publish during phd

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•       Resources       Publish or Perish: Graduate Students' Guide to Publishing

Publish or Perish: Graduate Students' Guide to Publishing

In addition to endless piles of reading, demanding expectations in the classroom, student teaching responsibilities, and the always-looming awareness that they need to research, write, and edit a high-quality dissertation before graduating, today’s Ph.D. students also commonly feel stress about another topic: publishing. As more prospective employers expect degree seekers to get their names in academic journals and conferences while still in school, many learners feel overwhelmed by the prospects of making the grade. The following guide answers some of their most pressing questions, provides guidance on the ins and outs of publishing while still in school, and offers expert advice from a professor who knows better than most what it takes to publish rather than perish.

Understanding Publishing in Graduate School

Getting published as a grad student can feel overwhelming at first, because there’s so much to learn about the process and expectations surrounding it. With a bit of research, however, students can familiarize themselves with the specific language surrounding publishing and make in-roads towards getting their first paper published.

What Does it Mean to Get Published?

Within the context of graduate school, publishing refers to getting essays, papers, and research findings published in one of the academic journals or related forms seen as a leader in the field. As jobs in academia continue to become more competitive, it isn’t enough for learners to simply do well in their coursework. The degree seeker who hopes to land an important post-doctoral fellowship or find a teaching position at a college or university must make themselves stand out in other ways.

When Should a Ph.D. Candidate Get Published?

Getting a paper published takes a lot of time and effort, and those students who wait until the final year or two of a doctoral program may fail to actually have any published materials by the time they graduate. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Graduate Connections program , getting a paper published – especially if it’s your first – can take up to three years. In addition to the fact that most journals publish quarterly, the panel review process typically takes a significant amount of time and those submitting for the first or second time usually need to make a large number of edits and complete rewrites in order to reach a publishable standard.

How to Get Published

In order to get published, students submit their work to the journal or conference of their choosing. They frequently also provide a cover letter outlining their research interests. Most journals put out generic calls for submissions once or twice a year, while some may ask for papers addressing specific topics that have a much shorter turnaround time. Grad students may find it intimidating to go up against more seasoned academics, but another option revolves around partnering with their dissertation supervisor or another professor with whom they work closely with to co-author a paper. This not only helps ensure the validity of their findings, but alerts the academic world know that this other, more recognized faculty member believes in the research the student is doing.

Who Should Get Published?

Learners most anxious to get published are those who see their future careers in teaching and research. Because the world of academia is relatively small when divided into individual subjects, it’s important for students who want to break into these ambitious arenas to make a name for themselves early on and create a curriculum vitae that captures the attention of hiring committees.

Where Should Students Get Published?

When deciding which publications to pursue, students should consider the research aims of each and their likelihood of getting published. Newer journals tend to take more submissions as they are still working on building up their roster of contributors. While less venerated than other publications, getting printed in these can help build up name recognition and make it easier to break into the top-tier publications over time.

In terms of where work is published, the majority of students look to academic journals when sending out cover letters and examples of their work. But other options exist as well. Presenting papers at conferences is a popular avenue, as are chapters in books. The following sections takes a more in-depth look at how and where to publish.

Realities & Challenges of Getting Published

Getting published, especially while still in grad school, takes tenacity, focus, and a thick skin. Those who continue working on their craft, presenting at conferences, collaborating with others, and not taking no for an answer, however, frequently find success. Some of the challenges students may encounter include:

Lack of time

It’s no secret that doctoral students have busy schedules that seldom allow for outside – or sometimes, even related – interests to take up much of their days. Because publishing is not a degree requirement, carving out the time needed to research, write, and edit the type of paper required for publishing can feel impossible. With this in mind, student should look for ways to multitask. If presenting at a conference, think about how that paper could be transformed into a journal article.

Lack of confidence

Studies have shown that mental stress and illness frequently increase in grad school as students feel intense pressure to stand out from their peers. These feelings are often intensified when considering publishing, as learners are going up against academics and researchers who have been working in the field far longer than them. It’s important to remember that each of those renowned individuals had to start somewhere.

Lack of funding

Completing the research needed for a competitive paper doesn’t only take time – it requires money. Whether traveling to archives or printing all the necessary documentation, funding for outside research can be scarce while in school. Some programs provide competitive grants for research travel to help offset these costs.

Intense competition

As discussed earlier, competition for publishing is fierce. Academic journals and conferences only have space for so many authors and trying to get noticed can feel like a losing battle. In addition to seeking out newer publications and co-authoring with more notable figures, consider taking part in symposiums at the school you attend to get your foot in the door. While research on the average number of rejections is lacking, don’t feel discouraged if it takes a long time to be chosen for publication.

Finding the right publisher

While getting your name in print within an academic journal you greatly admire is the ultimate goal, it may take some years for it to come to fruition. One of the biggest mistakes students make is applying to ill-suited publications. Look for journals with editorial board members whose names you recognize. If a professor knows one of them, don’t be afraid to ask if they can help get your paper in front of them.

Adequately addressing feedback

Getting a paper published often requires intense editing and even completely restructuring and rewriting what you conceived in the initial abstract. If an academic journal shows interest in your essay but suggests rewrites, pay close attention to their requests and try to work with an advisor to ensure you meet all the stated requirements.

What do Graduate Students Publish?

Academic journals may receive the lion’s share of discussion in the publishing world, but graduate students can actually choose from numerous outlets and paths for getting their work to a larger audience. Students should review the options listed below and think about which format might showcase their work best.

Tips for Publishing

Despite the great amount of work required to publish, students who meet the challenges and persevere stand to position themselves favorably for future job opportunities. The following section addresses some of the most common questions about the process and alleviates general fears about how publishing (or not) reflects upon them.

How many papers should a Ph.D. student try to publish before graduating?

According to scholar-practitioner Dr. Deniece Dortch, no single answer exists. “There is no hard and fast rule as to the number of publications students should have prior to graduation,” she notes. “The reality is students in STEM disciplines and those who use quantitative methods are more likely to have publications prior to graduation because they often work in research teams and labs. This is not to say that qualitative scholars or those in other disciplines aren’t, but it’s a much more standardized practice in STEM for students to graduate with two or three publications. Personally, I had one sole-authored publication accepted prior to graduation, one first-authored piece, and one second-authored piece.”

How many journal articles is it possible to publish during a PhD?

“The answer varies and is determined by factors such as length of program, research team access, and faculty relationships,” says Dr. Dortch. “I’ve seen folks finish with as many as 10 publications, although this is extreme and doesn’t happen often.” She continues, “Imagine you are in a four-year program and you get your idea to write an article in year two. You submit that article in year three after getting approval, collecting data, analyzing it, and then writing your paper. Year three you submit that paper; it may be accepted in year four after months of revisions at the request of the editor. You finally have one published paper as you graduate.”

Are there PhD students who have no journal publications? Should they be worried about that?

“It depends on the type of employment the student is seeking upon graduation,” says Dr. Dortch, “Students applying to or wanting to work in institutions and organizations with the highest levels of research productivity who have no publications may want to consider post-doctoral positions so they have the time and space to work on increasing their publication record after graduation.” She continues, “Postdocs are a very common practice in many disciplines and are used as a way to gain additional training and expertise in research and teaching.”

Is it absolutely essential to have publications to apply for a PhD program?

In a word, no. Individuals working toward doctoral degrees have many reasons for doing so, not all of which require them to publish. Admissions panels also recognize that students focus their efforts on many different goals (e.g. jobs, internships, presenting at symposiums) throughout bachelor’s and master’s programs. As long as learners can demonstrate an ongoing commitment to scholarship, publishing is not an absolute requirement.

Does publish or perish begin before starting a PhD program?

It’s true that many students begin worrying about publishing before starting a Ph.D. program, but the reality is that they have ample time during and after completing a doctorate to make their mark on the world of scholarship. According to a recent article by Inside Higher Ed , some individuals in the academy now wonder if too much emphasis is being placed on grad students publishing. Learners unsure about this should speak to a trusted advisor or mentor to figure out when to focus on getting published.

What is the difference between a published article and a Ph.D. thesis?

While a Ph.D. thesis is required for satisfactory completion of a degree, a published article is not. A Ph.D. also takes a much longer form than a published article, averaging approximately 90,000 words. Academic journal entries, conversely, are usually between 4,000 and 7,000 words.

Should I first write my Ph.D. thesis or publish journal articles?

Though publishing at the doctoral level is increasingly seen as a requirement in the job market, it is not part of degree requirements. With this in mind, students should prioritize the research and writing of their thesis above all else. If they have the time and mental clarity needed to publish journal articles, this can be a secondary focus.

From the Expert

Dr. Deniece Dortch is a scholar-practitioner known for her commitment to diversity, social justice and activism. Dr. Dortch holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an Ed.M. in Higher & Postsecondary Education from Columbia University, an M.A. in Intercultural Service, Diversity Leadership & Management from the School for International Training and a B.A. in Spanish from Eastern Michigan University. Hailed a graduate school expert by NPR, she has published numerous articles on the experiences of historically underrepresented undergraduate and graduate students. She is the creator of the African American Doctoral Scholars Initiative at the University of Utah and currently a Visiting Assistant Professor of Higher Education at The George Washington University .

Publishing as a student can feel intimidating. Why is this process important for learners to go through?

Long gone are the days of getting a good job by just having a solid dissertation or an award-winning thesis. Publishing your work while in school demonstrates a commitment to answering and understanding our world’s most complex problems. Further, institutions want to know that you have the capacity to publish. Now, publishing doesn’t mean you have to be first author or that you must publish sole-authored pieces only. Collaboration is also sufficient and often encouraged. The publishing process is intimidating for folks because it involves critique and, most often, rejection.

Receiving and giving critical feedback is part of the learning process and students should not shy away from it because it will only serve them well in the end as they learn to cope with disappointment and reward. But more importantly, there is no point spending months and years conducting research if you are just going to keep your findings to yourself. What you learn is meant to be shared.

What are some common mistakes these learners make when preparing their first papers?

Common mistakes that individuals make include not adhering to the guidelines outlined in the submission process. Examples of this can include ignoring formatting requirements (e.g. APA, MLA, etc.), going over the stated word count, inadequately proofreading, and not submitting a cover letter. This is probably the most important one.

What specific advice do you have for them in terms of finding the right outlet, preparing their work, and submitting to journals?

Students should have multiple individuals read over their work before submission. Writing is a process and even after it is submitted, it will need to be revised many more times before you will read it in print. It is part of the process. To find a good outlet for your work, pay attention to where other scholars are submitting their work. If you’re subject is aligned with theirs, you have a shot. Make a list of at least three outlets that fit your article. Also look out for special calls. A special call for submissions usually goes a lot faster than the regular submission process, so if you’re a student who is about to go on the job market, submit to those first. Also, the more competitive the academic, the longer the process, so keep that in mind. If you are rejected, just re-submit to the the next journal on your list.

In addition to publishing in journals, how else might a student go about getting recognition in their field while still in school?

Apply for all fellowships, grants, and awards that are specific to you and what you do. People in the academy love an award winner and they especially love people whose work has been recognized and/or funded by outside groups. A great way to increase a student’s visibility is to publish outside academic journals and publish in other media outlets. Also attend conferences in your field. Try to get on the program as a presenter or facilitator so that people in your field will start to know who you are and your research interests.

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Doing a phd: why it's important to publish.

