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Thesis vs Journal Article: A Comprehensive Comparison

In the world of academia, two prominent forms of scholarly writing are the Thesis and the Journal Article . While both contribute to the advancement of knowledge and showcase research skills, they have distinct characteristics and serve different purposes. Understanding the differences between a thesis and a journal article is crucial for researchers, scholars, and students. In this article, we will provide a detailed and insightful comparison of these two forms of academic writing, examining their purpose, structure, audience, and publication process.

A thesis serves as a comprehensive demonstration of a student’s ability to conduct independent research, analyze data, and contribute original insights to their field of study. Its primary purpose is to fulfill the requirements for the completion of a degree, whether it be a master’s or a doctoral program. A thesis delves deep into a specific research problem, addressing gaps in existing knowledge and making a unique contribution to the field.

On the other hand, a journal article focuses on the dissemination of research findings to the wider academic community. Its purpose is to contribute to the existing body of knowledge, engage in scholarly discourse, and facilitate further research. Journal articles are typically more specific in scope, targeting a particular research question or hypothesis, and highlighting the significance of the findings within the context of the field.

Thesis and journal articles follow different structures to fulfill their respective purposes.

A thesis typically consists of several chapters, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. These chapters are interconnected, forming a cohesive narrative that showcases the student’s research journey. Additionally, a thesis may include supplementary sections such as an abstract, acknowledgments, and appendices. The structure of a thesis allows for an extensive exploration of the research problem, thorough analysis of the findings, and comprehensive discussion of their implications.

In contrast, a journal article adheres to a more concise and standardized structure. It typically includes an abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Journal articles are focused and aim to present the research in a clear and concise manner within the limited word count set by the target journal. The structure of a journal article emphasizes brevity, with a specific focus on the key findings and their implications.

Audience and Publication

Theses and journal articles differ in their target audience and publication process.

Theses are primarily intended for academic evaluation and examination. They are typically assessed by a committee of professors or experts in the field. Theses contribute to the existing body of knowledge within a specific discipline, but they are not usually published in academic journals. While some theses may be made available through institutional repositories, their primary audience is the academic community within the student’s institution.

Journal articles, on the other hand, target a broader audience of researchers, scholars, and practitioners in the field. They undergo a rigorous peer-review process, where experts in the field assess the quality, validity, and contribution of the research. Successful publication in a reputable journal allows researchers to share their findings with the wider academic community, receive feedback, and contribute to ongoing scholarly discussions.

Length and Depth

Another significant difference between theses and journal articles lies in their length and depth.

Theses are typically longer and more extensive in terms of content. They require students to conduct comprehensive research, provide detailed literature reviews, and present thorough analyses. The length of a thesis can vary depending on the field and degree level, ranging from tens to hundreds of pages. This length allows for an in-depth exploration of the research problem and the incorporation of relevant theoretical frameworks and methodologies.

Journal articles, on the other hand, are generally shorter and more concise. They aim to present the research findings within the constraints of the target journal’s word count limitations. Journal articles can range from a few thousand words to around 8,000 words, depending on the journal’s requirements. The brevity of journal articles necessitates clear and focused writing, emphasizing the key findings, their interpretation, and their implications for the field. While the depth of analysis may be more limited compared to a thesis, journal articles are expected to provide sufficient information for other researchers to understand and build upon the presented research.

Citation and Referencing

Both theses and journal articles require accurate and comprehensive referencing to acknowledge the contributions of other researchers and provide credibility to the work.

In the case of theses, referencing is typically more extensive, as they involve comprehensive literature reviews and incorporate a broader range of sources. Theses follow specific citation styles, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago, as per the guidelines provided by the institution or department.

Journal articles also adhere to specific citation styles determined by the target journal. However, the referencing in journal articles tends to be more focused on the specific literature and studies directly relevant to the research question at hand. The emphasis is on providing adequate support for the key arguments and findings presented in the article.

The thesis and the journal article are distinct forms of academic writing, each with its own purpose, structure, audience, and publication process.

Theses demonstrate a student’s research capabilities and contribute original insights to their field of study. They are comprehensive in scope, consisting of several chapters that explore the research problem in depth. Theses are primarily evaluated by academic committees and are not typically published in academic journals.

Journal articles, on the other hand, aim to disseminate research findings to the wider academic community. They focus on specific research questions and contribute to existing knowledge. Journal articles follow a concise and standardized structure, adhering to the guidelines of the target journal. They undergo rigorous peer review and are published in reputable journals to reach a broader audience.

Understanding the distinctions between theses and journal articles enables researchers, scholars, and students to approach each form of writing with the appropriate structure, depth, and style required for their intended purpose and audience. Both theses and journal articles play vital roles in advancing knowledge and fostering academic discourse within their respective fields.

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How to Write a Journal Article from a Thesis

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

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

Thesis Characteristics:

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

Journal Article Characteristics:

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

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

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

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

1. Identify the best journal for your work

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

2. Shorten the length of your thesis

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

3. Reformat the introduction as an abstract

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

4. Modify the introduction

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

5. Tighten the methods section

Keep the discussion about your research approach short

6. Report main findings in the results

Expose your main findings in the results section in concise statements

7. Discussion must be clear and concise

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

8. Limit the number of references

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

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

Language editing services by Elsevier Author Services:

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11 Differences Between a Thesis and an Article

Journal article and thesis are two important formats of reports in academia. There are certain differences between the thesis and article. The aim of the thesis is totally different from a journal article. Being a researcher , understanding the differences between both kind of academic writing is very essential.

Differences Between a Thesis and an Article

Courtesy: Elsevier.com

Hope, this article helps you to distinguish the difference between a thesis and an article.

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Really it is very very important for a Researcher. Without knowledge of writing an article and thesis research is a dilemma .It is fruitless. Many Many Thanks for your Support in this regard.

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Journal Article vs Thesis

Which research article can be considered as journal articles? A journal article can be scientific or social science article. These are often called scientific articles, peer-reviewed articles or scholarly articles. They can be categorized as primary literature or as review articles. At times, an article could define an advanced or new tool, technique or methodology. What is a thesis? A thesis is usually a long dissertation written by a candidate for a university degree. The key difference between a journal article and a thesis is that the former is based on specific topics, whereas the latter includes a deep study under expert supervision. A thesis is usually written after a student completes his or her research in a particular field of interest under programs like doctorate, post-graduation, graduation, etc. A thesis is affiliated to any recognized university or a doctoral fellow. Its chapters or sections can be published as individual research papers in reputed journals. Hence, a thesis is considered to be an approved document and its range may vary according to the type of research done. It is generally a proposed form of writing. On the other hand, journal articles are publications including original research papers, scholarly articles, reviews, case studies, etc. A research paper may include a variety of topics, contrary to a thesis which is written on a single topic. Further, a research paper can be completed within few days, depending on the content of the research. In contrast, a thesis takes a much longer time to complete. Journal articles are usually up-to-date researches in a particular field or subject. They can even be short papers presenting innovative ideas. However, a thesis discusses current as well as future research options and presents the research in a more detailed manner, each component divided into one or more chapters.

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Publishing a Master’s Thesis: A Guide for Novice Authors

Robert g. resta.

1 Swedish Cancer Institute, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle, WA USA

Patricia McCarthy Veach

2 Department of Educational Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN USA

Sarah Charles

3 Jefferson Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA USA

Kristen Vogel

4 Center for Medical Genetics, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston, IL USA

Terri Blase

5 Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, IL USA

Christina G. S. Palmer

6 Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA USA

7 Department of Human Genetics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA USA

8 UCLA Semel Institute, 760 Westwood Plaza, Room 47-422, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA

Publication of original research, clinical experiences, and critical reviews of literature are vital to the growth of the genetic counseling field, delivery of genetic counseling services, and professional development of genetic counselors. Busy clinical schedules, lack of time and funding, and training that emphasizes clinical skills over research skills may make it difficult for new genetic counselors to turn their thesis projects into publications. This paper summarizes and elaborates upon a presentation aimed at de-mystifying the publishing process given at the 2008 National Society of Genetic Counselors Annual Education Conference. Specific topics include familiarizing prospective authors, particularly genetic counseling students, with the basics of the publication process and related ethical considerations. Former students’ experiences with publishing master’s theses also are described in hopes of encouraging new genetic counselors to submit for publication papers based on their thesis projects.

Introduction

Scholarship is important for growth of a profession and for clinical care. For these reasons, the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC) endorses scholarly activities through Practice Based Competency IV.5 (American Board of Genetic Counseling 2009 ). Boyer ( 1990 ) describes four types of scholarship (Scholarship of Discovery, Scholarship of Integration, Scholarship of Application, and Scholarship of Teaching), all of which are endorsed by ABGC and required of accredited genetic counseling training programs. The first three types of scholarship, which involve generating new knowledge or applying existing knowledge to an important problem, are the basis of the ABGC’s requirement that students in accredited programs engage in scholarship and complete a scholarly product. The ABGC defines a scholarly product to include: a master’s thesis, an independent research project, a literature review/case report, a formal needs assessment, design and implementation of an innovative patient, professional, or community educational program, and/or preparation of a grant proposal.

The purpose of this article is to encourage students to disseminate their scholarly work (except grant proposals) through a journal publication. This article was developed from an Educational Breakout Session (EBS) at the 2008 National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) Annual Education Conference and draws upon the experiences of a past editor and current assistant editor of the Journal of Genetic Counseling ( JOGC ), a student mentor, and recent genetic counseling graduates who successfully turned their student thesis projects into peer-reviewed publications.

Engaging in scholarship is important for increasing genetic counselors’ self-knowledge, but dissemination of scholarship is essential for the growth of the genetic counseling field. McGaghie and Webster ( 2009 ) identify a wide range of types of scholarly products that promote broad dissemination of information, including peer-reviewed journal articles (e.g., original research, case reports, review articles), book chapters, books or monographs, edited books, essays, editorials, book reviews, letters, conference reports, educational materials, reports of teaching practices, curriculum description, videos, simulations, simulators, and web-based tutorials. As evidence of the importance of disseminating scholarship to the field of genetic counseling, dissemination of scholarly products is actively promoted by the NSGC, the major professional organization for the genetic counseling profession. A prominent example of NSGC’s commitment to dissemination is the JOGC , a professional journal devoted to disseminating peer-reviewed information relevant to the practice of genetic counseling. The success of this journal over nearly two decades is a strong indicator of the value genetic counselors place on publishing journal articles as an essential product of scholarship.

