undergraduate research peer reviewed articles

An Undergraduate's Guide to Funding and Publishing Research

• URECA and other SBU Research Programs and Opportunities
• Funding Your Research
• Publishing Your Research: Why and How?
• Publishing Your Research: List of Undergraduate Journals

SBU's own publications

Note that among the journals listed here are SBU's own publications such as  SBU Brooklogue ,  Young Investigator's Review  and the Stony Brook Undergraduate History Journal . 

How do I know whether my discipline is considered a Humanities or Social Science field?

Humanities includes fields such as Art History, Classics, English, Comparative Literature, History, Musicology, and Philosophy. Sometimes History can be considered broadly as either a Humanities or Social Science discipline, but for the sake of this list, most history journals are listed in the Arts & Humanities category. Likewise, Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and related fields often use methods from both Humanities and Social Science research, so you might find related topics on either the Humanities or Social Science list. Psychology is another borderline discipline that might be classified as either a social science or STEM field. For the sake of this list, Psychology is listed with the Social Sciences. STEM fields are those affiliated with science, technology, engineering, or math.

Journals that publish undergraduate research

There are many journals that focus specifically on publishing undergraduate research. The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) keeps an ever growing list of journals that feature undergraduate work . However, many of those listed by CUR are hosted by a specific institution and might only publish the work of their own students, and others might not be peer-reviewed or have publishing fees, so read the descriptions carefully. And, as always, carefully review each journal's website, published articles, and the author submission guidelines before submitting your work.

Below is a list of selected journals that SBU undergraduates are eligible to submit to, organized into the following categories:

• Broad Scope: Journals that publish research in any disciplinary area.
• Arts and Humanities : Fields such as Art History, Classics, English, Comparative Literature, Cultural Studies, History, Musicology, Philosophy, Theology, and Writing & Rhetoric. Sometimes History-related fields are also classified as a Social Science, but on this page, most history journals are in the Arts & Humanities category.
• Social Sciences: Fields such as Sociology, Psychology, Economics, International Affairs, Geography, Sustainability, Political Science, and Human Rights are included here.
• STEM : Fields in the hard sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Broad Scope: Journals that publish research in any discipline

• Aletheia: The Alpha Chi Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship Peer-reviewed journal for undergraduate scholarship run by the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society.
• American Journal of Undergraduate Research (AJUR) AJUR is a national, independent, faculty peer-reviewed, open-source, quarterly, multidisciplinary student research journal.
• Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research (BJUR) Submission of original, scholarly research articles is open to undergraduates from any accredited college or university. BJUR publishes scholarship across the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
• Discussions: The Undergraduate Research Journal of Case Western Reserve University The journal accepts research papers written by current undergraduate students from accredited colleges and universities around the globe. The research can be on any topic.
• Inquiries: Social Sciences, Arts, & Humanities An open access academic journal focusing on publishing high quality original work across a range of disciplines, especially on work in the social sciences, arts, and humanities.
• International Journal of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activities (IJURCA) Peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to the publication of outstanding scholarship by undergraduates and their mentors. Accepts submissions from all academic disciplines, including original research in the the form of articles and literature reviews, as well as creative work in a variety of media.
• Journal of Student Research Multidisciplinary and faculty-reviewed journal devoted to the rapid dissemination of current research done by high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.
• Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research Multidisciplinary scholarly journal produced by a team of Monmouth College student editors and faculty members with peer and faculty reviewers for each article.
• SBU Brooklogue SBU's exclusively undergraduate, peer-reviewed journal for humanities and social sciences.
• Undergraduate Research Journal Double-blind, educator-reviewed print and electronic journal published annually. A forum for multidisciplinary undergraduate research and creative endeavors including case studies, conceptual pieces, creative writing, journalism writings, literature reviews, original art, photography, and scientific studies. Highlights mentored undergraduate scholarly products across all disciplines from all types of higher education institutions.
• UReCA: The NCHC Journal of Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity The official undergraduate journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council. Submissions are accepted from undergraduates in the following categories: STEM, Social Science, Humanities, Fine Art, and Creative Writing.

Arts and Humanities

• Animus: The Undergraduate Classical Journal of the University of Chicago Supports undergraduate scholarship in the Classics and related fields.
• Apollon Undergraduate Journal A peer-reviewed journal run by faculty and students at Fairfield University. Any undergraduate student whose research was produced through coursework in the humanities may submit.
• Archive: An Undergraduate Journal of History Accepts submissions of History scholarship, including scholarly papers, articles, book reviews, and historical essays from undergraduate students of all majors from colleges and universities in the U.S. or abroad.
• Berkeley Undergraduate Journal of Classics Original manuscripts on any topic related to Classics from undergraduate students in any major at an institution which confers a bachelor's degree are eligible to submit.
• Clio's Scroll: The Berkeley Undergraduate History Journal The journal publishes articles by undergraduates and recent graduates of any university on historical topics.
• Dies Ligibiles: An Undergraduate Journal of Medieval Studies The journal accepts research papers, book reviews, translations, and art in English, French, and Spanish from any undergraduate student at any college or university. The work must pertain to the time period 400 - 1600 CE.
• Epistemai: An Undergraduate Philosophy Journal A student-run philosophy journal at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. The journal publishes short, original philosophical work done by undergraduates from universities across the country, and internationally.
• Falsafa: Undergraduate Journal of Philosophy Run by the Philosophy Club at the University of California, Irvine, this journal highlights philosophical ideas and research by undergraduates.
• Forbes & Fifth This undergraduate journal of the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pittsburgh considers both scholarly and creative work from students at any accredited university in the world.
• The Gettysburg College Journal of the Civil War Era Open access peer-reviewed undergraduate journal that publishes academic essays, public history essays, and book reviews on the Civil War Era.
• History Matters: An Undergraduate Journal of Historical Research An undergraduate history journal published annually by the Department of History at Appalachian State University. The journal is indexed by EBSCOhost's America: History and Life.
• Journal of Art History and Museum Studies (JAHMS) An undergraduate peer-reviewed journal that publishes undergraduate scholarship by a diverse coalition of student artists and historians.
• The Kennesaw Tower: Undergraduate Foreign Language Research Journal Annual undergraduate double blind and peer-reviewed journal publishes scholarly work of advanced undergraduates students in Chinese, FLED, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Mysterion: The Theology Journal of Boston College Publishes undergraduate research from around the world on topics related to theology.
• Nota Bene: Canadian Undergraduate Journal of Musicology Publishes essays written by undergraduate students from universities around the world. Topics include historical musicology, ethnomusicology, popular music studies, music theory, music education, and interdisciplinary subjects. Double blind review by professors across Canada.
• The Oswald Review: An International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Criticism in the Discipline of English Published annually, and requiring a faculty member's endorsement, the refereed journal in indexed in EBSCO and accepts undergraduate criticism and research in the field of English from students throughout the U.S. and abroad.
• Queen City Writers: a journal of undergraduate writing & composing Refereed journal that publishes essays and multimedia work by undergraduate students affiliated with any post-secondary institution. Topics covered include writing, rhetoric, reading, pedagogy, literacy broadly conceived, popular culture and media, community discourses and multimodal and digital composing.
• Rock Creek Review An undergraduate journal edited, produced and published at Heidelberg University in partnership with the English Department. The journal publishes literary research from schools around the world for an annual publication. Check the website for the "call for papers," which will explain the theme of the next issue.
• RhetTech Undergraduate Journal Run by students at James Madison University, this journal showcases exemplary work being done in undergraduate writing, rhetoric, and technical communication courses around the country.
• Simpliciter: Brandies Philosophy Journal Run by students at Brandeis University, this journal aims to recognize excellent works of philosophy produced by undergraduates from universities anywhere in the world.
• sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies A peer-reviewed journal devoted to the diverse voices of emerging scholar-activists, authors, and artists in Women's Gender & Queer Studies and related fields. First established at McGill University, sprinkle is now published at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and welcomes submissions from around the world.
• Stance: An International Undergraduate Philosophy Journal Peer-reviewed journal publishes original work by undergraduates from around the world.
• Stony Brook Undergraduate History Journal Peer-reviewed publication that showcases the research of SBU students writing about history at the local, national and international levels.
• UC Berkeley Comparative Literature Undergraduate Journal Publishes undergraduate research in comparative texts and media, treating a broad range of topics including theoretical literary discourse, international trends in literature, and comparisons for national literature. Showcases the best work across the U.S. and also highlight more contemplative writing by students regarding multicultural issues, culture shock, or transnational experiences such as studying abroad.
• UC Santa Barbara Undergraduate Journal of History A space for undergraduates to share original research other scholarly works of history. Reviewed by graduate students with faculty mentorship.
• The Word: The Stanford Journal of Student Hiphop Research Continually solicits research papers and blog content related to hiphop culture. An open-source, open peer-refereed journal. Open to undergraduates from any college or university.
• Xchanges: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Technical Communication, Rhetoric, and Writing Across the Curriculum The fall issues publishes these and research projects of upper-level undergraduate students. Submissions may be traditional articles or multimodal "webtexts." Based in the English Department at the University of New Mexico.
• Yale Historical Review Welcomes works from undergraduates at any institution on any historically relevant topic.
• Young Scholars in Writing (YSW) An international peer-reviewed journal. Publishes original research and theoretical articles by undergraduates of all majors and years on the subjects of rhetoric, writing, writers, discourse, language, and related topics.

