Publish scientific work: Publish your work successfully

Publishing a scientific paper is often the first big step in an academic career. Why can it also be interesting for Master’s graduates and diploma students to publish their theses? What publication options are there for the habilitation? And what are the advantages of working with a scientific publisher if you want to publish your scientific work?

Overview:

• Who is authorised to publish scientifically?
• Why publish a scientific thesis?
• Publish your Master’s thesis or Bachelor’s thesis: These are the possibilities
• Publish your scientific work with a publisher: The most important advantages
• Publish your scientific work with Nomos
• Your scientific publication at Nomos Verlag

Who is authorised to publish scientifically?

Scientific publication is not reserved for doctoral students alone – Master’s, Bachelor’s and Diploma graduates can also make their theses available to the scientific community. In general, all students can publish their academic theses:

• Habilitation theses
• Dissertations
• Master theses
• Bachelor theses
• Diploma theses

In contrast to the dissertation, the publication of the Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis is voluntary, as it is part of the university examination and not an academic paper in the strict sense.

Good to know: Legally speaking, graduates are allowed to publish their thesis as soon as they have received their examination results. As with the dissertation, the copyright lies with the author.

Why publish a scientific thesis?

Many months of hard work often go into a scientific thesis – and why shouldn’t it be used after submission? By publishing your master’s, bachelor’s or diploma thesis, you are not only actively participating in the scientific discourse, but also paving the way for your next career steps – whether in science or business. What other advantages do graduates have from a scientific publication?

An important first step in your scientific career

If you are aiming for a career in science, it is an advantage to make a name for yourself early on. After all, it is important that your research attracts the attention of a specialised audience and is received and cited by them. With its reputation and reach, a publication in a renowned scientific publishing house can give you a decisive advantage – and ideally draw attention to you for the first time.

If you are planning a subsequent doctorate, publishing your Master’s thesis is a good first step towards presenting your results to the scientific community. In the best case scenario, you may even be invited to give lectures or attend conferences.

Particularly in specific or not yet widely researched subject areas, it can be helpful to make your findings available to a specialist audience in order to network within the scientific community. It may also open the door to a position as a research assistant at your university.

If you have already completed your dissertation and are aiming for a professorship, the habilitation thesis is one of the last important steps on this path. Publishing your research in a renowned publishing house is then not just an optional extra, but an obligation.

An asset for your CV

You can also raise your professional profile and increase your market value outside of academia with a published academic paper. Well-trained specialists are in demand: with your publication, you will stand out in the application process at companies and law firms, for example, and emphasise your expertise in your specialist field. You not only score points with your specific specialist knowledge, but also demonstrate your methodological expertise and assertiveness with a successfully published thesis.

Your contribution to science

You have spent many months researching your subject area. Why shouldn’t your research results continue to be used afterwards? With a publication, you are doing what scientific work is actually intended for: you are making your contribution to the scientific discourse and – even with the smallest closed research gap – a valuable contribution to (further) research. You give other scientists the opportunity to build on your research questions and further cover the field of research. Collaboration with an established publisher can play an important role here and support you in building a network.

Bonus: Even if it’s not your primary motivation: You may even be able to earn some money with a published thesis.

Publish your Master’s thesis or Bachelor’s thesis: These are the possibilities

If you have decided to publish your scientific work, the question now arises as to which form of publication is right for you and your work. Basically, there are several options:

• Monograph in a scientific publishing house
• Essay in an anthology
• Article in a journal
• Contribution to a conference volume

The simplest option at first glance – publishing the thesis with a university publisher and uploading it to the library server – is not necessarily the best solution. The work can often only reach the desired specialised audience to a limited extent.

Which solution is more suitable depends above all on the publication culture of the subject being studied. The humanities and law are subject areas in which monographs and edited volumes are particularly important. A renowned academic publisher offers the opportunity to place your work for the relevant target audience: both in print and electronically and, if necessary, open access.

