paper as part of another thesis.
• All papers must be the consequence of work developed during the doctoral thesis. Prior works will not be accepted.
• The papers must be published or accepted at the time of application of an article-based thesis.
• The doctorand must be the first author of the papers, or second author.
• The papers must fulfill at least one of these two conditions:
• 3 JCR Q1 or Q2 journal papers
• 2 JCR Q1 or Q2 journal papers, plus 2 other publications: conferences considered as relevant by UPC , or book chapters.

Format of the thesis

Even though the basis of the thesis is the publications, it is compulsory to write a document fulfilling special conditions. According to the current regulations, these conditions are:

• Cover including title, author, advisor(s), and visibly, "Article-Based Thesis".
• Abstract in English and Catalan.
• Thorough introduction discussing state of the art and justification that the presented papers are thematically coherent with the objectives of the thesis and research plan. The length of this chapter is currently set to 50 pages.
• Chapter dicussing the obtained results.
• Copy of the postprint version (copyright free) of all the papers. If the paper is accepted but not yet published, the copy of the accepted version.
• Optionally, other papers may be included as an appendix.

Application

BEFORE STARTING THE PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING THE THESIS, the doctoral candidate must submit a reasoned application the entry of which will be registered to the academic committee of the doctoral programme , and provide the information and documents listed in the application. The application must contain:

• List of the papers, indicating full title, authorship and publication, indicating in the case of journals the JCR position, impact factor and number of citations in case of a published paper.
• Authorization of the thesis advisor(s) to present the thesis as article-based.
• Justification for each of the papers of the individual contribution by the doctorand.
• Written and signed authorization for all the papers of any other author, stating that they renounce to present that paper as part of another thesis.

Please note that for papers as a second author, point number 3 must explicitly explain why the doctorand appears as a second author, based on the individual contribution to the paper.

The criteria of the Academic Commission is to accept papers that adequately cover the thesis objectives according to the Research Plan. This point must be emphasized in the justification.

Authorisation

The resolution of the academic committee of the programme will be communicated to the doctoral candidate before the deadline given in the programme's specific regulations (normally, within 5 working days). It may be a ruling on the entire thesis (all of the publications submitted) or a partial ruling.

Examination committee

The co-authors of the articles may not form part of the examination committee for the thesis.

Thesis submission

An article-based thesis must be submitted in accordance with the standard procedure outlined in the Academic Regulations for Doctoral Studies.

I have several papers published during my PhD. Is that enough to apply for an article-based thesis?

I don't have the time/skill to write a conventional thesis. Is that a reason to apply for an article-based thesis?

If I present a paper as part of an article-based thesis, does that mean that the results of that paper cannot be used in another thesis?

Do I need to ask the publisher for permission to include a paper in an article-based thesis?

Guidelines for article-based theses

Guidelines concerning PhD degrees consisting of compilations of several smaller papers were determined in session by the PhD programme board at the Faculty September 21, 2006. These guidelines were revised by the programme board September 20, 2012. The guidelines also include provisions on the introductory section for these compilations, as well as on co-authorship.

1. General requirements for PhD theses consisting of several smaller works

§ 10.1 in the Regulations for the degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at the University of Oslo states:

"The thesis shall be an independent, scientific work that fulfils international standards with regard to ethical requirements, academic standards and methodology. The thesis shall contribute to the development of new scientific knowledge and must be of sufficiently high quality to merit publication as part of the scientific literature in the field. A compilation of several shorter papers may be approved as a thesis provided that the papers are related and the relationship between them is clearly explained."

The academic quality of the thesis is the same whether it is a monograph or a compilation of several smaller papers (hereafter called articles). The articles should display a academic level sufficient for publishing in recognized peer-review academic journals.

Requirements and guidelines for the introductory section (the account of the unifying elements of the thesis articles) are specified below.

2. Scope of the articles

The thesis, excluding the introductory section, should typically be equivalent of three journal articles of normal length, with the candidate as sole author. If there are co-authors for one or more articles, the candidate should consider an increase in the number of articles so that the independent contribution and comprehensive effort of the PhD candidate is evident. To be considered for evaluation, it is assumed that the PhD candidate is the main author of the articles, with a comprehensive academic responsibility for the majority of articles included in the thesis.

