How to List Publications on a Resume With Examples

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Having one or more published works listed on your resume can help you stand out as an applicant to a job or graduate program. Listing your publications on a resume also provides employers with proof of your writing and research skills which can help to highlight your qualifications. This article explains how to modify your resume format to include relevant publications and when to enhance your resume with published material.

When to list publications on a resume

The common situations where a list of publications can be most helpful to your resume include:

Academic resumes

Publications can be an important part of a resume when applying for colleges, graduate programs or jobs in academic research. Your publications show the admissions or hiring board the type of research you have done and that you have experience in writing academic content.

Scientific resumes

When applying for a position in a scientific field, you should include any scientific writing that you have published. This shows familiarity with the scientific process and the specific style of writing required in many academic fields. It can also show your interests and indicate productive lab or research projects.

Resumes for a relevant industry

If you have writing in a publication that is specific to the industry of a job you are applying for, consider including it on your resume. Publishing work in a trade journal can display your technical knowledge of a particular field.

Notable publications

Publications that are well-known in your community or on a national level can make your application more prestigious. Many companies are interested in employees who will bring a positive reputation, making candidates that have work in an established journal or newspaper more attractive.

Before listing publications on your resume, consider whether they are relevant to your job application. Resumes have a limited amount of space to leave the best impression on an employer, so it is important to only include publications that support your application.

How to list publications on a resume

These steps will help you add publications to your resume:

1. First, create a separate section

Just as most resumes have a section for experience and education, include a separate section with the heading ‘Publications.’ If you are writing an academic resume, consider listing the publications near the top of your resume. For professional resumes where your publications are not the focus of your work, include this section near the bottom of the page.

2. Second, summarize or create a list

You can either list your publications as bullet points or write a short summary of where you have published writing and what topics you have published. Lists are generally more appropriate when you have several specific items you would like to include, while a summary allows you to talk more generally about your writing.

3. Third, format consistently 

If you are listing multiple publications, make sure that you use the same format for each item. There are no specific guidelines for how to cite publications on a resume, but be sure to include your name and the names of any co-authors, the title, the place it was published and the date of publication. This makes your resume more readable and will help employers find your writing.

4. Finally, follow industry rules 

When including publications on an academic or scientific resume, you might consider using the formatting rules of a particular field such as APA or MLA. This demonstrates your knowledge of the industry. If you choose to use a specific citation format, check your work to avoid any mistakes.

Once you have decided that sharing your publications will contribute positively to your resume, you can easily modify your resume to include them. Depending on how many publications you have and the purpose of your resume, you can decide on a variety of different formats. Regardless of the type of publications you are listing, they should be relevant and organized.

Types of publications to add to a resume

Common types of publications that can be added to a resume are:

  • Magazines
  • Newspapers
  • Books
  • Academic journals
  • Trade publications
  • Online articles
  • Blogs

There are many types of publications that are useful to include on a resume. Any of your published writing can be listed, but content that is not peer-reviewed such as a personal blog should be professional quality. You should remember that employers or application boards will likely read one or more of your publications after reading your application.

Examples of publications on a resume

Use these examples as a model for including publications on your resume:

List format publication section example:

Relevant Publications

  • Kafer, Julien. ‘Microbiology and medicine.’ Undergraduate Biology Journal. Volume 15: pages 23-30. 2018.
  • Kafer, Julien and Walker, Marcella. ‘Native fungi of Colorado.’ Denver Nature Journal. Volume 3: pages 5-8. 2019.

Summary format publication section example:

Publications

During my college education, I made several contributions to Modern Business Magazine about the use of innovative marketing techniques online. After my first article, published in 2016, I began writing a quarterly column for Modern Business Magazine that highlighted unique marketing projects in an informative and entertaining way.

When adding publications to your resume, include a separate header, decide on a format and organize list items clearly by date or title.