Choose a framework and write a focused question about your own research.
This guide supports experienced clinicians and professionals who are planning their first study and do not yet have research data or publications. The chapter covers how to formulate a specific research question. PICO provides a structure for intervention questions; study design and time can be specified separately. A hypothetical appointment-reminder study demonstrates how to turn a practice concern into defined components. The same discipline of clarity applies to exposure and qualitative questions, although their structures differ. Readers finish with their own question, a completed framework and a short list of unresolved decisions.
“How can we improve attendance?” identifies a concern, but leaves the population, proposed change and meaning of improvement unspecified. A focused question makes those choices visible. PICO identifies population, intervention, comparator and outcome; methodological judgement guides how its components are defined and investigated. BMJ Best Practice
Read the complete guide, work through the examples and use the accompanying tools.
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A PhD by publication uses a connected body of research outputs as the basis for doctoral examination. The submission explains how the work contributes to knowledge and identifies the candidate’s own contribution. Published papers alone do not establish that the doctoral standard has been met.
Universities use terms including PhD by prior publication and PhD by published work. Read the regulations for the specific route: similar names can describe different arrangements. Queen Margaret University’s regulations describe how its published-work submission is examined against the PhD criteria.
First establish when the research must have been completed.
Surrey explains both formats. Its guidance is useful for understanding this distinction; other universities set their own rules.
Check applicant eligibility before contacting potential supervisors. A university may limit a route to its staff or people connected to a collaborating organisation. Relevant subject expertise does not override those restrictions.
A useful initial check is whether you can explain the question connecting your publications, the contribution of the body of work and your role in producing it. If you are still planning your first studies, distinguish that preparation from an application based on research already published.
There is no number that applies across all universities. Surrey specifies no minimum number and considers the expectations of the discipline. A paper count cannot replace an assessment of the work’s coherence, quality and your contribution. Check Surrey’s entry requirements.
Ask your chosen institution about accepted output types, publication dates, co-authored work and research submitted for an earlier degree. Record its answer alongside the relevant regulation.
These UK examples illustrate why route eligibility needs checking individually. They are a starting point for enquiry, rather than an exhaustive list or confirmation that you qualify.
Its route uses research published before registration. Applicants need a qualifying degree held for at least five years; existing doctorate holders are ineligible. The stated submission window is 6–12 months after registration, and the university describes distance learning from October 2026.
Applicants must be Surrey staff or employed by an organisation with an established teaching or research collaboration. An existing publication portfolio does not remove that affiliation requirement.
The route is intended for active researchers with existing publications who have not received a PhD. A critical overview connects the portfolio. Applications go through the relevant Research Centre; check the linked programme guidance for detailed requirements.
Some routes accept external applicants and others restrict affiliation. Queen Margaret University’s retrospective-route regulations, for example, allow internal and external applications and ask external applicants to discuss their plans with a relevant Research Centre. Availability of supervision and formal admission still need confirmation.
Separate the years spent doing the research from the period registered for examination. A short submission window is not the time needed to produce the underlying research. Confirm the registration period, attendance arrangements and examination process directly with the university.
Use this checklist to organise your enquiry. It is a preparation aid; the university’s application instructions take precedence.
The accompanying text may be called a synthesis, commentary, critical overview or critical appraisal. Its purpose is to explain the relationship between outputs and the contribution of the work as a whole. Follow the institution’s required structure and length.
For example, Portsmouth specifies a 5,000–10,000-word commentary and an oral defence. That is a requirement for its route, not a universal word limit. Use the official regulations for your own submission.
For preparation, practise explaining why the work matters, how the studies relate, your methodological decisions and the limits of the conclusions. Keep your individual contribution clear when discussing collaborative research.
Checked on 31 October 2026. These pages support the examples above; they do not confirm an individual applicant’s admission or the recognition of an award in another country.
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Choose a framework and write a focused question about your own research.
This guide supports experienced clinicians and professionals who are planning their first study and do not yet have research data or publications. The chapter covers how to formulate a specific research question. PICO provides a structure for intervention questions; study design and time can be specified separately. A hypothetical appointment-reminder study demonstrates how to turn a practice concern into defined components. The same discipline of clarity applies to exposure and qualitative questions, although their structures differ. Readers finish with their own question, a completed framework and a short list of unresolved decisions.
“How can we improve attendance?” identifies a concern, but leaves the population, proposed change and meaning of improvement unspecified. A focused question makes those choices visible. PICO identifies population, intervention, comparator and outcome; methodological judgement guides how its components are defined and investigated. BMJ Best Practice
Read the complete guide, work through the examples and use the accompanying tools.
Checking account access…