3. The introductory section

The introductory section of the thesis shall not only summarize but also compare the research questions and conclusions that are presented in the articles in a holistic perspective, and through this demonstrate the coherence of the thesis. This also includes a summary of the thesis' contribution to the research field.

If the thesis includes previously published articles, the introductory section should also include eventual new information so that the thesis as a whole is academically up to date. If not previously published, these updates are made to each article.

The introductory section should be written in English if all the articles are written in English, and can be written in Norwegian if one or more articles are written and published in Norwegian.

The PhD candidate must be the sole author of the introductory part.

4. Guidelines for the declaration of co-authorship

Declarations on co-authorship are intended to help identify and evaluate the PhD candidate's academic effort compared to the requirements of a PhD degree.

All publications included in a doctoral thesis should comply to conventional ethical standards and guidelines concerning quality assurance of research. This requirement applies to all contributors to a thesis. In the case of co-authorship the Vancouver Protocol is used as a basis, with some minor changes. The short version in English: Authorship should entirely be based upon: a) Substantial contributions to the conception and design, or development and analysis of the theoretical model, or data collection, or analysis and interpretation of data b) Drafting of the manuscript itself or critical revision of the intellectual content of the article c) Approval of the article version to be published All of the criteria's above (a, b and c) must be fulfilled to justify co-authorship.

If co-authorship with the supervisor is considered, this should be clarified as early as possible with the PhD candidate, and for each article separately.

Upon completion of each article the PhD candidate must electronically distribute the form on co-authorship to all co-authors. These forms must also be filled out by the PhD candidate. The candidate is him/herself responsible for obtaining all necessary signatures. The completed forms with confirmations and signatures is submitted, along with the thesis and the application for its evaluation, to the relevant unit/department. The forms then follows the administrative procedure, and is sent to the evaluation committee along with the thesis itself. The form can be downloaded here

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• Publication Process

How to Write a Journal Article from a Thesis

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Table of Contents

You are almost done with your PhD thesis and want to convert it into a journal article. Or, you’re initiating a career as a journal writer and intend to use your thesis as a starting point for an article. Whatever your situation, turning a thesis into a journal article is a logical step and a process that eventually every researcher completes. But…how to start?

The first thing to know about converting a thesis into a journal article is how different they are:

Thesis Characteristics:

• Meets academic requirements
• Reviewed by select committee members
• Contains chapters
• Lengthy, no word limits
• Table of contents
• Lengthy research of literature
• IRB approval described in detail
• Description and copies of tools used
• All findings presented
• Verb tenses may vary

Journal Article Characteristics:

• Meets journalistic standards
• Reviewed by a panel of “blind” reviewers
• Word limits
• Manuscript format
• Succinct research of literature
• IRB described in 1 to 3 sentences
• Essential and succinct tool information
• Selected findings presented
• Verb tenses are fairly consistent

Converting your thesis to a journal article may be complex, but it’s not impossible.

A thesis is a document of academic nature, so it’s more detailed in content. A journal article, however, is shorter, highlighting key points in a more succinct format. Adapting a thesis for conversion into a journal article is a time-consuming and intricate process that can take you away from other important work. In that case, Elsevier’s Language Editing services may help you focus on important matters and provide a high-quality text for submission in no time at all.

If you are going to convert a thesis into a journal article, with or without professional help, here is a list of some of the steps you will likely have to go through:

1. Identify the best journal for your work

• Ensure that your article is within the journal’s aim and scope. How to find the right journal? Find out more .
• Check the journal’s recommended structure and reference style

2. Shorten the length of your thesis

• Treat your thesis as a separate work
• Paraphrase but do not distort meaning
• Select and repurpose parts of your thesis

3. Reformat the introduction as an abstract

• Shorten the introduction to 100-150 words, but maintain key topics to hold the reader’s attention.
• Use the introduction and discussion as basis for the abstract

4. Modify the introduction

• If your thesis has more than one research question or hypothesis, which are not all relevant for your paper, consider combining your research questions or focusing on just one for the article
• Use previously published papers (at least three) from the target journal as examples