Social Sciences

• Afkar: The Undergraduate Journal of Middle East Studies International peer-reviewed journal that accepts research articles, essays, and book reviews that focus on the politics, history, culture, and society of the Middle East and North Africa.
• Al Noor Boston College's Middle Eastern Studies journal. It is run by undergraduates and publishes work from students around the world.
• Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy: University of Chicago's Premiere Undergraduate Journal of International Affairs Accepts submissions from undergraduates from around the world on articles related to foreign policy, international relations, and related topics, preferably pertaining to the period since 1945..
• Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas A joint project of Northern Illinois University and Arizona State University, Compass publishes work related to American democracy understood in the broad contexts of political philosophy, history, literature, economics, and culture.
• Consilience: The Journal of Sustainable Development To encourage an international community to think more broadly, deeply, and analytically about sustainable development, the journal publishes work by students, researchers, professors, and practitioners from a variety of academic fields and geographic regions.
• Critique: a worldwide student journal of politics Peer-reviewed journal that publishes scholarship by students of political science. The journal is recognized by the American Political Science Association and indexed by EBSCO.
• The Developing Economist Student-run undergraduate economics research journal, published with support from the Longhorn Chapter of the Omicron Delta Epsilon Economics Honor Society and the Department of Economics at the University of Texas at Austin.
• Issues in Political Economy Co-edited by undergraduates at Elon University and the University of Mary Washington, the journal publishes undergraduate research in the field of economics and is indexed in Cabell's Directory of Publishing Opportunities in Economics and Finance.
• Journal of Integrated Social Sciences A web-based, peer-reviewed journal committed to the scholarly investigation of social phenomena. We especially encourage students and their faculty advisors to submit the results of their investigations in Psychology, Sociology, and Gender Studies.
• Journal of Interpersonal Relations, Intergroup Relations, and Identity (JIRIRI) Affiliated with the Universite de Montreal, the international peer-reviewed journal publishes the work of undergraduates on new theoretical ideas in the fields of psychology, identity, interpersonal and intergroup relations. It publishes both theoretical and empirical articles.
• Journal of Politics and Society Published by the student group Helvidius at Columbia University, the journal focuses on undergraduate interdisciplinary research in the social sciences.
• The Journal of Undergraduate Ethnic Minority Psychology (JUEMP) Open access, double blind, peer-reviewed journal devoted to publishing research authored or co-authored by undergraduates. The journal is especially interested in submissions that are from ethnic minorities perspectives, that focus on the thoughts and behaviors of ethnic minority populations, or both.
• New Errands: The Undergraduate Journal of American Studies Sponsored by The Eastern American Studies Association and the American Studies Program at Penn State Harrisburg, this journal publishes undergraduate research in the field of American Studies.
• The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Review International undergraduate journal housed in the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Virginia Tech. Through a double blind review process, the journal publishes original research in the humanities and social sciences from undergraduates worldwide.
• Process: Journal of Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Scholarship Published quarterly, the journal publishes undergraduate writings that rigorously engage with issues of social justice, transformative education, politics, identity, and cultural production. Publishes both critical essays and non-traditional or multimodal compositions.
• Righting Wrongs: A Journal of Human Rights Based at Webster University's Institute for Human Rights and Humanitarian Studies, this peer-reviewed academic journal publishes undergraduate research papers, book reviews, opinion pieces, and photo essays that explore human rights issues.
• Social Moments: A Student Journal of Social Relations Interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal examining the social and cultural world through a social science lens. All undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit work in any social science discipline.
• Sociology between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics Undergraduates, graduates, and professionals in sociology and related fields may submit their articles, books and film reviews, and point of view essays. Double blind peer review.
• Undergraduate Economic Review (UER) Supported by the Department of Economics and The Ames Library at Illinois Wesleyan University, this is an open access peer-reviewed journal that publishes undergraduate research in the field of economics from around the world.
• Undergraduate Journal of Global Citizenship Based at Fairfield University, the journal publishes undergraduate research on topics related to International Studies such as global awareness, interdependence, environmental responsibility, social justice, humanitarianism, and other themes that promote the understanding of global citizenship.
• Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning & Community-Based Research Refereed, multidisciplinary, open access undergraduate journal that publishes articles from students all around the world. Accepted articles contribute to the literature on service learning and community-based research through reflection, research, or analysis. Based at University of North Carolina Wilmington.
• The Undergraduate Research Journal of Psychology at UCLA (URJP) Based at UCLA, but accepting submissions of undergraduate research from institutions all over the world, this peer-reviewed journal aims to empower undergraduate students to engage in and with research and facilitate scientific conversation and inquiry in the field of psychology.

STEM Fields

• Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal (CUSJ) Open access science journal that publishes manuscripts resulting from significant scientific research or analysis. Each paper undergoes a double-blind peer review process and a faculty review by the CUSJ Faculty Advisory Board.
• EvoS: The Evolutional Studies Consortium A peer-reviewed open access journal, EvoS welcomes work from all academic disciplines and interdisciplinary scholarship that incorporates evolutionary theory.
• Illumin Magazine: A Review of Engineering in Everyday Life An online magazine dedicated to exploring the science and technology behind the things we encounter every day. Features the work of University of Southern California undergraduate engineers, as well as submissions from universities across the U.S.
• Impulse: The Premier Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal International online neuroscience journal for undergraduate publications.
• International Journal of Exercise Science This journal engages undergraduate and graduate students in scholarly activity as both authors and reviewers. Articles on exercise science undergo peer review.
• Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society An open access international science, technology, and society research journal that accepts undergraduate, graduate, and PhD submissions at the intersection of history, culture, sociology, art, literature, business, law, health, and design with science and technology. Students from around the world are invited to submit.
• Involve: A Journal of Mathematics High quality mathematical research involving students from all academic levels. Submissions should include substantial faculty input; faculty co-authorship is required and the submission should come from a faculty member.
• Journal of Undergraduate Chemistry Research Peer-reviewed journal that publishes undergraduate students' work in chemistry, including analytical, organic, inorganic, physical, polymers, and biochemistry.
• Journal of Undergraduate Kinesiology Research Published by the Kinesiology Department at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire, the peer-reviewed, journal is dedicated to original undergraduate research in Kinesiology. Currently, the research originates from students at the University of Wisconsin, but undergraduates from all institutions are invited to submit.
• Journal of Undergraduate Reports in Physics (JURP) Peer-reviewed publication of the Society of Physics Students comprised of undergraduate research, outreach, and scholarly reporting.
• Journal of Young Investigators (JYI) JYI publishes original work in the sciences written by undergraduates mentored by a faculty member. The mission of the journal is to improve undergraduate science training by providing innovative, high quality educational experiences in science writing, publication, and the peer-review process.
• Psi Chi Journal Undergraduate, graduate, and faculty submissions welcome year round to this peer-reviewed psychology journal.
• Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal Devoted entirely to papers written by undergraduates on topics in the mathematical sciences. Sponsored by the Mathematics Department at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, the journal accepts submissions from undergraduates around the world and faculty co-authors are not permitted.
• RURALS: Review of Undergraduate Research in Agricultural and Life Sciences Faculty-refereed international journal devoted to the publication of high quality research by undergraduates in all agricultural research problem areas.
• SIAM Undergraduate Research Online (SIURO) Run by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), SIURO publishes articles written by undergraduates from all over the world in the field of computational mathematics. Each paper must be submitted with a letter from a faculty advisor.
• Spectrum Published by the University of Alberta, this multidisciplinary journal publishes research completed by undergraduates in a variety of formats including research articles, review articles, music, video, visual arts, and creative writing.
• Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics Published by Illinois State, this is an open access refereed research journal dedicated to publishing high quality manuscripts by undergraduate or graduate students that describe mathematical and statistical techniques to solve problems in biological settings, as well as in experimental biology. Requires an article processing charge.
• PUMP Journal of Undergraduate Research PUMP stands for Preparing Undergraduate Mathematicians for Ph.D.s, and the journal publishes articles by undergraduates students who want to pursue doctoral studies in the Mathematical Sciences. The journal especially encourages submissions by students from underrepresented groups. Topics include pure and applied mathematics and statistics and authors may submit research papers, papers containing new proofs of known results, and expository papers which propose original points of view.
• Undergraduate Journal of Experimental Microbiology and Immunology (UJEMI+) Based at the University of British Columbia, the journal has two versions -- one that publishes only UBC students (UJEMI) and the other that is open to external submissions (UJEMI+). Dedicated to the publication of undergraduate articles in fields related to microbiology and immunology, the journal requires a formal endorsement from a course instructor or researcher who mentored the student authors.
• Young Investigator's Review Stony Brook's own student-run science journal!
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Except where otherwise noted, this work by SBU Libraries is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .

A national, peer reviewed, multidisciplinary research journal

American Journal of Undergraduate Research (AJUR) is a national, independent, faculty peer-reviewed, open-source, quarterly, multidisciplinary student research journal, established in 2002. Our mission is to peer-review, publish on the web and in print, and index scholarly and creative manuscripts written by undergraduates and with undergraduates’ participation, at no cost to authors. The journal is indexed internationally by EBSCO and Crossref , and each manuscript receives a DOI number.  AJUR ‘s entire content, by invitation, is archived by the United States Library of Congress .  AJUR makes a unique contribution because of the high standards for content, rigorous review process, and ease of accessibility to the public and professionals. It accepts submissions from outside the United States, provided the submissions would be of broad interest to US and international readers. AJUR ’s print ISSN is 1536-4585 and the web ISSN is 2375-8732. The editorial board of AJUR consists of approximately sixty professional subject editors in a wide variety of fields. Printed copies are available in the special collections section of Penfield Library . Up-to-date information about AJUR can be found at  https://ajuronline.org/ .