Every university is unique and all have something different to offer their PhD students, but they all have one thing in common, if you want to continue in the world of academia they all believe that it's important to publish. However, institutions do also appreciate that every student is different and they will always do their utmost to get the best out of their students and support each individual with their work throughout their PhD.

PhD students usually begin their course intoxicated by the idea of becoming a ‘Dr’, but they soon realise that getting the title is not actually the big deal. In reality, it’s all about publishing. Although it’s generally well known that publishing in academia is important, understanding the importance of publishing during PhD studies is somewhat unclear. Publishing is mostly important if you want to remain in academia after your postgraduate course has finished. It doesn’t particularly help if you want to find a professional job once you have completed your PhD, so for those not interested in academic positions prioritising publishing may not be as important.

Here we answer some of the most frequently asked questions concerning PhDs and publishing your work to provide you with some essential information.

#1: What to publish and HOW?

As a PhD student, you will usually publish the results of your PhD research. Although your research will be described in your PhD thesis, publishing requires writing up your research findings in the form of a journal article and submitting it to one of the specialised journals within your field. It’s only when your article has been accepted by a specialised journal that you can really celebrate because that means you have successfully been published!

You may be offered to work on some external projects that could result in some publications, however be aware that accepting to work on anything that can’t be included in your PhD thesis needs careful consideration because it may distract you from earning your postgraduate degree.

#2: Why is it important to publish?

Competition for academic positions is fierce, and publishing is used to select those students who stand out and separate them from the rest. Because the publishing process is highly competitive, and to publish in a high quality journal requires you to compete against researchers who may be more experienced than you, being able to publish shows that you actually know what you are doing and that you have the potential of advancing your field. 

#3: What is ‘PhD by publication’?

In some countries, it is possible to get a PhD by collecting a few published journal articles and submitting them as a PhD thesis. This method is known as ‘PhD by publication’, and although it is more common in countries, for example Australia, many universities in the UK also encourage their students to compose their PhD thesis out of a series of journal articles. After all, writing up your research findings in the form of a thesis and then again rewriting them as journal articles may be a waste of time.

#4: How many journal articles is it possible to publish during a PhD?

The number of articles you will publish during your PhD depends on two factors: the success of your research and the reputation of academic journals to which you will submit your articles. If your research has been entirely successful and everything went according to plan, it is likely that you will be able to write a few articles. However, sometimes things don’t go according to plan and you will barely be able to write up even one article.

Top journals are highly competitive, and it can take months before they actually give you their feedback regarding the articles you have submitted.  It almost never happens that an article will be accepted without any revisions, and the chance of getting refusal is high, therefore publishing in top journals can actually take years and happen well beyond the duration of your PhD course. This is something to take into consideration when deciding what is more profitable for your future academic career. If you want to have a few publications before you are done with your PhD to enhance the chance of getting a post-doctoral position, publishing in moderate quality journals may be a better option. 

#5: How will I learn what it takes to write a high quality journal article?

Learning how to write a high quality journal article is a process that requires a lot of trial and error. You will usually model the first draft of your article after other publications you have read so far, and then spend months crafting it together with your supervisor. This interaction with your supervisor when making steps towards your first publication is extremely important, Make sure you choose a supervisor that has the time and energy to help you.

#6: Quality or quantity?

Many PhD students wonder whether it is better to publish one article in a high quality journal or a few articles in moderate quality journals. Well, for those who know little about your field seeing a bigger number will definitely be more impressive, but the rest will be more impressed by one publication in a high quality journal. WHY? Because there are many academics who have a large number of publications but still never manage to publish in a top journal. Being able to do so speaks volumes about your quality and potential!

#7: Will my publications make an impact?

Inexperienced researchers often assume that as soon as they are published their research will make an impact, but sadly this is not always the case. Specialist academic journals are usually only read by a limited audience, and it is not likely that someone outside this small world will hear about your research unless it is so interesting or controversial that it attracts the attention of popular media. In fact, these days many researchers try to make their research appealing to the media to gain more attention. But even becoming a famous academic won’t necessarily make you influential. A much more reliable indicator of your impact and the quality of your work is how many fellow researchers have cited your article.

However, if you truly want to make an impact on society through your work, you’ll need to ensure that it reaches the general public without being distorted by the media. One of the ways to do this is to write a book about your work that is understandable by everyday people as well as by fellow academics. So to become a truly influential scientist you’ll need to learn how to communicate your ideas with everyday language.

Read our article on the Dos and Don'ts of Academic Writing .

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• 03 January, 2020

A simple guide to begin Publishing during your PhD 

One of the best ways of sharing your research is by publishing your findings, innovative methodologies or original knowledge that you have created through your PhD.  

While many researchers choose to publish only after they complete and obtain their doctorate, some begin the process while they are still doing their PhD (the difference in approach is often down to disciplinary norms).

Academic publishing can often prove challenging – it is not uncommon for the process to take six months to a year from submission to publication. Selecting the right journal is itself an exercise that needs to be well planned – read on for an introduction on getting started and some tips for bettering your chances of getting published.

Deciding where to publish

Spend a substantial amount of time finding the most suitable journal for your work. This can be a fairly lengthy process but can save you a lot of time in the long term.  

Start by considering journals that have published the scholars whose writing you work with most, and/or which specialise in your field of research. You should be able to find out more about the journal or access their archive of issues through a quick online search, or through your university’s access to online resources. Examine the kind of contributions they accept, which current debates or studies they have published that your research can add to, or what methodologies they favour.

You may also want to talk to your supervisor(s), PhD colleagues or fellow researchers about the journals they are most familiar with. They may be able to recommend suitable journals for your research area or have experience of submitting to and working with particular journals. They may even be willing to read through drafts of your work and offer you advice for preparing your submission.  

Thinking outside of the box: Publishing through other avenues

Moving beyond traditional academic journals, new online and media technologies now offer many other alternative avenues for publishing. Before approaching the more well-known, high-impact academic journals – which are often more difficult to penetrate when your research is still in its early stages – you might consider other platforms for disseminating your work, such as websites, blogs or podcasts.

Seek out websites or online magazines relevant to your field of study that encourage academics or writers to submit article ideas. For example, The Conversation is an excellent place to start – the website accepts writing predominantly from academics but is free and open to anyone to read, so you can reach many readers very quickly. There are also an increasing number of academic journals that publish online and are more accessible and easy to work with.

Writing for such publications is an excellent form of knowledge dissemination and public engagement. It is an effective way of sharing your research with non-specialist audiences to create broader interest in your work. It is always worth pitching an article idea or writing to them to enquire about the kinds of articles they are looking for or accept.

Understand the different writing styles and be willing to adapt your own writing

Each journal and publication – whether print or online, academic or commercial – has its own style guidelines and specifications. Any academic or writer wishing to submit an article for consideration will need to adhere to their specifications. Get ahead of the game by seeking out the publication’s ‘instructions/guidelines for authors’ before you start work, and ensure that you adhere to these guidelines throughout. You stand a better chance of being accepted if you fulfill their requirements.  

It is also always a good idea to read a number of articles from your targeted publication, to understand their main focus and themes, the style and ‘voice’ employed in the writing, and the kind of formatting they request (for example, for tables and figures, and referencing).  

Network and make academic friends

Publishing opportunities can also arise from making connections with other academics in your field. Attend and present at conferences whenever the opportunity arises, and make a point to speak to other conference speakers or participants. You never know who may be in the process of compiling a book of articles/essays and may be interested in including your work.

Alternatively, if you establish good connections with fellow academics in your discipline, you could collaborate and compile/edit a book on a novel or niche area of research. This may also be an option if you organised an academic symposium or conference – it is not uncommon for conference papers to be collated and published either in a special issue of a journal or as a book.  

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PhDs: should you publish while you study?

Study suggests there may be long-term benefits from publishing, but critics warn of ‘too much, too soon’.

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In the “publish or perish” world of academia, getting that first paper accepted by a peer-reviewed journal can be a defining moment of an aspiring scholar’s career.

It can often take place months or even years after passing a PhD viva , allowing time for an academic to finesse their thesis into an opus worthy of publication.

But a study suggests that those who wait to publish their first work until they have their doctorate in hand may be missing out to those who publish while they are still a PhD student.

In the paper, published this month in the journal Research in Higher Education , the careers of about 4,000 PhD recipients in Portugal over almost 50 years were analysed to see whether publishing during their PhD had any impact on their long-term productivity.

Those who managed to publish while they were doctoral students produced about a third (36 per cent) more papers over the course of their careers than those who did not, according to the article, titled “The impact of publishing during PhD studies on career research publication, visibility, and collaborations”.

Those who published while they were PhD students were also far more likely to publish every year than those who did not, and they were also more likely to produce single authored papers and collaborate internationally – two indicators often correlated with higher citation rates and healthy career advancement.

The success enjoyed by these PhD students may be explained by the fact that they are honing their networking, collaboration and writing skills earlier, said Hugo Horta, an assistant professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong who co-authored the paper with João M. Santos, of ISCTE – the University Institute of Lisbon.

Publishing makes "socialisation during the PhD richer and prepares them better for a research-oriented career”, said Dr Horta, who added that those who publish were able to better understand the “process of peer review and what it entails”.

Dormant dissertations

Having publications under your belt was also crucial when applying for academic jobs, Dr Horta continued, saying that it was “a key signal to potential employers” that a candidate would do well.

“As the competition for scarce academic positions increases, it is important to provide the employers with evidence that one is able to do research and publish it after being scrutinised by peers,” he said.

Publishing during the PhD was also crucial as the work done on a PhD could sometimes simply “lie dormant in a dissertation that rests in a shelf of a single university library”, he added.

But David Bogle, pro-provost of University College London’s Doctoral School, said that there are “some dangers” for PhD students seeking to publish.

“Trying to publish results too early when they are not sufficiently well-evidenced, or all the consequences thought through, particularly in journals, can be discouraging to students when they receive too many rejections,” said Professor Bogle , who added that these knock-backs could be “pretty bruising”.

“They have to experience it and get used to it if they want to continue in this world, but trying to do it too early can be very damaging to morale,” he continued.

UCL encourages students to publish depending on their discipline, but presenting at conferences, the findings of which were often published in proceedings, could be a better way to communicate ideas to a wider audience, he added.

But Kevin O’Gorman, professor in management and business history at Heriot-Watt University , believed that it was “absolutely necessary” for PhD students to publish, particularly if they wanted to improve their chances in the academic job market.

 “Heads of department are looking for PhDs to become new lecturers and hit the ground running, and publications…are central to this,” said Professor O’Gorman.

“Every appointment made now is focused on the research excellence framework in 2020 or 2021, so if [applicants] already have a couple of papers in the bag they will be seen as a much safer bet."

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How to Get Research Published as a PhD Student

The old adage in academia is “publish or perish,” and this saying has some truth. Publishing research during your academic career is an important part of advancing your field. If you’re considering or in the process of getting a doctorate , getting your research published can be overwhelming, but it is crucial for gaining recognition in your field. 

This article will provide valuable insights and tips on successfully getting your research paper published, from selecting the right academic journal to crafting a compelling manuscript.

Understanding graduate student publications

Publishing during your PhD is integral to your academic experience. Depending on your chosen discipline, the expectation may vary — some disciplines expect multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals before graduation. In contrast, your dissertation might be your first published work in others. 

An essential step is understanding your field’s publishing culture. For fast-paced fields like biomedical sciences, it’s common to publish multiple papers throughout the program. But for other disciplines like humanities , the focus might be more on producing a comprehensive dissertation, which often forms the basis for a book or other publication. 