5. Tighten the methods section

• Keep the discussion about your research approach short

6. Report main findings in the results

• Expose your main findings in the results section in concise statements

7. Discussion must be clear and concise

• Begin by providing an interpretation of your results: “What is it that we have learned from your research?”
• Situate the findings to the literature
• Discuss how your findings expand known or previous perspectives
• Briefly present ways in which future studies can build upon your work and address limitations in your study

8. Limit the number of references

• To choose the most relevant and recent
• To format them correctly
• Consider using a reference manager system (e.g. Mendeley ) to make your life easier

If you are not a proficient English speaker, the task of converting a thesis into a journal article might make it even more difficult. At Elsevier’s Language Editing services we ensure that your manuscript is written in correct scientific English before submission. Our professional proofers and editors check your manuscript in detail, taking your text as our own and with the guarantee of maximum text quality.

Language editing services by Elsevier Author Services:

• Research Process

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• Publication Recognition

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Guidelines of doctoral dissertation

The general stipulations on the form of the doctoral dissertation are contained in the Government Decrees 794/2004 , Chapter 5, Section 22 and 1039/2013, Sections 21, 22 and 26. The doctoral dissertation must fulfil these requirements.

As the final project of the doctoral degree, postgraduate students write a doctoral dissertation and defend it in a public examination.

Forms of the dissertation

A doctoral dissertation is a consistent presentation that is based on independent research and contains new scientific knowledge. It can be either a single work (monograph) written by the doctoral student or a collection of scientific pieces or manuscripts accepted for publication that pertain to the same theme and include a summary (an article-based dissertation or sometimes referrer to as PhD by publication). The publications may also include co-authored works provided that the portion prepared by the doctoral student independently can be demonstrated. A previously published monograph cannot be accepted as a dissertation.

A dissertation in artistic fields comprises of an artistic or practical part and a reflective portion. The artistic or practical part of the dissertation can be either an independent work of art or a series of works as well as other experimentation with or research into methods and concepts arising from the doctoral student’s own artistic work. The artistic or practical section and the related reflective part must form a coherent whole that describes, supports and promotes the artist’s development.

The dissertation must contain new scientific knowledge and demonstrate critical thinking, in-depth knowledge of one’s own field of research, mastery of research methods, and the ability to apply them. The dissertation should be written in a language approved by the faculty; it is English in most cases.

Special characteristics of an article-based dissertation

An article-based doctoral dissertation must form a scientific whole whose goals, methods and research results are presented in a summary. The faculty provides instructions on the number of articles included in the scientific whole and on whether they need to be already published or approved for publication at the time of the pre-examination. Even when considered individually, each article must contain new results or perspectives.

The publications may also include co-authored works if the portion prepared by the doctoral student independently can be demonstrated. The doctoral student must describe his/her role in the co-authored works. The article-based doctoral dissertation cannot include parts of a previous dissertation by the author.

Discuss these requirements further with your responsible supervisor.

The doctoral dissertation process

The main stages of authoring and approving a doctoral dissertation are the following:

• doctoral dissertation is drafted according to sound scientific practice
• originality check of the manuscript is done with Turnitin-tool
• pre-examination and permission to defend the dissertation (revision if needed)
• deciding the time of the public examination and appointing the opponent, the assessment board and the custos
• printing the dissertation and its electronic publication
• communicating about the dissertation
• public examination
• grading the dissertation
• archiving the dissertation

The process is largely similar in all the faculties, but the practices may vary somewhat. The best way to find out about them is to ask the faculty’s study administration personnel or your supervisor. The average time from submitting the manuscript for pre-examination to graduation is from four to six months.

Open Doctoral Programme of Computing and Electrical Engineering (DPCEE)

Open doctoral programme in built environment (dpben), open faculty of education and culture (edu), open faculty of information technology and communication sciences (dpmcp, dpii, dphat, dpla), open doctoral programme in engineering sciences, ttito, open doctoral programme in engineering and natural sciences (tlto), open doctoral programme in business and technology management (toto), open faculty of social sciences (soc), open faculty of medicine and health technology (met), open doctoral programme in administrative sciences, business studies and politics.

Tampere University and Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) constitute the Tampere Universities community. Our areas of priority in research and education are technology, health and society. Tampere University: +358 (0)294 5211 Tampere University of Applied Sciences : +358 (0)294 5222