The submission publishing process, our expectations, and the editorial workflow are described at the “ Submissions and Review ” link button above. You may see AJUR’s   Current Issue  or Archives  by clicking the corresponding links/buttons above. Please read more about the  AJUR  and see our editorial board using the “ History and Editors ” link.

Please consider being a sponsor of AJUR , a not-for-profit organization. Thank you for your interest and for your support of undergraduate research.

Any questions? Please check our Q&A page. To reach the editor of AJUR, send an e-mail to ajureditor[at]gmail.com

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

Comparing undergraduate research experiences before, during, and after the COVID-19 quarantine: The successful adaptation of the BUILD PODER Summer JumpStart program

Roles Supervision, Writing – original draft

Affiliation Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America

Roles Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America, School of Education, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America

Roles Data curation, Formal analysis, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations Department of Psychology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America, Center for Assessment, Research, and Evaluation (CARE), California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America

Roles Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: [email protected]

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America

Roles Data curation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations Center for Assessment, Research, and Evaluation (CARE), California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America, Department of Social Work, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America

Affiliations Department of Social Work, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America, Department of Sociology, California State University, Northridge, Northridge, California, United States of America

Roles Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

• Patricia Escobedo, 
• Daniel Garcia, 
• Liam Cascelli, 
• Gabriela Chavira, 
• Gilberto E. Flores, 
• Jodi L. Constantine Brown, 
• David Boyns, 
• Andrew T. Ainsworth

• Published: December 28, 2023
• https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295901
• Reader Comments

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many in person undergraduate research experiences (UREs) to pivot to remote online training. To investigate how the COVID-19 quarantine disrupted student URE outcomes over time, the current study examines Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research (PODER) URE outcomes across different platforms (in-person, remote, and hybrid models) by comparing student survey data from 2019 to 2021. Participants consisted of three cohorts: 2019 (n = 26 students), 2020 (n = 33), 2021 (n = 34). The BUILD PODER Summer JumpStart program (SJS), which aims to increase diversity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) by recruiting mostly underrepresented students, was conducted in person in 2019, remotely in 2020 and using a hybrid model in 2021. All students completed an online survey on the first and last day of the four-week SJS program. We used one-way and mixed ANOVA models to analyze Cohort, Time (pre-test vs. post-test scores), and interaction of Cohort and Time for Research Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, Mentor Relationship, Mentee Knowledge, Health, Stress, and Student Program Satisfaction measures. Despite the platform changes, student scores increased significantly over time for all measures. There was a significant main effect of Time for Research Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, Mentor Relationship, Mentee Knowledge, Health Assessment, and Stress Management. Findings indicate that URE programs that are implemented remotely and using a hybrid format can provide students with experiences similar to in-person URE programs. In addition, remote UREs may provide added benefits compared to in-person programs. For instance, remote UREs could engage more historically minoritized students, who may experience barriers to access, such as work/family commitments, financial constraints, and geographic limitations.

Citation: Escobedo P, Garcia D, Cascelli L, Chavira G, Flores GE, Constantine Brown JL, et al. (2023) Comparing undergraduate research experiences before, during, and after the COVID-19 quarantine: The successful adaptation of the BUILD PODER Summer JumpStart program. PLoS ONE 18(12): e0295901. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295901

Editor: Fatma Refaat Ahmed, University of Sharjah College of Health Sciences, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Received: December 27, 2022; Accepted: December 1, 2023; Published: December 28, 2023

Copyright: © 2023 Escobedo et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.

Funding: This work is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) BUILD PODER (Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity: Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research) at California State University, Northridge, grants TL4GM118977, RL5GM118975, and UL1GM118976. All awards granted to GC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or manuscript preparation.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

Over the past few decades, the scientific community has made great efforts to diversify the scientific workforce [ 1 , 2 ]. In particular, Black and Latinx students are less likely to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and less likely to pursue STEM-related careers than their white or Asian counterparts [ 3 ]. To address these disparities, many institutions have developed initiatives to increase access to STEM education, which have increased the enrollment of minoritized students [ 4 ]. Yet despite some gains, students from ethnic-racial minoritized communities remain less likely to persist in STEM postsecondary majors [ 3 ]. High-impact practices (HIPs) positively affect student retention, success, and graduation [ 5 , 6 ]. HIPs are active learning approaches that foster deep learning by promoting student engagement and positively impacting historically underserved students. Undergraduate research experiences (URE) are powerful HIPs that unequivocally show improvements in student retention and success [ 2 , 5 ].

Short-term (i.e., summer) and longer-term (i.e., academic year) undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are traditionally delivered in person [ 7 ]. This format has effectively retained undergraduates in STEM through their graduate degrees and careers, especially students from minoritized communities [ 8 , 9 ]. In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced UREs across the U.S. to cancel their summer programs, with few programs pivoting to remote online experiences for summer training [ 7 , 10 – 12 ]. The pandemic allowed programs to examine the efficacy of online/remote undergraduate research training [ 11 – 13 ]. While some research has compared pre-pandemic to pandemic program implementation [ 14 ], to our knowledge, no studies have examined programmatic outcomes across different methods of implementation (i.e., in-person pre-pandemic, remote during COVID-19 quarantine, hybrid after some restrictions were lifted) to investigate the extent to which the quarantine created disruptions in student outcomes. Moreover, examining these student outcomes across platforms is important to demonstrate if the core objectives of traditional in-person UREs can be accomplished virtually, especially when unforeseen disruptions occur.

Disparities in STEM majors and careers

During the past 30 years, U.S. federal agencies increased efforts to diversify the STEM workforce, which yielded successful equity initiatives and research training opportunities for underrepresented scholars [ 2 , 15 ]. However, disparities persist. Black, Latinx, American Indian/Alaska Natives, and Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders comprise 32% of the US population, yet they are historically minoritized; that is, they remain underrepresented in the sciences compared to Asians and Whites [ 16 ]. For instance, in 2018, only 22.5% of STEM bachelor’s degrees were awarded to historically minoritized groups [ 3 ]. This is concerning given that in 2011, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reported that most of the growth in new jobs will require science and technology skills [ 17 ]. To create a diverse STEM workforce, NAS recommended doubling the number of historically minoritized undergraduates earning STEM degrees [ 17 ]. To accomplish this goal, there is an urgent need to target and train students from minoritized groups with the research skills and self-efficacy necessary to earn undergraduate and graduate STEM degrees.

Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs)

Interventions focused on increasing the number of students from minoritized groups earning undergraduate STEM degrees should offer students opportunities to participate in URE programs. Such programs include Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) [ 18 ], Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) [ 19 ], Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program [ 20 ], Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) [ 2 ], Supporting Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE) [ 14 ], the Meyerhoff Scholars Program [ 21 ], Biomedical Career Enrichment Programs (BCEPs), Einstein/Montefiore program and Woods Hole Partnership Education (PEP) [ 11 , 22 , 23 ]. UREs offer undergraduates exposure to research projects, faculty, and advanced peers who can provide access to professional connections and acquaint students with scientific norms [ 24 – 26 ]. For instance, URE faculty and peer support systems have been shown to promote gains among student participants in active learning, self-confidence, and pursuit of science careers [ 27 , 28 ]. URE programs also provide spaces for demonstrating science discourse and practice, facilitating undergraduates’ scientific identities [ 29 ]. As a result, URE participants are better prepared to become science professionals and succeed in STEM programs than their peers [ 8 , 30 – 32 ]. Moreover, UREs increase students’ critical thinking and communication skills than course-based research projects [ 31 , 33 – 35 ].

Research on URE outcomes show there are positive effects on students’ intentions to enroll and actual enrollment in STEM graduate and professional programs [ 8 – 10 , 19 , 36 , 37 ]. For example, Wilson and colleagues examined five NSF-funded UREs [ 19 ]. They found that URE participants were more likely to pursue a Ph.D. program and produce more presentations, publications, and awards than students who applied to the URE but did not participate. UREs provide undergraduates opportunities to develop scientific professional skills, explore possible career options, and refine post-undergraduate goals [ 26 ].

Increasing ethnic-racial minoritized groups’ participation in STEM

Some of the long-term goals of URE programs is to help increase the diversity of the scientific workforce in the U.S. by broadening the pool of student participants, improving retention, and increasing matriculation into competitive graduate programs [ 38 , 39 ]. UREs typically provide undergraduate training through a multi-institution consortium that includes several research partners and various pipeline partners [ 37 , 40 , 41 ]. Key features of these programs include mentor-driven practices to support undergraduate student researchers as well as training faculty in research pedagogy and mentoring techniques and providing faculty with resources for increasing their research productivity [ 19 , 40 – 43 ].

Research shows that UREs aimed at increasing the number of underrepresented minoritized students in the sciences can improve students’ likelihood of enrolling in doctorate programs [ 37 , 38 , 44 ]. For example, a previous study examined 13 student cohorts of the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program, which focuses on increasing the number of ethnic-racial minoritized students who earn doctorate degrees and pursue research careers in STEM fields [ 38 ]. This study found that URE participation was associated with a significant increase in the probability of minoritized students pursuing a science or engineering doctorate [ 38 ]. Further, many UREs are designed to support minoritized undergraduates, are successful at helping these students graduate with a STEM degree [ 39 , 45 ] and can facilitate intentions to pursue a scientific research career [ 15 , 36 , 41 , 44 ]. In addition, UREs tailored for minoritized undergraduates help improve retention in STEM [ 19 , 44 , 46 ]. For minoritized students to persist in the sciences, UREs should consider incorporating a culturally-affirming curriculum that fosters the development of a science identity and interest in pursuing a scientific career [ 36 ]. In addition, UREs that focus on critical mentorship and asset-based curricula that affirm the strengths of student’s culture/ethnicity are being designed to recruit and train minoritized students [ 36 , 47 – 49 ]. Yet, it wasn’t until 2017 that the National Institute on General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) required that all training grant applications state that program mentors will receive training in mentorship [ 50 ]. Similarly, in 2022, the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), funded by the National Science Foundation, strongly encouraged their REUs to provide training for research mentors [ 51 ], as they previously only encouraged training for new research mentors [ 52 ].