Individuals who have completed a master’s thesis or equivalent should consider publication. This “call to publish” student work is based on evidence that a large proportion of students engage in a scholarly activity with publication potential. A recent survey of 531 genetic counselors suggests that 75% of respondents fulfilled their scholarly activity requirement via a master’s thesis (Clark et al. 2006 ). Among this group, 21% classified their thesis as “hypothesis driven” and 20% classified it as a “descriptive study.” Although the research may be relatively small scale given the time and resource constraints of short training programs (≤2 years), it nonetheless offers a rich and varied source of information about the practice of genetic counseling that could be shared with the broader community through publication. Yet Clark et al. ( 2006 ) found that only 21.6% of respondents who completed a master’s thesis had submitted a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. It appears that many students do not submit their research for professional publication, perhaps due to a combination of time constraints, lack of mentoring and support, unfamiliarity with the publication process, lack of professional confidence, and fear of rejection (Clark et al. 2006 ; Cohen et al. 2008 ; Driscoll and Driscoll 2002 ; Keen 2006 ). Because this is one aspect of scholarship that has received limited attention, guidance regarding the details and vicissitudes of the publication process, and acknowledgement that master’s theses can be successfully published, are needed.

Of course, one might question why students should or would publish the results of their graduate work. The answer is complex, without a “one size fits all,” because scholarship can be intrinsically and/or extrinsically motivated. McGaghie and Webster ( 2009 ) describe intrinsic motives as including sharing knowledge, career advancement, status improvement, collegial approval, personal pleasure, and response to challenge; extrinsic motives include academic pressure, commitment to patient care, practice improvement, and promoting the use of new technologies. Although the reasons genetic counselors publish articles have not been empirically evaluated, Clark et al. ( 2006 ) (i) concluded that a substantial number of genetic counselors consider active involvement in research (a form of scholarship and precursor to publication) to be a core role, and (ii) found that respondents endorsed a range of intrinsic and extrinsic motives for their involvement in research. These reasons included interest in the subject, contributing to the field, personal development/satisfaction, diversifying job responsibilities, job requirements, lack of existing research on a particular topic, and career advancement. It is reasonable to infer that these reasons would extend to publication as well.

The work that culminates in a master’s thesis provides the basis for a professional journal article. However, writing a professional journal article differs from writing a master’s thesis. This article, therefore, provides practical ideas and considerations about the process for developing a master’s thesis into a peer-reviewed journal article and describes successful case examples. Research and publication occur in stages and include many important topics. Previous genetic counseling professional development articles have partially or comprehensively addressed the topics of developing and conducting a research project (Beeson 1997 ), writing a manuscript (Bowen 2003 ), and the peer-review process (Weil 2004 ). This paper expands on previous articles by describing the publication process and discussing publication ethics, with emphasis on aspects pertinent to publishing a master’s thesis. It is hoped that this article will encourage genetic counselors to publish their research.

The primary audience for this article is genetic counselors who are conducting a master’s thesis or equivalent or who completed a thesis in the last few years which remains unpublished. The secondary audience is other novice authors and affiliated faculty of genetic counseling training programs. Although the focus of this paper is on journal publications which are subject to a peer-review process (e.g., original research, clinical reports, and reviews), some of the basic information applies to a variety of publishing forms.

The Publication Process

Publish before it perishes.

Like produce and dairy products, data have a limited shelf life. Research results may be rendered marginal by new research, social changes, and shifts in research trends. For example, a study of patient reluctance to undergo genetic testing due to concerns about health insurance discrimination conducted in December 2007 would have been obsolete when the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (Pub.L. 110–233, 122 Stat. 881, enacted May 21, 2008) was enacted 5 months later. Or studies of whether patients think they might undergo testing if a gene for a particular condition were identified become less relevant once the gene is actually mapped and sequenced.

The hardest part about writing is actually writing. Making the time to sit down and compose a report of research findings is a very difficult first step. As noted in the three case examples, this is particularly true for a recent graduate whose time is occupied with searching for a new job, moving to a new city, and learning the details of a new job. However, the longer you wait, the more difficult it becomes, and the greater the risk that your data will grow stale. If you do not write it, the paper will likely not get written. The three case examples identify strong mentorship, ongoing communication with co-authors, constructive criticism, and commitment to publication by every author as key elements for successfully preparing a manuscript. The following sections describe basic processes for preparing a paper. See also Table 1 for helpful references about technical aspects of manuscript preparation.

Table 1

Selected Resources For Manuscript Preparation

Choosing a Journal

Research delivered to an inappropriate audience is ignored. Many journals publish genetic counseling research—as demonstrated by the three case examples—and therefore, choosing the right journal is critical (Thompson 2007 ). The first step is to decide who the audience should be. Is it important to reach genetic counselors? Medical geneticists? Or is the audience outside of the genetic counseling community? Some genetic counseling research is of interest to researchers in patient education, decision-making, or the social sciences. Clinicians such as surgeons, radiology technicians, psychologists, and family practice physicians might benefit from a greater understanding of genetic counseling and how it interfaces with their specialties.

The next step is to decide whether the journal is interested in the type of research conducted. For example, does the journal publish articles mostly on medical and clinical issues? Does it publish qualitative research? A description of the scope, aims, and types of research that are published is located in the “Instructions to Contributors” section on the web page of most journals. A look at the journal’s editorial board might also provide a good idea of a journal’s theoretical approaches, philosophical orientation, and research interests. Another strategy is to contact the journal’s editor or a member of the editorial board prior to submitting a manuscript to discuss the appropriateness of the manuscript for the journal. Many editors welcome such pre-submission contact since it reduces their workload of reading inappropriate manuscripts.

A journal’s “impact factor” may be important to some authors when considering where to publish a manuscript. The impact factor is a—perhaps imperfect—statistical measure of a journal’s importance. The impact factor was developed in the early 1960s by Eugene Garfield and Irving Sher and is technically defined as A/B, where A = the number of times articles published in that journal were cited and B = the number of citable articles published by the journal (letters and editorials are not usually citable articles) (Garfield 1994 ). An impact factor of one indicates that on average, articles published in the journal were cited once by other authors.

A journal’s impact factor can vary greatly from year to year, and its practical utility is widely debated (Andersen et al. 2006 ; Chew et al. 2006 ; Greenwood 2007 ; Ha et al. 2006 ; The PLoS Medicine Editors 2006 ). Genetic counselors often publish small studies and case reports. The journals that might publish such papers usually have impact factors of ten or less. Thus the impact factor may be a less important consideration for many genetic counselors when deciding where to publish.

A publisher’s copyright policy may also influence the choice of where to publish. The majority of publishers own the copyright (United States Copyright Office 2008 ) and authors do not have the right to copy, re-use, or distribute their own publications without buying reprints, which can be a significant source of income for publishers. Some journals, like the Public Library of Science (PLoS), are completely Open Access and make all articles fully available online. Other journals have Delayed Open Access, which makes articles publicly available after a specified period of time, often a year or two. Many journals, such as the JOGC , promote Hybrid Open Access in which authors, for a fee, can make their articles publicly available. Some journals will make select articles publicly available, usually those that attract media attention. For grant-funded research, consider the requirements of the funding source; some granting agencies require that the research results be made publicly available at some point.

Peer Review

Peer review is the process in which two or three experts evaluate a manuscript to determine whether it is worthy of publication. Peer review is the backbone of scholarly publishing; no research manuscript gets published until a team of reviewers and journal editors vets it. Ideally, reviewers are objective, constructively critical, open-minded, fair, and insightful. Some journals blind the reviewer to the author’s identity, in hopes that the authors’ reputations or professional relationships will not influence the review. Some journals will let authors suggest reviewers or request that certain people not review a manuscript. A journal’s peer review policies may be another important consideration in choosing where to submit a manuscript.

In practice, peer review is not always ideal (Benose et al. 2007 ; Curfman et al. 2008 ; Hames 2007 ; Wager et al. 2006 ). Nonetheless, no better or viable alternative has been proposed. Reviews may sometimes appear to be arbitrary, unfair, and poorly performed. Reading such reviews can be very difficult and frustrating, even for experienced authors. However, it is a reviewer’s job to be critical, and there may be elements of truth in even the most negative reviews. Some editors may be willing to send a manuscript to another reviewer if an original reviewer produces a harshly critical or poorly thought out critique. Some journals have a formal appeals process if a manuscript is rejected or an author feels a review is inaccurate, inappropriate, or biased. However, sometimes it is simply easier to submit the manuscript to a different journal. Case # 2 describes a successful example where submitting a manuscript to a different journal led to publication.

The manuscript rejection rate varies widely across journals, but about half of all manuscripts are rejected or require significant revisions (Armstrong et al. 2008 ; Hall and Wilcox 2007 ; Liesegang et al. 2007 ). About half of rejected manuscripts are published in other journals (Armstrong et al. 2008 ; Hall and Wilcox 2007 ; Liesegang et al. 2007 ). Even among articles that are accepted for publication, the vast majority will require significant revisions. All three case examples describe manuscripts that underwent significant revision. Thus, prospective authors should not be disheartened if a manuscript is rejected or needs extensive re-writing; this is the rule rather than the exception . Many editors are willing to work with authors who have questions about specific comments or how best to incorporate the reviewers’ suggestions. Busy journal editors would rather answer questions up front than have to laboriously edit a revised manuscript and send it back for further revisions.

Peer review, and the subsequent manuscript revisions, along with the number of manuscripts submitted to the journal, are probably the most critical bottlenecks in determining how long it takes before a manuscript appears in print. Typically, a year or more may pass from the time of submission to the publication date. The three case examples include their timeframes to highlight the need for perseverance and patience with the publication process.

The clearest way for authors to respond to editors’ and reviewers’ comments is to prepare a table that lists each comment and how the authors addressed them, item by item. Some reviewers’ comments may be inaccurate or simply unrealistic (e.g. “The authors should re-do the entire research study...”); these can be discussed in the table or in the cover letter that accompanies the table. Additional information about the peer-review process can be found in Weil ( 2004 ).

Acceptance!

Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, the publisher or the journal editor will send a copyright transfer statement that spells out ownership of the article. This statement must be signed and returned in short order before the manuscript will be published. The corresponding author will receive page proofs, usually electronically, which must be read by the author for accuracy and returned fairly quickly (usually 2–3 days). Many publishers are reluctant to make significant changes in the page proofs, and they may charge for substantial revisions. Thus, the version of the manuscript that is submitted to the journal before the page proofs are generated should be very close to what the author wishes to see in print. Usually at this time publishers will offer the author the option to purchase reprints to allow the author to share the publication with other researchers, co-authors, and colleagues. Some journals will provide a limited number of free reprints or a complimentary copy of the issue of the journal in which the paper appears. The steps in the publication process are summarized in Table 2 .

Table 2

Steps in the Publication Process

a ∼50% of manuscripts are rejected or require significant revision before being accepted for publication

Ethics of Publishing

“Scholarship (like life) is not always fair or precise.” (Thompson 1994 )

Manuscript preparation and submission for publication can be complicated by ethical issues. Many authors may not be aware of these ethical conundrums, let alone have a plan for addressing them. Ethics is not a stagnant concept. As research methodologies and research questions evolve, new ethical issues in publishing arise. This section contains a description of several issues broadly relevant to the publishing practice of genetic counselors, particularly as students or recent graduates. However, it is important for genetic counselors-as-authors to keep abreast of ethical issues relevant to their own work.

