Do You Need Publications to Apply for a PhD Program?

The publication question comes up all the time when talking about grad school applications. It’s something that many applicants spent a lot of time worrying about. So, do you need to have publications on your CV when applying for PhD programs?

The short answer is no. Publications are not required to apply for a PhD. The longer answer is that the admissions committee wants to see that you have the potential to become an excellent researcher. While publications are one indication of this, they are not the only way to show that you have strong research skills. Presenting at undergraduate conferences, volunteering in a lab, winning research awards, or doing an industry internship also show your research aptitude. Additionally, your letters of recommendation can speak to your potential for research excellence or indicate if the research you’re involved in may lead to a publication eventually. If you are involved in research as an undergraduate or Master’s student that leads to a publication, think of it as a nice bonus rather than a need-to-have.

Having a publication on your CV (even if it’s in a different field) can help your application stand out when applying to a competitive program or make up for a weakness elsewhere in your application. You may notice that some current students in the program published during undergrad, but again, this doesn't make it an application requirement. 

Keep in mind that every field has its own publishing expectations. In the humanities, for example, publications are very rare even at the PhD level and many graduate from top PhD programs without publishing. Engineering is another field that has lower PhD publishing expectations that high output fields like biology. Some fields also have longer experiment times, so it’s understood that, while you may be doing high quality work, it will take longer for your findings to be published. 

Rather than worry about publications, focus instead on gaining solid research experience. Ask to volunteer in a lab. Find a job as a research assistant. Present at an undergraduate conference. Submit a paper to an undergraduate journal. These are equally valuable ways to build up the kind of research experience that makes you a promising applicant. 

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‘I am left wondering when my doctorate will really end.’

I've left my PhD behind, but I'm being put under pressure to publish

My supervisor is trying to convince me to revisit my doctorate even though I have no interest in academia. Is that fair?

I finished my PhD two years ago, have a full-time job outside academia, and have even moved to a new country – but my PhD supervisor is still contacting me and pressurising me to publish my results. I fulfilled the requirements for my PhD and have moved on to new interests and new challenges. Despite the many ways my life has changed since I graduated, I am left wondering when my doctorate will really end.

Pressure on PhD graduates to publish their results once they have finished can put challenging demands on their time, when they might no longer be tied to their research or the institution in the way they were while enrolled in the PhD programme.

Graduates may be studying different topics, working outside academia, or job-hunting. They could also be juggling multiple personal and family responsibilities that they placed on hold during the PhD. When you are actively enrolled on a PhD programme, you have to take account of institutional and research council guidelines and expectations. The responsibilities of a post-PhD student are much less clear.

Post-PhD pressure

My own PhD supervisor has tried a number of methods over the past two years to convince me to revisit my doctorate and write papers for publication. At first I was optimistic, due to their assurances that writing papers could be completed quickly, based on the weighty document I had already produced. I began drafting two papers for publication in my spare time, and worked on them for a few months. Early on, I received input from my supervisor and I used the feedback to revise the work and send a new version to them.

However, my emails about it began to receive no response – term time had begun. I wasn’t particularly interested in pursuing the papers personally or professionally, so I was happy to let the communication slide. I had already spent many months using all my lunch breaks, evenings and weekends to complete my thesis and I didn’t relish a return to that lifestyle.

Six months later, I received a long email detailing the unsalvageable damage I would do to my career unless I produced publications from my PhD. The email was pure manipulation and easily grounds for a formal complaint to the institution. My supervisor instructed me to complete a full draft of a paper within two weeks.

I explained that didn’t want to be manipulated into further work, but there was no response. Then, a year later, my supervisor contacted me asking for an update on the papers. Having nothing further to say, I’ve now stopped replying to these requests. All I really want is for the doctorate to be over.

While I’m aware that a number of funding councils anticipate publication of a student’s work, and there is rightly a growing consensus that publicly funded research should be available to all, I don’t think that the expectations of the funding councils are always appropriately interpreted by PhD supervisors. Graduates have a range of opportunities ahead of them, and an academic career is not always the sole, or even the most desirable, outcome of the time invested in earning the doctorate.

Guidelines required

Supervisors probably face increasing pressure to present the tangible outcomes of their supervision, especially given Ref targets – but if publications are seen as a critical part of the PhD, then should they not be contained within the time period that it takes one to earn it? When new students set off to earn an undergraduate degree, there isn’t an expectation that years later they might be contacted to write up work they did during their studies. Why should it be any more acceptable for PhD students to be contacted after their doctorate for this purpose?

Arguably, PhD graduates who have embarked on a post-doctorate track might be more inclined to produce publications . But in these cases, the graduates themselves are likely to be proactive. The problem arises when a graduate is no longer involved in the same work, and has to all intents and purposes fulfilled their obligation to obtain the award.