Differences in learning platform

Previous research exploring differences between the traditional classroom and remote or hybrid learning options has focused on student satisfaction [ 53 ] or grades [ 54 ] as outcomes, with few studies exploring student research self-efficacy or well-being. In a longitudinal study of social work graduate students’ research self-efficacy, Constantine Brown and Park found that student knowledge and research self-efficacy improved between pre-test and post-test on standardized measures and remained significantly improved at follow-up one year later, with no significant difference between online learners and traditional on-site students [ 55 ]. URE program designs remained largely traditional until the COVID-19 pandemic forced a rapid shift to remote online training [ 7 , 10 – 12 ]. Three studies that measured student and program outcomes after training was completed, found that students reported the virtual program was a positive experience [ 11 , 13 ], and students reported increased interest in pursuing biomedical careers, increases in research skills, positive relationship with mentors, and increased mental wellbeing after virtual program participation [ 12 ]. To date, no studies of URE have compared student outcomes by learning platform across different cohorts.

BUILD PODER: Objectives and Summer JumpStart (SJS)

Founded in 2014 through a common fund from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (BUILD) initiative aims to increase the diversity of the research workforce by preparing undergraduate student researchers from diverse groups in preparation for graduate studies in biomedical sciences. The BUILD program based at California State University, Northridge program is known as BUILD Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in Education and Research (PODER) and is one of ten BUILD sites across the United States. BUILD PODER employs Critical Race Theory (CRT) and related theories rooted in a social justice perspective throughout the student training curriculum and takes community-based, holistic, and transdisciplinary approaches to identify and resolve social problems such as health disparities. For example, BUILD PODER students use the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) [ 56 ] to review data on diversity in STEM and track their own trajectories through higher education and into science careers to highlight the disparities in the STEM workforce. BUILD PODER also incorporates discussions of current real-world health disparities, such as unequal access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic that resulted in higher cases of infection and deaths related to COVID-19 among low-income and ethnically minoritized communities, as well as discussions centered around historical accounts of ethical violations and mistrust of medical scientists. BUILD PODER extends Solórzano and Yosso’s critical race analytical approach [ 57 ] to research in education by using the theory’s tenets as guides in all aspects of the research training curriculum and programming for faculty and students. BUILD PODER also employs Yosso’s Cultural Community Wealth Model [ 58 ] as an asset-based approach to challenge traditional forms (e.g., wealth, education) of capital by valuing non-traditional forms of capital (e.g., language and cultural knowledge).

Newly accepted BUILD PODER students begin training by participating in a four-week intensive entry-to-research Summer JumpStart (SJS) program (see S1 Fig for student recruitment and program timeline). The SJS program is an important component of the BUILD PODER URE as the training program is designed to provide students with biomedical research skills. However, SJS is also designed to help students build positive mentee-mentor relationships, increase feelings of research self-efficacy, develop a sense of belonging, and increase overall well-being to help underrepresented students persist in STEM majors, earn STEM degrees, and enter the STEM workforce.

Summer JumpStart objectives

Research self-efficacy..

Self-efficacy is an individual’s belief about their ability to perform tasks or activities related to a specific goal or outcome [ 59 ]. Research self-efficacy, therefore, is a student’s self-perception of their ability to perform research-related tasks and activities [ 60 ]. Research on science self-efficacy indicates it is a predictor of a students’ persistence in science-related fields [ 61 ]. Research self-efficacy and research skills were found to predict students’ aspirations for research careers, and the effects of research skills are partially mediated through self-efficacy beliefs [ 62 ]. Similarly, Pajares argued that students’ research self-efficacy is a vital link between their acquisition of research skills and knowledge, and how they apply these skills [ 63 ]. Furthermore, studies found that UREs can positively impact a research self-efficacy among students, which included the ability to think and work like a scientist, understanding how science is conducted and the ability to complete research-related tasks (e.g., laboratory or fields work, analyzing and interpreting data, research presentations) [ 34 , 64 , 65 ].

Mentoring relationship.

Faculty mentorship provides instrumental psychosocial, emotional, and networking functions for students [ 66 – 68 ]. A previous study found that research and mentoring experiences with faculty significantly improve students’ self-rated science efficacy [ 69 ]. Previous research also found an association between faculty mentoring, academic success, and persistence [ 70 ]. Research suggests mentoring is especially critical for minoritized students [ 49 , 71 – 73 ]. For instance, in a study of 277 minoritized students, Castellanos and colleagues found that students who reported having a mentor had higher cultural fit (i.e., cultural congruity in combination with a perception of the university environment), more support (i.e., psychosocial support, and networking), and higher college and life satisfaction [ 72 ]. Furthermore, minoritized students’ perceptions of mentorship have been linked to increased retention [ 74 ], academic goal definition, and college adjustment [ 75 ].

Sense of Belonging and health.

Students who report feeling a sense of community in the classroom are more likely to attend class, participate during class, and graduate from college [ 76 – 78 ]. Furthermore, a sense of community has been shown to correlate positively with a student’s likelihood to contribute during class discussions and negatively with a student’s anxiety in the classroom [ 79 ]. These factors are particularly salient among undergraduate, first-generation, and minoritized populations [ 80 – 82 ]. Previous research indicates that success in STEM relies on a sense of belonging, especially among minoritized students [ 11 , 81 ]. Previous studies demonstrate that UREs can influence students’ feelings of connectedness and well-being [ 83 , 84 ], and previous research also indicates that science identity is facilitated by a sense of community and affiliation [ 29 ].

Individuals have an innate need to belong to communities, motivating them to maintain lasting, positive relationships and strongly affecting emotional and cognitive functioning [ 85 ]. Failure to make connections with others can negatively affect mental health and behavior [ 85 ]. For the community to impact an individual student, the student must perceive themselves as part of that community [ 86 ]. Therefore, the present study investigates students’ sense of community within the summer URE program and its role in increasing positive student outcomes.

To develop effective program implementation and increase URE accessibility, especially when unexpected disruptions occur, the current study examined if student outcomes from the summer UREs differed significantly across formats (in-person, remote, or hybrid). The following research questions guided the study:

• How does the URE program format impact changes in Research Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, Mentor Relationship, Mentee Knowledge, Health, and Stress Management scores across time?
• How does the URE program format impact ratings of Program Satisfaction among student participants?

A total of 93 undergraduate students participated in the summer entry-to-research training program. The participants included 26 students in 2019, 33 in 2020, and 34 in 2021. To join BUILD PODER at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), individuals needed to be currently enrolled at one of four Pipeline Partners (PP) community colleges in the university’s service area or be a CSUN undergraduate student in their sophomore or junior year. The selection process consists of three steps: 1) students apply, 2) applications are screened for inclusionary criteria by a review panel, and 3) selected students are interviewed. BUILD PODER is a two to three-year program, depending on the coursework needed for graduation. All newly accepted BUILD PODER students complete the Summer JumpStart (SJS), a four-week intensive summer research experience held during the month of July that includes training on: research skill-building, building positive mentor-mentee relationships, research ethics, community-building, CRT principles and maintaining physical and mental health. Upon completion of SJS, students enter their first year in BUILD PODER.

Since its inception in 2015, BUILD PODER SJS has been conducted in person on the university campus, and since 2017, all participants have been provided complimentary on-campus housing. SJS participants completed community-building activities, attended workshops, research presentations, and field trips, and worked on projects in their mentor’s research labs. However, in 2020 all BUILD PODER SJS programming was moved entirely online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To complete lab work and other hands-on training or activities during remote programming, students picked up complimentary supplies provided by program staff from the university as needed (curb-side pickup), or it was mailed to participants if they were not within driving distance. In 2021, SJS began as an in-person program, with five students beginning the training remotely due to not being fully vaccinated for COVID-19 per BUILD PODER’s policy. However, all students were in-person by week three of the 2021 SJS program.

The current study used SJS data from 2019 to 2021. Trained research investigators administered all pre-test and post-test surveys. Only students who provided informed consent were given a link to complete an online survey on a personal device (e.g., laptop, tablet, or cell phone). Pre-test surveys were administered on the first day of SJS, and post-test surveys were administered four weeks later on the last day of SJS. In 2019, all surveys were administered on the CSUN campus, and in 2020 all surveys were administered remotely. In 2021, the pre-test survey was administered remotely, but the post-test survey was completed on the university campus. All students completed the same survey. The full survey took around 60 minutes to complete. The CSUN Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects approved all procedures.

Participant characteristics

The survey asked SJS participants to provide demographic information, including gender, first-generation college status, and Federal Pell Grant status. The U.S. Department of Education defines Pell Grants as awards to first-time undergraduate students with “exceptional financial need,” and award status is often used as an indication of low-income status [ 87 ]. Additional demographic information, such as ethnicity, was obtained from program records. Ethnicity was coded as Asian, Black, Latinx, White, and Other (multi-ethnic). First-generation college status and Pell Grant recipient status were coded as dichotomous variables (1 = “yes,” 0 = “no”).

