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.