How To List Publications on a Resume

This article will cover when to list publications on your resume, what kind of publications to include, and how to do so effectively.

When Should You List Publications on Your Resume (or CV)?

It’s a good idea to list publications on your resume whenever they are relevant to the job that you are applying for. Adding your pertinent publications shows potential employers that you are experienced in the industry and that you have strong written communication skills. Publications can also demonstrate analytical skills, research abilities, and subject matter expertise.

If you are applying to a job in an academic, scientific, or medical field, you may be asked to submit a curriculum vitae (CV) instead of a resume. In other parts of the world, ‘resume’ and ‘CV’ are used interchangeably. But, in the United States and Canada, a resume is a short document that is used for applying for jobs in any industry, while CVs are longer, more comprehensive documents that are specifically used in the three fields mentioned above.

If you are asked to submit a CV for a job application in the United States or Canada, you should absolutely create a section for your publications and include all authoritative works that you have authored, co-authored, or contributed to.

It’s acceptable for your CV to be several pages in length since it is essentially a history of your entire education and professional experience. You will likely be asked to submit a CV and should definitely include your publications if you are applying for roles such as:

• Researcher or research assistant
• Professor or assistant professor
• Dean or other higher education administrative/leadership positions
• Scientist
• Laboratory director
• Medical doctor

However, if you are asked to submit a resume for one of those types of professions or for any other role, you can still include your publications if they are relevant and if you have the space to do so without making your resume too long. Your resume should be no longer than one page if you have less than 10 years of experience, and no longer than two pages if you have more experience than that.

What Kind of Publications Should You List on a Resume or CV?

The types of publications that should be included with your job application differ depending on whether you are submitting a CV or a resume.

For a CV, include works that are authoritative, peer-reviewed, and published or about to be published, such as:

• Scholarly articles
• Conference papers
• Research papers or studies (including your published thesis or dissertation)
• Academic books

If you are submitting a resume, you can include a broader range of publications types, as long as they are appropriate and relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, you can include:

• Books or portions of books that you’ve authored
• Articles published in trade association magazines or on relevant websites
• Works that have been published in industry journals
• Blogs, blog posts, magazine articles, or websites (especially if you are applying to a writing, content marketing, or similar role)
• Journalistic publications like newspaper or news website articles
• Other published examples of your work that are pertinent to your job application

Where To List Publications

On a CV, you can create a research and publications section within the body of the document, or you can add a separate page at the end for your publications. Especially if you have a large body of work, creating a separate page can help keep your CV organized and readable.

If you are submitting a resume, you can simply create a publications section and list your works there.

Tips for Listing Publications on Your CV or Resume

Here are some tips for adding publications to your CV:

• Choose the appropriate citation style for your field. Most science and engineering fields use APA style while humanities fields (philosophy, history, language, etc.) typically use MLA style. Regardless of which format you choose, use it consistently for every publication on your CV.
• List your publications in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top and working backwards in time from there. You can include pending publications - simply italicize that entry and omit the name of the journal or publication that you have submitted it to. You may choose to leave off publications that are old, irrelevant to your target position or field, or no longer useful.
• Draw attention to your byline, especially if you co-authored a publication. Add all author names, but put your name in bold so it stands out.

If you are adding publications to your resume, you don’t need to use a specific citation style. Instead, simply list the name of the piece, where it was published, and the date of publication. Again, use reverse chronological order when listing your publications.

Citation Style Templates

As a reference, here are the different style guidelines to follow when listing your publications on a CV:

APA Style - Journal Publication

Author last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year of publication). Article title. Journal title, Volume (Issue), Page range.

APA Style - Book

Author last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year of publication). Book title: Subtitle. Location: Publisher.

MLA Style - Journal Publication

Author last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Title, Volume, Issue, Date, Pages.

MLA Style - Book

Author last name, First name. Book Title: Subtitle. Publisher, Year.

Key Takeaways

Listing publications on your resume or CV can be helpful for demonstrating your experience, writing ability, analytical skills, and expertise in your field. Depending on the position you are applying for and whether the employer asks for a CV or a resume, there are different guidelines as far as how and where to list your publications. Ensure that any publications that you list are relevant, professional, and appropriate for your target role.

Need help formatting your publications on your resume? Consider using Jobseeker’s professional resume tool to create a polished resume or CV. It has templates and prompts to help you list your publications, and you can easily switch between different styles and layouts. Then download your resume instantly and get started applying for jobs right away!