Research Self-Efficacy was assessed using a 9-item scale. The questions were adapted from the 30-item Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) survey [ 65 ]. The nine items used in this survey focused on personal gains related to research work. Students were asked to rate their level of confidence or comfort level with various research activities, which included “comfort in discussing scientific concepts with others,” “confidence in my ability to do well in future courses,” and “confidence in engaging in real-world science research.” Responses were coded 1 = “none”, 2 = “little”, 3 = “moderate”, 4 = “quite a bit”, and 5 = “a lot” (see S1 Appendix all measure items and response options). Composite scores were created by averaging item responses to form a single composite score. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test items and post-test items. Cronbach’s alpha [α] statistics were calculated for pre-test items (α = 0.879) and post-test items (α = 0.906).

Sense of Belonging.

Sense of Belonging was assessed using a 10-item scale. The questions were adapted from Rovai’s 20-item scale focused on measuring classroom community [ 88 ]. The ten items used in this study focused on connectedness. Students were prompted to think about the program and asked, for example, whether they feel “the students care about each other,” “I trust other students,” “isolated,” or “other students depend on me” (see S1 Appendix all measure items and response options). Responses were coded “strongly disagree” = 1, “disagree” = 2, “neutral” = 3, and “agree” = 4. Composite scores were created by averaging item responses to form a single composite score. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test and post-test items. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test items (α = 0.879) and post-test items (α = 0.884).

Mentor relationship.

Students’ relationship with their mentor was assessed using a 9-item scale. The questions were adapted from Rovai’s 20-item scale [ 88 ]. The ten items used in this study focused on the connectedness between the student and mentor. Students were prompted to think about their mentor and asked, for example, whether they feel “connected to my mentor,” “isolated,” or “confident that my mentor will support me” (see S1 Appendix all measure items and response options). Responses were coded “strongly disagree” = 1, “disagree” = 2, “neutral” = 3, and “agree” = 4. Composite scores were created by averaging item responses. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test and post-test items. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test items (α = 0.871) and post-test items (α = 0.904).

Mentee Knowledge.

The student’s understanding of their responsibilities as a mentee was assessed with an 8-item scale. The measure was created by research team members using the wording from the mentor-mentee contract, a form they completed before the Summer JumpStart program. Students were asked if they knew, for example, “how many hours I will work on [their] project with [their] mentor,” “what I must prepare to present to my mentor prior to our meetings,” and “what my mentor expects of me” (see Supplemental File for all items). Responses were coded “strongly disagree” = 1, “disagree” = 2, “neutral” = 3, and “agree” = 4. Composite scores were created by averaging item responses. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test and post-test items. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test items (α = 0.897) and post-test items (α = 0.924).

Health Assessment.

The measure was created by research team members based on the BUILD PODER’s SJS Health and Well-being curriculum. For example, students were asked how often they do the following, “exercise or go to the gym,” “get enough sleep,” “make time for self-reflection, prayer or meditation,” and “stay in contact with important people in your life” (see Supplemental File for all items). Responses were coded “it will probably never occur to me” = 1, “never” = 2, “rarely” = 3, “sometimes” = 4, and “frequently” = 5. Composite scores were created by averaging item responses. Composite scores were calculated for pre-test items (α = 0.744) and post-test items (α = 0.826).

Stress Management.

Student Stress Management was assessed using one item. Students were asked to “rate their ability to manage the overall level of stress they experience.” Responses were coded as “poor” = 1, “fair” = 2, “neutral” = 3, “good” = 4, and “excellent” = 5, and the research team created the measure.

Student satisfaction.

Student satisfaction with the Summer JumpStart program was assessed using a 7-item measure adapted from the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8) [ 89 ], which was divided into three subscales (Satisfaction 1, Satisfaction 2, and Satisfaction 3) (see S1 Appendix all measure items and response options). Averaging item responses to each question created composite scores. Students were only asked about student satisfaction in the post-test survey. Therefore, composite scores were calculated for post-test items only. Cronbach’s alpha statistics were computed for Satisfaction 1 (α = 0.852), Satisfaction 2 (α = 0.724), and Satisfaction 3 (α = 0.867) subscales.

Analysis strategy.

Participant demographics for the analytic sample (n = 92) were calculated by cohort ( Table 1 ). The average mean and standard deviation were calculated for each measure (pre-test and post-test) by cohort ( Table 2 ). We conducted a one-way ANOVA analysis and Tukey HSD post hoc tests to examine how student satisfaction scores differed by cohort. To examine Cohort (i.e., 2019, 2020, 2021) and Time (i.e., pre-test versus post-test) and interaction of Cohort and Time for Research Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, Mentor Relationship, Mentee Knowledge, Health Assessment, and Stress Management measures, we conducted a two-way mixed ANOVA analysis and Tukey HSD post hoc tests. Due to less than 5% missing data, participants with missing data on any measure used in the analysis were removed from the sample [ 90 ]. Therefore, the final analytic sample consisted of 92 participants, with one participant in 2021 removed due to not answering mentor-related questions in the post-test survey. Statistical analyses were performed using Stata (version 17) and SPSS (version 28.0).

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Ethics statement.

All participants provided informed written consent online before completing any surveys for this study. This study was approved by the CSUN Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects under IRB-FY21-222.

Among the participants, 71.73% identified as female and 28.26% as male ( Table 1 ). Among the participants, 54.34% were Latinx, 16.3% were Asian, 13.04% were White, 6.52% were Black, 5.43% were Other (multi-ethnic), 60.86% were first-generation, and 50% were Federal Pell Grant recipients. Among the participants, 13.04% identified as health and human development majors (e.g., public health, nutrition), 39.13% identified as social and behavioral science majors (e.g., psychology), 36.95% identified as science and mathematics majors (e.g., biology, chemistry), and 10.86% identified as engineering and computer science majors.

Research Self Efficacy

There was a significant main effect of Time on Research Self-Efficacy scores overall ( F (1,89) = 61.29, p < .001, η p 2 = 0.408), such that scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test among participants in all cohorts (see Table 2 for means and standard deviations of all measures). However, the effect for Cohort was not significant ( F (2,89) = 0.67, p = 0.512, η p 2 = 0.015), and the interaction between Time and Cohort on Research Self-Efficacy scores was not significant ( F (2,89) = 0.22, p = 0.807, η p 2 = 0.005).

Sense of Belonging

There was a significant main effect of Time on Sense of Belonging scores overall ( F (1,89) = 170.123, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.657), such that average scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test among participants in all cohorts. There was also a significant Cohort effect on Sense of Belonging scores ( F (2,89) = 4.158, p = 0.019, η p 2 = 0.085). Tukey post hoc tests show scores in the 2019 cohort (i.e., entirely in-person) were significantly higher (0.328 mean difference) than in the 2020 cohort (i.e., entirely online) at p < .05, but no other difference was significant. There was no significant interaction between Time and Cohort on Sense of Belonging scores ( F (2,89) = .56, p = 0.571, η p 2 = 0.013).

Mentor Relationship

There was a significant main effect of Time on Mentor Relationship scores overall ( F (1,89) = 69.86, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.440), such that scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test among participants in all cohorts. However, the main effect of Cohort was not significant ( F (2,89) = 2.44, p = 0.093, η p 2 = 0.052), and the interaction between Time and Cohort on Mentor Relationship scores was also not significant ( F (2,89) = 1.78, p = 0.17, η p 2 = 0.038).

Mentee Knowledge

There was a significant main effect of Time on Mentee Knowledge scores overall ( F (1,89) = 79.06, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.470), such that scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test among participants in all cohorts. However, the main effect of Cohort was not significant ( F (2,89) = 1.17, p = 0.315, η p 2 = 0.026), and the interaction between Time and Cohort on Mentee Knowledge scores was also not significant ( F (2,89) = 0.352, p = 0.704, η p 2 = 0.008).

Health Assessment

There was a significant main effect of Time on Health Assessment scores overall ( F (1,89) = 104.57, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.540), such that scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test among participants in all cohorts. The main effect of Cohort on Health Assessment scores was not significant ( F (2,89) = 1.33, p = 0.267, η p 2 = 0.029). However, there was a significant interaction between Time and Cohort on Health Assessment scores ( F (2,89) = 6.34, p = .03, n p 2 = 0.125), indicating that the scores in the 2019 cohort increased at a significantly faster rate than observed in the 2020 and 2021 cohorts.

Stress Management

There was a significant main effect of Time on Stress Management scores overall ( F (1,89) = 37.50, p < .001, η p 2 = .296), indicating that students in all cohorts significantly increased their ability to manage stress from pre-test to post-test. However, the main effect of Cohort was not significant ( F (2,89) = 1.12, p = .331, η p 2 = .025), and the interaction between Time and Cohort on Stress Management scores was not significant ( F (2,89) = .474, p = .624, η p 2 = .011).

Student satisfaction

There was no statistically significant difference between the average Satisfaction 1 score by Cohort ( F (2,90) = 0.612, p = .545, η p 2 = .013). There was no statistically significant difference between average Satisfaction 2 scores by Cohort ( F (2,90) = 1.55, p = .217, η p 2 = .033). There was no statistically significant difference between average Satisfaction 3 scores by Cohort ( F (2,90) = 2.31, p = .104, η p 2 = .049).

Findings from this study highlight URE student outcomes over time and across different platforms (in-person pre-pandemic, remote during COVID-19 quarantine, and hybrid) by comparing student surveys conducted in 2019, 2020, and 2021. This study found that despite the change in platforms, student scores across the three cohorts increased significantly from pre-test to post-test for Research Self-Efficacy, Sense of Belonging, Mentor Relationship, Mentee Knowledge, Health Assessment, and Stress Management. In addition, there were no significant differences between program satisfaction scores by year. Our findings indicate that URE programs implemented remotely and using a hybrid format can provide students with an effective and impactful URE experience.

