Types of Thesis

The monographic thesis is the “classic” thesis. It organizes the research work into a series of essential, fixed sections that must also be included in the table of contents: Abstract, Introduction, Hypotheses and Objectives, General Methodology, Results and Discussion, General Conclusions, and Bibliography.

Monographic Theses with Content Derived from Publications

If the thesis includes content derived from publications produced during the doctoral period, the following conditions must be met:

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE THESIS

Include at the beginning of the thesis a list of the contributions that provide content to it, with the following details for each publication:

1. Full reference

• Publication title
• Name and order of co-authors
• Institutional affiliation of each author
• Journal name / Full book / Book chapter
• Publisher
• ISSN/ISBN of the book, publisher, or journal, and DOI (if accepted but not yet published)
• Year of publication

2. Quality Indicators

• Journal/Publisher
• Impact Factor (IF) for the year the contribution was published
• Category ranking (tertile or quartile in the JCR or a similar index relevant to the thesis's subject area)
• Other relevant metrics (Scopus, Scimago, JPI, etc.)

3. Indication of the content in the thesis chapters

Specify the thesis chapters where content from the publication is reproduced or used.

4. Contribution of the PhD candidate to the publication

Clear description of the tasks performed, for example: study design, data collection, analysis, etc.

AT THE END OF THE THESIS - ANNEXES

1. Authorization from Journals or Publishers

• Submit official authorization from the journals or publishers to use the material/content in the thesis.
• If this is not possible, explain the situation and include the version sent by the main authors prior to publication, or another version that complies with the journal’s or publisher’s copyright, exploitation, and self-archiving policies and does not infringe editorial exploitation rights.

2. Open Access Publications

• Specify the type of license.
• Provide a link to the journal’s or publisher’s open access declaration.

WRITING THE THESIS

• The formal structure of the thesis must be respected.
• Contributions may not be reproduced verbatim as chapters or sections of the thesis.
• Content from contributions co-authored with other doctoral students:
  • Content developed by the doctoral student authoring the thesis may be used in its entirety.
  • Content not developed or produced by the author of the thesis may be used only in summary form to ensure the comprehensibility and coherence of the research work.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION

• At the time of applying for the defense, the doctoral candidate must submit a declaration of responsibility:
  • Stating that the contributions to the publications forming the basis of the thesis are original and substantial.
  • Providing a detailed description of the distribution of tasks performed by all co-authors of the contribution(s).

NOTE:

• A block is a chapter of the thesis written entirely in a single language.
• If a chapter is lengthy and divided into subchapters, each subchapter will be considered an independent block.

The thesis by compendium of publications consists of a minimum set of three scientific contributions, prepared during the doctoral period and published or accepted in journals that are:

• Nationally or internationally recognized
• Peer-reviewed.
• Indexed in recognized databases (JCR, Scopus, or CNEAI equivalents)

At least one publication must be ranked in the top tercile of its category.

In the fields of Arts and Humanities, as well as Social and Legal Sciences, books or book chapters bearing a quality seal or included in the Scholarly Publishers Indicators are also eligible.

PUBLICATION REQUIREMENTS

a) Co-authorship

If author names are not listed in alphabetical order, the doctoral candidate must be either the first or second author.

b) Alignment with the research plan

Publications must reflect:

• The thesis research plan.
• The doctoral candidate’s affiliation with USC.

c) Mandatory documentation to be included in the SVA

• A declaration stating that the contributions included in the thesis are original and the author’s own work.
• Explicit waiver by non-doctoral co-authors of the use of those contributions in their own theses.

STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS BY COMPENDIUM

a) Abstract

b) Introduction

• Theoretical framework.
• Justification of the unity and coherence of the thesis contents.

c) Hypothesis and Objectives

• Hypothesis
• General and specific objectives.
• Indicate which works in the compendium address each objective.

d) General Methodology

• Brief description of the integrated methodology used.

e) Results: Published/Accepted Works

• Full inclusion or version permitted according to editorial policy.
• For accepted but unpublished works: Indicate DOI or include a certificate from the publisher.

f) Unpublished Results (optional)

• Possibility of including them in additional chapters under a block/section titled "Unpublished Results".
• Presented in scientific/publication format.

g) General Discussion

• Unity and coherence of the works.
• Minimum length: 5,000 words.

h) Overall Conclusions

• Main findings of the thesis.

i) General Bibliography

• Ordered list of bibliographic sources.

DEFINITION

Thesis related to projects with corporate participation, confidentiality agreements, or the potential to generate industrial property (e.g., patents).

PROCEDURE

• Formal application by the doctoral candidate, endorsed by the supervisors and directors. This must be submitted through our Sede Electrónica using the following form: [Galego] [Español]
• Signing of a confidentiality and custody agreement endorsed by the CAPD and approved by EDIUS.
• This agreement must be signed by:
  • The thesis supervisor and director.
  • The external evaluators.
  • The members of the EDIUS Executive Committee.
  • The members of the thesis examining committee.

VERSIONS OF THE THESIS TO BE SUBMITTED

Reduced Version

• This version is included in the defense request through the SVA.
• It excludes protected/confidential content.
• It is submitted to the CAPD, defended publicly, and made available for review.

Extended Version

• Includes all protected content.
• Access requires a confidentiality agreement.
• It is provided only to external evaluators, EDIUS, and the members of the examining committee.
  • Upon request, the coordinator may also be granted access.
• Questions from the examining committee regarding protected content will be addressed in a strictly private session during the defense.

PUBLICATION OF THE THESIS

• If the thesis is approved:
  • The reduced version is published in the institutional repository.
  • Once the results are protected or the confidentiality period expires, it will be replaced by the full version.