Evaluating these expectations early on helps you formulate a realistic and effective publishing strategy.

It has to be original.

Originality is crucial in publishing an academic paper, as it determines the impact of your research on the field and builds credibility. An original contribution provides fresh perspectives that invigorate intellectual discussions, promote further research and initiate groundbreaking discoveries. 

In the competitive landscape of academia, original work offers a considerable advantage by distinguishing your manuscript from countless others, increasing the likelihood of acceptance and recognition. Moreover, pursuing innovative and ground-breaking work attracts funding and career growth opportunities, as institutions prioritize research demonstrating the potential for significant contributions and future development in your field. 

When discussing originality in research, it’s important to note that original work doesn’t have to revolutionize your field or create something new. Originality in academia could, and most often does, mean contributing new perspectives, interpretations or insights into existing knowledge. 

It should speak to your target audience.

Understanding how to choose a journal is crucial, as it helps you connect with your ideal audience. When deciding where to submit your work, consider the journal’s scope and its readership demographics. By familiarizing yourself with the journals that resonate most with your research, you’ll learn the type and quality of the work they champion. 

You don't have to do it alone. 

Remember that PhD publications don’t happen in a vacuum. Your advisor, colleagues, and other faculty in the department can be invaluable resources as you work to find an interesting topic or viewpoint, submit drafts for review, and move towards the final finished product. Asking for advice and guidance, particularly from those who have been publishing recently, is a great way to ensure that you will reach your audience with what you are trying to do.

Get started on your research contribution! 

Publishing research is part of the challenging and exciting adventure of graduate school. Whether you're interested in history or statistics, psychology or physics, at some point, the rest of the academic community will want to hear about what you are working on. When you publish research, you are contributing to the great dialogue between scholars and thinkers stretching back for centuries.

If you are interested in learning more about what it takes to earn your PhD, we invite you to explore the many resources we have available at SMU: browse our resource library , Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies , or subscribe to our blog . We are excited to help you as you consider your next step in your graduate school journey! 

For a comprehensive overview of the PhD process — from consideration to application to graduation — explore our guide, Choosing, Applying for, and Thriving in a PhD Program.

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The Benefits of Publishing During Your PhD

What are the benefits of publishing during a PhD?

Table of contents

Boost your career prospects:, sharpen your research skills:, beyond the tangible benefits:.

For PhD students , the journey towards earning your doctorate can be an intense and demanding one. Between coursework, research, and teaching assistantships, finding the time to publish your work can seem daunting. However, publishing during your PhD offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance your academic and professional development.

The Benefits of Publishing During Your PhD – Publish Your Way to Success

• Stand Out From the Crowd:  A strong publication record sets you apart from other Ph.D. graduates in a competitive job market. Publications demonstrate your research expertise, writing skills, and ability to contribute meaningfully to your field. This strengthens your CV and makes you a more attractive candidate for postdoctoral positions, faculty positions, and other research-oriented careers.
• Build Your Network and Gain Recognition:  Publishing allows you to establish yourself within your academic community. You gain recognition from peers and potential collaborators, opening doors for future research opportunities and collaborations. Imagine presenting your research at conferences or having renowned scholars in your field cite your work!
• Communicate Clearly and Concisely:  Effectively conveying complex research findings to a diverse audience is a crucial skill for any researcher. Publishing helps you refine your writing and present your work in a clear, concise, and engaging manner.
• Deepen Your Understanding:  Writing forces you to critically analyze your research, refine your arguments, and identify potential weaknesses in your work. This leads to a deeper understanding of your research project and the broader field you’re contributing to.
• Navigate the Peer-Review Process:  Engaging with the peer-review process is an essential experience for any aspiring academic. You learn to receive and respond to constructive criticism, which helps you improve your research methodology , writing skills, and overall approach to scholarship.
• Motivation and Confidence Boost:  Seeing your work published can be highly motivating and boost your confidence as a researcher. It’s a tangible validation of your efforts and expertise, propelling you forward in your academic journey.
• Increased Funding Opportunities:  A strong publication record can make you more competitive for research grants and fellowships, providing valuable financial support to further your research endeavors.
• Contribute to the Field:  Publishing allows you to share your research findings with the broader academic community, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and shaping the future of your field.

Remember, publishing during your PhD is not mandatory, and the specific benefits can vary depending on your field and career goals. However, by understanding the potential advantages, you can make an informed decision about whether pursuing a publication aligns with your academic and professional aspirations.

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The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

When to submit your PhD research to a journal

It can be difficult deciding when to submit your research to a journal. For your first paper in particular, the whole publishing process can be daunting.

Is what you have so far good enough? What if someone else publishes first? Could more data make for a higher impact paper? These are all good questions, but you do have to decide to submit your work at some point. Otherwise it will never get published!

Hopefully this post will help you decide if you’re ready to take the leap.

Note: This post forms part of my series about publishing your first paper . I suggest first reading the instalment about deciding what to publish since it ties in closely with this topic of when to publish.

The fear of rejection

I’m sure many of us have an ingrained fear of rejection and failure. The thought of getting your paper declined may therefore tempt you to delay submission, in order to make the paper as robust as possible and increase your chances of getting the article accepted.

This sounds sensible. Avoiding a rejection saves you the effort of resubmitting the paper elsewhere. But inevitably you can’t put off submitting forever!

Leading your first paper submission can seem like a mammoth task. Not helped by how mysterious the process can feel. Although I’d co-authored a few papers myself before leading a first-author submission during my PhD, I hadn’t really had much of an insight into the publishing process.

Having now been through the process, I know that I could have saved weeks or even months of time and energy on my first paper before submission. Time I could have spent on other things!

I’d encourage you to try and get involved with the publishing process early on. I know of academics who encourage their first year PhD students to write review articles, which sounds like a great idea. The earlier you start and get comfortable with publishing, the better.

Deciding when to publish

During your PhD you should always have publishing in mind. A few reasons why are explained here . In fact, I strongly suggest you start thinking about publishing earlier than you might feel ready. In the UK, where theses are the most common form of PhD assessment, it is not always a requirement to have publications by the time you finish your PhD. Even so, they can help enormously. I was so thankful to have at least one first-author paper for my viva!

If you’ve already discussed with your supervisor that you have a finding worth publishing , you’ll need to decide when you want to publish the research.

The quick answer for when to publish your research is once you have enough data to convince reviewers of your conclusions. However, it can be hard to know when that point has been reached.

Once you believe you have something publishable, you can decide between:

• Publishing soon with what you have already, potentially with toned-down conclusions and a more narrow scope. – With this option you effectively submit what you already have, choosing to not conduct more experiments or analysis. – Any further experiments are minor and only answer questions which reviewers are sure to quickly pick up on. – You may not be able to have such far-reaching conclusions, for example if you’ve shown something works only under a limited set of conditions. This could limit the impact of your findings, but saves you time which could be spent on another publication.
• Delaying publication to either expand the scope or make the paper more robust with more analysis/experiments. – If you are not satisfied with your paper having a narrow scope, you may elect to conduct further work. This isn’t always a bad idea, if it serves a purpose. – It could mean increasing the impact of your work: with more researchers finding your work useful (therefore citing it more frequently) and you could aim for more prestigious journals.

It’s really important to know that even if you carry out loads more experiments, acceptance by a journal is never guaranteed. For either route you may be asked by reviewers to carry out further experiments. Therefore be cautious in delaying publication unless it clearly improves the paper.

My experience: For my first paper we had demonstrated our technique with some bovine (cow) tissue. An obvious improvement, for my field, would have been to expand the work to include human tissue. We could have delayed submission to add this data, but it wouldn’t have been feasible to repeat all of the experiments with human samples. And what would we have done if these results didn’t share the message with our cow tissue? Instead we decided to go ahead and submit it just with the bovine work, clearly highlighting in the discussion section that this was a limitation and we recommended further work with human samples. There was some initial resistance from reviewers, but we got it accepted by justifying our position and making the limitation even clearer in the text.

I’ve mentioned it a few times already, but definitely do read the closely-related post discussing what to publish:

Deciding what to publish from your PhD work

Publication quantity vs quality

For better or worse publications are the life blood of academia. They’re the yardstick that productivity and the quality of researchers’ work are judged against. There is always a discussion around how to divide up research into publications, because experiments don’t often divide neatly into separate bodies of work.

If you’re not looking to stay on in academia, I’d suggest not worrying too much about how your research is divided up into publications, as long as you do try and publish it. Even if you’re going into industry please do publish so that other researchers can use your findings. This is especially true if your PhD was publicly funded!

If you’re considering staying on in academia, then you should consider the quantity vs quality of your publications. You can try to add more and more research to a paper in an attempt to increase the quality of your publication*. But chucking more and more experiments at a paper doesn’t always make it stronger. You must always be thinking of your key message. Sometimes it can make sense to split a body of work into two publications if they then both create stronger messages.

*What researchers often usually actually mean by this is aim for a more prestigious journal!

I personally believe that to keep the message of each paper focussed, you should only combine studies if they can together create a bigger story with wider scope. This way you can also get started submitting a body of work once it is finished rather than indefinitely delaying it for more and more future studies to be completed. Otherwise, before you know it you’ll be finishing up your PhD having not made a start on a paper!

Publishing priorities

Deciding how to divide your work between publications is a discussion for you to have with your supervisor and co-authors. However, be aware that although your supervisor should be looking out for you, they do have their own career development to think about, which may not always align with how you want to publish:

• Junior researchers including PhDs & postdocs in a very general sense will prefer a high quantity of [first author] publications to demonstrate productivity. Simply put: more publications on a CV helps future job applications. The quality of publications does still matter and feeds into metrics such as the h-index , but less so than for your boss.

Of course every PhD student would love to be first author for a huge study published in Nature, but this is rarely feasible. If you have an urge to try and publish in top journals, maybe give this option a go!

• Senior researchers who already have loads of papers, would often prefer fewer but higher impact (and more prestigious) publications. Having papers that are highly cited leads to international recognition and will do more for increasing one’s h-index than an extra paper. An additional pressure for senior staff is that research departments are assessed between universities by their research output ( REF in the UK) which is important for league tables. More citations and more publications in top journals boosts each academic’s contribution.

At the very bottom of this article I have a separate section discussing considerations for combining separate studies into even bigger papers. It isn’t relevant for most people but give it a read if you’re discussing combining work with colleagues.

Do you need to rush to publish quickly?

You may be worried about competing against other groups around the world. What if they publish first?

It may seem like a game of cards: the longer you wait to publish the larger the reward (with a more impactful study), but the larger the risks of someone else publishing first and perhaps stealing your thunder.

Unless you’re working on something very specific, where it really is a winner-takes-all scenario, I’d argue that publishing in academia doesn’t usually work like this.

• If you know of other groups working towards the same goal it should be reassuring that you’re on to something worth pursuing!
• When submitting your paper, it’s good in your cover letter to mention recent advances and how your work fits in. Very recent publications by other groups demonstrates it is a hot topic with appeal for active researchers from groups around the world.
• Perhaps there could even be scope to collaborate in the future? It could be a nice secondment for you to visit another lab.

Are you keen to be the first to publish a discovery? Perhaps it would make sense to rapidly submit a smaller article. As discussed earlier, this may mean toning down the conclusions.

Many journals will accept publications in categories such as short communications , or letters to the editor , which may suit your work if you want to publish quickly.

For most of us, even in the sciences, this type of discovery work is abnormal. So publishing really quickly doesn’t matter quite so much. Usually we’ll be developing methods based on previous findings.