“Ethics” are principles that govern the behavior of individuals or groups (Merriam-Webster 1974 ). Ethical codes of conduct exist in order to preserve the integrity of a profession, ensure the public’s welfare, and protect scholars. Ethical issues particularly relevant to writing for publication, include: (1) authorship determination, (2) disclosure and conflicts of interest, (3) plagiarism, (4) subject confidentiality, (5) accuracy of information, and (6) publishing in multiple sources.

Authorship Determination

Consider the following situation: A student conducted an excellent study for her master’s thesis project. At the beginning of the project, her supervisor promised her that she would have first authorship on any manuscripts based on the project. However, when the time came to write the paper, the student procrastinated. Finally, after the supervisor repeatedly “nagged” her, she submitted a draft to her, but it was very poorly written. The supervisor decided the only way to salvage the paper was to totally rewrite it herself. Now the supervisor thinks that she deserves to be the first author. Is this ethical? Does it matter if the project was the student’s master’s thesis rather than a project in which she was voluntarily involved? Are there guidelines that might be implemented in advance to handle this kind of situation?

This complex situation may be all too familiar for many supervisors and students. It raises issues about valuing contributions to the publication process, the power differential between supervisors and students, determining when renegotiation of authorship is warranted, and setting expectations and priorities up front. Whenever manuscripts are authored by more than one individual, order of authorship should be negotiated as early in the process as possible. Only individuals who have actually contributed to the work should be listed as authors. Their order should indicate “...the relative scientific or professional contributions of the individuals involved, regardless of their status” (Shadish 1994 ) (p. 1096). In the sciences, the first and last authors typically are the individuals that made the greatest contributions to the project (Laflin et al. 2005 ). Many journals require a listing of each author’s contribution to the manuscript in order to make sure each person meets the journal’s requirements to be listed as an author.

Student authors pose a special situation. Doctoral students usually are the first authors of papers based on their dissertation research (Nguyen and Nguyen 2006 ). Authorship order is less clear for masters’ projects because masters’ students may lack sufficient knowledge and skills to conduct a project and prepare a manuscript of publishable quality without considerable input from their supervisor (Shadish 1994 ). Thompson ( 1994 ) recommends that when there is any question as to who made the primary contribution, the student should receive higher authorship. His recommendation helps to protect the person who has less power in the situation. Often students are involved in studies that are not based on their own master’s or doctoral research, but rather are connected to an existing research program, such as case examples 1 and 2. In those situations, some authors contend that their involvement should be creative and intellectual in order to warrant authorship; otherwise, student input can be credited in an acknowledgement section (Fine and Kurdek 1993 ; Holaday and Yost 1995 ; Thompson 1994 ).

Negotiating authorship is an important step that should begin in the initial stages of a project. This step usually involves assessing and agreeing upon each person’s tasks, contributions, and efforts. The amount of supervision required for an individual’s contributions is usually considered as well (Fine and Kurdek 1993 ). Sometimes renegotiation of authorship order is necessary due to unexpected changes and/or substantial revision of the manuscript. The key is to remember that authorship is negotiated. Questions to consider throughout this negotiation process include: Who had the original idea for the basis of the publication? Who designed and conducted the study that generated the data? Who will write most of the first draft of the paper? Is the study part of someone’s research lab? Students should maintain early and on-going communication with their co-authors about their investment of time and efforts and the outcomes of those efforts (Sandler and Russell 2005 ). However, scholarly contribution is more important than actual time and effort expended when determining authorship. For more information regarding authorship determination, it may be useful to review guidelines for discussing and clarifying authorship order (Gibelman and Gelman 1999 ) or developing individualized contracts for research collaboration (Stith et al. 1992 ). These guidelines also may be useful for initiating discussion of authorship as part of the curriculum in genetic counseling training programs.

Take another look at the authorship scenario. At the time of the original negotiation of authorship, it is likely that the supervisor (and other parties) believed the student warranted first authorship due to her creative contributions and time allotted to the study. In most authors’ minds, first authorship is equated with substantial contribution to writing the manuscript, usually the first draft, so it is important the student understand this is part of the responsibilities of being first author. Typically students have no experience writing a journal article, and so some procrastination is likely. In this scenario, the authorship dilemma may have been averted by having in place a plan to mentor the student, providing support, and delineating a specific process for writing the first draft of the manuscript.

Manuscripts invariably undergo substantial revision as co-authors and reviewers weigh in, so it is not unusual that the supervisor would revise the student’s first draft. This activity does not prima facie warrant a change in authorship order. However, by developing a specific plan to support the student’s writing, it may minimize the extent of the supervisor’s revisions. It is possible, though, that the student’s procrastination and poor writing should initiate a renegotiation of authorship order because the level and nature of her contributions to the work may be changing. The supervisor and student should discuss the reasons for changing authorship order; the supervisor should not unilaterally make this change without discussion. Keep in mind that the bar for changing authorship should be much higher if the paper is based on the student’s master’s thesis than if it is based on a project in which she was voluntarily involved. It is also important to inform students early in the process that most research is a collaborative effort, requiring time, energy, and sometimes funding, and therefore their collaborators have expectations that their contributions will be rewarded through publication. Developing an a priori policy for renegotiation may often reduce misunderstandings and minimize conflict.

Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

Consider the following situation: A student conducted a study to evaluate a new program that her clinic is offering to its patients. She interviewed ten patients who participated in the program about their experience. Nine of these patients were in general agreement about the value of the program, while the 10th patient was quite negative about her experience. The student’s impression of this patient is that she is a generally negative person. The student believes that the patient came into the program expecting not to like it. Furthermore, the student is concerned her clinic will lose funding for this program if she reports this patient’s responses. The student decides to exclude her data from the paper. Is this decision ethical? Why or why not?

One ethical issue raised in this scenario involves determining when it is appropriate to exclude data points. Data collected from research can be messy, and it is not unusual for some data points to be excluded from analyses. However, there must be an explicit methodology for excluding data points or subjects, and this information usually is reported in the manuscript. Examples for exclusions include: missing data (e.g., a participant did not complete a majority of the items on a questionnaire); measurement error (e.g., the recorded measurement of a biological process or part of the anatomy is simply impossible); small sample sizes (e.g., an insufficient number of individuals from a minority group participated in the research resulting in numbers too small for meaningful analysis). In the scenario described above, the rationale provided for excluding the 10th patient’s experience is not sufficient to warrant exclusion. Instead, it appears that exclusion of this individual is based on a desire to promote the new program in the student’s clinic. In order to eliminate this form of conflict of interest, one could consider involving a clinic outsider in the analysis and interpretation of the data. By including a clinic outsider in the project, editor and reviewer concerns about the integrity of the data, analyses, and conclusions will be allayed.

Most journals provide another “safeguard,” by requiring a statement about possible conflicts of interest. A conflict of interest statement requires the author to acknowledge in writing the nature of any circumstances that might bias the process and/or outcome of their work. For example, any project and published report that might result in direct financial gains for an author(s) should be disclosed to a journal’s editor and to the readership. Examples of possible conflicts of interest include conducting a study of the effectiveness of a genetic test funded by the company that developed and is marketing the test, or a program evaluation study whose outcome would determine the continuation of the investigators/authors’ jobs.

Plagiarism is a familiar concept to most people. Everyone generally understands the importance of “giving credit where credit is due.” Yet, the National Science Foundation estimates that the prevalence of plagiarism may be as high as 50% (Roig 2001 ). Probably many of these incidents are unintentional and/or occur because the authors were unaware of some of the nuances regarding plagiarism. Although there is some variability within and across disciplines about the specific behaviors that constitute plagiarism, there is general agreement about two broad types (Roig 2001 ): cryptamnesia -an individual thinks their idea is original when it actually was presented by someone else previously; and inappropriate paraphrasing —an individual uses another person’s published text without properly citing that use, and/or using their statements with little or no modification. Specific examples of inappropriate paraphrasing include: (1) publishing another person’s work as one’s own; (2) copying part of another author’s paper and claiming it as one’s own; (3) copying text from another source without using quotations marks and without citing that source in the text; (4) paraphrasing text from another source without providing an in-text citation; (5) summarizing material from another source without clearly connecting the summary to that source; and (6) using copyrighted materials without author/publisher permission (East 2006 ; Lester and Lester Jr. 1992 ).

Additional types of plagiarism include ambiguous use of citations. For instance, an individual includes a citation in a paragraph but does not clearly indicate which content in the paragraph is from the cited work. Another type of plagiarism is self-plagiarism . Self-plagiarism occurs when an individual includes published work of their own for which they do not own the copyright (e.g., reprinting a table from one of their previously published papers); repeating verbatim text from a previously published article. Permission to reprint material from the publisher must be obtained.

Plagiarism is a serious ethical breach which can result in a legal penalty. Strategies for avoiding plagiarism include limiting the use of direct quotes; avoiding the use of secondary sources—it is always better to read and cite an original source when available; and restating ideas in one’s own words while providing in-text citation of the work that contains the original ideas (East 2006 ; Lambie et al. 2008 ; Lester and Lester Jr. 1992 ). When in doubt regarding the originality of one’s words, it is best to cite the source(s) on which they are based. In this regard, it may help to bear in mind that readers will assume all words in the paper are the author’s unless the source(s) are cited.

Subject Confidentiality

Published papers must be written in a way that no subjects can be recognized by others without their written consent (Gavey and Braun 1997 ). Given the unique nature of genetics, family members may also need to provide written consent (McCarthy Veach et al. 2001 ). When possible, identifying information should be removed or disguised (e.g., use of pseudonyms) and data based on multiple subjects should be reported in aggregate (group) form. Institutional review boards (IRBs) play a critical role in assuring protection of subject confidentiality. Many journals require authors to indicate either in the paper or a cover letter that they have obtained institutional review board approval to conduct their animal or human subjects study. In some cases, an ethics board may have been consulted regarding ethical dilemmas reported in a clinical paper and this should be acknowledged in the paper.

Accuracy of Information

Authors are responsible for rigorously checking the accuracy of their facts, data, and conclusions. However, despite one’s best efforts, substantial errors sometimes are not discovered until after a paper is published. In that case, the corresponding author should contact the journal immediately and ask that an erratum be published. On a related note, authors have a professional responsibility to make data sets reported in published papers available to other professionals. This practice allows for verification of the findings and conclusions, and it also makes possible research replications and extensions of the original study. The length of time for retaining research records depends on institutional policy and sponsor policy, so it is important to be aware of how these policies apply to the research generated by a master’s thesis. Often institutional review boards require researchers to state how long they will maintain a data set, and the researchers must adhere to that time frame.

Another accuracy issue concerns modifying and reporting the use of published material (e.g., an interview protocol, psychological instrument, curriculum) without clearly describing the precise nature of the modifications. Interpretation of findings and their comparison to other studies using the “same” instrumentation may be severely compromised when an author fails to report modifications. Further, professional courtesy suggests that permission be sought from the author before changing her or his material. Also, use of published material requires crediting the author(s) of that material by including relevant citations.

