The PhD thesis is a comprehensive document that must demonstrate the PhD student's ability to conduct research and apply scientific methods at an internationally recognized level required for doctoral degrees in the relevant field. It should contribute new knowledge and advance the state-of-the-art within the discipline. The thesis will be assessed against international standards, focusing on originality, scientific rigor, and the contribution it makes to the field.
To avoid self-plagiarism, PhD students should not directly copy text from their own manuscripts or published papers into the thesis. Nevertheless, method descriptions and results (including figures and tables) may be reused, provided they are appropriately cited and marked.
Structure and requirements
The PhD thesis should be written in English. The PhD thesis at the Faculty of Natural Sciences should generally be structured as a synopsis that integrates your published research articles and/or unpublished manuscripts, while concisely summarizing and discussing the research findings presented in those contributions. In certain cases, for theoretical physics and IMADA students, a monograph may be an acceptable option (see guidelines). The synopsis is generally expected to be around 30-60 pages, excluding manuscripts/publications and references. This serves as a guideline rather than a strict rule. The emphasis should be on producing a thorough and clear scientific argument, with the final length determined by the complexity of the research.
The synopsis may include the following sections:
- Title: A clear and concise representation of the research topic
- Summaries: In both Danish and English
- Introduction: Establishing the background, context, and significance of the research
- Contextual analysis: Describe the research project in light of current international state-of-the-
art research by addressing research gaps - Objectives: Clearly stated research questions, hypotheses, and aims
- Methodology: Summary of methods used in the research
- Results summary: Discussion of key results from the manuscripts, their relevance, and their impact on international research standards within the field
- Ethical considerations: Information on any ethical and legal approvals required for the research
- Conclusions and future perspectives: A summary of the contribution the research makes, its significance in the field, and potential directions for future research
- References: Complete list of sources cited throughout the thesis
- Chapters of papers/manuscripts: All included manuscripts should be organized into chapters at the end of the thesis, with each clearly tied to the thesis' overall narrative and objectives
Within theoretical physics and IMADA it is also possible to structure the PhD thesis as a monograph. The monograph is typically 100 pages long, but the number of pages can vary. The monograph should include the following elements:
• Summaries in Danish and English
• Objectives
• Methodology: This chapter should briefly summarize the methods used
• Description of the research project placed in the context of international state-of-the-art
research within the subject area
• Description of the research carried out (including materials, methods, and results)
• If required for the studies, information on ethical and legal permits and approvals
• Discussion of results
• Conclusions and perspectives for further research
• References
The use of the status report from the qualifying exam
For more information on ensuring original content, understanding plagiarism, and preventing it, you can refer to the .
Correction in the PhD thesis after the submission
Once the PhD thesis has been submitted for assessment, no corrections can be made directly to the thesis itself. However, if the PhD student wishes to address errors, omissions, or make improvements, they can prepare a separate document describing these issues. This document should outline the errors and omissions in the PhD thesis, as well as the improvements the PhD student intends to make.
This document can be linked to the PhD thesis in Pure, allowing for a clear record of the changes and updates that the PhD student wishes to implement.
Co-author statements
Articles included in the thesis may be created in collaboration with other individuals, provided that the contributions of the co-authors are clearly indicated. It's crucial that there is a written co-author statement from the first author and/or senior author specifying the proportionate share of the work completed by the PhD student.
The specific form for co-author statements can be accessed on the PhD School's website. It is recommended that co-author statements are collected in an ongoing manner.