Publicising and Publishing Undergraduate Research
Martin Luck
School of BiosciencesSutton Bonington Campus
Context• Usual for u/g students to do
a research project• May be required by QAA
Subject Benchmark
Research projects are usually• Carried out in final year• Heavily weighted parts of
the degree
Research project a major part of the degree for >50yLast for a complete calendar year or two semestersStudents are expected to find out something newInvolve •Lab work•Field studies•Surveys•Literature review•Data analysis
Very occasionally, part of another publication
Seldom published alone
The Biosciences Experience
ValuesThe research project is• An opportunity for in-depth
investigation• A unique piece of individual study• A source of skills and specialist
knowledge• An opportunity for deep learning
and understanding
Students often remember their project as a defining part of their degree course
It brings “ownership” of the degree subject
But, research projects are often•Time consuming•Resource intensive•Personally demandingand require imagination, patience and commitment
ValuesFor the student, the research project should be:• Real research, not contrived• Individual• Pedagogically valid• Focussed on process as well as outcome
For staff, the research project should be:• An opportunity for personalised, student-focussed teaching• A link between research and teaching…and it may be• A chance to test research ideas• A way of increasing research output
Most undergraduate research dissertations remain hidden and unloved on departmental shelves
How can we bring student research into the public domain?
Set up a Divisional research journal
Precedents at two other UK Universities
Large-scale examples in US
Set up a Divisional research website
No ideal precedents
The challenge
Informal publicityFull publication
• A “proper” publication• Career value for students• Good for School and Uni PR• Worth supervisory effort
The challenge – pros and consFull publication – a Divisional research journal
• Needs complex editorial structure• Involves peer review• Risk of variable quality• Costs: staffing, publication,
continuation
• No peer review• Career value for students• Good for School and Uni PR• Simple to administer• Open to non-traditional research
• Not a full publication• Depends on student
enthusiasm• Supervisory support not
guaranteed
Informal publicity– a “research showcase”
The result
First edition: 2006
www.nottingham.ac.uk/BURN BURN showcase
• Freely available, web-based resource
• Up to eight research articles per year
• Re-written undergraduate projects
• Single authored articles
• Accessible but informative, scientific style
Articles include:Author profilesHOD’s introductionEditor’s welcome
The mechanismwww.nottingham.ac.uk/BURN
BURN showcase
AdaptableSimple format
Not discipline-dependent
Easy to manage
Divisions recommend best project students (after June exam board). Supervisors give consent
Students invited to participate
Students write article to showcase format
Submitted articles checked for readability, style, format, copyright Light editing/negotiation
Articles web mounted as they are completed (Autumn)
Practicalitieswww.nottingham.ac.uk/BURN
BURN showcase
Divisional staff need to co-operate in student selection
Students need to respond and stay in touch after graduation
Editorial load can be heavy
Requires low level expertise in website management and design
Supervisors need to cooperate
Support by senior staffGood publicity
Some need to be chased!
Minimal supervisor responsibility
Easy. Learn on the job
Needs a staff member
Evaluationwww.nottingham.ac.uk/BURN
BURN showcase
Currently Into fourth year
Students are enthusiastic, keen to contribute
Used in School publicity
Used in student CVs
Interest from other Schools
Interest from other Universities
Part of the degree assessment process
The alternative - Full publication
Nottingham is part of the consortium of universities which set up
Bioscience Horizons, the National Undergraduate Research Journal
http://biohorizons.oxfordjournals.org/current.dtl
Bioscience Horizonshttp://biohorizons.oxfordjournals.org/current.dtl
Research Journal
ISSN-numbered, citable research journal
Publishes single-authored, student research papers and reviews
Papers are expert reviewed
Founded 2007 in association with OUP
One volume, two issues per year
20-25 articles per year
Web format, free access
So far (Vols 1 and 2): 33000 full text downloads
Unique in the UK
Conclusions
Undergraduate research can and should be published:Don’t waste it!
Formal and informal approaches are possible
Models are available to follow
Resource requirements can be fairly modest and manageable.