It therefore isn’t generally much of a problem if something similar gets published because it doesn’t take away from the novelty of your contribution.

There is so little likelihood that they’ll have done exactly the same thing that it is not worth worrying about. Just because they’re publishing using their technique, does not at all invalidate your findings.

Why you may wish to delay publication

Spending time on additional analysis or data collection may be worth considering if it would:

• Make for a more robust argument. See here
• Increase the scope, and therefore the impact, of the study

There are always going to be extra experiments that you can think of to add. A bigger paper isn’t necessarily a better paper.

It’s important to weigh up the positives of adding more data against the downsides:

• It takes more of your time, energy and money. All of which you could be using on other things.
• The main message may get lost. The extra experiments may not compliment the existing ones.
• It delays publication. You might not be in a race against other researchers, but getting your research out quickly means that other researchers can implement it sooner.

When should you start writing your paper?

You can of course start writing your introduction and methods while you are conducting your experiments (or even before!) but it’s not always easy to know which direction your research is going in. I suggest to just sticking to notes until you roughly understand your key message.

If you are already happy with the story your research tells, have a look at previous papers with a similar scope to yours. This not only provides a framework for what to include but also gives an idea of when you’re ready to submit.

Looking at previously accepted papers. These will show you what standard your research has to be up to, in order to get published. Look at sample size and validation techniques which are commonly included. Is your work of a similar level to published research in your field? If so, I’d recommend you start preparing a manuscript!

Fitting writing a paper into your PhD

I appreciate that it can be difficult finding time to write a paper amongst the more immediate demands of a PhD. Usually you’re under pressure to conduct more experiments, analyse data, prepare presentations etc. All of which can push writing a paper to the bottom of your agenda.

I strongly suggest finding the time to start writing your paper soon. A few obvious reasons are as follows:

• You remember the work better now than you will in the future, making it easier to write.
• You can put text from papers in your thesis. I saved a huge amount of time doing this. Self-plagiarism rules vary by university so watch out. Even if you have to re-write sections, it’s still much easier than starting from scratch. Also, you have the data analysed and figures produced which can take ages. Start now. Really.
• It helps your viva . When I had the email come through saying my paper was accepted it was such a big relief. I suddenly knew that the viva was effectively a formality.

I hope I’ve convinced you to start writing as soon as you have a story to tell.

In an upcoming article in our publishing series we’ll be going over how to get started on your first draft.

My publishing preference

• Once you have a message you think may be publishable, start writing.
• Each paper should have a clear message. You can considering splitting work into two papers or combining studies together, but isn’t always the best route.
• As much as possible don’t be tempted to delay publication unless you know you will shortly have more data/analysis which could be added and make for a stronger paper.
• Don’t spend ages perfecting your draft paper, have other researchers look it over as soon as possible.

Bonus topic: Authorship considerations for large drawn-out studies

This consideration doesn’t often apply but I’ll discuss it here anyway:

I have seen it happen where several researchers are working independently on different parts of the same overall project. The lead academic(s) decides that it would give a nice story to combine all of this work in to one mega paper. Targeted at a high impact journal. The question is: who becomes the first author?

By combining studies to form a bigger paper, it is possible you won’t be the first author because your contribution has been diluted. This becomes even more likely if the work continues after you leave. Or the other researcher’s work is more fundamental to the project than yours. This all has the potential to turn very political!

Yes, I know that you can have joint first authors and yes it may be good for your CV to have published somewhere prestigious. But there is no beating around the bush: the order of authors matters. This has always seemed pretty fickle to me, but it is a real consideration in academia.

Having publications as second or third author is still good, but usually infers that you didn’t have that much input. Often the input from other authors is easily 10% or less of the effort put in by the first author. Instead of showing hard work to lead a project, being second author usually shows that you help others and collaborate. This is an important skill to demonstrate but this should be in addition to the project you’re working on, not instead of it.

If I were an academic who was looking for post-docs, I’d be concerned if an applicant had lots of papers but almost none were as first author. Perhaps that’s a quirk of the importance put on the order of authors?

This is all a relatively unlikely situation and the vast majority of the time stories are published separately and whomever started the research will see it through to publication.

I hope that this has helped with your paper! You can find the whole series of posts about publishing here . Next we’ll cover deciding where to submit your research. G et alerted about future posts by subscribing here:

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How to write a PhD in a hundred steps (or more)

A workingmumscholar's journey through her phd and beyond, publishing during or after the phd: putting yourself out there now or later.

Publishing your work is tough. Putting yourself out there in terms of sharing your ideas with your colleagues and peers can be as scary as it is exciting. I think this is especially the case for PhD scholars and early career researchers who are still finding their research niche, their voice, confidence in their ideas and writing. In this post I’d like to try and tease out some of the issues that could be involved in deciding to publish during your PhD, or wait until your thesis is finished to start composing papers and sending them out to journals for consideration.

Let’s start with publishing during the PhD: first, let me say that if you are first-authoring or only-authoring a paper and sending it to a journal before your PhD is completed, I am in awe of you. I could not have done this – not least because I have no idea where I would have found the time. It was more a case of the Fear. Fear that my research had actually already been published in a paper I just had not found and read; Fear that my ideas were actually awful, or derivative, or boring, or just ridiculous. Fear that I would be rejected, and that the self-doubt this would create would spill over into my PhD and derail my progress. I am not sure the Fear will ever really leave me – critical self-doubt may well be part and parcel of being an academic writer keen on growing and developing their ‘crafts’ – but I do have a sense that putting my work out there will get easier, and be more exciting rather than scary on the whole.

If you are publishing during the PhD, there may be a limited range of papers you could write, depending on how far along in your research process you are. If, for example, you have not generated data yet, it would be difficult to write a more empirical paper, where you use your data, analysed, to support your case or claims. You could perhaps write a ‘critical literature review’ (for example, Robotham & Julian, ‘Stress and the higher education student: a critical review of the literature) which reviews the literature you have read that relates specifically to the research you are doing, but that takes a critical stance in terms of pointing to alternatives, gaps and spaces for other kinds of, new, or different research in this research area. You could write a paper exploring part of your own research process, from a methodological point of view, or in terms of critically reflecting on parts of the research process (not a personal narrative, but something that would be of use to other researchers in terms of helping them reflect on their own process too; for example Ortlipp, ‘Keeping and Using Reflective Journals in the Qualitative Research Process’). You could write these papers post-PhD, too, of course – but during the PhD you’d need to think quite carefully about where you are in the process, and what you would want to say to your professional or research community at that point.

If you are publishing post-PhD, the range of papers you could write widens, of course, because you now may well have a large data set you can draw on – either data that made it into the PhD, or data you had to put aside for reasons of focus and scope. You can write probably 2 or 3 empirical papers (for example, Coleman, ‘Incorporating the notion of recontextualisation in academic literacies research: the case of a South African vocational web design and development course’; Mckenna, ‘The intersection between academic literacies and student identities : research in higher education’). These papers would likely be more ‘traditional’ journal articles, in the sense that they will look and sound a lot like many of the papers you will have read and still be reading. Using the papers you are reading as ‘models’ or guides for the papers you want to write, fresh out of a PhD, can be really helpful. You can look at what your peers, colleagues and academic ‘heroes’ are writing about, and connect with their arguments, methodologies, conceptual issues, and join these conversations in a more deliberate and careful way. This is really highly recommended, because joining ongoing conversations in your field deliberately and with a fresh voice, perspective and argument, can increase your chances of eventually publishing your work.

I don’t have any definitive opinion on publishing during or after the PhD: I do wish I had published at least one paper about my PhD research towards the end of the process or just after I completed my thesis, as I think it would have got my post-PhD publishing off to a more confident start. However, I had more than enough to do holding down a job, completing my thesis and taking care of my family and my own health. I think this is probably the case for lots of part-time PhD students – writing for a thesis and writing for an article are different, and when you are consumed with one kind of writing, doing the other as well as this, and as well as everything else, can seem like just one thing too many to do. If, however, you do have an idea for a paper that you think could be fleshed out, and can see how writing the paper would help, rather than hinder, your PhD thinking and writing, I would say ‘go for it!’ Give it a try, ask for help from supervisors and critical friends, and be brave. If you just can’t, for whatever reason, publish until after your PhD is finished, don’t fret that you’re ‘behind’. The point of doing a PhD is to do a PhD, rather than to publish papers (unless your PhD is by or with publications, of course). There will be time, after, to write many papers, and do many revisions of these papers, and move your research into new areas of inquiry as your career grows and changes.

Putting yourself out there as often as possible, in polished and well thought-out papers and chapters, is tough, but I think I’m realising it’s also the only way I’m going to get braver, become a better, more educated thinker and writer, and find the exciting over the scary in publication. When and how you choose to do it is up to you, but whenever and however you do choose to do it, thinking in terms of ‘publish and flourish’ (to paraphrase a colleague) rather than ‘publish or perish’ is a more positive way to begin.

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The Impact of Publishing During PhD Studies on Career Research Publication, Visibility, and Collaborations

• Published: 23 July 2015
• Volume 57 , pages 28–50, ( 2016 )

Cite this article

• Hugo Horta 1 , 2 &
• João M. Santos 1  

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This study analyzes the impact that publishing during the period of PhD study has on researchers’ future knowledge production, impact, and co-authorship. The analysis is based on a representative sample of PhDs from all fields of science working in Portugal. For each researcher in the dataset, we compiled a lifetime publication record and respective meta-data retrieved from Thomson Reuters Web of Science. Our results extend the previous literature by showing that those who publish during their PhD have greater research production and productivity, and greater numbers of yearly citations and citations throughout their career compared to those who did not publish during their PhD. Moreover, it is found that those who publish during their PhD are more adept to publish single-authored publications and engage in publications with peers based abroad, thus suggesting both higher levels of scientific autonomy and international collaboration dynamics.

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See also Chinchilla-Rodríguez, Z., Moya-Anegón, F., Vargas-Quesada, B., Corera-Álvarez, E., and Hassan-Montero, Y., Inter-institutional scientific collaboration: an approach from social network, conference paper at the Prime Europe-Latin American Conference on Science and Innovation Policy 2008, Mexico City, 24–26 September 2008.

Due to the often cited problematic use of citations as measures of publication quality, it was decided in this study to consider citations as measures of visibility, which the literature assumes as a reasonable and acceptable stance (see Bornmann 2013 ; Randíc 2009 ; van Raan 1996 ).

In order to calculate the estimated marginal means from which we calculated the gains, we repeated the initial GLM analysis, but the continuous “Publications during PhD” variable was dichotomized as a dummy variable in order to compare subjects with and without publications during their PhD studies. The model matched the results presented in Table  1 . The Table with the variable “Publications during PhD studies” as a dummy can be made available to readers upon direct request to the authors of this manuscript.

In the following analysis, we opted to use the non-normalized publications. This was a methodological decision, based on the fact that it would make little sense to discount the independent variable by number of authors, when co-authorship is simultaneously an intrinsic component of the dependent variables. Doing so would artificially deflate or inverse the relationship between both variables.

As before, we dichotomized the publications during the PhD count variable in order to obtain exponential parameter estimates for subjects with and without early publications. The model matched the previously shown results; as such, it was considered redundant and is thus not shown here.

