Using an Undergraduate Research Journal in Teaching Research Methods

1
Using an Undergraduate Research Journal in
Teaching Research Methods

• Pamela M. Ludemann, Ph.D.
• Framingham State College, MA

2
Why Such a Journal?

• Teaching
• Set of writing topic examples that may be
  referred to in class discussions for
  assignments
• Students experiencing difficulties grasping APA
  writing style from professional sources are
  provided with novice-level models
• Students writing models varying in quality good
  to exceptional examples are provided within each
  volume
• Students have models of past thesis topics
  methodologies (manipulations, measures, piloting,
  etc)
• Discussions include study-specific problem areas,
  pit-falls to avoid, suggestions for future
  research

3

• For Students
• Awareness that their research can be more than a
  course requirement
• Opportunity to experience the manuscript review
  process
• As an author
• As a peer-reviewer
• Resume building
• Development of a refined writing sample
• Personal and family pride sense of
  accomplishment a first publication

4

• Faculty Department
• Means to motivate students to experience the
  research process fully
• Pride in students accomplishments
• Serving as reviewers credited as a department
  service activity for personnel actions
• Possibility of cross-disciplinary participation,
  as student-authors and as student or faculty
  reviewers
• Evidence of program quality
• Samples of student writing
• Evidence of students critical thinking
• An income source for supporting student research

5
Low-Budget Production

• Required
• Someone willing to perform tasks as Editor
• 80-100 hours on the part of Editor over an
  academic year
• Willingness of faculty upper-level students to
  serves as reviewers
• Budget to cover copying materials cost
• Bookstore willing to keep profits from the
  journal low

6
Production

• Basic submission elements
• Creation of submission guidelines (handout)
• Yearly submission deadline
• Soliciting of reviewers follow-up reminders
• Reviewer forms (handout) deadlines
• Summarizing of review comments

7

• Basics for the final product
• Decide on acceptable submission methods
• Stick to deadlines
• Formatting, proofing, copying, binding
• Anticipate problems
• Word processing package stick to one!
• Students do not use programs correctly
• Students do not follow submission guidelines

8
(No Transcript)