For those who are ready to move on after they have achieved their doctorate, clearer guidance might be needed from funding councils and institutions about expectations following the completion of a PhD.

Guidance could set out as to whether students have an obligation to their supervisors, the institution or their funding body to publish their research following completion of the doctorate. Institutions might also offer supervisors advice on how to approach previous PhD students about publishing their work.

Reaching a consensus between the competing priorities of graduates, supervisors, the Ref, funding councils and the QAA might not be a simple task, but we need to be clear: when does the PhD actually end?

Join the higher education network for more comment, analysis and job opportunities, direct to your inbox. Follow us on Twitter @gdnhighered . And if you have an idea for a story, please read our guidelines and email your pitch to us at [email protected]

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  • CAREER FEATURE
  • 13 November 2019

PhDs: the tortuous truth

  • Chris Woolston 0

Chris Woolston is a freelance writer in Billings, Montana.

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Getting a PhD is never easy, but it’s fair to say that Marina Kovačević had it especially hard. A third-year chemistry student at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia, she started her PhD programme with no funding, which forced her to get side jobs bartending and waitressing. When a funded position came up in another laboratory two years later, she made an abrupt switch from medicinal chemistry to computational chemistry. With the additional side jobs, long hours in the lab, and the total overhaul of her research and area of focus, Kovačević epitomizes the overworked, overextended PhD student with an uncertain future.

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

Publish or Perish: Graduate Students' Guide to Publishing

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

Understanding Publishing in Graduate School

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

What Does it Mean to Get Published?

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

When Should a Ph.D. Candidate Get Published?

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

How to Get Published

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

Who Should Get Published?

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

Where Should Students Get Published?

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

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

Realities & Challenges of Getting Published

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

Lack of time

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

Lack of confidence

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

Lack of funding

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

Intense competition

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

Finding the right publisher

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

Adequately addressing feedback

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

What do Graduate Students Publish?

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

Tips for Publishing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Does publish or perish begin before starting a PhD program?

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

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

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

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

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

From the Expert

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book cover

Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication pp 1–9 Cite as

Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication

  • Sin Wang Chong   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4519-0544 3 &
  • Neil H. Johnson   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8604-1193 4  
  • First Online: 28 September 2022

397 Accesses

This chapter documents the rationale for compiling a collection on the PhD by Publication. The aim of the book is to “demystify” this alternative route of doctoral education because there is a dearth of publications (journal articles or books) on this PhD route which is gaining popularity around the world. This book attempts to “demystify” PhD by Publication by identifying pertinent issues and (mis)conceptions pertaining to policies and practices through research, research syntheses, and surveys of university policies on the PhD by Publication internationally (Part I – Landscapes of PhD by Publication). Another layer of “demystification” pertains to experience (Part II: Narratives of PhD by Publication). The inclusion of reflective and autobiographical accounts by PhD by Publication supervisors, students, and graduates internationally provides a vivid insider’s perspective toward this PhD route. This chapter closes with an outline of each chapter of the book.

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Chong, S. W. (2020). PhD by published work and “doctorateness”: My experience at a UK university. Innovative Practice in Higher Education, 4 (1), 1–12. http://journals.staffs.ac.uk/index.php/ipihe/article/view/204/319

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O’Keeffe, P. (2019). PhD by publication: Innovative approach to social science research, or operationalisation of the doctoral student … or both? Higher Education Research and Development, 39 (2), 288–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666258

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Smith, S. (2019). The challenge of supervising students who are doing a PhD by published work . Trust Me! Blog. Retrieved from https://eprints.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/id/eprint/5648/1/TheChallengeOfSupervisingStudentsWhoAreDoingAPhdByPublishedWorkAM-SMITH.pdf

Wilson, K. (2002). Quality assurance issues for a PhD by published work: A case study. Quality Assurance in Education, 10 (2), 71–78. https://doi.org/10.1108/09684880210423555

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Chong, S.W., Johnson, N.H. (2022). Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication. In: Chong, S.W., Johnson, N. (eds) Landscapes and Narratives of PhD by Publication. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04895-1_1

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COMMENTS

  1. Is it normal to have no publications after 2.5 years in a PhD program?

    Is it normal to have no publications after 2.5 years in a PhD program? Asked 9 years, 6 months ago Modified 1 year, 11 months ago Viewed 19k times 27 Background: I started my Ph.D two and half years ago in engineering/computer science field.

  2. Is graduating with a PhD having not published anything ...

    PhDs without publications seems to be more common the past several years. Maybe something you don't want to hear, but I've also noticed PhDs that haven't published to have some glaring problems moving forward when going into a postdoc. Is it an academic "failure"?

  3. Do You Need Publications to Apply for a PhD Program?

    The short answer is no. Publications are not required to apply for a PhD. The longer answer is that the admissions committee wants to see that you have the potential to become an excellent researcher. ... In the humanities, for example, publications are very rare even at the PhD level and many graduate from top PhD programs without publishing ...

