How to Convert Thesis to a Book

Turning your thesis into a book It does not need to be a big thing to change the formatting (Schubert & Crusius, 2002; Shukla et al., 2019). Theses in academia usually includes technical terminology, long-winded methodology sections, and narrow focused studies, which should be transformed to suit general audiences or a broader academic scope (Paltridge, 2016).

Pre-Conversion Assessment and Planning

Before engaging in conversion, assess the commercial and academic viability of your thesis (Rivera, 2007; Rudestam & Newton, 2014). Think about the market and how big the demand is for your research topic, the audience, and how competitive your space is. Successful thesis-to-books usually edit some 40-60% of the text so it is publishable.

Critical evaluation criteria include

  • Research originality and contribution significance
  • Market appeal beyond immediate academic subspecialty
  • Narrative structure potential for engaging storytelling
  • Visual content availability (charts, graphs, illustrations)
  • Author platform and promotional capabilities

Structural Revision Strategies

Turn thesis organization into interesting book structure by removing the constraints of academic reading (Becker, 2008; Biggam, 2018). In place of lengthy literature reviews, integrated background, less obtrusive discussion of methods, and incorporate compelling introductory and concluding chapters (Lunenburg & Irby, 2008; Lyons & Doueck, 2010; Normore, 2011).

Essential structural modifications

  • Convert abstract into compelling book introduction
  • Integrate literature review throughout relevant chapters
  • Condense methodology into accessible explanations
  • Expand implications and broader significance discussions
  • Develop engaging conclusions with actionable insights

Content Adaptation Techniques

Many pieces of academic writing use dense, technical language unsuitable for the general public. Effective conversion means preserving scholarly standards as we increase accessibility with good explanations, relevant examples, engaging narratives.

Effective adaptation approaches

  • Replace jargon with accessible terminology while maintaining precision
  • Add contextual examples and real-world applications
  • Incorporate storytelling elements to enhance reader engagement
  • Develop smooth transitions between complex concepts
  • Include visual aids to clarify complicated information

Also read Publish Your Thesis

Explore more insights on Structuring Chapters 

See the Edited Volume  for more resources

Further Reading: Top Thesis Publishers 

References

Becker, H. S. (2008). Writing for social scientists: How to start and finish your thesis, book, or article. University of Chicago Press.

Biggam, J. (2018). EBOOK: Succeeding with your Master’s Dissertation: A Step-by-Step Handbook: Step-by-step Handbook. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Fridlund, B. (2010). The dissertation book; Should it be a monograph or a compilation thesis?. European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 9(3), 144-145.

Harman, E., Montagnes, I., McMenemy, S., & Bucci, C. (Eds.). (2003). The thesis and the book: A guide for first-time academic authors. University of Toronto Press.

Kamler, B., & Thomson, P. (2008). The failure of dissertation advice books: Toward alternative pedagogies for doctoral writing. Educational Researcher, 37(8), 507-514.

Lunenburg, F. C., & Irby, B. J. (2008). Writing a successful thesis or dissertation: Tips and strategies for students in the social and behavioral sciences. Corwin press.

Lyons, P., & Doueck, H. J. (2010). The dissertation: From beginning to end. Oxford university press.

Normore, A. H. (2011). The process of transforming the dissertation or thesis into publication. The handbook of scholarly writing and publishing, 75-88.

Paltridge, B. (2016). Publishing from a dissertation: A book or articles?. In Doing research in applied linguistics (pp. 244-252). Routledge.

Rivera, M. (2007). Thesis & Dissertation Writing. Goodwill Trading Co., Inc..

Rudestam, K. E., & Newton, R. R. (2014). Surviving your dissertation: A comprehensive guide to content and process. Sage publications.

Schubert, T., & Crusius, J. (2002, October). Five theses on the book problem: Presence in books, film and VR. In PRESENCE 2002-Proceedings of the fifth international workshop on Presence (pp. 53-59). Porto,, Portugal: Universidad Fernando Pessoa..

Shukla, D., Tripathi, M., & Devi, B. I. (2019). Conversion of thesis to peer-reviewed publication. Indian Journal of Neurosurgery, 8(02), 093-099.