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Horta, H., Santos, J.M. The Impact of Publishing During PhD Studies on Career Research Publication, Visibility, and Collaborations. Res High Educ 57 , 28–50 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-015-9380-0

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Publishing During Your Doctoral Studies

Professional Development Article by Dr. Kevin W.H. Tai, Honorary Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UCL Institute of Education, University College London

In September 2021, I completed my PhD in Applied Linguistics at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London. My studies were fully funded by the UK Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Throughout my doctoral journey, I was successful in publishing a lot of my doctoral research findings long before my viva. As a result, I often get asked questions such as:​​

How do you publish peer-reviewed journal articles during your PhD?

Do you have any tips on publishing for other PhD students?

What kind of challenges have you faced in publishing as a PhD student?

What strategies could other PhD students adopt to improve their chances of getting published?

In this article, I aim to offer some tips about publishing research papers in international peer-reviewed journals since it is very difficult for many graduate students to navigate the publishing field. Before I do that, however, it is important to introduce my research interests and empirical studies that were part of my PhD.

Research Interests and Doctoral Work

My research interests include: language education policy, classroom discourse, translanguaging in multilingual contexts and qualitative research methods (particularly Multimodal Conversation Analysis, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and Linguistic Ethnography). My doctoral project consisted of a linguistic ethnographic investigation in Hong Kong (HK) English Medium Instruction (EMI) secondary mathematics and history classrooms. Methodologically, this study integrated Multimodal Conversation Analysis with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. This unique combination involved observing participant’s pedagogical practices over time as well as understanding the teachers’ reflections on classroom practices. The classroom interactional data were analysed using Multimodal Conversation Analysis, looking at not only different languages (Cantonese, Mandarin and English in this case) but also spatial repertoire, objects and other facilities in the classrooms. The findings offer an empirical basis for developing translanguaging as an alternative approach to current EMI policy and practice. They also help to discover the classroom conditions required for translanguaging practices to succeed. This allows teachers to employ translanguaging to achieve their pedagogical goals, bridge communication gaps and empower learners.

Publishing and Editorial Experience

In terms of publishing experience, I have a successful track record of original research. My first academic publication was a paper based on my undergraduate BA Honours thesis which I co-authored with my supervisor, Dr Adam Brandt (Tai and Brandt, 2018). I then disseminated two research papers from my MSc thesis with one of my supervisors, Dr Nahal Khabbazbashi. I addressed my research questions separately in two different papers (Tai and Khabbazbashi, 2019a; 2019b) so that each paper has a unique argument. 

With my PhD findings, I published four research articles during my studies with my principal supervisor, Professor Li Wei. The papers are based on the themes of my PhD data analysis chapters: translanguaging space for playful talk (Tai and Li Wei, 2021a), translanguaging space for bringing outside knowledge into the classroom (Tai and Li Wei, 2020), translanguaging space for co-learning (Tai and Li Wei, 2021b) and technological-mediated translanguaging space (Tai and Li Wei, 2021c). I have also conducted collaborative projects with some of my colleagues, which were disseminated in academic journals (e.g. Ho and Tai, 2019). Currently, I am preparing to publish several more research articles from my PhD thesis. I am also writing a research methodology book on Multimodal Conversation Analysis and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

In addition to my studies, I have worked (and continue to work) as an Editorial Board Member and Editorial Assistant for the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism and The Language Learning Journal . My main responsibility is to nominate and invite potential peer reviewers to review manuscripts. I have to be open to new perspectives when evaluating manuscripts, and this has helped with my own research writing.

Based on my experiences in publishing empirical research and acting as an editorial board member of leading journals in applied linguistics, I would like to share three tips for publishing during your PhD.

Tips for Publishing

Have a strong argument for your paper. You need to think about: Why is it important for the reader to read your paper? What can the reader learn from your paper? How do the findings of your research offer implications for policymaking or educational practice?

Consider co-authoring research papers with your PhD supervisor(s). Ideally, your supervisor(s) will be willing to support you and reframe your arguments so that they are good enough to be published in high impact journals.

Look for the right journal for your paper. The first thing that you can do is to look at your reference list and see what journals you have cited. That will be a good indication of what journals will be relevant to your research topic and, thus, more likely to accept your paper. Journal editors will be interested to see whether your paper has referenced papers that are published in their journals.

The main challenge that I have encountered in publishing during my PhD is dealing with the peer reviewers’ ruthless comments. It can be really discouraging, and I sometimes question myself: Why do I have to go through such a process? I have come to feel that the more comments that I read, the more it prepares me to deal with these comments calmly and professionally. Regarding responding to the harsh or negative reviewer comments, I think we should deal with them as we would deal with any other comment: Give a point-by-point response to the comments, mentioning whether you agree or disagree with them. If you disagree with some of the comments, provide your reasons for doing so.

Finally, it’s very important for PhD candidates to build a support network of other people that they can bounce ideas off of and get feedback from. You can talk to your supervisor; they know you, they know about your project, and they may know about relevant research or teaching opportunities. Furthermore, you can talk to other PhD students; they will know exactly what you’re going through and will be able to offer different insights into the PhD. As early career academics, we are operating within an increasingly challenging environment. There are expectations for us to develop our teaching repertoire and our research publication records during our doctoral studies. It can be frustrating at times, but it is also a privilege to be able to create new knowledge and immerse ourselves in the theoretical questions that interest us. Enjoy the doctoral journey and make the most out of it while you can.

Ho, W. Y. J. & Tai, K. W. H. (2020). Doing expertise multilingually and multimodally in online English teaching videos. System 94 , 1-12.

Tai, K. W. H. & Brandt, A. (2018). Creating an imaginary context: Teacher’s use of embodied enactments in addressing a learner’s initiatives in a beginner-level adult ESOL classroom. Classroom Discourse 9 (3), 244-266.

Tai, K. W. H. & Khabbazbashi, N. (2019a). The mediation and organisation of gestures in vocabulary instructions: A microgenetic analysis of interactions in a beginning-level adult ESOL classroom. Language and Education 33 (5), 445-468.

Tai, K. W. H. & Khabbazbashi, N.(2019b). Vocabulary explanations in beginning-level adult ESOL classroom interactions: A conversation analysis perspective. Linguistics and Education 52 , 61-77.

Tai, K. W. H. & Li, W. (2020). Bringing the outside in: Connecting students’ out-of-school knowledge and experience through translanguaging in Hong Kong English medium instruction mathematics classes. System 95 , 1-32.

Tai, K. W. H. & Li, W. (2021a). Constructing playful talk through translanguaging in the English medium instruction mathematics classroom. Applied Linguistics 42 (4) 607-640.

Tai, K. W. H. & Li, W. (2021b). Co-learning in Hong Kong English medium instruction mathematics secondary classrooms: A translanguaging perspective. Language and Education 35 (3), 241-267.

Tai, K. W. H. & Li, W. (2021c). The affordances of iPad for constructing a technology-mediated space in Hong Kong English medium instruction secondary classrooms: A translanguaging view. Language Teaching Research . Epub ahead of Print.

Dr. Kevin W. H. Tai is an Honorary Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London (UCL). Additionally, Kevin is also an Editorial Board Member and Editorial Assistant for the International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism (SSCI; Routledge) and The Language Learning Journal (ECIS; Routledge).

• Publishing Your First Paper
• Doing a PhD

As a first-year PhD student, publishing your first paper may seem like a difficult task, but it doesn’t have to be; many will have published at least one peer-reviewed paper by the time of their viva. In Finland, students need to have published at least three papers before they can be awarded a PhD!

Here are a few tips from us to think about when you’re ready to write that first paper:

1. Tell a Story

Think of your paper as a story you’re telling to your readers. Introduce them to the subject, explain what others have already done and where the gaps in the knowledge were; what were your motivations for the study (i.e. the aims and objectives)?

Then tell the reader what you did and what you found – how did this add to the gaps in the knowledge and what should future work investigate? Conclude by summing up with the key messages you want people to take away from your paper.

2. Get the First Draft Early

With the specific layout/formatting requirements of the journal in mind, we think it’s a good idea to get the first draft of your manuscript written as soon as you can. Yes, it’ll be rough around the edges and there’re likely to be sections you’ll end up completely re-writing or removing altogether. But it can be so valuable getting your thoughts written down whilst they’re still fresh in your mind; the process of editing with your co-authors will begin afterwards and it’s so much easier to edit actual words rather than concepts still in your mind.

3. Pick the Right Journal

Everyone would love all their papers to be published in the highest impact journals in their field but this is where you need to evaluate your work objectively and decide (1) is your work within the scope of the journal you’re looking at and (2) is the quality and impact of your work at the level appropriate for the journal. This is not to say that you shouldn’t aim for high impact journals but that it’s ok if your first paper isn’t accepted by Nature!

4. Get the Figures Right

When reading papers, it’s not unusual for someone to skip read the abstract then skip straight to the results. Including good figures that explain your key results can make understanding your work that much easier. Make sure you get the basics right – simple figure legends, clear text and everything labelled!

5. Don’t Give Up!

Publishing a paper is not an easy task. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get your paper accepted on the first time of trying. Most good journals will ensure that their reviewers offer constructive comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the study and how it may be improved. Sometimes the editor will invite you to address these comments and resubmit to the journal for a second review; even if you are not invited to resubmit, consider addressing reviewer comments as you prepare to submit your work to a different journal – hopefully, this will lead to a stronger paper.

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Should you publish during your phd.

Posted by Pat Thomson | August 23, 2021 | 0 responses

So why even think about during-doctorate publication? I have a different view. I think that there  are  reasons why it can be a good idea to write during the PhD – yes, even at the same time as you are writing the thesis.

Before I start, it is important to say that not all PhD research projects lend themselves to pre-thesis and pre-examination paper writing. Sometimes you just can’t pull a paper out prior to completing your entire analysis and subsequent results chapters. And for some people, saving the material for the book of the PhD may be more important than writing a paper or two midway.

That said, here are six possible reasons for writing a paper during the PhD. The first five focus on what writing a paper can do for you, and your PhD.

• Writing a paper can help you to test out a theoretical or analytical approach. It can be very instructive to take a piece of “stuff” and see how it plays out when you take a particular approach to it. It can even accelerate your meaning making process. Once you’ve test driven an approach you can decide whether it is a good line to pursue or not. If it is, then you take on the rest of the analysis and/or writing with a greater sense of security about what you are doing. You’ve tried out a strategy and you know how it goes.
• Writing a paper can help consolidate your sense of your “self” as a scholar. Putting something out into the world means you not only see yourself, but also are seen as someone who has something of importance to contribute. You are knowledgeable. You have expertise. So writing a paper can do important identity work. Seeing your work and your scholarly self in print can be a pretty helpful confidence boost. I’m real. I’ve done it. I can do it. This in turn can help you write the thesis text with a greater sense of authority.
• Writing a paper helps you to sort out your scholarly “persona”, the way you present yourself in textual form. As you make authorial choices about composition – your choice of words, syntax, sentence length, use of metaphors, narratives, examples, figures, who you do and don’t build on, challenge and/or cite, and so on – you make yourself into a particular kind of writer/scholar. Beginning to create the scholarly you in writing, prior to completing the thesis, focuses you on the decisions you need to make about your thesis text. (This is also text work/identity work, like number 2 above.)
• Writing a paper means that you start to get your stuff out into the world. Scholarly work is about communication, about linking into scholarly conversations and connecting with various professional/policy communities. Taking on the activities associated with writing a paper – using print, audio and social media to let people know it has been published for example – is integral to locating other people who are interested in your work. Going public adds to the sense that you have of yourself as a scholar, not just as a “student”.
• Writing a paper means that you open yourself up to peer review and to scholarly exchange. This is the most risky aspect of writing during the PhD and, let’s be honest, it can be a bruising experience. Thoughtless or cruel feedback can put you off for a long time – and in these situations writing a paper can turn out to be a bad idea. So you need to take steps to minimise the risks. Maybe you want to co-write the paper, or enlist the support of a mentor during the writing. You may also want more experienced help to decode the feedback you receive. You’ll want to choose the journal carefully too, going for one which is “good enough” and therefore “quick enough” – finding out the results of submission can drag on. Some journals are better at being constructively critical than others – ask around so you lessen the chance of encountering mean-hearted Reviewer 2s. The up side of being reviewed, yes there is an up side, is that when your paper is accepted you’ll not only feel great. You’ll also have some experience of critique outside supervision. Getting a taste of what it means to have your writing subject to critical examination – and considering how to revise in light of comments, where to defend and where to do more work – is useful for you in writing the thesis as well as dealing with the viva.

