Supporting Undergraduate Research

Abstract

The findings of the Education Forum “Benefits of undergraduate research experiences” by S. H. Russell and colleagues (27 April, p. 548) confirm the widely held belief that undergraduate research increases interest in scientific and related research careers. Indeed, as student researchers and editors with an international undergraduate journal, the Journal of Young Investigators (JYI; ), we have experienced first-hand several of the points that the authors raised. We at JYI, however, believe that undergraduate research programs should place more emphasis on the art of scientific communication. The benefits include the opportunity to communicate undergraduate research work to a broader audience. Such an experience also develops skills necessary for the fluid but logical nature of scientific writing. These skills are otherwise missed when engrossed in wet lab work or not developed fully when merely writing final lab reports. A culture of responsibility and integrity is also developed as student authors face rigorous demands of scientific review and editing (data integrity, plagiarism, etc.). Most importantly, the undergraduate publication experience gives students an early introduction to the world of peer review, a cornerstone of science. For JYI, a student-led journal, this benefit is doubly advantageous. Not only do student authors benefit from peer review, our JYI student reviewers are also trained in the art of reviewing, a skill not given much emphasis in undergraduate research. JYI has been at the forefront of such undergraduate peer review and publication for 10 years since its inception in 1997. From over 500 submissions, we have published 120 undergraduate research articles. Our highlights for the past year include 10 special issues devoted to publishing research articles of various universities' Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, and participation in the recent 2007 AAAS Meeting, during which we hosted a workshop for science writing. Our aim is to see science writing and communication play a central role in the undergraduate research experience.