Publishing in Multiple Sources

In the sciences, a manuscript should not be under review by more than one journal at a time. It is, however, acceptable to submit material for presentation at a conference prior to its actual publication in a journal, as the authors in case examples 1 and 3 did. Some conferences publish proceedings , and some journals will not publish work that is already published in a Proceedings unless the two papers differ substantially. When in doubt, it is good practice to contact a journal’s editor to determine the journal’s policy. Journals typically only publish original work, but on occasion there may be interest in reprinting an article. Reprinting a previously published paper requires written permission from the owner of the publication copyright. As a matter of courtesy, one should also seek the corresponding author’s permission, even if the author does not own the copyright.

Examples of Success

The benefits of sharing knowledge within the medical community and with the public via publication have been delineated. The publication of original work contributes to the advancement of the genetic counseling field overall, and at the individual level, authorship establishes a level of professional credibility, enhancing opportunities for future employability, funding and job satisfaction. The opportunity to develop a genetic counseling master’s thesis into a manuscript should therefore not be overlooked. Below are the personal accounts of three recent graduates who successfully transformed their individual master’s theses into published manuscripts. These examples were not systematically ascertained, and as such, do not necessarily represent all experiences with trying to publish a master’s thesis. These stories provide “first-hand accounts” of the authors’ experiences and, while acknowledging the challenges, demonstrate commitment to publishing their own projects throughout their careers. Table 3 contains a list of helpful hints gleaned from these cases.

Table 3

Helpful Hints for First Time Authors

Case 1: Consider Writing Your Thesis and Journal Article Concurrently

As a result of personal determination, and above all, strong mentorship, I was able to turn my master’s thesis work into a manuscript published in Patient Education and Counseling , titled “Satisfaction with genetic counseling for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations among African American women” (Charles et al. 2006 ). My work was a small component of an existing research project being conducted within a university academically affiliated with my genetic counseling training program. The project was an evaluation of the overall effects of “Culturally Tailored vs. Standard Genetic Counseling Protocol” among African American women.

I started by reviewing previous publications this group of researchers had produced and using these as a guide for my first draft, followed by multiple revisions. Approximately 17 months elapsed between first submission and publication. We submitted the manuscript in its original form in May 2005. We received the reviewers’ comments later that summer, and submitted revisions five months later. The article was accepted in that same month, published online five months later and in print seven months after the online version appeared. Shortly after graduating from my program I submitted an abstract of the work to NSGC for presentation at the 2005 Annual Education Conference, and subsequently learned that it was selected for the NSGC Beth Fine Student Abstract award.

My experience may be unusual because I worked on the manuscript and thesis project concurrently. Composing separate but related documents while still juggling second year genetic counseling student responsibilities was certainly a challenge. Preparing a comprehensive thesis project is a very different task than manuscript composition, the latter of which is more focused and narrow in scope. Challenges posed by this concurrent approach included ensuring that text requirements and deadlines specific to each document were met, as well as incorporating and addressing the reviews of both the training program and peer-reviewers. The main benefits of this approach were that I was still in school and therefore geographically close to my mentors, which facilitated ongoing communication throughout the process, and that the manuscript was under review by a journal before I started my new job.

Factors contributing to the successful publication of this project include mentorship, accountability, and commitment to publication by every author. Supportive, constructively critical, and well published, my mentors had high standards and knew the process. Frankly, I did not want to disappoint them. I found setting deadlines and meeting them, along with the accountability of in-person meetings (as opposed to email), to be effective approaches. Finally, publishing the project was a stated goal of the authors at the initiation of the project. I will not claim that the process was easy, but the goal is certainly attainable and worthwhile.

Case 2: You Need Not Publish Every Thesis Finding—Pick The Most Interesting and Relevant

As is the case for many graduate students, the first time I attempted to publish was after I completed my thesis. My thesis concerned the development of a minority research recruitment database and was the result of my graduate research on underserved populations.

Following graduation, I started my first job as a genetic counselor in a new city. During the overwhelming process of adjusting to “my new life,” my thesis advisor asked me to submit a manuscript to the American Journal of Public Health in response to a call for abstracts on genetics topics. Unfortunately, the deadline was only one week away. I scrambled to cut down my lengthy thesis to a reasonable length and submitted it, knowing that it was not my best work given the time constraint. Needless to say, it was rejected.

I decided that before resubmitting the manuscript to a different journal, I would need to take a different approach to the paper, more or less starting over. While my research results were interesting, they were limited in their application. I decided to publish instead on the success of our research initiative, as other researchers could learn from our process. Since I was changing the focus of the manuscript, I had to do an additional literature search and produce much of the writing from scratch. Most of this work had to be completed in my free time. While it was difficult to stay motivated, working on my manuscript when first starting a job was manageable as my caseload was lightest in the beginning. After several weeks of hard work, I submitted the manuscript to Health Promotion Practice .

About one month later, the editor contacted me and asked me to resubmit my manuscript with revisions. Three different reviewers provided feedback. Initially, it was overwhelming to read through their comments and frustrating, particularly when the reviewers contradicted each other. Despite my frustration, with my co-authors’ guidance I forged ahead and resubmitted, only to have the editor and reviewers ask for additional revisions. There were comments from the same three reviewers, however, far fewer in number. Still, I was beginning to think they would never accept the manuscript. I once again called upon my co-authors for guidance and was able to address the reviewers’ comments and resubmit the manuscript once again.

This time when I heard from the editor, the manuscript was finally accepted. What started out as a 120 page thesis ended up being published as an eight page paper (Vogel et al. 2007 ). It took approximately 8 months of writing and revising before the manuscript was finally accepted and an additional year before it came out in print. While the entire process was a true test of patience and determination, it was ultimately worth it. The experience gave me the foundation to carry on my research career and continue to publish successfully.

Case 3: Expectations and Mentorship are Crucial

I defended my thesis, received my Master’s degree, and was about to move back to the Midwest to start my new job as a genetic counselor, but my long “To-Do” list had one remaining item: Publish master’s thesis. I started the initial master’s thesis process with the expectation from one of my thesis advisors, and now a co-author, that research is not “put down and set aside” until published. I never questioned the process; if I was going to work with this advisor, I would be publishing. I was excited to undertake this challenge and impressed by my thesis advisor’s dedication, mentorship, and desire to see our hard work recognized. Nearly two years later, I could proudly say that this expectation, held by all of my thesis advisors and me, was accomplished. The manuscript, published in the JOGC , describes qualitative research regarding communication of genetic test results within a family (Blase et al. 2007 ).

In the beginning, I was unfamiliar with the publication process, but because of the support and guidance of my advisors, I began to learn the process, and so the frustrations and uncertainties were minimal. I also had a great working relationship with my co-authors that included communicating regularly and setting and meeting deadlines. After deciding the JOGC was the most appropriate venue for my research, I spent a good deal of time reducing and reformatting the 80 page thesis to a 20–25 page manuscript to meet the journal’s guidelines. Given the page constraints, this process necessitated determining which data to focus on and re-framing some information to appropriately fit the readers of my selected journal. Conversations with my advisors were instrumental in this phase.

There was nothing quick about publishing my master’s thesis. I graduated in June 2005, received an email shortly thereafter from one of my advisors about how to begin constructing a first draft of a manuscript, and began working on the manuscript in July 2005. I submitted the manuscript to JOGC in May 2006 and subsequently was informed by the editor that based on the reviews, revisions were required before the manuscript could be considered for publication. In September 2006, after two rounds of revisions, my manuscript was accepted, and by June 2007 it was published in the journal.

Although ultimately I was successful in publishing my master’s thesis, the process had its moments of frustration. I remember getting my first round of comments from the reviewers; I thought I was never going to get to the point of publication. My co-authors supported and encouraged me by explaining that revisions are truly part of the process. I was overwhelmed by the reviewers’ list of questions and changes after my initial submission, followed by additional reviews and revisions. Not only did I have to figure out how to keep the manuscript a priority in light of my new job, but I had to weed through and address the reviewers’ comments, and the suggestions of each co-author. The guidance of my thesis advisors, now co-authors, helped me navigate this process.

I have gained much through this experience. The process has opened doors for me including opportunities to work with other professionals with impressive publishing experiences, as well as speaking and poster presentation opportunities at national conferences. I also have greater confidence about the publishing process. What seemed like such a daunting and impossible task is now an attainable outcome. Although my master’s thesis was my most recent publication, the thought of taking on the publication process again is not nearly as intimidating as I once thought.

Publication of original research, clinical experience, and literature reviews are vital to the growth of the genetic counseling field and to the delivery of genetic counseling services. Publishing also promotes personal growth by counting toward maintenance of ABGC-certification as well as establishing the author as a credible and respected authority both within and outside the genetic counseling field. This professional recognition in turn can lead to employment opportunities, speaking engagements, research funding, and career advancement.

Submitting a manuscript for publication also can be an intellectually challenging, emotionally trying, and time-consuming task. But similar to life’s other difficult tasks, the rewards and satisfaction are commensurately great—to see your name in print, have your work cited by other authors, and know that you have contributed in a meaningful way to the practice and understanding of genetic counseling. Transforming a master’s thesis into a journal article is an obvious first step in developing and sustaining a commitment to publishing for our genetic counseling profession. Common themes in the three success experiences include the importance of mentorship and clear expectations for publishing, recognition of the length of the process and concomitant need for perseverance in the face of revisions, awareness of personal and professional benefits in terms of presentations at national meetings, awards, and motivation to continue publishing. Hopefully the information provided in this article will help to de-mystify the publishing process, promote consideration of ethical issues in publishing, and stimulate genetic counseling students and new graduates to embrace a “Publish for Success” philosophy.

Acknowledgments

This paper was developed from an Educational Breakout Session (EBS) sponsored by the Jane Engelberg Memorial Fellowship Advisory Group at the 2008 NSGC Annual Education Conference.

Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial License which permits any noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author(s) and source are credited.

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How to Turn Your Thesis Into a Journal Article

In many cases, publishing thesis is often one of the requirements for graduate students to finish their academic program. Publishing research findings is one of the more important ways to share research data with the scientific community. However, the structure of it is different from that of a research article. In this article, we shall discuss how to turn your thesis to journal article.

Characteristics of a Thesis and a Journal Article

Differences between a thesis and a journal article.

While both contain similar sections, you cannot simply publish your thesis research as a journal article. Converting it into a journal article has many steps. It is important to recognize that an article is much shorter than the thesis. However, turning your thesis into a journal article will not be a simple matter of copy and paste. You will need to use the data in your thesis as the starting point for writing your article.

Related: Planning to publish your Ph.D. research in a good journal? Check these journal selection guidelines now!

