List of publications is intended to cover both published manuscripts (articles) and unpublished ones (papers).

Normally, you do not have the copyright to your own publications and must seek permission from the publishers to reproduce them. As some publishers are probably unaware of compilations, you have to inform them. The following example is fictitious.

1. To the Publisher:

2. I am preparing my doctoral (PhD) thesis, which is intended to be a compilation of an overall summary (overview) and research papers – bound together.

3. I would greatly appreciate your permission to include:

4. Andersson A, Pettersson, P. Smoking as a risk factor for cancer of the lungs. Journal of Significant Results, 2011;12:34–56.

5. I would also like your permission to use Figure 1 from this article in my overview of the thesis.

6. Yours sincerely,

The reference figures (2011;12:34–56) may be changed to in press, as appropriate. If the publisher has no electronic form to fill out, you may send the letter directly to the permissions department of the publisher; you will find the email address on the journal’s homepage. If the publisher has its own permissions form (most publishers have), you may use it, of course. However, you are advised to paste the above permission letter into the appropriate box – so that all details are included, for example, the permission to use Figure 1.