During the summer of 2020, several UREs pivoted from in-person to remote online training in response to the COVID-19 pandemic [ 7 , 10 – 12 ]. Of these programs, three studies examined the efficacy of remote online training by measuring student and program outcomes after training was completed [ 11 – 13 ], and only one study compared pre-pandemic URE program implementation to pandemic program implementation [ 14 ]. The current study built on previous research by measuring URE student outcomes across three different types of program implementation in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Examining student scores across different URE program design and implementation strategies is critical. The current study provides program design recommendations to URE principal investigators (PIs), faculty, and staff who may need to shift in-person URE programming to remote or hybrid program models, especially UREs serving historically minoritized groups [ 7 ].

The current study found that despite the change in URE platforms, student Research Self-Efficacy scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test. These results indicate that participants felt more confident engaging with research activities by the end of the SJS program. These findings parallel a study by Ajayi and colleagues, who compared student outcomes before and during the COVID quarantine [ 14 ]. Ajayi and colleagues found that students in the 2019 and 2020 URE programs reported significant gains in confidence conducting research [ 14 ]. Moreover, previous studies used a pre-test and post-test design in 2020 to examine remote URE programs and found that remote URE participants reported gains in research self-efficacy [ 12 , 83 ].

It is well established that traditional in-person UREs can increase research self-efficacy among undergraduates [ 34 , 64 , 65 ]. The current study builds on these findings by showing that online UREs can also increase research self-efficacy among undergraduates. In the current study, students in the SJS program were matched with research mentors and received research training in person and remotely. Our results are notable because they suggest that remote UREs can also support persistence in STEM and encourage undergraduates to pursue careers in research [ 61 , 63 ].

The current study also found that student Sense of Belonging scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test. However, the 2019 (in-person) cohort scores were significantly higher than the 2020 (online) cohort scores. These findings are consistent with past research, which found that students felt that online UREs could improve outcomes by focusing on cohort building programming and activities [ 7 ]. Differences in Sense of Belonging may be influenced by cohort characteristics and/or the program platform. For example, the 2020 cohort was the first wave of students required to shift from in-person to remote learning, therefore students in this cohort may not have found online socialization as impactful as in-person socialization, or students needed time to adjust to informal interactions with peers online.

Findings from previous research indicate that remote URE participants can develop a sense of belonging [ 14 , 83 , 91 ]. A study by Alaee and colleagues noted that remote URE participants experienced a sense of belonging by communicating and socializing with lab mates and other program participants [ 83 ]. Additionally, intimate conversations and whole-group discussions help remote URE participants feel connected with each other [ 7 , 12 ]. Sense of Belonging is critical, as it greatly affects emotional and cognitive functioning [ 85 ]. In the current study, activities to build relationships with peers and program staff were implemented in-person or remotely in 2019, 2020, and 2021. Program leadership implemented weekly or monthly events for all students in the program so participants could socialize and interact with their cohort and the larger group. In addition, across all cohorts and platforms, SJS students participated in team-building activities, movie nights, and tours of local museums or communities (in-person or online). Virtual engagement has been shown to foster feelings of belonging in historically minoritized STEM female faculty [ 92 ]. It is worth noting that Sense of Belonging in the current study captured participants’ growth in feelings of acceptance by their research team. Future research should examine how URE participants develop feelings of acceptance by the broader scientific research community.

The current study found that student Mentor Relationship and Mentee Knowledge scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test. These results are consistent with past research indicating that remote UREs can complement traditional forms of mentorship [ 10 ] and that mentees completing remote UREs can have meaningful and productive virtual mentoring experiences [ 12 , 93 ]. A growing body of research demonstrates that virtual mentoring can facilitate social, academic, and career success and enables the development of transferable and technical skills similar to the benefits of in-person mentoring [ 94 – 100 ]. In the current study, all SJS program participants had multiple opportunities to interact with their mentors, potentially affecting their mentoring relationships positively. Moreover, all participants were required to submit a mentor-mentee contract, establishing clear expectations at the program’s start. These program components were required of in-person and remote participants, which may explain why SJS mentees perceived their mentoring relationships favorably.

The results from the current study and previous research indicate that remote mentorship offers an ability to continue training in STEM research and promotes feelings of interpersonal connection. Further, remote mentoring can also have added benefits, such as increased flexibility in meeting times/locations and a more comfortable environment for mentee communication [ 97 , 101 , 102 ]. These benefits may be essential to historically minoritized students with financial or familial obligations. Future studies will be necessary to determine the long-term effects of remote research mentorship, such as job placement and retention in STEM.

The current study found that student Health Assessment and Stress Management scores increased significantly from pre-test to post-test. The results indicate that students felt more capable of managing their health and stress by the end of the program. These findings parallel past research which involved 170 remote URE participants in the summer of 2020 and found that participants reported gains in research self-efficacy and shifts in mental well-being. For example, participants reported decreased stress, resilience gains, and improved life satisfaction [ 12 ]. The results from the current study suggest that SJS sessions focused on stress and physical were impactful. The SJS program provided students with the tools to decrease stress and improve resilience and mitigate burnout [ 103 – 105 ]. Furthermore, undergraduate researchers’ shifts in mental well-being, such as improved life satisfaction, promote STEM excellence in a wellness environment [ 106 ].

Limitations

The study was limited to college students in Southern California. Therefore, results may not be generalizable to college students living in other regions of the United States. Most participants in the current study were female, lower-income, and first-generation college students, which may limit the generalizability of findings to other sociodemographic groups. In addition, some academic disciplines may be better adapted to an online URE experience than others. The BUILD PODER online URE was designed for students majoring in science and mathematics and social and behavioral sciences, which limits the generalizability of this program to other academic disciplines.

The results from the current study demonstrate that the core objectives of traditional in-person UREs can be accomplished virtually while also impacting students’ well-being. In addition, these results may provide added benefits compared to in-person programs. For instance, remote UREs could engage more historically minoritized students, who may experience barriers to access, such as work commitments, financial constraints, geographic limitations, childcare, or family obligations. As the scientific research community confronts its lack of diversity, remote experiences could be leveraged to address existing inequities. Altogether, the results indicate that remote URE programs afford many of the same opportunities and benefits as in-person programs. Virtual programming can target and improve the student well-being necessary for academic, career, and life satisfaction and success, bolstering science pathways for all students. Future studies should investigate how to scale up remote URE offerings and examine whether remote URE participants pursue graduate education and research-related careers at the same rates as in-person program participants.

Supporting information

S1 fig. ure recruitment & program timeline..

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295901.s001

S1 Appendix. JumpStart study measures.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295901.s002

S1 Dataset. Jumpstart minimal data set deidentified.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0295901.s003

Acknowledgments

We want to acknowledge and thank Dr. Scott Appelrouth, who helped develop the BUILD PODER Summer JumpStart questionnaire. We also want to acknowledge Martha Carreon and Kyle Moreno for their review and formatting of the manuscript. Finally, we want to acknowledge the students of BUILD PODER for their hard work and dedication to becoming the next generation of STEM scholars.

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The Case for Undergraduate Research Journals

• Special Issue: Mathematical Biology Education
• Published: 28 July 2020
• Volume 82 , article number  100 , ( 2020 )

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• Kestutis G. Bendinskas 1 ,
• Lester Caudill 2 &
• Luis A. Melara Jr. 3  

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This note addresses the important role of undergraduate research journals in the undergraduate research experience. Peer review by professional researchers is identified as the most essential ingredient in establishing the relevance of these journals as venues for research dissemination. Included are examples of three such journals— Spora , SIAM Undergraduate Research Online , and the American Journal of Undergraduate Research —with demonstrated success in supporting the undergraduate research experience.

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Kestutis G. Bendinskas

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Kestutis G. Bendinskas—Executive Editor of American Journal of Undergraduate Research, Lester Caudill—Associate Editor of Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics, Luis A. Melara Jr.—Editor-in-Chief, SIAM Undergraduate Research Online (SIURO)

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Bendinskas, K.G., Caudill, L. & Melara, L.A. The Case for Undergraduate Research Journals. Bull Math Biol 82 , 100 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-020-00775-2

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1890: A Journal of Undergraduate Research invites undergraduate students from all universities to submit their work—from any discipline—to be considered for publication in our undergraduate research journal. The journal is interdisciplinary, meaning that research, scholarly articles, creative writing, artwork, and photography will all be placed under consideration. For more information, please see our call for submissions at our website.

Academic Leadership Journal in Student Research is an Open Access, annual, online, peer reviewed, international journal dedicated to the publication of student research (undergraduate and graduate) within all disciplines and of pedagogically based professional work that explores the intersection of student research with teaching and faculty research. Our mission is to provide a forum for exceptional student research and to promote collaboration between students and teachers in the classroom, laboratory, and field.

Advanced Journal of Graduate Research (ISSN:2456-7108) is a refereed journal dedicated to publishing research work carried out by Bachelor/Master Degree students under the supervision of a faculty member. Normally research work carried out as a part of the undergraduate course or graduate course in the form of final year thesis (course project) will be considered in this specific graduate journal. Any mentored student may submit articles related to all area of Science and Technology including Life Science, Computer Science, Mathematics, Environmental Science, Earth Science, Agriculture Science, Medical Science, Chemical Science, Physical Science. This journal accepts original research article, review article and survey article. Normal publication is free in this journal with open access availability of published article.

Afkar: The Undergraduate Journal of Middle East Studies is an academic journal focusing on the study of politics, history, culture, and society in the Middle East and North Africa. Afkar was created to encourage undergraduates to undertake primary research on the Middle East and North Africa and contribute to the growing body of literature in Middle East studies.