The many differences between a thesis research and a journal article are as follows:

A thesis meets academic requirements while a journal article meets journalistic standards.
The abstract of an article is usually shorter than that of a thesis.
The introduction in a thesis is used to show that you are familiar with the literature in your chosen field. In a research paper , the introduction is much shorter as it is assumed that your target audience is familiar with the necessary background to understand your work. The introduction to your paper will, therefore, focus more on setting the stage for the data/research output that you are about to present.
The results section in a thesis will include all your findings. In a paper, this would be too much detail. The data in this section should be only what you need to support your research problem or hypothesis. Often, the results in former may represent two to three different papers.
The discussion in your paper will be much more focused than in your thesis. It will be guided by the results presented in the paper. Finally, only citations of articles actually mentioned in your paper will be listed in the references section.

Turning Thesis Research to Journal Article

As a researcher, you need to publish your work to advance your career and make contributions to the research field. Now that the differences have been outlined, how do you actually write one?

1. Identify a Suitable Journal

You could start by journal selection . Look at your reference list. Chances are at least some of the papers you read were published in journals whose scope would match your work. Selecting a journal also allows you to tailor the paper to the specific requirements of that journal. Ensure that your research article coincides with the aim and scope of the journal. Understand the journal’s guidelines, recommended manuscript structure, and reference style

2. Reduce Redundant Length of Your Thesis

An important aspect of turning your thesis research to journal article is focusing on the word count without deleting crucial information. In order reduce word count , extract the data that answers just one research question. This should result in a more focused information than your thesis research presented. Discuss results in context with your problem statement-that is the focus of your paper. Good language and structure are crucial – your paper may get rejected even though it contains valuable data if it is difficult to understand. Use your data to tell a coherent story and avoid sweeping conclusions your data cannot support. Ensure that your title matches the contents of your paper. Paraphrase the content without changing the meaning.

3. Modify Introduction as Abstract

Repurpose the introduction as an abstract by shortening your thesis introduction to 100-150 words. Remember to maintain key points of the introduction to hold the reader’s attention. Formulate the introduction and discussion of thesis as basis for the journal article’s abstract. Furthermore, consider combining multiple research questions or focus on just one for the journal article.

4. Focus on Relevant and Selective Information

Since the discussion, methods and methodology, and results section of your thesis is an in-detail explanation of your research, these sections must be kept short while writing in a journal article. Familiarize yourself with the target journal’s standards by referring previously published papers and understanding their format. Most importantly, provide interpretation of main findings in the results section in concise statements or tabular formats. Avoid repeating your results in the discussion section. However, discuss how your findings expand and support previous perspectives of the research. Finally, mention how future studies can build upon your work and address limitations in your study.

5. Limit the Number of References

As your thesis is a work of several years put together, it involves numerous literature reviewing. However, while turning your thesis to journal article, you must include only limited references that are relevant to the research question addressed in the journal article. Focus on using most recent references. Consider using reference management tools such as Zotero, Mendeley, Quiqqa, etc. to make the referencing process easier and efficient.

It is an academic requirement that you publish your data for the benefit of the scientific community. Considering that the structure of journal article is different from the structure of a thesis, turning a thesis to journal article must be done following logical steps as mentioned above.

Did you ever have to convert your thesis to journal article? How did you plan it? What strategies did you use while reducing the word count of your thesis? Let us know in the comments section below! You can also visit our Q&A forum for frequently asked questions related to different aspects of research writing and publishing answered by our team that comprises subject-matter experts, eminent researchers, and publication experts.

I was Searching For This From So Many days. Thank you for Sharing

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

Are we also going to talk Code of Conduct in Research, as authorship is part of the conduct (ethics)?

Regards, Elvia

I guess you are referring to our upcoming webinar on Assigning Authorship & Contributorship | Tips for Researchers. We will be discussing the ethical dilemmas in authorship during the session.

We would request you to register and attend the webinar for additional insights on this topic.

Meanwhile, we would recommend you to share your queries with us on our FREE Q&A forum . In addition, you may download our FREE mobile app to stay updated on the latest resources in research writing and academic publishing.

What about the Topic? we need to rephrase the topic or keep it same with Thesis topic?

Hi Shahid, Thank you for your question. Your thesis topic would be a cumulative title for all the chapters described in your thesis. When you publish your thesis as a journal article, every chapter would be published as an individual article in most cases. You may or may not use the same title that you have used for that particular chapter in the thesis. Your thesis would have chapter names that are more suited to the overall objective of your thesis. On the other hand, your manuscript should ideally have a catchy and search-optimized title highlighting a general perspective. It may not be the same as your thesis title. However, if your thesis chapter title meets the requirement of the manuscript you intend to publish, you can go ahead with the same.

You could also go through our articles on writing good research paper titles: https://www.enago.com/academy/top-10-tips-on-choosing-an-attractive-research-title/ https://www.enago.com/academy/writing-a-good-research-title-things-to-avoid/ https://www.enago.com/academy/write-irresistible-research-paper-title/

Did you get a chance to install our FREE mobile app . Make sure you subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://www.enago.com/academy/subscribe-now/ .

Hi Dr. Durga, Amazing article and I am sure it will surely help the writers to write more carefully and also plagiarised free.

Greeting from Enago Academy! Thank you for your positive comment. We are glad to know that you found our resources useful. Your feedback is very valuable to us. Happy reading!

i just read the article and also the comments section it’s so helpful. thank you so much for sharing it.. good work!

Thanks a lot for this informational blog which surely going to help the students pursuing the Phd. Nowdays due to assignment burden students started taking the help of professional academic experts. There are many writing services.

Thank you for the very useful article. I will definitely look into it.

Writing a book: needed advice and help at one point. I found enago academy in my search of Answers. You were a Great Help! I hope to use your services again, if I am stuck on correct writing principles! Thank You for being here. K.R. Plante

This helped me a lot; thank you for this informative article.

Thanks for writing such an informative blog which will surely be a great help for the students as well as the institutions

Great article! One question…. should I cite the thesis in the paper? If so, how do I do that efficiently since it would be all over the place?

good, insightful piece of text.

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Difference between Thesis and Articles

Thesis and Journal Article are both important parts of reports in academic field. Some researchers find it the same but it has many differences so it is necessary to know what is thesis and what is article.

A thesis is a theory or statement needs to be proved while an article is a piece of writing that can be found in the newspaper, magazine, or other publication.

In terms of word length, there is no particular word limit in thesis writing which is approximately 25,000 words, while in article writing there is a word limit based on the journal approximately 5000 words. Also, thesis abstract is longer than a journal paper and article abstract is smaller in length. In addition, thesis literature is much longer than article literature.

A thesis is an academic requirement while an article meets journal standards. Thesis has a table of contents while an article follows a manuscript format.

Thesis also needs to discussed detailed research methodology carried but an article discussed specific methodology as well as experiments conducted.

Others differences includes the way it is written, a thesis needs a detailed introduction while an article needs a concise introduction. All findings presented as in the thesis but an article only selected finding.

Thesis and Purpose Statements

Use the guidelines below to learn the differences between thesis and purpose statements.

In the first stages of writing, thesis or purpose statements are usually rough or ill-formed and are useful primarily as planning tools.

A thesis statement or purpose statement will emerge as you think and write about a topic. The statement can be restricted or clarified and eventually worked into an introduction.

As you revise your paper, try to phrase your thesis or purpose statement in a precise way so that it matches the content and organization of your paper.

Thesis statements

A thesis statement is a sentence that makes an assertion about a topic and predicts how the topic will be developed. It does not simply announce a topic: it says something about the topic.

Good: X has made a significant impact on the teenage population due to its . . . Bad: In this paper, I will discuss X.

A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic.

A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire paragraph.

A thesis statement is focused and specific enough to be proven within the boundaries of the paper. Key words (nouns and verbs) should be specific, accurate, and indicative of the range of research, thrust of the argument or analysis, and the organization of supporting information.

Purpose statements

A purpose statement announces the purpose, scope, and direction of the paper. It tells the reader what to expect in a paper and what the specific focus will be.

Common beginnings include:

“This paper examines . . .,” “The aim of this paper is to . . .,” and “The purpose of this essay is to . . .”

A purpose statement makes a promise to the reader about the development of the argument but does not preview the particular conclusions that the writer has drawn.

A purpose statement usually appears toward the end of the introduction. The purpose statement may be expressed in several sentences or even an entire paragraph.

A purpose statement is specific enough to satisfy the requirements of the assignment. Purpose statements are common in research papers in some academic disciplines, while in other disciplines they are considered too blunt or direct. If you are unsure about using a purpose statement, ask your instructor.

This paper will examine the ecological destruction of the Sahel preceding the drought and the causes of this disintegration of the land. The focus will be on the economic, political, and social relationships which brought about the environmental problems in the Sahel.

Sample purpose and thesis statements

The following example combines a purpose statement and a thesis statement (bold).

The goal of this paper is to examine the effects of Chile’s agrarian reform on the lives of rural peasants. The nature of the topic dictates the use of both a chronological and a comparative analysis of peasant lives at various points during the reform period. . . The Chilean reform example provides evidence that land distribution is an essential component of both the improvement of peasant conditions and the development of a democratic society. More extensive and enduring reforms would likely have allowed Chile the opportunity to further expand these horizons.

For more tips about writing thesis statements, take a look at our new handout on Developing a Thesis Statement.

Writing Process and Structure

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Getting Started with Your Paper

Interpreting Writing Assignments from Your Courses

Generating Ideas for Your Paper

Creating an Argument

Thesis vs. Purpose Statements

Developing a Thesis Statement

Architecture of Arguments

Working with Sources

Quoting and Paraphrasing Sources

Using Literary Quotations

Citing Sources in Your Paper

Drafting Your Paper

Introductions

Paragraphing

Developing Strategic Transitions

Conclusions

Revising Your Paper

Peer Reviews

Reverse Outlines

Revising an Argumentative Paper

Revision Strategies for Longer Projects

Finishing Your Paper

Twelve Common Errors: An Editing Checklist

How to Proofread your Paper

Writing Collaboratively

Collaborative and Group Writing

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Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence

Thesis statements, claims, and evidence, introduction.

The three important parts of an argumentative essay are:

A thesis statement is a sentence, usually in the first paragraph of an article, that expresses the article’s main point. It is not a fact; it’s a statement that you could disagree with. Therefore, the author has to convince you that the statement is correct.
Claims are statements that support the thesis statement, but like the thesis statement, are not facts. Because a claim is not a fact, it requires supporting evidence.
Evidence is factual information that shows a claim is true. Usually, writers have to conduct their own research to find evidence that supports their ideas. The evidence may include statistical (numerical) information, the opinions of experts, studies, personal experience, scholarly articles, or reports.

Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence.

Paragraphs 1-7

Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” It is a thesis statement for three reasons:

It is the article’s main argument.
It is not a fact. Someone could think that peoples’ prior convictions should affect their access to higher education.
It requires evidence to show that it is true.

Finding Claims. A claim is statement that supports a thesis statement. Like a thesis, it is not a fact so it needs to be supported by evidence.