There is of course a much more instrumental reason for publishing during the PhD. It is a reason that I have left to last as I have less positive feelings about it.

6. If you are looking for a postdoctoral position then, in some locations and in some disciplines, the more you have already published the more likely you are to be in the race. You may well be competing with people who have done PhDs by publication and who already have three or four papers published. So getting a start while you are doing the big book PhD can be a help. Publishing signals to funders/employers that you know you have to get your stuff into print. But this cutthroat postdoc and job situation is pretty grim and inequitable. I don’t condone it, there’s no “level playing field”, people are variously able to publish. However, it would be remiss of me to omit reason 6, as it  is  something that you need to make a decision about.

My six reasons don’t add up to saying you  must  publish during your PhD. Not at all. It is something to discuss with your supervisor. The six reasons are however worth considering when you are making your decision whether to do this additional writing, or not.

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Importance of Publications During PhD

• Updated on  
• Apr 20, 2023

The PhD degree is a transformative milestone in a scholar’s life. If you are on the path to becoming an academic or a research scholar,  qualifying with a doctorate brings to you a title – that of a ‘Dr.’ placed before your name. And, that is an amazing achievement! It often leads to the publication of books and subsequent research papers and invitations to speak at conferences and universities. In this blog, I will discuss everything about the importance of PhD publications.

What is the Importance of Phd Publications?

So first let us consider what a PhD. really signifies. It signifies that the scholar is an authority over a particular subject or at least a topic on which they have done deep research. 

Important point: The process of that research is as important as the findings. Therefore, some universities (both in India and abroad) may actually require doctoral candidates to publish two or three research papers before they actually submit their doctoral thesis. 

There is also a huge personal advantage to this. If you are a doctoral scholar, getting one or two (or more!) papers published while doing your PhD. works extremely well for your future career. This will give a wide reach to your work and you can begin to establish yourself in your field, even before you get your PhD degree. This can be very helpful for getting Post-doctoral appointments, faculty teaching positions and other scholarly grants and fellowships. Early publications can set the stage for you to apply for positions at research institutions, universities, international organizations, UN agencies or think tanks.

Also Read: Are LORs important for Study Abroad Applications

Tip: When aiming for publications it is important to target reputed journals which are well-ranked and peer-reviewed. These journals have a wider reach so when your research is published in such journals it will get cited by other scholars in your field. This adds huge value to your professional credentials. 

Challenges Faced in Getting Research Papers Published 

The challenges to publishing papers during your PhD journey can be of two kinds:

• The first is related to time.  While doing a doctoral dissertation there is a lot of flexibility of time and 3-4 years may seem like a long time. However, research can involve travel for data gathering. This needs to be followed by analysis. Only after that can the actual writing begin. The flexibility of time and no externally structured schedule sometimes require careful planning and self-discipline.  

Tips: Plan , Allocate time for data gathering, processing and then writing. Work out a calendar for the year and the next year too! 

• The second challenge that many young scholars face is about choosing the appropriate journals that would be the best for their research. This requires some research: you need to do online searches for journals with the appropriate keywords and then read about the subjects/ topics that those journals focus on. In addition to that, the formatting style of each journal needs to be followed. Often rejection of submissions happens in the early stages of the research article does not follow the required style of citations etc. 

Tip: Seek guidance from supervisors and research mentors about the appropriate journals. Create a shortlist. Read up the ‘Guidelines for Submissions’ for each of the journals (usually available online). This will help to decide which journals would be the best to submit to. 

Alert: Do not submit the same research article to two different journals. This is unethical you can be disqualified by both! 

Publishing papers prove extremely beneficial for a PhD student. Publications during a PhD programme help scholars establish themselves in their academic fields even before they get their degrees.

No. Any PhD programme does not mandate publications. However, the admissions committee or prospective supervisor may ask candidates applying to a PhD course to showcase their research skills.

To explore multiple study abroad PhD programmes, stay connected to Leverage Edu and Leverage Live . To learn about all aspects of abroad studies opt for a free 30-minute counselling session at 1800 572 000.

Dr. Maina Chawla Singh

A scholar, internationally published author and Higher-education consultant, Maina Chawla Singh (PhD) has over 25 years of teaching experience at universities in India, United States and Israel. She has authored two academic books and several peer-reviewed journal articles. Her research spans multiple disciplines across Liberal Arts : Gender Studies, Colonialism, History of Medicine, Migration, Identity Studies, Indian Diaspora, Jewish Anthropology and Israel Studies. Dr Singh has been an invited speaker at prestigious institutions including at Yale, Cornell, Oxford, Georgetown, University of Penn, Emory University, Ann Arbor, Michigan, NYU, Tel Aviv University (Israel) and Sciences Po (France). Having taught online university courses at American University since 2013, Dr Singh is highly skilled in Digital Pedagogies, Syllabus Design and Online teaching. She has been a peer-reviewer for several international journals and is certified in academic manuscript editing (New York university, USA). Dr Singh has lived in Russia, Israel, Japan, Ethiopia, France and the USA and has a deep comparative understanding of International Education. She is passionate about supporting student aspirations for Study Abroad. Dr Singh is an Academic Content Creator. As a freelance mentor Dr Singh offers customized career-advice to students, early- career professionals and researchers for Personal Brand-building ; Persuasive Communication, Academic Profile-building and Research Publication. Dr Singh speaks Hindi, English, Punjabi and Russian. She loves reading about Tech, Digital Marketing and Design-Thinking.

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December 5th, 2022

When publishing becomes the sole focus of phd programmes academia suffers.

7 comments | 152 shares

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Reporting on their findings from qualitative research project focused PhD students across China, Hugo Horta and Huan Li explore how a culture of publication has become central to doctoral study and discuss how this can negatively impact wider aspects of academic life.

Doctoral students are increasingly expected to have their research results published during their programme of study. The increase in the share of doctoral students among authors of academic publications could be a positive trend. By publishing during doctoral studies, students learn to prepare publications, are exposed to scholarly and scientific critique, learn how to respond and adapt their research to meet the recommendations of reviewers and are further socialised into broader research processes. It encourages the publication of findings earlier than if these publications would only come to fruition after the conclusion of the PhD and can prevent the possibility that findings end up not being published. However, it may also signal that the truism ‘publish or perish’ is infringing upon doctoral education, given that publishing during the PhD also plays into the interests of students with academic aspirations, supervisors striving for career advancement, and universities eager to improve their university rankings.

Most studies on ‘publish or perish’ focus on its influence on established academics. Many of these studies also underline the growing levels of stress it generates. A few studies assess the influence of publishing during the PhD on career trajectories and research profiles, but seldom touch on the publishing pressure that doctoral students may face. This was the aim of our study, to understand if ‘publish and perish’ dynamics and pressures are present in the journeys of doctoral students, and if so, to what extent and with what impact. To investigate how ‘publish or perish’ influences the doctoral journey, identity development, and career choices of doctoral students, we interviewed 90 mainland Chinese PhD students in a wide range of disciplines at ten research universities (eight in mainland China, one in Hong Kong, and one in Macau). Despite differences in learning environments and societies, mainland Chinese students in all three jurisdictions have the labour market (academic or not) in mainland China on the horizon for their future careers and thus face relatively homogeneous recruitment demands and requirements.

Our findings captured the dynamics of ‘publish or perish’ in doctoral education and evidenced their influence on students’ choices over pursuing academic or non-academic career paths. Most interviewees affirmed that their publication record was the determinant factor regarding their chances of pursuing a career in academia, and if so, then what type of university. Publications were considered by the students, the only thing they could do in their doctoral journey to enhance their competitiveness for future careers and positioning considering that the university where they were doing the PhD and the supervisor was already set. Around 30% of the interviewees had been aware of this by observing academics and PhD students’ work practices during their bachelor’s or master’s studies and thus set publishing goals before entering the doctoral programme. For others, the centrality of publishing was encouraged by their supervisors and doctoral alumni already working in Chinese universities. Students developed a sense of crisis about future job competition based on multiple sources of information and thus endeavoured to gain competitiveness by publishing at all costs.

The perceived priority of publishing at all costs was found to impact all three strands (intellectual, network, and institutional) of identity trajectory development during the doctoral journey thus limiting their training and socialisation and potentially endangering the sustainable development of academia and science.

Knowledge for publication’s sake

In relation to the intellectual strand, the publication obsession led PhD students to commodify knowledge production, select ‘hot’ publishable topics, and lose sight of the purpose of knowledge advancement beyond publication. Many were highly instrumental, essentially saying:

“I know what the right method is and what excellent research should be, but I won’t do it”. Because if you follow those standards, it would be hard to survive. …’,

This indicates how publication pressure, generally believed to haunt primarily post-doctoral academics, has affected the research activities of PhD students, to the extent that focus is shifting away from fields of knowledge where it is harder to publish, or which may be considered to have less visibility.

Marginalisation of teaching experience

With respect to the institutional strand, prioritising publishing makes students see coursework and teaching assistantships (and experience) as structural impediments or distractions to their involvement in research. Students are potentially becoming self-socialised following their PhD studies to see teaching as a minor activity compared to research, which may affect those who will end up in academic jobs and add more tensions to the known teaching-research nexus. Furthermore, many mainland-based interviewees noted that their supervisors sometimes dissuaded them from doing teaching assistantships to focus on research. One participant articulated,

‘From the perspective of supervisors, PhD students already have a tight schedule; they won’t understand why you waste time doing teaching assistantship because it isn’t helpful to your research. Doing chores or grading homework for undergraduates interrupts your research; its only value is to earn that chicken feed.’

Heightened competition over positional publications

Finally, for the network strand, placing publications as the central goal led students to see supervisors essentially as publishing facilitators, deem peers as competitors, rather than collaborators, and reduce involvement with external stakeholders (e.g., internships and university-industry collaborative research projects). Twenty-two interviewees implicitly blamed their inability to have a ‘decent’ publication profile on their supervisor, even when the supervisor was offering help and constructive criticism. Almost two-thirds of the interviewees felt pressured because of feeling that they had been surpassed by peers, whom they regarded as competitors in the academic job market, in terms of publication numbers. For example, one student confessed,

‘Domestic scientific research is growing fast. Doing research is like sailing against the current: if you don’t keep publishing, you’ll be inferior to your domestic counterparts. So, it’s hard.’

This mentality led doctoral students to feel stressed and work ‘extra-time’ to close the gap, sometimes leading to situations of extreme-stress and exhaustion. Almost no interviewees reported initiating peer-to-peer research collaboration, and some attributed this phenomenon to the overemphasis that Chinese universities place on the first authorship when it comes to academic recruitment.

