Cumulative dissertation

(1) Upon application by the doctoral candidate, a cumulative dissertation is possible. Prerequisites for this are at least three already published, independently written original scientific papers in internationally recognised peer-reviewed journals. The applicant must be the sole or first author of at least one publication. The publications must be named with a common topic and form a coherent overall concept.

For the publication(s) for which the doctoral candidate is the first author, the co-authors must also confirm that the doctoral candidate has contributed the major part of the work. A detailed summary of the publications on which the cumulative dissertation is based must be prepared, showing the connection between the individual publications. Ideally, the summary should be easy to understand, even for colleagues from other disciplines. The doctoral committee decides on the application.

Type of publications:

Original publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals count as publications. Shared first authorships count as first authorships, provided that the other first authors may only use this first authorship as a co-authorship for their own cumulative dissertation. Alternatively, the other first authors may expand the publication into a monographic dissertation.  Last authorships do not count as first authorships.

Reviews and case reports do not count as original publications. Systematic reviews that have been prepared according to strict scientific criteria can count as an original contribution in individual cases, as can so-called "letters" (depending on the journal). If you would like an assessment of this, please send the publication to medizin(dot)promotion(at)uni-luebeck(dot)de.

Conditions:

For the publication(s) for which the doctoral candidate is the first author, the co-authors must also confirm that he/she has contributed the essential part of the work (§ 11 of the doctoral regulations of the Section for Medicine of 07.12.2015, last amended on 19.07.2022). This confirmation must be submitted along with the application for a cumulative dissertation. If there are several instances of first authorship, confirmation need only be provided for the publication for which first authorship is to be claimed. The other instance(s) of first authorship will then be counted as co-authorship.

Multiple use of publications in different cumulative dissertations is only possible if the focus allows a clear delimitation of the content. With the application for a cumulative dissertation, either a declaration must be submitted that the publications used are not included in any other cumulative doctoral thesis, or the other cumulative dissertations must be named, including a conclusive description of the delimitation of content.

Procedure:

1. Application for admission to the cumulative dissertation
   In a first step, the publications and a very short summary of the subject area (max. 2 to 3 pages) should be submitted to the doctoral committee via the Central Examination Office (by e-mail to medizin(dot)promotion(at)uni-luebeck(dot)de). These documents will be checked by the doctoral committee for suitability of the publications and the content-related context for the cumulative doctorate. The application for admission to the cumulative dissertation cannot be submitted until the doctoral project has been registered with the Doctoral Office and the publications have been published. Please also remember to submit the declarations mentioned above regarding first authorship and multiple use.
    

2. Resolution of the doctoral committee on admission to the cumulative dissertation
   In order to be considered at next month's meeting, all required documents must be submitted to the Medical Doctoral Office by the end of the third week of the current month. After the meeting, you will be notified of the decision.
    

3. Design of the detailed summary of the cumulative doctorate (hereinafter referred to as "introductory text"), see below
    

4. Submission of the dissertation
   The documents to be submitted are the same for monographic and cumulative theses, as is the number of credit points to be proven within the structured continuing education program for doctoral researchers.

The main text including bibliography should be 15 to 20 pages long (excluding appendix, CV, etc.).

After an introduction to the overarching topic of the dissertation project (approx. 3 to 5 pages, citation of basic publications makes sense), the individual underlying publications should be presented in the form of an extended abstract (3 to 4 pages each, possibly with an illustration for clarification, no citations). This should be followed by a brief overall assessment of the project topic as a conclusion (2-3 pages, other works may also be cited here).

The introductory text of cumulative papers is not an original scientific text and is usually written in German, even if the original publications are in English. Only in justified exceptional cases is it permissible to write the introductory text in English (for non-native speakers with insufficient language skills).

University publications from Lübeck that are freely accessible online can be found, for example, in the catalogue of the German National Library. On request, the Examination Office can name freely accessible cumulative dissertations.

1. Introduction to the overarching topic (3-5 pages, citations of basic publications possible)
2. Presentation of publication 1 (extended abstract, 3-4 pages, possibly one figure, no citations)
3. Presentation of publication 2 (extended abstract, 3-4 pages, possibly one figure, no citations)
4. Presentation of publication 3 (extended abstract, 3-4 pages, one figure if applicable, no citations)
5. Overall conclusion (2-3 pages, citations possible)
6. Bibliography
7. Appendix: Integration of the publications (special regulations apply to the final printing, which the Central Examination Office will announce after the viva voce with the release for printing)
8. Acknowledgements
9. Curriculum vitae

The first copy of the dissertation is used for the assessment and must be submitted with the original publications included. Special regulations apply to publication after completion of the doctoral procedure, which the Central Examination Office will announce after the viva voce with the release for printing.