  4. No publication after PhD (graduated 4 years ago) and want to ...

    I don't have any publications after my PhD, so this a huge red flag regardless of my current research projects/and goals. But even though they are not yet published, I believe that I have high quality ongoing research projects that the reviewers would appreciate. But still, the "no paper" issue is a big problem; what do you think I should do?

  5. 8 years in PhD. No papers. : r/AskAcademia

    STEM In September I'll complete 8 years in my PhD. No first author publications, just one paper that I contributed with a small figure. I did a project on the first three years and nothing worked, no results whatsoever. Then my mom died and things went downhill. But I was able to pick up my pieces and started a new project in 2019.

  6. I've left my PhD behind, but I'm being put under pressure to publish

    Post-PhD pressure. My own PhD supervisor has tried a number of methods over the past two years to convince me to revisit my doctorate and write papers for publication. At first I was optimistic ...

  7. No paper, no PhD? India rethinks graduate student policy

    PhD students in India will no longer be required to publish articles in academic journals before they are awarded their doctorates, if the country's higher-education regulator adopts...

  8. PhDs under publication pressure

    PhDs under publication pressure. Regardless of country and discipline, publications are an expectation - if not a requirement - to obtain a PhD. In this Focus issue, PhD students, academics ...

  9. PhDs: the tortuous truth

    Nature 's survey of more than 6,000 graduate students reveals the turbulent nature of doctoral research. Getting a PhD is never easy, but it's fair to say that Marina Kovačević had it ...

  10. Can you get into a top-tier PhD program with no publications?

    Can you get into a top-tier PhD program with no publications? I know it's possible, but I'm wondering how common it is and whether not being published is seen as a major drawback in an applicant.

  11. Ph.D Students' Guide to Publishing: Expert Advice & Resources

    What Does it Mean to Get Published? Within the context of graduate school, publishing refers to getting essays, papers, and research findings published in one of the academic journals or related forms seen as a leader in the field.

  12. MD/PhD or MD

    #1 I have researched for about 3.5 years in a lab. Began with computational research as a bio major which caused me to spend more time learning how to research "computationally" rather than actually working on a project of my own. I helped out a grad student but my name is not on the paper.

  13. I have one month left to finish and no publications : r/PhD

    If you don't need publications to graduate, and you want to go to industry, take a breath and relax. Industry jobs do not care at all about your scientific publications, you probably don't even want them on your CV if you're applying outside academia. healthpolicygoofball • 3 yr. ago I think first you should address your anxiety.

  14. PhD by Publication: What you Need to Know

    The assessment of a PhD by Publication is generally very similar to the assessment of a traditional dissertation. It involves the submission of a written document that contains both the published academic papers and a narrative the explains how the papers together make an original contribution to advancing knowledge.

  15. PhD and postdoc with no first author publications- realistically what

    PhD and postdoc with no first author publications- realistically what are my career prospects? Asked 6 years, 8 months ago Modified 4 years, 7 months ago Viewed 43k times 65 I am a UK based researcher in life sciences. My research is in neuroscience, mainly involving in vivo electrophysiology.

  16. Introduction: Demystifying the PhD by Publication

    Misconception 5: There Is No Supervisor in the PhD by Publication. Like other doctorates, candidates completing the PhD by Publication will be supervised by one to two academics who are experts in the research area and the doctoral route. Apparently, the roles of the supervisors will be quite different from those in the traditional PhD but ...

  17. how many of you guys have 0 publications? : r/PhD

    SilverBackBonobo how many of you guys have 0 publications? Other Curious because I'm 14 months in and have no publications, would love to get my first but it's probably at least a year away I think 239 Sort by: Open comment sort options Add a Comment [deleted] • 1 yr. ago

  18. Indian Ph.D. students protest publishing requirement

    Indian Ph.D. Students Protest 'Paper Per Semester' Rule. Pressure to publish is seen as "contributing factor" to recent deaths, as India's leading university faces backlash on doctoral monitoring. New guidance that asks Ph.D. students at one of India's leading universities to produce at least one journal paper per semester has been ...

  19. Meaningful research in PhD with no publications

    21 I have been doing my PhD in Computer Science for one year and a half now (Europe-based) and I feel my research is not going much far. I choose to do this after my master studies because I actually like to do it: I like reading about new solutions, new problems and try to solve them myself. I also really liked taking university courses.

  20. Publications needed for application? : r/mdphd

    I had no publications when I applied for MD/PhD programs. 3.98 GPA, 525 MCAT, 3000 hours research in two labs with no pubs and a few poster presentations. I was able to get 3 interviews from T15 programs, two MD only and one MSTP, and got waitlisted at two of those.