Although we maximised the sampling variation by having interviewees from many disciplinary fields and areas, our analysis did not yield substantial differences by learning environments and disciplines, except that science and engineering students with firm academic aspirations tend to prioritise publishing more than those in other disciplines. The homogeneity in our findings suggests that the same publication obsession seems to dominate across disciplines in all three jurisdictions.

Through our research, we are not criticising publishing during the doctorate, nor the PhD students, since they are simply responding to what they perceive is the most crucial requirement to obtain a job in academia and in a reputable university. In other words, their behaviour is a response to an incentive or requirement as they perceive it, and the issue is with this requirement. In the case of mainland China, this relates to the central importance that university recruitment places on publication numbers (and related metrics), when these recruitment criteria should probably be broader and attentive to other competencies that may lead to the formation of more well-rounded academics.

We suggest that, in recruiting and evaluating academics, policymakers and universities should consider recognising forms of scholarly contribution other than publication and giving them appropriate weight. A more comprehensive evaluation of candidates’ abilities and potentials should replace a more simplistic form mostly based on publication metrics. In China, policymakers seem to be concerned with this, and China’s reform to ‘reverse the one-sided, excessive, and distorted use of (journal-based) indicators in research evaluation’ may help to change the current ‘publish or perish’ obsession among PhD students, but universities and recruitment committees have a central role and say in changing the current culture.

This post is based on the authors co-authored paper Nothing but publishing: the overriding goal of PhD students in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau , published in Studies in Higher Education.

The content generated on this blog is for information purposes only. This Article gives the views and opinions of the authors and does not reflect the views and opinions of the Impact of Social Science blog (the blog), nor of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Please review our  comments policy  if you have any concerns on posting a comment below.

Image Credit: Thomas Franke via Unsplash.

About the author

Hugo Horta is an Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Consortium for Higher Education Research in Asia (CHERA) at the Faculty of Education of the University of Hong Kong. He is also the Chairperson of the Consortium of Higher Education Researchers (CHER) and Coordinating-editor of the journal Higher Education. His main topics of interest refer to academic research processes, outputs and outcomes (including research agendas), academic mobility and academic inbreeding, and career trajectories of PhD holders. See: https://web.edu.hku.hk/faculty-academics/horta

Huan Li is a PhD candidate at the Faculty of Education of The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. His main research interests include the postgraduate education, academic profession, and science and technology studies. Much of his current work aims to gain an in-depth understanding of factors influencing doctoral talents’ intended and actual career trajectories in Greater China. See: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Huan-Li-104

totally agree! and in the context of changes in medical studies (8 years programs) in China, it becomes schizophrenic for students…

I think this is common in universities where generally PhD students don’t pay fees…in cases where PhD candidates pay expensive school fees to register at the start of the new academic year, this publish or perish thing isn’t a preoccupation, especially when the publication has to appear in a highly ranked journal…

You are talking about the fundamental issue of a bigger problem only. Why don’t you talk about how many scholars fabricate/manipulate data for publication? This is the tip of the iceberg! I see many established academics published papers with questionable data. Many journal editors and reviewers still close their eyes and keep silence and accept these papers for publication. Lets face it! It’s meaningless in pointing finger only against PhD students/Early career researchers. Do you think that the faculty members do not have pressure in publication before tenure?! Maybe the faculty members just somehow have a higher moral standard!

Is teaching and research not the two sides of the same coin of knowledge advancement ? If yes, why the desperation in driving a wedge between teaching and research by tilting the balance of forces in favour of research and seek to undermine teaching at all cost? Is the empirically verified knowledge obtained through research not meant to be taught to others over and above its operationalisation? Is the published scientific knowledge contained in journals not a knowledge to be thought? Is presenting a paper in a conference not an act of teaching? If not how does it differ from teaching especially with respect to dissemination of knowledge?

We are losing sight of the fact that publishing while writing your thesis helps to have the benefit of enriching your thesis with the review comments.

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Azrieli Research Fellowship for PhD Candidates and Early-Career Scholars, 2024-2025

The Division of Academic Programs at the USC Shoah Foundation invites applications for its inaugural Azrieli Research Fellowships for PhD candidates and early-career scholars during the spring 2025 semester.

One applicant will be chosen to pursue their original research on the Holocaust and/or historical and contemporary antisemitism using the USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive (VHA), which currently holds over 55,000 video testimonies of survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides. The incumbents may also wish to complement their testimony-based research in the VHA with the primary and secondary source collections related to the Holocaust at USC’s Doheny Library.

The fellowship will provide $25,000 support for one semester-long research stay at the USC Shoah Foundation. Fellows must reside in Los Angeles for the duration of their award and will hold one public lecture at USC about their research. Fellows are responsible for securing their own housing, which may be available on USC’s campus, and health insurance.

Eligibility requirements: Candidates must be enrolled in an accredited PhD program or be scholars who are either untenured or in the first five years of their career. Although any person may apply, preference will be given to Canadian scholars, those at institutions located in Canada, or research related to Canada.

This fellowship i awarded on a competitive basis. Applications must be submitted no later than midnight PT on July 31, 2024. Applications will consist of the following:

• Letter of Intent
• Project proposal of approximately 1,000 words
• Curriculum vitae
• Reference letter from dissertation committee member (for graduate students) or senior colleague (for early-career scholars)

Please note: only applications that have submitted each of the required materials will be considered for these fellowships. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by August 15, 2024. Fellowship recipients may begin their tenure at the USC Shoah Foundation in January 2025.

Please direct both questions regarding the fellowship or application process and reference letters to Dr. Jennifer L. Rodgers, Director of Academic Programs to jr77905[@]usc.edu.

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Viral claims about Donald Trump's hush money trial, fact checked

By Laura Doan , Rhona Tarrant

Updated on: April 17, 2024 / 9:35 AM EDT / CBS News

As former President Donald Trump's historic criminal trial gets underway in New York this week, the CBS News Confirmed team has been tracking potentially misleading narratives that have gained some traction on social media. Here are three of the viral claims that have emerged during the trial so far and what to know about them. 

Claim 1: Judge Juan Merchan won't let Trump go to his son's graduation

On Monday, Trump posted to his nearly 7 million followers on Truth Social that Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the trial, likely will not allow him to go to his 18-year-old son Barron's graduation in May.

"Who will explain for me, to my wonderful son, Barron, who is a GREAT Student at a fantastic School, that his Dad will likely not be allowed to attend his Graduation Ceremony, something that we have been talking about for years," Trump wrote in  a post  that had garnered over 18,000 likes by Tuesday. 

The claim was echoed by others online, including his son Eric Trump, who posted on X that "Judge Merchan is truly heartless in not letting a father attend his son's graduation." 

Merchan has not yet made any decision about whether Trump can attend his son's graduation. But on Monday, he signaled that he's open to it, although it is also possible that if the trial is behind schedule, he will not allow it. In an excerpt from the court transcript obtained by CBS News' Graham Kates, Merchan said this:

Regarding counsel's request that the Court adjourn on Friday, May 17th for Mr. Trump to attend his son's high school graduation and Friday June 3rd to allow a member of the defense team to attend their son's graduation, I cannot rule on those two requests at this time. It really depends on how we are doing on time and where we are in the trial. If everything is going according to schedule without unnecessary delays, then I am sure we will be able to adjourn for one or both of those days, but if we are running behind schedule, we will not be able to.

Claim 2: Stormy Daniels denies having an affair with Trump

In a tweet from April 10 flagged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday as a potential violation of Trump's gag order, Trump  wrote  on Truth Social: "Look what was just found! Will the fake news report it?" The post included a picture of a 2018 letter written by adult film star Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, which included the statement, "I am denying this affair because it never happened." 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican operative Roger Stone, and others shared the same picture in posts on X that attracted over 60,000 "likes."

Although it was presented by Trump as being new, this letter from Daniels has been public knowledge since January 2018 — and she has since recanted it. A few months after she signed her name to it, in March 2018, Daniels went on " 60 Minutes " to say she had been pressured into signing and releasing the letter by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and others. Daniels said that she did have an affair with Trump. 

Here's what she said on "60 Minutes" to correspondent Anderson Cooper:

Anderson Cooper: So you signed and released — a statement that said, 'I am not denying this affair because I was paid in hush money. I'm denying it because it never happened.' That's a lie?  Stormy Daniels: Yes.  Anderson Cooper: If it was untruthful, why did you sign it?  Stormy Daniels: Because they made it sound like I had no choice. 

She went on to tell Cooper that she felt there might be legal repercussions for not signing the letter.

"The exact sentence used was, 'They can make your life hell in many different ways,'" she said. She believed "they" in that case was Michael Cohen.

Claim 3: Trump's gag order is unconstitutional 

Trump posted on  Truth Social  Monday, "This Crooked Judge has GAGGED me. Unconstitutional! The other side can talk about me, but I am not allowed to talk about them!" The claim was later echoed by others on social media. 

Merchan's  April 1 gag order  prohibits Trump from speaking about witnesses, court staff, the family members of court staff, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's family, or Merchan's family. The judge said the order was necessary because some of Trump's rhetoric might keep jurors, lawyers and court employees from performing their duties in the court. 

"This pattern of attacking family members of presiding jurists and attorneys assigned to [Trump's] cases serves no legitmate purpose," Merchan wrote of Trump in the gag order. "It merely injects fear in those assigned or called to participate in the proceedings, that not only they, but their family members as well, are 'fair game' for Defendant's vitriol."

Trump is still allowed to criticize Merchan and Bragg. And the former president may talk about the case publicly and call the trial political if he wishes.

Many legal experts argue Merchan's gag order is lawful and doesn't interfere with Trump's First Amendment rights. Duncan Levin, who worked in the district attorney's office before Bragg, told  Politifact  that gag orders "with very limited exceptions have long been found not to violate the First Amendment… [Trump] is free to discuss the criminal justice system but not to make ad hominem attacks on particular people associated with the case."

However, Trump's lawyers have challenged the order and said it is unconstitutional because it curbs his free speech rights. Trump's request to lift the order will now go to a five-judge panel for consideration. 

• Donald Trump

Laura Doan is a reporter and associate producer for "Prime Time with John Dickerson." She covers the climate crisis, science and technology, and U.S. politics.

More from CBS News

2 members of Trump jury excused, including woman who feared being identified

Prosecutors intend to bring up fraud, sexual abuse cases if Trump testifies in N.Y. trial

First 7 jurors seated in Trump trial as judge warns former president

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6 strange things observed during the April 8 solar eclipse: From doomed comets to 'diamond rings'

During the recent total solar eclipse on April 8, scientists and other observers spotted some strange things in the sky and on the ground. Here are some of our favorites.

On April 8, millions of people across North America looked up to the sky as the moon temporarily (and completely) blocked out the sun during the total solar eclipse . The historic cosmic event, which was also seen from space , was special because of the length of totality — the period when the sun's light was completely obscured — which lasted up to 4 minutes, 28 seconds . 

However, several other strange things happened during the eclipse that helped to further elevate it to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. From mysterious red dots and a newly discovered solar system object to surprising animal and human behaviors, here are the six weirdest things that happened during the eclipse.

Related: Top total solar eclipses to look out for over the next decade

Puzzling plasma plumes 

During totality, thousands of people witnessed peculiar red dots around the edge of the sun's obscured disk. Detailed photos of these dots revealed that they were fiery plumes of plasma that had seemingly erupted from the sun and were towering above our home star's surface.

