Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Faculty of Life Sciences

Writing up publications and your thesis

Publishing in scientific journals

 

Please ensure that your publication comply with Humboldt-Universität's affiliation guidelines.

Please also inform yourself about the different types of publication in academic journals, legal principles and funding opportunities for publications. Useful information and advice can be found on the website of the University Library of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Formal guidelines for writing up your thesis

 

There are only a few formal guidelines that apply when you are writing up your thesis. The thesis must:

include a title page (please leave the name of the examiners and the date of the oral exam blank).

include a statement of authorship.

be submitted as a bound copy.

Apart from the above, there are no formal specifications regarding the font size or typeface, nor as to whether the thesis is printed single or double-sided etc.

Please ensure that you comply with Humboldt-Universität's affiliation guidelines for publications written as part of your doctoral project - even if you will write your dissertation as a monograph.

 

Cumulative thesis

 

Please discuss with your supervisor whether you intend to write a monograph or a cumulative thesis.

 

For cumulative theses, please note:

 

 

 Faculty committee resolution from 16 December 2015
 

The Faculty committee has determined the following subject-specific regulations with regards to co-authorship of cumulative theses:

  • The chairman of the Doctoral Degrees Committee cannot be a co-author.
  • One reviewer can be co-author of a paper.
  • The majority of the members of the Doctoral Degrees Committee are not allowed to be co-author.
  • The two pieces of original work required with the candidate as lead author must have been accepted for publication by the publisher as a minimum requirement.
  • Review articles and commentaries are not accepted as original work.
  • Cumulative doctoral theses require at least two original works in peer-reviewed journals. The doctoral student must be the first author in at least two of the works. The Institute Council decides on the approval of publications with shared first authorship. The Institute Council can assign this to the Doctoral Degree Board of the Department or Institute. The doctoral student and the supervising professor are invited to attend the meeting concerning this. Doctoral students completing cumulative doctoral theses must clearly indicate the works which they have completed independently. The co-authors must confirm this in writing.

 

The above rules are valid for the following Doctoral Degree Regulations:

  • Faculty of Life Sciences from 5th March 2015
  • Faculty of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences from 31st March 2014
  • Faculty of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences from 14th July 2005
  • Faculty of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences from 7th August 2002
  • Faculty of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences from 16th August 1994

 

 Additional subject-specific regulations at the Department of Psychology
 

For the Doctoral Degree Regulations of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences  please use the information sheet of the MFN II Faculty.
 

 

 Co-authors
 

If parts of your doctor's thesis are co-authored, you must submit a declaration of your own contribution that has been signed by all co-authors. You may use the form which can found under "Forms, regulations."

 

 

 

Publication

Following successful defence of your thesis, you must make your work available to the academic community. The technical and formal standards of the University Library are available here:

Electronic publication

Document templates

It may be convenient to ensure that your work already conforms to the technical standards of University Library when you are preparing copies of the thesis for the initiation of the doctoral degree procedure.

You can find various publication options in the doctoral degree regulations.

Additional information regarding publication is available on the webpages of the University Library.

Please ensure that your publication comply with Humboldt-Universität's affiliation guidelines.

 

Legal questions

Please clarify any legal questions associated with the publication of your thesis independently before submitting your work. The Doctoral Office does not offer legal advice.