Al Noor is Boston College’s Middle Eastern Studies journal, based in Chestnut Hill, MA. It is run entirely by undergraduates at BC, features work from around the world, and is issued twice a year.

Aleph is UCLA’s only official journal publishing undergraduate research in the humanities, social sciences, and behavioral sciences. Run by undergraduates who review submissions continuously throughout the year, Aleph publishes select submissions in a quarterly online journal and an annual “best of” print journal, with the support of our sponsor, the UCLA Undergraduate Research Center.

Alpha Chi is deeply invested in fueling undergraduate research and creativity. We challenge students to find and lend their growing voice to the most pressing conversations and issues of the moment. Publishing that original work—some for the first time—is part of being an Alpha Chi member. Aletheia presents undergraduates with an opportunity to disseminate online their empirical research, critical literary analysis, policy analysis, or artistic endeavors to a wider audience. Alpha Chi members can be published at no per page charge; a page charge does apply for non-members. Aletheia is a free, public-access journal.

Alpenglow showcases and acknowledges the broad spectrum and quality of undergraduate student research, scholarly investigation, and creative work at Binghamton University. The journal accepts and publishes various formats of submissions of scholarly and creative work.

American Journal of Undergraduate Research (AJUR) is a national, independent, peer reviewed, open-source, no-cost-to-authors, quarterly, multidisciplinary student research journal. AJUR is indexed. AJUR (print ISSN 1536-4585, web ISSN 2375-8732) was established in 2002.

Americana is the undergraduate research journal from the University of Notre Dame’s Dept of American Studies. The journal seeks to encourage students to conduct research that explores both popular and academic curiosities relating to American studies; foster an interdisciplinary conversation between students, past and present; and provide opportunities for undergraduate publication.

Animus, the undergraduate Classical journal of the University of Chicago, publishes outstanding original work in the Classics and related fields. Supporting study of the Classical world through multiple platforms—the journal and the online blog—we seek to present wide-ranging undergraduate scholarship to a broad audience.

Founded in 1990, Anthós is a multidisciplinary academic journal published by the Honors College of Portland State University. Anthós publishes the work of Portland State University students, juried by Honors College student editors in a double-blind review process.

Our goal is to engage students in every stage of the process, beginning with student-faculty collaboration in generating undergraduate scholarships and finishing with the release of a polished digital journal. Apollon strives to take advantage of the unique opportunity of venturing into the digital humanities by engaging with image, text, sound, video, and a variety of presentation platforms in the process of showcasing the many species of undergraduate research.

ARCHIVE is an award-winning journal of history published annually by undergraduate history majors, in partnership with the History Department and the UW-Madison chapter of Phi Alpha Theta. ARCHIVE accepts submissions from undergraduate students of all majors and from colleges and universities in the United States or abroad. The deadline for submissions is usually in late January or early February.

The Aresty Rutgers Undergraduate Research Journal (Aresty RURJ) is an interdisciplinary, undergraduate-run research journal that accepts submissions exclusively from Rutgers University undergraduate students! Our purpose is to display the cutting-edge research being conducted by Rutgers University students and to allow them the unique opportunity to experience the publication and peer review process first-hand. The Aresty RURJ is also set apart from other undergraduate research journals in that we have implemented a year-long reviewer program that teaches involved undergraduates about how to review papers, and then allows them the opportunity to put that knowledge into practice by reviewing the manuscripts submitted to RURJ.

Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History is an online journal edited and produced by undergraduate students at Armstrong State University. The journal is dedicated to promoting undergraduate students’ research interest in history and their writing skills. The journal is also hoped to strengthen the collaborations in learning between undergraduates and graduates, students and faculty, and history majors and those from other study fields. All submissions will be fully refereed in a blind reviewing process by history professors and graduate students from Armstrong and other universities.

The Arsenal: The Undergraduate Research Journal of Augusta University?(ISSN 2380-5064) is a peer-reviewed, open access, interdisciplinary journal for undergraduate research conducted at Augusta University. This journal is managed in collaboration by the Center for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship (CURS), University Libraries, and the student organization On the Shoulder of Giants.

Auctus: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship is designed to highlight the various forms of research taking place at Virginia Commonwealth University. The journal is student-run, peer-reviewed, and edited with assistance from faculty members. Auctus accepts outstanding submissions from VCU undergraduates of all disciplines. The journal welcomes submissions of research articles, technical papers, expository articles, and works of creative scholarship.

AUJUS, the Auburn University Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship, is a faculty-refereed publication that showcases the research and scholarly accomplishments of Auburn University undergraduate students from any discipline.

Biochemistry and Applied Biological research journal

Founded in 2020 as the first undergraduate urban studies journal in the United States, the Barnard/Columbia Urban Review (BCUR) aims to promote discourse and research at the intersection of ecology, business, politics, history, culture, and society by publishing a rigorous selection of research papers in our print journal. BCUR is sponsored by the Urban Studies program at Columbia University and Barnard College, and is entirely led, organized, and operated by undergraduate students at Columbia University across a range of academic disciplines.

The Berkeley Undergraduate Journal of Classics is committed to the progress and proliferation of scholarship in the field of Classics and to providing a common medium through which undergraduates from all relevant disciplines can actively engage in one another’s work. In order to establish a channel for interdepartmental exchange and collaboration, we seek to publish exceptional papers and translations from a wide range of fields pertaining to Classics and the world of the ancient Mediterranean.

The Beyond: Undergraduate Research Journal is the peer-reviewed research publication of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Office of Undergraduate Research. The journal features research manuscripts, literature reviews, and technical reports by undergraduate students at the Daytona Beach, Prescott, and Worldwide campuses. To learn more about this publication, read About This Journal. Beyond accepts submissions on a rolling basis. Please note: you must have an account in Scholarly Commons to submit a manuscript. Click on My Account to log-in or create a new account. To upload a manuscript for consideration, click on the Submit Article link. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Undergraduate Research at [email protected].

Bridges is an undergraduate academic journal created at Wilfrid Laurier University. It offers a range of essays on broad, interdisciplinary subjects with a focus on contemporary issues and literature.

The Bryant University Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies aims to promote undergraduate scholarly work that builds bridges between various disciplines to engage with complex problems that no one single discipline alone can effectively address. From various second-order effects of global warming to advancements in digital technology and information systems, the journal encourages themed volumes with individual submissions in forms including case-studies, scholarly research, critical reviews, original works of creative writing and visual art, and mixed-media productions.

The Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research publishes original, scholarly research undertaken by undergraduates from any college or university. BJUR builds upon and strengthens Butler’s commitment to quality undergraduate research by providing an outlet for the publication of outstanding undergraduate scholarship across the humanities, social and natural sciences.

The Caltech Undergraduate Research Journal publishes the best undergraduate submissions from around the world in the form of scientific and featured articles.

The Canadian Journal for the Academic Mind is a student-run/student-focused, interdisciplinary, open-access research publication dedicated to bringing together the best and brightest minds from across the world to share their ideas and research. We believe, support, and encourage the use of open-access publishing and the accessibility of academic material to the public. We are committed to providing a platform for students to showcase their research findings and discuss and debate our world’s changing landscape. CJAM was founded by a small group of students and professors in 2023 at Carleton University in Ottawa but aims to publish works by students from across the world. Our founding editors from Carleton come from the Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs, the Feminist Institute of Social Transformation, and the School of Journalism and Communication! Currently, we have students on the editorial board from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, McMaster University’s School of Biomedical Engineering, and York University’s History Department. As an interdisciplinary journal, we publish papers on a wide array of topics ranging from public policy, philosophy, and economics to international relations, gender studies, and medicine. We constantly aim to bridge the gap between the academic and non-academic worlds. Our goal is to provide an engaging and informative space for students to share their work and ideas without any restrictive requirements.

The Canadian Journal of Undergraduate Research (CJUR) is a biannual publication that highlights work being done by undergraduates in all areas of academic research. CJUR publishes a variety of article types, including primary research, reviews, commentaries, and critiques. All submissions are reviewed by experienced graduate students.

Caravel is a faculty-reviewed online undergraduate research journal, which chronicles students’ creative research from all academic disciplines.

Catalyst is a student-run journal that showcases and highlights student research and views about science. Catalyst provides an avenue for students to share their thoughts and ideas about scientific innovations in the form of articles that are published annually.

Central Europe Yearbook is an open-access journal promoting the study of Central Europe among undergraduate students. Sponsored by the Center for Austrian Studies at the University of Minnesota, the journal’s online platform provides an outlet for a wide array of scholarly projects. In addition to traditional forms of scholarship, we are particularly interested in the development of the digital humanities in the study of the region. Submissions could include academic articles, GIS maps, interactive resources, games, VLOGs, or any other compelling union of technology and research. Submissions will be accepted in either English or German. The Yearbook is a venue for undergraduates working on Central European topics to publish their scholarship and work in tandem with professors, independent scholars, graduate students, and undergraduates from various institutions across the country and internationally.

The Challenger aims to further the access and representation of underrepresented students by giving URH Scholars at UC San Diego the opportunity to publish and share their research. The Challenger attempts to promote scholarly research with diverse perspectives across multiple fields of study, and provide a platform for scholars of all backgrounds to express their unique lens of viewing societal problems to bring positive impacts to the community.

The Chicago Journal of Foreign Policy invites undergraduates from around the country and the world to submit articles on foreign policy, international relations, comparative politics, international political theory, and any related subjects. We accept shorter pieces as blog posts to our website and generally save longer pieces for our more competitive bi-annual print journal. Our mission is to increase our collective understanding of international affairs and highlight the work of undergraduates from around the world.

