How to List Publications on a Resume (with Examples)

Showcase your qualifications for any position

For job seekers who want to make a great first impression on hiring managers, it's important to include the right kind of information on a resume. Of course, most people understand the need to include key contact details, skills, work experience, and notable achievements. But what if you've published research or other writings to your credit, that you feel can enhance your job search prospects?

In this post, we'll examine the types of published works that you may want to include in your resume and why employers need to see them. We'll also provide some important tips to help you learn how to list publications on your resume, along with some examples you can use as inspiration.

What are publications for a resume?

Depending on your chosen career, your resume-worthy publications may take a variety of forms. For example, if you're an Academic Researcher or Scientist, any published journal articles, research papers, books, or scientific treatises may count as worthwhile publication listings for a resume. Since most of these types of publications will be peer-reviewed, the quality of the work will often be taken for granted.

Marketers, professional writers, and those with similar careers can include book publications and online website publications.

How can you decide what types of publications to list in your resume?

Before you even think about including any publication in your resume, it's important to consider one main issue: relevance. Do you have any published material that's relevant to the job you're seeking? Relevance in this context doesn't necessarily mean that your publications line up in every way with your desired job, but the hiring manager should be able to easily identify some connection.

For example, if you're seeking a marketing position, your college physics research paper may not really be the best example of your work. However, a couple of published marketing research papers would be obvious choices for inclusion in your resume. In short, consider what you've published and then examine it with the prospective employer's needs in mind. If the piece showcases abilities and results that would spark interest in your candidacy, then add it to your resume.

Why do employers want to see your published work?

You might be wondering why employers even care about published works. After all, why bother to learn how to list publications on your resume if hiring managers have no interest in seeing them? Well, rest assured, if you're seeking a job in an industry that prizes research, academic thought, or specific skills that involve the creation of materials for publication, then any prospective employer is going to want to see examples of your past work.

That's why it's so important to know how to list publications on your resume - because it's the easiest way to demonstrate that you have the skills and experiences that you claim to possess. The inclusion of published works demonstrates that you have a solid foundation of analytical, research, and writing skills.

How to list publications on your resume

Once you've answered the question “should I put publications on my resume?” the next question to answer is “how do you put publications on a resume?” Don't worry! We have you covered there too.

The challenge of learning how to list publications on a resume can seem a little daunting at first. However, it's simple if you take it step-by-step. To help you with that process, we've compiled some great tips that you can use.

1. Decide where to put publications on your resume

There are two main options for including publications on your resume: within your education section, or in a separate section labeled Publications. Some general guidelines to help you determine which option is right for you are outlined below:

Education section. If you're an academic or scientist, include your published works in this section if you only have one or two publications, or if your only published works did not appear in a peer-reviewed journal. Others with published works in trade journals or online sites can also use this option.
Publications section. When you have several publications to your credit, it's generally best to add them to a separate Publications section. This compartmentalization can help to add gravitas to these achievements and make it easier for hiring managers to quickly locate that information.

If your publications are an important part of your qualifications, you may also want to include reference to them within your resume summary. One way to do that would be to select your most relevant or attention-grabbing publication and mention it within the last sentence of your summary paragraph.

2. Choose your citation style

It's a good idea to choose a specific citation style and use it as consistently as possible throughout your publications list. There are two commonly acceptable options when it comes to style - APA or MLA. The former is typically used for citing scientific and engineering publications, while the latter is generally used for citations to any publications in the humanities fields like history or philosophy.

APA example citation: [last name], [first initial]. [middle initial]. (year of publication). [article title]. [journal name] [volume number] ([issue number]) [pages].
MLA example citation: [last name], [first initial]. “[article title].” [journal name], [volume number], [issue number], [date], [pages]

Note that you may also want to include the URL of any website where the work is published if the publication is online. You can also use a simple format for listing published books:

[Your Last name, Your First name], [Book Title], [Name and location of Publisher], [Year of Publication]

Finally, if you have a mix of publications encompassing both technical and humanities-based works, or simply want to simplify your list, you can use this format:

“[Publication title]”, [Publisher name], [Date]

If you choose that last option, however, be prepared to provide a complete list of those publications with all relevant details if the employer asks for it.

3. List publications in reverse-chronological order

Since you will likely be using a reverse-chronological format for your resume, it's important to list your publications in reverse order too. To do that, simply cite your most recent published work first and then list the others in reverse chronology.

4. Verify the details of each publication citation

Always take the time to double-check your citations to ensure that all the relevant details are correct. That will ensure that you don't provide any unverifiable information, while also demonstrating your keen attention to detail and accuracy.

5. Consider relevance

Again, think about the relevance of each publication that you choose to cite in your resume. This is especially important if you have a long list of published works, since including them all could make it difficult for the most important works to stand out.

In addition, it's always a good idea to have your most relevant publications cited near the top of your list. If you have more recent publications that have little relevance for your current job search, you may want to consider omitting them to ensure that a more relevant work is showcased in that top spot.

6. Don't be afraid to include pending publications

If you've completed materials that are currently being reviewed for publication in a journal, it's acceptable to include those citations on your resume too. However, you should list those publications in italics, to indicate that they are not yet published. In addition, don't add details about the publisher.

Examples of publications on a resume

Naturally, it can be helpful to see some hypothetical examples of how to list publications on a resume. Below are several sample citations that you can use as templates or guidance while you create your own publication section.

Smith, J. “Analysis of the impact of wind turbines on migratory bird populations in the American Midwest”, American Journal of Bird Concerns, Vol. 2, Issue 19, 2012, 35-38.
Jones, T. J. 2021. Finding Meaning in a World Full of Ghosts. Journal of Modern Pseudoscience. Vol 3 (Issue 22) 56-72.
Presentation: Thoughts on Modern Fiscal Policy in the Age of Partisanship. Anytown Expo. 2022. Anytown.
Hines, T. “Probing Fake News' Prevalence, A Statistical Analysis”, Media Science, 2020. www.mediascience.com/probingfakenews/

Learn how to list publications on your resume to land more interviews

If including your publications in a resume is necessary to gain the right kind of attention from employers, then it's vital to do it right. By following the tips and recommendations in this post, you should be able to list publications in your resume in a way that bolsters your key qualifications for any job. In the end, that can be the best way to ensure that you make the right impression on hiring managers and earn more interviews.

Want to make sure that your listed publications are doing their job in your job search? Get your free resume review from our team of experts today to ensure that you're delivering the right message to prospective employers.