Writing Your Thesis as a Collection of Papers

What is a thesis as a collection of papers?

Essentially it does what it says on the tin: this way of writing up your thesis presents the research in the form of multiple collected published (or publishable) papers. It is bookended by an overall introduction and a general discussion, but the middle section is formed of your published work.

Many of the traditional parts of the thesis are unchanged, such as the abstract, introduction and general discussion. Where the change really happens is in the middle: instead of having a methods chapter, followed by two-three results chapters, you’ll have each paper as a chapter with its own introduction, methods, results and discussion. To keep coherence across the chapters you’ll usually add in some explanation of the key reasons for the study, the links to the previous chapter and any updates since publication. You’ll also need to detail your personal contribution to each paper (especially if there are a lot of authors) and ensure that you are still telling a clear story.

At the University of Reading, your manuscripts can be in any stage of publication including completed draft ready for submission to a journal, under review, accepted or published. Your university might have different requirements so check before committing.

What are the pros?

Note: I have chosen to follow this structure for my PhD thesis so I am obviously slightly biased when it comes to the pros and cons!

The people who will actually read your whole PhD are essentially your examiners, your supervisors and your mum (if you’re lucky!!). So being able to share your research in international journals where it’ll be read by key scientists is more meaningful to me. It is also one of the most important ways a scientist is assessed for job opportunities and career progression. You also don’t have to convert your thesis into papers after you finish; two birds, one thesis.

It also means your writing is spread throughout your PhD, rather than an extended writing period at the end. For me, it’s been really helpful to have tangible sections completed and have a chance to reflect on my research along the way.

The main advantage that always gets banded around is that it makes your viva easier as a proportion of your work is published and has already gone through the peer review process. I am yet to go through the viva so I cannot voice how true this is, however the peer review process itself is extensive (see my previous post); whilst it may spread out your reviewer comments over the years, you’re not getting a free pass. It also means that your viva is likely to focus more on the context of your research and future directions so it can be equally challenging.

For me, the other benefits are far more important than the effect on your viva. For example, you will get a lot more support from your supervisors in writing your manuscripts meaning that the text will probably be higher quality than if it was for your PhD thesis alone.

What are the cons?

Whether writing multiple papers throughout your PhD is possible depends on your research. If you are planning a large clinical trial, meaning all your results will come in at the end, this may not be possible. Discussing your proposed manuscripts with your supervisors can help you see the likely timeline for papers and if this is a viable route for you.

In the same way this option isn’t accepted at all universities, so making sure your supervisors, university and examiners are all aware of the option you are taking is important.

The format means that there is more pressure on the general discussion to tie together all the papers into a cohesive body of research. This takes a lot of time and you need to ensure that it isn’t just a summary of each paper. Bring the key points of each study together to show the examiner why it all matters.

Your thesis is likely to be shorter as it is more concise. This can be a relief for many who have heart palpitations about the 80,000 word count. However, if you dream of turning your thesis into a doorstop, this might not help you achieve this goal. Although, arguably, this shouldn’t be your main motivation!

How do you decide?

Whilst it’s never what you want to hear, there is no right answer: it depends on you and your research. I have decided on the thesis as a collection of papers as my research naturally divides into separate papers and the ability to write throughout my PhD studies is really helpful for my personality type. I am also aiming to stay in research so the opportunity to publish papers early will help my career options after my PhD.

Look at your research and plan out each of the potential papers you could divide it into. This will help you see if this is a potential option for you. Speak to your supervisors and university for more help and support.

Finally, the only other downside to writing your thesis as a collection of papers is that you will always be writing! So, goodbye long writing period at the end, and hello eternal writing cycle! Good luck!

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