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Article published In: Language, Context and Text
Vol. 7:1 (2025) ► pp.147–160

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Research Note

Turning your thesis into a book

Advice for publishing a monograph in functional linguistics

ORCiD logo with link | Australian National University, Australia | University of Sydney, Australia
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Available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) 4.0 license.

For any use beyond this license, please contact the publisher at rights@benjamins.nl.

Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Australian National University.

Published online: 5 September 2025
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https://doi.org/10.1075/langct.00083.car
Abstract
This article provides advice to those looking to convert their PhD thesis in functional linguistics into a monograph. A monograph is a great way to disseminate your research and is a major accomplishment for an early-career researcher. However, even an exceptional PhD will need to be re-worked to be published as a monograph. This article provides general advice for how to prepare your manuscript, as well as detailed advice on revising literature review and methodology sections when moving from a thesis to a monograph. It contains examples throughout, as well as two longer excerpts which highlight in greater detail the changes that should be made in order to appeal to a wider audience, situate your work in its international context and present technical and theoretical concepts in a way that is engaging and understandable for academics in other fields, as well as those in policy and industry.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Top tips for preparing your manuscript
    • 2.1Appeal to a broader audience
    • 2.2Look at your thesis with fresh eyes
    • 2.3Remove extraneous detail
    • 2.4Consider printing constraints
    • 2.5Find a model
  • 3.Updating your literature review and methodology
  • 4.Keeping to a schedule
  • 5.Publishing a book, or publishing articles?
  • 6.Excerpts
    • 6.1Excerpt 1 — Consent laws in Australia and around the world
      • 3.1.1Consent laws in Australia and around the world
    • 6.2Excerpt 2 — Ideational meaning and technicality
    • 2.3Knowledge in sex education: Ideational meaning
  • Acknowledgments
  • Note
  • References
References (13)
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