How to list publications in your academic CV 

| Written by Chidimma Nwaku

Whether you are applying to a graduate school or an academic position, you need to include your publication in your CV.

This shows that you are an authority in that field or that you have extensive skills, experience, and knowledge.

It also shows that you have good writing and analytical skills, hence including a publication boosts your chances of acceptance.

Listing publications in CV vs Resume

A resume is a snapshot of your education, experience, and skills. It is limited to a page. When applying for an industry job, resumes are usually required.

Including your publications there is optional and when you do decide to include them in order to stand out, let it be brief. 

The Curriculum vitae covers a detailed history of your education, experience, and skills. It is usually between 2 or 3 pages long and it is favored for academic applications. 

Since graduate schools or academic positions require a detailed CV not a resume, we will focus solely on how to list your publication in a CV.

How to list publications in your CV

• List your publication under a dedicated research/publication section.

• Use the reverse chronological order way of listing. That’s from the most recent to the oldest. You can also start from the most important to the least important. Just be consistent with anyone you choose

• Tailor the listed publications according to the correct formatting or citation style specific to your field. 

• List only relevant publications that are related to the program or position you’re applying for

How to list pending publications in your CV

Your publication is only “pending” if you have submitted it to a journal but it has not been peer reviewed or approved.

If your research paper is in its early stages, final stages, or it is finished but not submitted yet, then the research paper is a manuscript.

Don’t just list a manuscript without indicating it is a manuscript, that’s deceit. This is because a recruiter can assume it is a publication and can even take a step further to verify it.

Just indicate the stages that your paper is in, whether it is manuscript or for pending publications: submitted, in review, accepted, in press (when it has been accepted but not published).