You have already identified the article’s thesis statement: “People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.”

Like the thesis, a claim be an idea that the author believes to be true, but others may not agree. For this reason, a claim needs support.

Question 1. Can you find a claim in paragraph 3? Look for a statement that might be true, but needs to be supported by evidence.

Finding Evidence.

Paragraphs 5-7 offer one type of evidence to support the claim you identified in the last question. Reread paragraphs 5-7.

Question 2. Which word best describes the kind of evidence included in those paragraphs: A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 8-10

Finding Claims

Paragraph 8 makes two claims:

“The United States needs to have more of this transformative power of education.”
“The country [the United States] incarcerates more people and at a higher rate than any other nation in the world.”

Finding Evidence

Paragraphs 8 and 9 include these statistics as evidence:

“The U.S. accounts for less than 5 percent of the world population but nearly 25 percent of the incarcerated population around the globe.”
“Roughly 2.2 million people in the United States are essentially locked away in cages. About 1 in 5 of those people are locked up for drug offenses.”

Question 3. Does this evidence support claim 1 from paragraph 8 (about the transformative power of education) or claim 2 (about the U.S.’s high incarceration rate)?

Question 4. Which word best describes this kind of evidence: A report, a study, personal experience of the author, statistics, or the opinion of an expert?

Paragraphs 11-13

Remember that in paragraph 2, Andrisse writes that:

“People’s prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning.” (Thesis statement)
“More must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.” (Claim)

Now, review paragraphs 11-13 (Early life of crime). In these paragraphs, Andrisse shares more of his personal story.

Question 5. Do you think his personal story is evidence for statement 1 above, statement 2, both, or neither one?

Question 6. Is yes, which one(s)?

Question 7. Do you think his personal story is good evidence? Does it persuade you to agree with him?

Paragraphs 14-16

Listed below are some claims that Andrisse makes in paragraph 14. Below each claim, please write the supporting evidence from paragraphs 15 and 16. If you can’t find any evidence, write “none.”

Claim: The more education a person has, the higher their income.

Claim: Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.

Paragraphs 17-19

Evaluating Evidence

In these paragraphs, Andrisse returns to his personal story. He explains how his father’s illness inspired him to become a doctor and shares that he was accepted to only one of six biomedical graduate programs.

Do you think that this part of Andrisse’s story serves as evidence (support) for any claims that you’ve identified so far? Or does it support his general thesis that “people’s prior convictions should not be held against them in pursuit of higher learning?” Please explain your answer.

Paragraphs 20-23

Andrisse uses his personal experience to repeat a claim he makes in paragraph 3, that “more must be done to remove the various barriers that exist between formerly incarcerated individuals such as myself and higher education.”

To support this statement, he has to show that barriers exist. One barrier he identifies is the cost of college. He then explains the advantages of offering Pell grants to incarcerated people.

What evidence in paragraphs 21-23 support his claim about the success of Pell grants?

Paragraphs 24-28 (Remove questions about drug crimes from federal aid forms)

In this section, Andrisse argues that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions. To support that claim, he includes a statistic about students who had to answer a similar question on their college application.

What statistic does he include?

In paragraph 25, he assumes that if a question about drug convictions discourages students from applying to college, it will probably also discourage them from applying for federal aid.

What do you think about this assumption? Do you think it’s reasonable or do you think Andrisse needs stronger evidence to show that federal aid forms should not ask students about prior drug convictions?

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How to Turn a Thesis into a Journal Article

by Antony W

July 30, 2022

This is the complete guide on how to turn a thesis into a journal article. Whether your professor has asked you to do this as part of your dissertation writing assignments or you intend to use your thesis as a starting point for a journal writer, you’ll find this guide useful.

Turning your thesis into a journal article and publishing your research findings is a great way to share your research data with the scientific community. By studying your journal article, other researchers will more than likely gain new knowledge they otherwise wouldn’t have. They might even use your research data as a starting point to investigate an arising issue in your field of study.

Apparently, you can’t publish your thesis as a journal article exactly as it is. While the two papers have the common goal of sharing new knowledge with a relevant community of experts, they differ in the overall structure.

So continue reading to learn how to convert your thesis (or dissertation) into a journal article:

The majority of researchers would rather read a 10-15 page article about the most groundbreaking aspect of your study than wade through 300 pages of your book-style thesis. That’s why it’s important to learn exactly how you can turn a thesis into journal article.

While reading over your thesis work, you’ll see that certain chapters are easy to divide and turn into a journal article. These segmented chapters, together with the research materials obtained throughout the research phase, should give you sufficient information to write a few journal articles that other readers can actually read.

Why Should I Publish Journal Articles Based on My Thesis?

It is quite well established that a research article lends the author considerable credibility. As a result, the simplest method to begin writing your first research paper is to begin with your thesis or dissertation. Additionally, you will get several rewards after you publish the first article based on your thesis. These may include the following:

1. Career Advancement

A simple bullet point stating that you produced a journal paper is an exceptional accomplishment and boost to your CV. A thesis often takes a year or two to finish. Because you have already conducted research and gathered information, you are not required to perform more research or collect additional facts. In this manner, it becomes easier to save considerable amount of time and still publish your findings.

Similarly, you may generate many research articles from your thesis. This will put you much ahead of your contemporaries, since by the time they are able to publish one or two pieces, you will have had many journal publications under your name.

2. Expanded Reach

Do you know what became of your thesis once you submit it? Other than getting credit for the hard work that you put in, it will probably be nothing more than an archive in your institution.

This is customary for all theses at the majority of universities worldwide.

However, if you translate that into a journal paper, it reaches a far larger audience, well beyond the confines of your school.

3. Satisfaction with one’s own actions

You’ve invested much time and work in developing your thesis. Therefore, why not reward your efforts by converting your thesis into a journal article that can attract a larger audience, establish your authority, and garner recognition for your work.

By converting your thesis into a few journal pieces, you may immediately increase the fame and renown of your work, as well as yourself. Additionally, it might aid in the development of your academic and research writing abilities.

Is it acceptable to create articles using a thesis or dissertation?

There are several problems and misunderstandings surrounding the publication of papers based on theses.

For instance, researchers often have concerns about whether journal publishers would accept material that was previously included in a thesis or dissertation, or whether generating articles from a thesis will fall under the jurisdiction of duplicate submission, self-plagiarism , or copyright issues.

We are not saying that these concerns are without merit, but the practice of publishing papers based on a thesis differs according to environment. What we can say with confidence is that publishers are not wholly opposed to publishing papers derived from a thesis.

Consider the following:

1. Dissertation and Thesis are Not Official Publications

The majority of academic publishers do not see theses and dissertations as official publications. More often than not, we get them published at the institutional level for internal review and a limited distribution to other researchers.

However, if your university has published your theses online, you should contact the academic publisher. Transparency with your publisher on the origin of your work is the greatest approach to avoid unethical behavior. The optimal option in this case is to construct a thesis citation article.

2. There Are No Copyright Issues

When it comes to your thesis, you are the exclusive owner of the copyright. As a result, there will be no difficulties with copyright infringement when you publish an article based on your thesis. If you want to be extra cautious, you can register as a copyright owner. In this situation, you can write as many papers as you like, and academic publications will publish them without fear of copyright infringement.

3. You Don’t Have to Worry About S-Plagiarism and Duplicates

You can write a full journal article from a few thesis chapters. Thus, a journal article derived from a thesis or dissertation is an integral component of it, not a duplicate. Additionally, it has to go through a rigorous peer-review procedure , which introduces several distinctions between the article and your thesis. Nobody has the right to charge you for copying your own thesis for a journal article.

Likewise, you may prevent self-plagiarism by simply referencing your thesis/dissertation in the journal article. Additionally, you may utilize quotation blocks in areas where you have used the exact same material verbatim as your thesis.

In each of these circumstances, you should tell the publication that the piece came from your thesis. In addition, you should provide them with a copy of your thesis that includes all pertinent information, such as the location and date of its initial publication.

Maintaining transparency and open communication with your editor about these matters might work in your favor, as they may assist you to understand the protocols to follow in order to prevent any ethics issues that you may be unaware.

Thesis vs Journal Article

Before discussing how to generate a journal article from your thesis, it is critical to grasp the differences between a journal article and a thesis.

To begin with, the audience for the journal article and the thesis are different. For a thesis, the audience is the institutional committee that determines whether your thesis is of sufficient quality. Whereas the readers of a journal article are scientists or experts in the same field who are seeking for hypotheses backed up by facts and proof.

Additionally, students write thesis with the educational goal of earning a degree in mind. On the other hand, an academic paper/article published online is for accomplishing professional objectives such as establishing credibility, reputation, and recognition within the academic area.

The format of a thesis is significantly different from that of a journal article. As with everyone else, you must have incorporated in your thesis everything you understood about the subject. The objective of a thesis is to offer all available facts and evidence in order to demonstrate your understanding of a subject. In the case of journals, you must demonstrate your understanding of the subject in a more concise and clear manner.

How to Convert a Thesis Into a Journal Article

When writing your first article, it is critical to include a succinct literature review, calculating procedures and methodology section, relevant results and evidence, and a condensed discussion part.

You must begin writing your paper by gaining a knowledge of your audience and the queries they will have after reading your piece. Simply, you must understand your audience and the responses they anticipate from your post.

To develop your first journal article from your thesis, keep the themes described above in mind and go through information discussed below:

1. Word Count Restriction

It is self-evident and widely accepted that a journal article is significantly less in length than a thesis. While a thesis may have 8000–10,000 words and stretch 200+ pages, a journal article may contain no more than a few thousand words and span 5-7 pages.

As a result, you must carefully condense each piece. You should reduce the paragraphs to ensure that the essential meaning is not lost and that there is no repetition. You must choose the most critical issues and include them into your writing.

2. Abstract

The abstract serves as the gateway to your academic article. As a result, you must incorporate and express the topic’s most fascinating elements here, yet succinctly. You must curate it in accordance with the journal’s guidelines.

You must inquire and confirm if a structured or unstructured abstract is required. Additionally, there is an increasing tendency in graphic and video abstractions.

3. Introduction

While writing the introduction, you must highlight the gaps in your selected subject that prompted your study.

Following that, you must produce a succinct literature review that summarizes previous research and the new findings that you hope to discover. This part should contain a description of the research challenge and a background check on the subject.

4. Techniques

You must have gone into great depth in your thesis on your selected approaches and methodology. You cannot do the same thing with the journal article.

You should focus on the methodology section, particularly the experiments, surveys, and other methods you used. In journal papers, you are not required to provide a full overview of the study methods used.

5. Conclusions

You must keep in mind that a thesis must detail each result with extensive explanation, but a journal may merely include the results of the major discoveries.

As such, while writing the result sections, ensure that you include only those findings or outcomes that directly address the study question. Additionally, you must give real proof to support your findings. Additionally, full adherence to the rules for reporting outcomes is required.

