Can I put my published papers in my thesis?
Sort out copyright and permissions for your own published articles and other people's figures before you submit your thesis.
In short
Start here, today. List every published paper and every borrowed figure, table or image in your thesis. Next to each, note who holds the copyright and whether you already have permission. This takes about 30 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
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Find and read your publishing agreements
Look for the copyright transfer or licence you signed for each article, or the journal's page on author rights. Search for words like “thesis”, “dissertation” or “reuse by authors”. If you can't find the policy, Open Policy Finder lists the policies of many journals and publishers.
Check what your university requires
Your graduate studies office or library will say how published papers should appear in a thesis, whether you need a statement describing your contribution to co-authored work and what proof of permission to include. Follow their format.
Talk to your co-authors
Even when the publisher allows reuse, tell your co-authors which papers are going into your thesis and how you'll describe your contribution. Some universities require their agreement in writing. It's a courtesy that prevents awkward surprises later.
Sort out other people's material
For each borrowed figure or image, decide whether fair dealing covers it, whether you could make your own version or replace it, or whether you need permission. A close copy of someone else's figure may still need permission, so ask the library if you're unsure.
Ask for permission early and in writing
Contact the copyright holder, usually the publisher, and explain that the material will appear in your thesis, your university's repository and Library and Archives Canada. Give full details of the item. Replies can take weeks, so start well before submission, and keep every email as proof.
Have a fallback
If permission is refused, too expensive or never arrives, you can usually remove the item and replace it with a short description and a citation. Treat this as a last resort, after checking whether fair dealing applies.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- You signed a publishing agreement without reading it, and now you need the article for a chapter.
- Your thesis includes figures, tables or images from other people's work.
- Your co-authors don't know the paper is going into your thesis.
- The submission checklist mentions copyright permissions and you're not sure what applies to you.
Why this happens
When you publish an article, you usually sign an agreement that transfers copyright to the publisher or gives them an exclusive licence. That doesn't necessarily stop you using the work again. Many publishers allow authors to reuse their own articles in a thesis or later work, but the terms vary, so you need to check what you signed.
Your thesis is itself a publication. In Canada it's usually deposited in your university's repository and collected by Library and Archives Canada, which makes it openly available. That's why using someone else's figure can need permission even when you cite it properly. Citation and copyright are separate questions.
Canadian copyright law includes fair dealing, which allows some uses without permission for purposes such as research, private study, criticism and review, as long as the use is fair. Short quotations are usually fine. Whole figures, photographs and substantial extracts need a closer look.
Worth a look (6)
- Theses copyright guidelines, University of Calgary LibraryA clear Canadian guide to fair dealing, your own published work and asking for permission. Check your own library's version too.
- Author rights, University of Calgary LibraryPublishing agreements, keeping rights to your work and the SPARC Canadian Author Addendum.
- Self-archiving and reuse policy, NatureOne publisher's terms for authors reusing and sharing their own papers, as an example of what to look for.
- Open Policy FinderLook up a journal's or publisher's policies on copyright and sharing.
- Think. Check. Submit.Simple checklists to help you judge whether a journal or book publisher can be trusted before you submit. They're available in many languages.
- DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)A curated list of peer-reviewed open access journals in every field. Use it to find journals to read and to check that a journal you're considering is legitimate.
When to bring someone in
Your library's copyright office can tell you whether fair dealing is likely to apply and help you find the right permissions contact. Your graduate studies office can confirm what your thesis must include. Agree with your supervisor and co-authors on how the published papers will be presented. If a publisher's terms seem to stop you using your own article, talk to the library before you change your thesis plan.
Find the right person, or talk to Ify