Ph.D. Dissertation Submission Guidelines

Regulations for the Doctoral Degree – Doctoral Dissertation Format

General Submission Timeline

The doctoral dissertation must be submitted within five years from the date of acceptance as a Stage A doctoral student. In cases where a sixth-year extension has been approved, submission must occur within six years. Any deviation from this timeline requires the approval of the departmental research students' committee. The minimum submission period is one year from the date of approval of the research proposal.

Dissertation Submission Requirements

1. The dissertation may be written in either Hebrew or English. Dissertations submitted in English must include a Hebrew abstract and a Hebrew title page, which should be placed as the final page of the dissertation.
2. The dissertation must be submitted via email to the departmental research students' committee in double-spaced format, using A4 paper size.
3. The dissertation should not exceed 100 pages (200 pages total), including the bibliography but excluding appendices.
4. The dissertation must include the following components, in the order specified:
   4.1 Cover Page: Including the university name, faculty, department, dissertation title, student's name, and submission date to the University Senate. The format should adhere to the provided example.
   4.2 Supervisors' Page: Listing the names of the supervisor(s).
   4.3 Acknowledgments and Dedication.
   4.4 Table of Contents.
   4.5 List of Figures and Images (if applicable).
   4.6 List of Tables (if applicable).
   4.7 List of Equations (if applicable).
   4.8 Glossary of Symbols, Abbreviations, and Acronyms (alphabetically ordered).
   4.9 Abstract: Up to three pages summarizing the research, including background, objectives, methods, results, and conclusions.
   4.10 Main Body: Divided into the following sections:
   • Introduction
   • Research Objectives
   • Materials and Methods
   • Results
   • Discussion

4.11 Bibliography: A numbered list of references, organized alphabetically by the first author's name or chronologically as cited in the text. Each reference must include the author(s), year, article title, journal name, volume, and page range.
 

4.12 Language Requirements:

• • Dissertations written in Hebrew must include an abstract and title page in English.
  • Dissertations written in English must include a Hebrew abstract and title page (placed as the last page).
    
     

4.13 Page Numbering: Pages in Sections 4.10 and 4.11 must be numbered. Other sections should remain unnumbered.

5. The following documents must be submitted via email and as a printed copy:

5.1 Abstract: A concise version of the dissertation abstract in English, up to three pages (A4 size), including the student’s name, dissertation title, supervisor’s name, and all required abstract elements.
5.2 Curriculum Vitae (CV) and List of Publications: To be prepared per the guidelines in Appendices E and F.
5.3 Supervisor’s Recommendation Letter: Approving the dissertation for review and including a detailed evaluation (up to two pages).
5.4 Reviewer Suggestions: Supervisors must fill out an evaluation form and propose potential reviewers, ensuring no conflicts of interest (e.g., collaborations, family relations, or prior mentoring relationships within the last five years).
5.5 Academic Compliance: The student must ensure completion of all coursework, secure approval of the research proposal, and address any comments noted in the summary report.
5.6 Declaration Form: A signed declaration stating that the student will not use the title “Doctor” before the degree is officially conferred by the University Senate.

6. Submission Date
   The official submission date is recorded only after all documents have been received both digitally and in print by the Graduate School's doctoral secretariat.

7. Final Submission Post-Senate Approval
   After Senate approval, the final dissertation must be submitted in digital PDF format to the Academic Secretariat.

Special Case: Dissertation Comprising Articles

In exceptional cases, a dissertation composed of articles may be submitted with prior approval from both the departmental and university-level committees, subject to specific guidelines outlined in the regulations.

Conditions for Article-Based Dissertations:

• At least three original research articles (not reviews) must have been published or accepted in leading peer-reviewed journals.
• The student must have made a significant contribution to each article and be listed as the first author, except in cases of alphabetical author order or supervisor-first author conventions.
• A maximum of one article may note the student's contribution as "Equal Contribution."
• Only articles accepted or published after the student’s Stage A acceptance and relevant to the approved dissertation topic will be considered.

Conditions for Submitting a Doctoral Thesis Consisting of Articles

1. At least three original research articles (not review articles) have been published or accepted for publication in leading journals in the field.
2. The student must have made a significant contribution to the articles and must be listed as the first author (except in cases where the order of authors is alphabetical or when the supervisor is listed first).
3. A doctoral thesis consisting of articles may include only one article where the student's contribution is marked as "Equal contribution."
4. An article co-authored by multiple research students may appear in the doctoral theses of up to two students, provided they have made a unique and significant contribution ("Equal contribution").
5. Only articles accepted for publication or published after the student was officially registered as a "Stage A research student" and are related to the doctoral research topic approved in the research proposal will be considered.
6. Any deviation from the conditions stated above must be approved by the university's departmental committee.
7. Only articles related to the doctoral research topic, as approved in the research proposal, will be accepted. Articles must be published or accepted for publication (with supporting documentation) and include the student as the first author in all three.

Submission Process to the Graduate School Administration

The student and supervisor(s) must submit a request to the committee, including explanatory letters and copies of the articles:

1. The student’s letter should address the following:

1. Details of the articles: Indicate where they were published or accepted for publication (include proof for articles not yet published).
2. Order of the articles in the thesis: Explain how they form a coherent and logical structure addressing the research topic.
3. Additional chapters: Mention any results not included in the articles but are to be incorporated into the thesis.

Additionally, the student must attach a completed form for submitting a doctoral thesis in the format of an article collection.

2. The supervisor’s letter should address the following:

1. The student’s contribution to the research and article writing.
2. A detailed account of the student’s unique contribution to any article listed as "Equal contribution."
3. The quality of the journals where the articles were published, including the journal ranking and its impact factor according to the Web of Science.
4. Justification for submitting a thesis consisting of articles rather than the standard format.
5. A declaration that the thesis meets the basic university requirement (as outlined in Section 3.2 of the university regulations), which states that for awarding the degree, the student must conduct independent and original research that contributes uniquely to advancing knowledge in the field.

The supervisor must also attach a separate document listing all articles included in the thesis in their intended order of appearance. The document should address:

1. How the articles form a coherent and logical structure addressing the research topic.
2. The student’s contribution to each article, including their role in the article’s writing.
3. The publication status of the articles (published, accepted, or submitted for publication with documentation).
4. The quality of the journals in which the articles were published.

Committee Review Process

1. The departmental committee will review the student and supervisor's request. If approved, it will recommend that the university committee for research students authorize the submission of the doctoral thesis in the requested format.
2. Upon completion of studies and research, and after approval from the university committee, the student must submit the doctoral thesis consisting of articles in the following format:
   1. Title pages: Include the names of the supervisor(s), acknowledgments, and a table of contents in both English and Hebrew (refer to Sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, and 4.4).
   2. Abstract: Provide summaries in both Hebrew and English (up to 5% of the thesis length).
   3. Introduction: Include a comprehensive review of the research field, research objectives, and the articles' contribution to the broader field, showing how they form a logical and continuous structure.
   4. Research Methods: Detail methodologies not described in the articles, with an emphasis on methods developed during the work. If applicable, provide an extensive review of experimental systems.
   5. Articles Collection: Include the articles in a sequence reflecting the research progression, ensuring they form an integrative study. Additional findings may be presented in a supplementary chapter.
   6. General Discussion and Summary: Provide an extensive discussion of the results, highlighting key findings and innovations contributing to the field.
   7. References: Include sources for the introduction, summary, and additional references not listed in the articles.

Language of the Thesis

The thesis must be written entirely in one language. If submitted in English, a Hebrew abstract must also be included.

For further details, see the appendices for curriculum vitae and publication list guidelines and a sample thesis cover page.