6. Deliberation

The discussion part of a journal article gives a concise interpretation of the findings in order to demonstrate your grasp of the subject. Ensure that the discussion part of your journal paper is succinct and concise.

Bear in mind that by including a discussion section, you exhibit your interest in and guesses about the study topic’s future trajectory.

7. Bibliography

Do not just copy and paste your thesis’s reference or citation list into the article. You must include all references and citations consulted during the research process. You must ensure that the references you include in this section are pertinent to the issue.

Occasionally, academic publications impose limits on the number of references you may provide, so ask ahead of time about the quantity of references.

There are no rules that bar you from turning your thesis into a journal article. In fact, if you discuss this with your peers, they will urge you to follow through.

Simply bear in mind the distinction between a thesis and a journal article, as well as the function each plays in a particular environment, and you will be able to publish an article from your thesis with ease.

To be clear, the purpose of this guide is to point you in the right way when it comes to writing a journal article from a thesis or dissertation.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the publisher’s standards, or if you’re just puzzled and in need of assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us for help. We have professionals who are good in dissertations and journal articles, and they’re readily available to help.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Difference Between | Descriptive Analysis and Comparisons

Search form, difference between journal, paper and thesis.

Key Difference: The main difference between journal, paper and thesis is that journal is an article which consists of some specific criteria. A paper is an informative sheet. Thesis includes a deep study under the guidance of some respected person.

A journal is an article type of content which consists of a specific format wherein the thoughts are put into words. A journal is an experience booklet which is to be updated regularly. Journals are informative book logs. They have a pre-defined form of content which are to be followed accordingly. Journals are used for referring purposes.

It contains the desired amount of information which is used for reference. Journals are also reference-books. After studying some specific contents, the content is written in a generalized form and molded into the journal. Journals are specific record keeping booklets. They are periodicals which publish the particular topics. They consist of the reviews regarding any articles or research.

The journals and thesis consists of bunch of papers arranged in a systematic format. The content in a paper gives a systematic approach to the user. Many such research papers together contribute in the work of thesis and journal. The certification obtained in any field acts as a proof in the form of a paper. It narrates the entire subject relevant to the topics.

The meaning of the word thesis means a long piece of writing on a particular subject that is done to earn a degree at a university.

Thesis is a deep study which is done under the guidance of an experienced person; mostly thesis is written after the research is carried on in a particular field. Thesis is especially written in the field of doctorate, post-graduation, masters, etc. After doing the appropriate research in the relevant field along with the master’s degree the individual is allowed to write the relevant experience in the form of a thesis.

Thesis includes research papers and work documents which would be affiliated by a recognized doctorate individual or by a university. A thesis document should be an approved document; its range may vary according to the type of research done. Thesis writing is a proposed form of writing. It includes the detailed study material right from the origin till its final product. It also explains the current status of the product. Theses are mostly written in order to secure the research.

Comparison between Journal, Paper and Thesis:

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Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference Between Article and Journal

On the contrary, Journal is a periodical publication in a specific field of study, which is often reviewed by experts in the concerned area. Journal publications are regarded as one of the highly honoured forms of publications, because of its high standards in reviewing and publishing.

Come let’s discuss the differences between article and journal.

Content: Article Vs Journal

Comparison chart, definition of article.

The article implies an independently written composition, usually short and precise, which is traditionally included in the newspaper, magazines, websites, journals, etc. It is written for a large audience in an entertaining manner, so as to grab and retain their interest and attention. The name of the person who wrote the article is always mentioned.

An article not just integrates facts, but the thoughts and opinions of the writer and experts, and balanced arguments are also included. A well-drafted article often brings out topics of interest into the limelight.

An article may cover fascinating stories, reported speech, information, suggestions and other descriptions. It can also describe any event, experience, person or anything else. Articles are classified on the basis of need or preference:

News Articles : Articles containing breaking news, information, happenings, events of public interest, what will happen in the near future or a trending topic. It may contain photographs, charts, interviews, debates, etc. Its objective is to report on when, how, where and why the event took place and who is involved in it.
Feature Articles : One that is written creatively and descriptively so as to entertain, engage and influence the reader. The article can be based on anything, i.e. from people to place or from event to experience.
Editorial Articles : These are commonly found in newspapers and magazines, which often showcase a new outlook or opinion, on a current issue. It often expresses a distinctive angle or approach about someone or something and provokes the reader to think that way.
How-to Articles : Such articles are instructional in the sense that they offer complete guidelines on how-to-do something.
Marketing Articles : A short piece of writing, which is actually an advertisement, written to catch the attention of the reader towards the company’s product or service.
Question-Answer Articles : As the name suggest, these articles are in question-answer format, based upon an interview with the famous personality. It does not contain an introductory paragraph.
Profile Articles : Profile articles are all about a specific person, which requires research and interview, to gather relevant information about that person.

Definition of Journal

Journal can be defined as a professional or academic publication, which features a number of educational articles, written by researchers, experts or someone having academic qualifications in the concerned subject, which presents original and new research, book reviews, feedback, review articles and so forth. It includes references and targets academic audience only.

A journal is always on a specific discipline, that targets a particular group of people, typically students pursuing that discipline and not the general public. It must be noted, the journals are usually peer-reviewed (refereed) and so they undergo an extensive editorial process. However, all the journals are not peer-reviewed.

They focus on current developments in the field of study. It is available in both offline (printed form) and online mode. One can use journal articles for the purpose of research as they are authoritative, up to date, topic-specific and understandable.

Journals are published periodically, i.e. weekly, bi-monthly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. Each copy is termed as an issue, and a set of issues are called volume.

Key Differences Between Article and Journal

The points given below are noteworthy so far as the difference between article and journal is concerned:

An article is a written composition on a topic of interest, which forms a separate part of a book, magazine or newspaper. On the other hand, Journal is a type of magazine which contains articles and other descriptions on a particular discipline or professional activities.
While the article is a work of literature, the journal is a form of publication.
An article is non-fictional and informative in nature. As against, the journal is educational and academic.
The article can include news, stories, information, facts or writer’s experience, opinion, suggestion, facts, etc. Conversely, a journal contains articles, book reviews, editorial content, achievements, feedback, recent developments in the field of study and many more.
An article is written on the topic of interest of the writer or any burning issue. In contrast, a journal is all about the specific field of study or professional course and developments thereon.
The main objective of writing an article is to influence the reader and urging them to think. On the flip side, a journal aims to provide relevant information relating to the professional course.

In a nutshell, an article differs from a journal in the sense that an article is a written composition, which is just a small part of the journal, while the journal is itself a publication containing a number of articles and other relevant material.

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Dissertation vs Thesis: The Differences that Matter

Updated: January 24, 2023

Published: April 26, 2020

Dissertation-vs-Thesis-The-Differences-that-Matter

As a graduate student, you will have many different types of challenging coursework and assignments. However, the biggest project that you’ll work on when earning your master’s or doctoral degree will be your thesis or dissertation . The differences between a dissertation vs thesis are plenty. That’s because each of these pieces of writing happen at different times in one’s educational journey.

Let’s break down what a dissertation and thesis are so that you have a strong handle on what’s expected. For both a thesis and a dissertation, there is an obvious fluency and understanding of the subject one studies.

Let’s take a look at their similarities and differences.

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

What is a dissertation.

When you enter a doctoral program to earn a PhD, you will learn a lot about how to conduct your own research. At the culmination of your degree program, you’ll produce a dissertation.

A dissertation is a lengthy piece of written work that includes original research or expanded research on a new or existing topic. As the doctoral student, you get to choose what you want to explore and write about within your field of study.

What is a Thesis?

A thesis is also a scholarly piece of writing, but it is for those who are graduating from a master’s program. A thesis allows students to showcase their knowledge and expertise within the subject matter they have been studying.

Main Differences Between a Thesis vs. Dissertation

The biggest difference between a thesis and a dissertation is that a thesis is based on existing research.

On the other hand, a dissertation will more than likely require the doctoral student to conduct their own research and then perform analysis. The other big difference is that a thesis is for master’s students and the dissertation is for PhD students.

Structural Differences Between a Thesis and a Dissertation

Structurally, the two pieces of written analysis have many differences.

A thesis is at least 100 pages in length
A dissertation is 2-3x that in length
A thesis expands upon and analyzes existing research
A dissertation’s content is mostly attributed to the student as the author

Research Content and Oral Presentation

Once completed, some programs require students to orally present their thesis and dissertation to a panel of faculty members.

Typically, a dissertation oral presentation can take several hours. On the other hand, a thesis only takes about an hour to present and answer questions.

Let’s look at how the two scholarly works are similar and different:

Similarities:

Each is considered a final project and required to graduate
Both require immense understanding of the material
Written skills are key to complete both
Neither can be plagiarized
Both are used to defend an argument
Both require analytical skills
You will have to draft, rewrite, and edit both pieces of writing
For both, it is useful to have another person look over before submission
Both papers are given deadlines

Differences:

A dissertation is longer than a thesis
A dissertation requires new research
A dissertation requires a hypothesis that is then proven
A thesis chooses a stance on an existing idea and defends it with analysis
A dissertation has a longer oral presentation component

The Differences in Context: Location Matters

The united states.

In the US, everything that was previously listed is how schools differentiate between a thesis and a dissertation. A thesis is performed by master’s students, and a dissertation is written by PhD candidates.

In Europe, the distinction between a thesis and dissertation becomes a little more cloudy. That’s because PhD programs may require a doctoral thesis to graduate. Then, as a part of a broader post-graduate research project, students may complete a dissertation.

Photo by Russ Ward on Unsplash

The purpose behind written research.

Each piece of writing is an opportunity for a student to demonstrate his or her ability to think critically, express their opinions in writing, and present their findings in front of their department.

Graduate degrees take a lot of time, energy, and hard work to complete. When it comes to writing such lengthy and informative pieces, there is a lot of time management that is involved. The purpose of both a thesis and a dissertation are written proof that you understand and have mastered the subject matter of your degree.

Degree Types

A doctoral degree, or PhD, is the highest degree that one can earn. In most cases, students follow the following path to achieve this level of education: Earn a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s, and then a PhD. While not every job title requires this deep educational knowledge, the salaries that come along with each level of higher education increase accordingly.

Earning Your Degree

Whether you are currently a prospective student considering earning your higher education degree or a student enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program, you know the benefits of education.

However, for some, earning a traditional degree on-campus doesn’t make sense. This could be because of the financial challenges, familial obligations, accessibility, or any other number of reasons.

For students who are seeking their higher education degrees but need a flexible, affordable, and quality alternative to traditional college, take a look at the programs that the University of the People has to offer.

University of the People is an entirely online, US accredited and tuition-free institution dedicated to higher education. You can earn your Master’s in Business Administration or your Master’s in Education . Not to mention, there are a handful of associate’s and bachelor’s degree programs to choose from as well.

If you want to learn more, get in touch with us !