For natural science subjects, on the other hand, it can make sense to aim for publication in a scientific journal. The evaluation processes for this form of publication can sometimes be lengthy, as scientific papers in journals have to undergo several peer reviews before they can be published.

When publishing on their own, self-publishers not only have to bear the full costs of publication, but also have to promote the distribution of their title independently. In addition, self-publishing or publishing with a university publisher generally enjoys a significantly lower reputation than publishing with a renowned publisher.

As a general rule, the more prestigious the publisher or journal, the more important your scientific publication is likely to be.

Publish your scientific work with a publisher: The most important advantages

Publishing your academic work with a publisher has many advantages. Authors benefit from using the reach and expertise of a specialist publisher to ensure that their academic work receives the attention it deserves from the specialist audience, especially if it is their first publication and their academic network has not yet been established. Renowned academic publishers therefore support you throughout the entire publication process:

• Proofreading for comprehensive project support
• Professional layout design, high-quality printing and electronic production
• Marketing and dissemination in the relevant academic environment
• Professional metadata management
• Support with the procurement of funding

When publishing with a well-known academic publisher, you also benefit from comprehensive advice and the selection of a suitable programme slot, e.g. in an established book series in your subject area.

Publish your scientific work with Nomos

Would you like to publish your academic work with a publisher? Below we explain how Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft can support you in your endeavours.

Requirements for a publishing publication

The basic requirement for a publication in a scientific publishing house is that the scientific work meets the highest quality standards and fits thematically into the publishing programme. Academic publishers such as Nomos only accept and publish work that is rated as very good. Our editorial team thoroughly checks all manuscripts in advance. The publication of a scientific work by Nomos is therefore a sign of quality that a specialised audience pays attention to.

Personalised advice

Comprehensive advice is an important aspect for authors, especially when publishing for the first time. Our editors at Nomos and its imprints (Academia, Ergon, Karl Alber, Rombach Wissenschaft and Tectum) are available to answer any questions you may have about publishing. They will advise you on which form of publication is best suited to your project and support you in selecting the optimal publication series and funding options.

Please feel free to arrange a consultation!

Subsidies and financing

Publication by a publisher is also recommended if you would like to apply for funding for the publication of your scientific work. We can advise you on funding opportunities and support you with a calculation during the application process. For example, you can apply for subject-specific funding programmes from foundations or the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Every author is also entitled to receive distributions from VG Wort.

Professional publication process – printed and online

From manuscript to marketing – when publishing a master’s or diploma thesis, an excellent publication is the key to success. Not only is high-quality printing crucial, but also the subsequent dissemination to the specialised public.

Scientifically networked and in excellent company

Large and important scientific publishers enjoy a good reputation and have a wide reach from which authors can benefit. The high level of awareness and reputation in the academic world ensure that your scientific work is more likely to be recognised.

Many renowned authors also rely on this: Many scientific works published with us have received important national and international awards. Publishing with a renowned specialist publisher such as Nomos puts you in the best company – and you benefit from the professional exchange within our network.

Your scientific publication at Nomos Verlag

Various specialised publishers are brought together under the umbrella of Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft:

• Nomos Verlag – Specialisations:
  • Law
  • Social sciences
  • Humanities

• Academia Verlag – Specialisations:
  • Anthropology
  • Sports science
  • Pedagogics
  • Philosophy

• Ergon Verlag – Specialisations:
  • Oriental Studies
  • Literary Studies
  • History
  • Religious Studies
  • Pedagogics
  • Art History
  • Classical Studies
  • Jewish Studies

• Rombach Science – Specialisations:
  • Literary Studies
  • Cultural Studies
  • Musicology
  • Theatre Studies

• Tectum Verlag – Specialisations:
  • Art history
  • Political Science
  • Sociology
  • Social work
  • Social economy
  • Socio-psychology
  • Pedagogics
  • Media and communication science
  • Philosophy
  • Economics
  • Theatre Studies
  • Cultural Studies
  • Linguistics
  • History

At Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft you will find the right ‘home’ for your dissertation.