Lots of people assumed that these solar outbursts were the result of powerful explosions known as solar flares . However, there were no flares during totality . Experts later explained that what people were seeing was another phenomenon known as solar prominences. These large plasma structures erupt from the sun but remain intact and attached to the solar surface for weeks at a time.

Photographers initially hoped to photograph solar flares during totality. But in the lead-up to the eclipse, the sun entered a surprising lull in solar activity, despite being near the peak in the solar cycle . As a result, explosive flares were always going to be unlikely .

New comet discovered (and destroyed) 

One of the biggest surprises during the total solar eclipse was the discovery of a tiny "sungrazer" comet named SOHO-5008, which was first spotted by an amateur astronomer just hours before the event began.

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Scientists immediately predicted that the comet might be visible to photographers during the eclipse. As suspected, multiple photographers captured blurry images of the comet as it raced toward the sun. However, it was not visible to the naked eye.

Then, just a few hours after the eclipse ended, the newly identified comet appeared to be destroyed by the sun as it got too close to our home star and likely disintegrated.

Animals acting oddly 

For humans, the eclipse is a special event that we can understand and predict in advance. But for animals, totality is a massive shock, and this surprise can trigger some rather interesting behaviors. 

Zoos located along the path of totality kept a close eye on their animals during the eclipse. 

At the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas, lots of animals — including gorillas, tortoises, elephants and bonobos — mistook the darkening sky for dusk and went to return to their indoor areas, CBS News reported . And at the Indianapolis Zoo, several bird species began to settle down for the night.

At Dallas Zoo, zebras, giraffes and chimpanzees were seen running around or patrolling their enclosures, while flamingos huddled together for safety, all of which are signs of anxiety, according to CBS News. Meanwhile, an ostrich at the same zoo laid an egg during totality, although it is unclear if this was caused by the eclipse.

Live Science's Brandon Specktor also witnessed some strange animal behavior as he watched the eclipse live from the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton, Ontario, with his family — and a goose. The waterfowl stayed eerily quiet during totality before erupting with a loud honk as the sun reappeared, which was echoed with chirps from other birds seemingly "greeting what they may have imagined was a new dawn."

Massive internet usage drop-off 

During totality, humans in the path of the moon's shadow displayed a surprising behavioral change that is becoming increasingly rare in the modern age: They put down their phones and stopped using the internet .

Network services and cybersecurity company Cloudflare reported that, during the eclipse, internet usage across the path of totality fell as people looked up to the sky. Across the U.S., internet usage dropped by 8% during the eclipse. However, in certain states — including Vermont, Ohio, New Hampshire, Maine, Indiana and Arkansas, parts of which were in the path of totality — internet usage decreased by at least 40% during totality. The biggest drop was seen in Vermont, where online traffic plummeted by 60%.

Similar decreases were also seen in parts of Mexico and Canada, which were in the path of the eclipse as well, Cloudflare reported.

Visible daytime planets 

Observing the planets is normally reserved for nighttime hours and is possible only if you know where to look. But during totality, eclipse observers got a rare chance to spot some of the planets during the day.   

As initially predicted , Jupiter and Venus were visible to the naked eye during totality. Both appeared near the sun, although they were not visible to everyone because of cloud cover.  

Planets can be seen during the eclipse only if they are near our home star in the sky. The extended period of totality experienced by most eclipse observers also increased the chances of seeing the planets.

"Baily's beads" and "diamond rings" 

Depending on where you were during totality, you also may have seen some weird lights around the sun. 

Lots of people reported witnessing multiple points of light around the obscured sun. This effect, known as Baily's beads, occurs when rays of sunlight shine between mountains on the moon's uneven edge just before and after totality. Others may have spotted a "diamond ring," where a large, bright point emerges as the moon continues to move farther away. (You may have missed these phenomena completely if you were wearing your eclipse glasses at the time.)

Showing impeccable timing, Space.com reporter Josh Dinner used one of these diamond rings to propose to his partner during totality — and she said yes .

Other weird eclipse stuff

— When is the next total solar eclipse after 2024 in North America?

— How total solar eclipses help us measure ancient history

— What should you do with your used solar eclipse glasses?

Lots of other strange things happen during an eclipse . You also may have sensed a sudden cooling effect as the sun's radiation was blocked out by the moon, or started seeing predominantly purple light thanks to a color-shifting phenomenon known as the Purkinje effect. You also may have seen clouds vanish overhead as the ground beneath you rapidly cooled. 

Even if you missed the eclipse, you can still watch NASA's livestream of the event . And the next total solar eclipse is just a couple of years away, in 2026 — if you can make it to Greenland, Iceland or Spain.

Harry is a U.K.-based senior staff writer at Live Science. He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to become a journalist. He covers a wide range of topics including space exploration, planetary science, space weather, climate change, animal behavior, evolution and paleontology. His feature on the upcoming solar maximum was shortlisted in the "top scoop" category at the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Awards for Excellence in 2023. 

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Rollback a published Chrome Web Store item

Chrome Web Store to the previous version.

This page describes how to rollback an extension or theme ("item") to its previous version. Use this if you've released an extension update with bugs and want to rollback to the earlier version immediately.

How does a rollback work?

The Chrome Web Store rollback feature lets you switch back to the previous published version. A rollback requires a new version number under which the previous version of your extension will be re-published. For example, if the current version of your extension is 1.1 and the previous version was 1.0, you can rollback to the 1.0 version by providing a new version 1.1.

Once a rollback is initiated, the previous version becomes live on the Web Store within a minute. This step does not require any reviews. Once the previous version is live on the Web Store, the normal extension update cycle applies. To update your extension after a successful rollback, publish a new version as you normally would.

You can perform multiple rollbacks in a row. However, a rollback always switches back to the previously published version. For example, after a rollback from version 1.1 to 1.0 (using new version 1.2), a subsequent roll back will switch back to version 1.1 (as a new version 1.3). This means, subsequent rollbacks will cycle between the same two versions of your extension.

Rollback during a percentage rollout

Performing a rollback during a percentage rollout will discard the partially rolled out version and will rollback to the previous published version that was set to deploy to 100%. For example, if your extension with version 1.2 is rolled out at 1% and the previous version 1.1 is rolled out at 50%, triggering a rollback will revert to the version 1.0 (if it was deployed at 100%) and thereby revert and abort all ongoing percentage based rollouts.

Rollback with pending submissions

Any pending submissions will be discarded after a rollback. This includes staged submissions and pending review submissions. For example, if your extension has version 1.2 pending review, version 1.1 published, and version 1.0 published before 1.1, then you could roll back from 1.1 to 1.0. After doing that, the pending submission with 1.2 will be discarded, and you'd need to resubmit 1.2 in order to publish it.

Ensure backward compatibility before triggering a rollback

A rollback has the potential to break your extension, or cause data loss. If you want to benefit from the ability to quickly roll back to a previous version of your extension, make changes in a way that leaves the data needed by earlier versions intact. In particular, avoid making breaking changes to any stored data required by the previous version of your extension. Always test the rollback locally, before triggering it in the Developer Dashboard.

Trigger a rollback

There are two ways to trigger a rollback.

1. You can trigger a rollback by clicking ⋮ View more menu options :

2. A rollback can also be triggered on the Build > package page of your extension by clicking Roll back to previous version :

A rollback requires a new version number under which the previous version of your extension will be re-published and a reason for the rollback. Fill in the required information and confirm the roll back:

Then, select Roll back and wait for the "Rolled back successfully" notification to show up.

Verify the rollback was successful

There are different ways to verify if a rollback has been performed successfully:

Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License , and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License . For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies . Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.

Last updated 2024-04-09 UTC.

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A Weary Trump Appears to Doze Off in Courtroom Ahead of Criminal Trial

The former president flashed signs of irritation at times, but also seemed to fall asleep, before jolting back awake.

• Share full article

By Maggie Haberman

• Published April 15, 2024 Updated April 18, 2024, 10:45 a.m. ET

Follow our live coverage of Trump’s hush money trial in Manhattan.

Former President Donald J. Trump seemed alternately irritated and exhausted Monday morning, as his lawyers and prosecutors hashed out pretrial motions before jury selection in his criminal case.

Even as a judge was hearing arguments on last-minute issues in a criminal case that centers on salacious allegations and threatens to upend his bid for the presidency, Mr. Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest.

The former president’s lead lawyer, Todd Blanche , passed him notes for several minutes before Mr. Trump appeared to jolt awake and notice them.

At other times, Mr. Trump whispered and exchanged notes with Mr. Blanche. He sat motionless while his own words from the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape — on which he bragged about grabbing women’s genitals — were read from a transcript by a prosecutor.

At times, Mr. Trump’s emotions were characteristically on display. He smirked and scoffed, and appeared frustrated when the judge in the case, Juan M. Merchan , did not immediately agree that he could miss court to attend the graduation of his youngest son, Barron.

But when Justice Merchan warned that Mr. Trump could be ejected or thrown in jail if he disrupts the proceedings, the former president indicated that he understood.

The only time Mr. Trump showed a flash of humor was when he laughed at one of his own social media posts, which attacked his former fixer, Michael D. Cohen , who is expected to be the prosecution’s central witness.

Maggie Haberman is a senior political correspondent reporting on the 2024 presidential campaign, down ballot races across the country and the investigations into former President Donald J. Trump. More about Maggie Haberman

Our Coverage of the Trump Hush-Money Trial

News and Analysis

Donald Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan took a startling turn when two jurors were abruptly excused , demonstrating the challenge of picking citizens to determine the fate of a former president.

Prosecutors argued in court that with a steady stream of social media posts, Trump had violated the gag order  imposed on him seven times, urging the judge overseeing the trial to hold him in contempt.

Our reporter joined “The Daily” to explain what happened during the opening days  of the trial against Donald Trump.

More on Trump’s Legal Troubles

Key Inquiries: Trump faces several investigations  at both the state and the federal levels, into matters related to his business and political careers.

Case Tracker:  Keep track of the developments in the criminal cases  involving the former president.

What if Trump Is Convicted?: Will any of the proceedings hinder Trump’s presidential campaign? Here is what we know, and what we don’t know .

Trump on Trial Newsletter: Sign up here  to get the latest news and analysis  on the cases in New York, Florida, Georgia and Washington, D.C.

Trump "looks furious" after judge chides him for muttering during jury selection

Former president donald trump was reprimanded by judge juan merchan, who said he won't "tolerate" disruptions, by nandika chatterjee.

Former President Donald Trump’s old antics — his whining, pouting and muttering — are making an appearance in Manhattan this week.

In court Tuesday, Trump was reprimanded by Judge Juan Merchan while his lawyer was questioning a potential juror during the selection process. “ Trump was audibly saying something and gesturing in front of the jury,” the BBC reported.

“I won’t tolerate that,” Merchan said in court. “I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear.”

Merchan advised Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, to make sure his client understood.

After Blanche gave the defendant his required “talking-to,” The New York Times reported that “ Trump looks furious.”

Such behavior, going forward, could be incredibly costly for Trump now that he's facing trial over allegations he falsified business records to cover up an alleged affair with an adult film star.

“Unlike in the court of public opinion, where Trump’s bluster and bullying may help win supporters and cause some to cower, when court is in session, the rules of evidence and procedure kick in,” Ryan Brescia, an associate dean at Albany Law School, wrote this week in The Daily Beast . " The same tactics that might give Trump some public relations wins do not really work in court. In fact, they often backfire.”