The Bottom Line

Regardless of where and when you earn your master’s or doctoral degree, you will likely have to complete a thesis or dissertation. The main difference between a thesis and dissertation is the level at which you complete them. A thesis is for a master’s degree, and a dissertation is for a doctoral degree.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the prospect of having to research and write so much. Your educational journey has prepared you with the right time management skills and writing skills to make this feat achievable!

ARDA Conference

ARDA helps students and research scholars in attending conferences and journal publication

Home » Article Writing Services » Difference Between Thesis and Research Article

Difference Between Thesis and Research Article

Difference between Thesis and an Article

Thesis writing

The word dissertation is derived from the Latin word dissertation, which means “path”. In some countries, dissertations are also referred to as a thesis. According to the Oxford Dictionary, dissertations can also be defined as long essays on a particular subject or topic written especially for a college degree. Thesis writing can vary in scope, length, and nature, but the main aim and objective remain the same.

Research Article

A Research Article , on the other hand, could be defined as any original and non-plagiarism research. The term ‘research’ refers to the repetition of the search (examination). Repetitive research in various directions to prove the central question of the thesis is generally called ‘research’. A research article will usually, if not always, include the central question of the thesis. There are generally two types of research papers, one being qualitative and the other quantitative.

Differences Between Thesis & Research Article – In Truest Academic Sense

A thesis is all about a single scholarly statement, and sometimes maybe it’s a summary. The existence of a thesis opens up avenues of inquiry into an infinity of speculative possibilities such as antitheses.
While the thesis question opens up the limits of these varying possibilities, the primary focus of inquiry persists, remaining unchanged .
A research article consists of both speculative variables (the majority of which are nullified) and constants that aim to prove the central question of the thesis or the major objective of the research.
In its purest form, the question that a thesis hopes to answer has a sort of legality in which the outcome warrants the means potentially. Article writing involves explaining the central thesis and constitutes a process of methodological demonstration of this assertion.

Quantitative and qualitative disciplines implement this methodology in various ways depending on the provisions of that particular field. ARDA conference portal helps in writing research articles and thesis writing.

Primary Differences Between Thesis & Research Paper

There are numerous contrasts between a thesis and a research article. Some of these are major differences, while others are more nuanced or subtle. The differences described here come from classical European Enlightenment thought. There are many relevant and alternative defining paradigms and therefore, differences. While only the classicist strain will be explained here, other modes of definitions, differences and similarities will also be presented.

Primary Focus

A thesis is concerned with the central question or statement of a scientific hypothesis that results in further investigation, while a research paper is concerned with proving that central argument.

The thesis concerns both the possibilities through the formation of numerous antitheses and the end of all the possibilities by the cancellation of all these antitheses.
The research paper is all about proving the central statement of the thesis and accumulating proof and data to validate the same, investigating other possibilities and invalidating them and presenting speculation on prospective options for the question, which is the central part of the thesis.
To be accurate, the research paper is all about explaining and proving the thesis.

Length Of The Argument

The thesis is usually formed by the in-depth original reflection that puts forward a proposition or statement, but the research paper requires a tenacious resilience on the part of the researcher to prove the primary inquisition.
The latter is a lengthy, drawn-out process in which there is the gathering of evidence, the lifting and cancellation of various other possibilities and the application of theories and evidence to the central question of research. All of this is done to prove the thesis.
The research paper could be called an elaboration and augmentation of the primary thesis.

Problem Statement

The term ‘thesis’ is often used in place of the term ‘research article’. This is, however, a rhetorical discrepancy in which a part is substituted for a whole.
A thesis statement is generally part of the research paper and not the other way around.
A thesis statement does not include the methodology. A research article illustrates this methodology and offers insight into whether it is of the quantitative or qualitative sort.
A thesis statement is an end in itself. A research article, meanwhile, although intended to expose and explain the thesis, clearly opens up all the avenues of research that the online thesis statement holds in potentia.
If the vast majority of these lines are canceled and proven to be “incorrect”, there are few possibilities that still refuse to go away.
These could, in the future, go into the formation of alternative discursive structures in which the central question of the thesis is no longer valid.
The research article seen in its “flow”, is also the end of the central thesis statement. Nevertheless, it is generally rich in theoretical and empirical information and detail.
The thesis statement addresses a single question, while the research article raises several questions, albeit related to the central theme. Some of these questions are canceled and others remain the indicators of alternative discourse.

A research article usually consists of the thesis, but this is not always the case. The research article may be on the part of the thesis question and may have stand-alone validity. Are you confused about your research article writing and journals ? Inquiry or Comment us below we help in article writing services .

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Thesis vs Journal Article: A Comprehensive Comparison
What is the Difference Between Article and Journal
Differences Between Thesis and Journal Article
What is the Difference Between Thesis and Research Paper
Thesis vs Journal Article
How to convert your thesis into a journal article?

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9 differences between a thesis and a journal article
This infographic lists nine ways in which a thesis is different from a journal article. The idea is to help you understand how the two are distinct types of academic writing, meant for different audiences and written for different purposes. Feel free to download a PDF version of this infographic and print it out as handy reference.
Thesis vs Journal Article: A Comprehensive Comparison
The structure of a thesis allows for an extensive exploration of the research problem, thorough analysis of the findings, and comprehensive discussion of their implications. In contrast, a journal article adheres to a more concise and standardized structure. It typically includes an abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion, and ...
Adapting a Dissertation or Thesis Into a Journal Article
For instance, most APA journals limit the abstract length to 250 words. Introduction section: One of the major challenges in reformatting a dissertation or thesis is paring down its comprehensive literature review to a more succinct one suitable for the introduction of a journal article. Limit the introductory text to material relating to the ...
How to Write a Journal Article from a Thesis
2. Shorten the length of your thesis. Treat your thesis as a separate work. Paraphrase but do not distort meaning. Select and repurpose parts of your thesis. 3. Reformat the introduction as an abstract. Shorten the introduction to 100-150 words, but maintain key topics to hold the reader's attention.
11 Differences Between a Thesis and an Article
Thesis formatted as a table of content manner. A journal article should follow a manuscript format. Abstract. The length of the thesis abstract is longer than a journal paper. (approx 350 words) Abstract in the article is smaller in length. (approx 150 to 250 words) Introduction. A detailed introduction is required.
Journal Article vs Thesis
In contrast, a thesis takes a much longer time to complete. Journal articles are usually up-to-date researches in a particular field or subject. They can even be short papers presenting innovative ideas. However, a thesis discusses current as well as future research options and presents the research in a more detailed manner, each component ...
What is the difference between a masters thesis, a PhD thesis, and a
A journal article is something altogether different -- sometimes based on a thesis or dissertation. Journal articles must pass external peer review, whereas a thesis and dissertation is approved internally (sometimes with 1 external committee member). Also, formatting is usually dictated by the recipient journal, whereas theses and dissertation ...
PDF How to Turn Your Thesis into an Article
THesis JournAl ArTicle The main differences between a thesis and an article: Tip u: identify the appropriate target journal • Read the aims and scope of the journal and make sure that your paper is in the journal's scope. If your research falls outside of the aims and scope, look for a more suitable home for your paper.*
From Thesis to Journal Article: A Guide for Researchers
1. Identify the Best Journal: Ensure your work aligns with the journal's aim and scope. 2. Shorten Your Thesis: Treat your thesis as a distinct work, preserving the original meaning through ...
Writing a journal article from your thesis or research project
Abstract. Background: Many midwives who have completed their thesis or dissertation have not subsequently published their findings in a peer reviewed journal. This means that the potential ...
Publishing a Master's Thesis: A Guide for Novice Authors
Transforming a master's thesis into a journal article is an obvious first step in developing and sustaining a commitment to publishing for our genetic counseling profession. Common themes in the three success experiences include the importance of mentorship and clear expectations for publishing, recognition of the length of the process and ...
How to Turn Your Thesis Into a Journal Article
3. Modify Introduction as Abstract. Repurpose the introduction as an abstract by shortening your thesis introduction to 100-150 words. Remember to maintain key points of the introduction to hold the reader's attention. Formulate the introduction and discussion of thesis as basis for the journal article's abstract.
Writing the doctoral thesis differently
A thesis is, however, much more than just an output of learning. It is a formative process through which a doctoral student learns what it means to be a researcher. The doctoral thesis as a form of academic writing has, however, received scant attention in organisational studies.
Difference between Thesis and Articles
A thesis is an academic requirement while an article meets journal standards. Thesis has a table of contents while an article follows a manuscript format. Thesis also needs to discussed detailed research methodology carried but an article discussed specific methodology as well as experiments conducted. Others differences includes the way it is ...
Traditional vs. Journal Style Thesis Templates
The main difference is how you organize your written content. Traditional Style Theses are organized by chapters or sections. Journal Style Theses are organized by manuscripts tied into an overarching Introduction and Conclusion. Reference the tables below for an in-depth description of the differences between the two Thesis Template Styles.
Thesis and Purpose Statements
A thesis statement makes a promise to the reader about the scope, purpose, and direction of the paper. It summarizes the conclusions that the writer has reached about the topic. A thesis statement is generally located near the end of the introduction. Sometimes in a long paper, the thesis will be expressed in several sentences or an entire ...
Identifying Thesis Statements, Claims, and Evidence
Each paragraph in the article is numbered at the beginning of the first sentence. Paragraphs 1-7. Identifying the Thesis Statement. Paragraph 2 ends with this thesis statement: "People's prior convictions should not be held against them in their pursuit of higher learning." It is a thesis statement for three reasons:
How to Turn a Thesis into a Journal Article
Ensure that the discussion part of your journal paper is succinct and concise. Bear in mind that by including a discussion section, you exhibit your interest in and guesses about the study topic's future trajectory. 7. Bibliography. Do not just copy and paste your thesis's reference or citation list into the article.
Journal vs Paper vs Thesis
Key Difference: The main difference between journal, paper and thesis is that journal is an article which consists of some specific criteria. A paper is an informative sheet. Thesis includes a deep study under the guidance of some respected person. The meaning of the word journal means a book in which you write down your personal experiences ...
Difference Between Article and Journal (with Comparison Chart)
While the article is a work of literature, the journal is a form of publication. An article is non-fictional and informative in nature. As against, the journal is educational and academic. The article can include news, stories, information, facts or writer's experience, opinion, suggestion, facts, etc. Conversely, a journal contains articles ...
Dissertation vs Thesis: The Differences that Matter
Both papers are given deadlines. Differences: A dissertation is longer than a thesis. A dissertation requires new research. A dissertation requires a hypothesis that is then proven. A thesis chooses a stance on an existing idea and defends it with analysis. A dissertation has a longer oral presentation component.
Difference Between Thesis and Research Article
A thesis statement is generally part of the research paper and not the other way around. A thesis statement does not include the methodology. A research article illustrates this methodology and offers insight into whether it is of the quantitative or qualitative sort. A thesis statement is an end in itself.