Hi all,

As previously posted, I've just begun my Phd in History and am two weeks in. However, I've just received my MA in Modern History results and the mark I received for my dissertation exceeded my - dare I say 'wildest' - expectations, so mucho vino this evening.

However, I was previously advised that should I receive a good result, I should think about converting my dissertation into a journal article whilst undergoing my PhD, which should give me a good head-start on publishing for that all important post-doctoral job-hunting period. I've also been advised that, if anything, the feedback received even in rejection can be invaluable.

I am meeting with my supervisors next week so I will of course bring this up with them, but I'm curious to know if anyone here has followed this route and published any pre-PhD work?

Much obliged.
Best,

Congratulations! You should definitely go for it - you've already done the hard work, so reshaping it into a paper will make good use of your efforts. The redrafting process is something that you'll do a lot in your PhD so it'll be good practice. It might also be nice to have something like that to do alongside the early days of the PhD, which can otherwise feel a bit vague and directionless.

Congratulations Halo on your wonderful and (no doubt) extremely well-deserved results for your Masters. Yes you can publish before starting your PhD. I have just delivered a paper at a conference and submitted this to peer review before (optional-lots of presenters didn't). The peer review process took a while and the paper was accepted but they gave me a couple of pages of recommendations for changes.

I was a bit dismayed but sat down over a few days and made all of the changes and then it was accepted with no problems at all. When I gave the paper last week to a pretty large and diverse audience, it was really well accepted and I met my Masters supervisor in person (as I was distance student I used to have phone conferences with her). She told me to submit to the National Journal and said that it would be accepted and also told me that I needed to start publishing straight away into my doctorate in order to get a good research profile. She seemed to think that this was absolutely fine and that I shouldn't doubt myself. So I say 'go for it Halo'.

I came away from my conference with business cards from two different local education systems from different states (I am in Oz) who wanted to check out my research and a great deal of encouragement. It really consolidated my thinking and direction for the future.

Seize the day HaloChanter(up) and well done!!

Hi Pjlu,

Lovely reply, thank you for your encouragement. Great to hear of your own success in this sphere. You've definitely spurred me on and I like the idea of 'trialing' it at a few conferences / discussion groups. I have one or two coming up over the next few months so I shall certainly give it a go.

Thanks again - much appreciated.

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