Opinion article by Drs Olivia Kunguma and Yong S.Nyam, Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State.

Depending on the higher academic institution and field of study chosen for your PhD studies, the expected exit level outcome of a PhD differs. It could be some form of ‘creative output’, ‘monograph’ or ‘peer-reviewed publications’. In most cases, there might not be specific expectations from the institution but a choice for you to make. In this article, we discuss the choice between, ‘monograph’ and ‘peer-reviewed publications’. Our aim is to appraise and weigh the costs and benefits of whatever route you take based on our experiences.

Dr Olivia Kunguma chose the route of ‘monograph’ and Dr Yong S Nyam, PhD by publication.

Monograph vs publication-based thesis

At the end of your PhD, a thesis based on single or multiple research problems and conducted under a qualified academic’s supervision is required for the examination.

In case you are wondering what is ‘monograph based’ and what is ‘publication based’, here are the definitions: A monograph-based PhD thesis entails an introduction and background to the study, then several chapters such as theoretical framework, legislative framework, literature review, research design and methodology, research results, and conclusions and recommendations. According to the 2022, University of the Free State Policy on Master’s and Doctoral studies, the thesis generally comprises between 70,000 and 100,000 words.

Note that a monograph thesis’s content might not be exactly as presented above.

A publication-based PhD thesis requires you to produce several (at least three, based on the UFS Master’s and Doctoral Policy) peer-reviewed publications, with one already submitted to an accredited journal at the time of examination. In this case, it can be a ‘publishable article’, the definition of this article is provided in the UFS Master’s and Doctoral Policy. In the definition, there is a part which states that a ‘publishable’ article implies that it has not yet been circulated for the required double-blind peer review process according to the requirements of accredited academic publications, meaning there is no guarantee for publication. This part of the definition is a conundrum because the PhD candidate can be awarded a PhD qualification by publication, yet did not publish any articles.

Published articles must be from when the student registered for their PhD and relate to the PhD research problem, objectives or hypothesis. They should also form part of the thesis. Even though the thesis will be by articles, it should still include an introduction indicating the relationship between or among the various articles.

PhD by monograph, Dr Kunguma’s perspective and experience

Doing my PhD by monograph or publication is a decision I battled with from the beginning of my studies. When I started my PhD, I had already published six peer-reviewed articles, and looking back at how difficult the reviewers were, and the lengthy time it took to publish one article, I finally decided to go the monograph route. Working chapter by chapter helped me focus on a specific theme and gain in-depth knowledge. It was also comforting to have the chapter approved by my promoter, this was a guarantee of my progress. After that, I would easily move to the next chapter. The only challenge was with the results and recommendations chapter because this is mainly where the scientific contribution of the study must be provided. Nonetheless, the empirical findings helped make a valuable contribution through my recommendations. My monograph thesis is 86 871 words, which is in line with the UFS Master’s and Doctoral Policy.

PhD by publication, Dr Nyam’s perspective and experience

Deciding whether to do your PhD by monograph or publication should be based on your research area and objectives. Publications add value to your profile after the completion of your PhD. Before embarking on my PhD journey, I had only one publication, and I knew I needed more to get any chance in academia. I decided to structure my objectives to allow me to write manuscripts based on each study objective. All the drafted manuscripts were cohesively linked to each other. I knew I could get quality feedback from journal reviewers worldwide. I got different perspectives from different reviewers during my PhD research which shaped my research and made it better. Another reason for choosing to do my PhD research is that my promoters were not experts in the methodology I was using for my research, and so I needed the perspectives of different experts from around the world. This method gave me the opportunity of getting a PhD and increasing my publication portfolio at the same time. Out of my PhD, I produced five manuscripts in international journals. During my PhD journey, I also collaborated and published other manuscripts unrelated to my PhD research. I cannot count the number of times my manuscripts were rejected, but each rejection came with valuable comments and suggestions that assisted me in writing better and improving the manuscripts.

The decision

Doing a PhD by publication has several advantages. The first and most important is that you are getting a PhD and publishing articles in peer-reviewed journals, which is basically using one stone to shoot two birds. This can greatly enhance your chances of a career in academia. A PhD by publication enhances your writing and practical skills. It helps you deal with the pressures in academia and can help you create networks and collaborate with researchers worldwide (like in Dr Nyam’s case). Many PhD candidates are always tempted to write long literature reviews, which are hardly ever read. Publishing different chapters of your thesis helps you manage the literature review in small manageable chunks and ensures the literature is relevant. Reviewer feedback can also help a PhD candidate become a better supervisor and mentor for other postgraduate students.

The obvious disadvantage of this method is that it takes time to publish a paper. So the process needs time and patience. The rejections and comments can sometimes be depressing, especially if you try to publish for the first time. There are also financial implications if doing PhD by publication; however, this can be discussed with your promoter.

The advantage of doing your PhD by monograph is that the work does not require double-blinded peer reviews, and there are no financial implications regarding APC processing fees. With each chapter approved by your promoter, there is a guarantee of progress.

However, the disadvantage is that you will not gain the much-needed experience of being a publisher. The decision to research by monograph or publication is solely based on your academic journey and profession, says Dr Zachariah H Mshelia, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow with the UFS. If you want to be an academic, then do your PhD by publication. However, due to changes in higher academic institution policy, this might not be a decision for you to make, it might be the institution’s decision. Most institutions are now making it compulsory for PhD candidates to do their research by publication due to several benefits for universities.