Clio’s Scroll, the Berkeley Undergraduate History Journal, is published twice yearly by students of the Department of History at the University of California, Berkeley. The journal aims to provide undergraduates with the opportunity to publish historical works, develop the editing and writing skills of contributors and board members, and train them in the editorial process of an academic journal.

The Robotics Institute Summer Scholars Working Papers Journal is an annual publication of the Robotics Institute’s Summer Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University. The journal is a medium for the undergraduate students of the summer research program to communicate their work in collaboration with the participating lab faculties. This journal encompasses the learnings and research findings of the students over the eleven-week-long remote engagement with the CMU community for the year 2021. The journal comprises 58 papers written by the scholars participating in RISS 2021. The papers explore various domains of Robotics, including Localization, Mapping, Computer Vision, Motion-planning, Controls, Haptics, Aerial Systems, Medical Robotics, Multi-agent Systems, Machine Learning, and Reinforcement Learning.

Founded in 2009 as the first undergraduate economics journal in the United States, the Columbia Economics Review (CER) aims to promote discourse and research at the intersection of economics, business, politics, and society by publishing a rigorous selection of student essays, opinions, and research papers in a print journal released each semester. We further strive to engage individuals on campus, locally, and globally through speaker series, symposia, competitions, and other events established to promote dialogue and encourage deeper insights on economic issues. CER is sponsored by the Program for Economic Research at Columbia University and the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy. CER is entirely led, organized, and operated by undergraduate students at Columbia across a multitude of academic disciplines.

The Columbia Journal of Asia (CJA) is an open-access, peer-reviewed platform for academic and creative pieces relating to Asia and the Asian diaspora, launched in partnership with Columbia Libraries and faculty in the departments of History, MESAAS, EALAC, and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. It addresses an urgent need for meaningful representations of Asian narratives as an integral part of the humanities, arts, and social sciences. It welcomes both research papers (“notes” of 1,500-4,000 words and “articles” of 4,000+ words) and creative works (visual art, poetry, prose, and translations of under 2,000 words). Undergraduates from all majors, tracks, and class years, at any university, are encouraged to submit. Submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Read more about CJA and submit at cja.library.columbia.edu. Any questions can be directed to [email protected].

The Columbia Undergraduate Science Journal is a peer-reviewed, professional-level, open-access, academic publication that is committed to publishing manuscripts of the highest scholarship resulting from significant scientific research or outstanding scientific analysis. Each paper published in the CUSJ undergoes a double-blind peer-review process facilitated by the journal’s Editorial Review Board and a faculty review by a member of the Faculty Advisory Board. The CUSJ has two primary goals. First, the CUSJ aims to (1) publish works of the highest scholarship authored primarily by undergraduates. Second, the CUSJ aims to (2) educate students about the academic publication process, both from the inside as a member of the CUSJ staff and from the outside as a submitter to a scientific journal with academic standards that are as rigorous as any professional-level scientific publication.

Compass: An Undergraduate Journal of American Political Ideas seeks to publish essays by undergraduates at colleges and universities anywhere in the world on current American political issues understood in the broad contexts of political philosophy, history, literature, and culture. The journal encourages submissions from across academic disciplines and welcomes the use of various historical, philosophic, and empirical methods of analysis. This online journal aims to provide a space for the work of talented undergraduates who have original and well-articulated insights on important ideas and issues relating to American democracy. Please submit your essays to [email protected]. Published essays will usually be 1500-2000 words in length. We encourage a lively style that is highly readable. This is a venue to relate original work, whether using interpretive textual analysis, archival work, quantitative findings, comparative historical analysis, or other methodological approaches. However, we ask that these findings not be delivered or expressed in the manner of a term paper to specialist professors but in a more journalistic fashion to a wider audience of readers eager to glean what’s interesting from your findings. Once you have submitted your essay, the editorial team will work quickly to let you know if your piece will be appropriate for this journal and whether it requires revisions. Compass is a project of the Tocqueville Forum at Northern Illinois University, in partnership with Starting Points: A Journal of American Principles and American Practices, a project of the Kinder Institute at University of Missouri.

Compos Mentis: Undergraduate Journal of Cognition and Neuroethics publishes papers on philosophy, seeking to support and encourage the intellectual work of undergraduates.

Consilience is an online journal dedicated to promoting interdisciplinary dialogue on sustainable development. This journal aims to bring students, researchers, professors, and practitioners from a variety of disciplines and geographical regions in direct conversation with each other through an online, academically rigorous medium. Consilience publishes scholarly articles, opinion pieces, field notes, editorial columns, and photo essays. By providing a public platform for discussion, we hope to encourage a global community to think more broadly, thoroughly, and analytically about sustainable development. The journal is run by a team of undergraduate and graduate students, under the guidance of faculty from Columbia University in the City of New York.

Critique is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes scholarship by students of political science. The journal, which is recognized by American Political Science Association and indexed by EBSCO-Host database, accepts submissions from all the subfields of political science.

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Cura Terra is an undergraduate journal founded on values of justice and equity, putting people at the center of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. Cura Terra is designed to be both interdisciplinary and intersectional. The journal encourages students to submit articles, research papers, and essays related to the field of environmental studies. Students in any program of study should feel welcome to send their work as long as it relates to environmental issues.

DePaul Discoveries is a peer-reviewed undergraduate research journal published by DePaul University’s College of Science and Health.

The first undergraduate journal of medieval studies at Smith College focuses on the period 400–1600 AD. Submissions from all sorts of fields are accepted such as art, art history, language and translation, and religion. Submissions are encouraged pertaining to regions outside Western Christendom. Any undergraduate student at any college or university may submit.

Digital America is a new, online journal that features student work on digitization, digital culture, and American life. We also feature process projects in courses that engage digital media and digital culture, and we feature ongoing commentary on topical, digital issues. We accept traditional papers as well as new media pieces, digital art, and short films.

Digital Literature Review is the Ball State University English Department’s new undergraduate academic journal, edited and produced by Ball State undergraduates. Our goal is to showcase the valuable contributions of hardworking, creative undergraduate students. We welcome original, engaging, scholarly submissions from the perspective of a wide range of academic disciplines, including film studies, theatre, anthropology, psychology, and literary and cultural studies. Each issue is thematically driven, so please visit www.bsu.edu/dlr or email us at [email protected] to find out more about our current focus.

DISCOVER is a peer-reviewed, open access journal dedicated to the publication of outstanding scholarship by undergraduates at Utah State University. This journal accepts submissions of scholarly and research articles, from undergraduate students in all academic disciplines.

Discovery is the undergraduate student research journal at the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

DISCOVERY is an undergraduate research journal featuring publications from students enrolled in the Honors College at Georgia State University. The mission of DISCOVERY, subtitled The Honors College Undergraduate Research Journal, is to promote, showcase, and disseminate original scholarship from all disciplines conducted by Honors College undergraduate students who have been involved in faculty-mentored research projects and creative activities. DISCOVERY promotes, encourages and rewards undergraduate research excellence and provides opportunities for the exchange of ideas beyond the classroom.

The journal features exceptional research and writing by SMSU undergraduates.

Discussions is the undergraduate research journal of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. We are currently accepting submissions from all majors! We accept from all over the nation and have received submissions from Princeton, Florida, and even New Zealand. Our current acceptance rates are around 30 percent, and we are becoming more competitive every year. Check out our website to learn more!

Founded in 1998, the Dartmouth Undergraduate Journal of Science aims to increase scientific awareness by providing an interdisciplinary forum for sharing undergraduate research and enriching scientific knowledge. The DUJS prints quarterly journals that include science news and review articles, along with research by undergraduates. Weekly Dartmouth Science News articles are also posted to the DUJS website.

The DU Undergraduate Research Journal is a peer reviewed publication of research articles from all undergraduate disciplines. The mission of DUURJ is to encourage, recognize, and celebrate intellectual activity that occurs outside of the classroom, though exemplary research conducted in classroom settings may also be displayed. The journal staff is comprised entirely of DU undergraduate students and works to promote academic research across all disciplines.

El Río: A Student Research Journal is a student-run research journal at CSU-Pueblo that focuses on outstanding student work from the humanities, behavioral, social, natural, and health and applied sciences. Its mission is to acknowledge, promote, and disseminate high-quality student research that shapes discourse and fosters understanding.

The Elon Journal is the only journal with a focus on undergraduate research in journalism, media, and communications.

Epistemai is an undergraduate philosophy journal with a focus on short, original, philosophical work done by undergraduates from universities across the country.

• Eureka ‐ University of Alberta Eureka is a student-founded and student-run initiative. This journal offers undergraduate scientists the unique opportunity to share their discoveries with the scientific world through the peer review process. Eureka is an educational institution, with a diverse team of reviewers from many scientific backgrounds, exposing undergraduate students to the publication process often excluded from their traditional scientific education. Through clear and effective scientific writing, students will be a

EvoS Journal: The Journal of the Evolutionary Studies Consortium is a journal designed to promote the education of evolutionary theory in colleges and universities. EvoS Journal welcomes work from all academic disciplines as well as interdisciplinary scholarship that incorporates evolutionary theory across areas of study.

Explorations is a refereed journal that features original research and creative work by students at any 2- or 4- year public or private college or university across the state of North Carolina. Explorations is the companion journal for the annual State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (SCNURCS) and publishes student-authored articles of general interest in any area, as well as creative work in a variety of media. Article submission is June 1 of each year, and submissions are reviewed by a faculty board of reviewers across the state.

Falsafa aims to highlight philosophical ideas and research in marginalized/underrepresented subdisciplines and aims to encourage work by undergraduates within the same. Falsafa welcomes submissions on topics pertaining to all areas of philosophy and encourages undergraduates from all universities, majors, and backgrounds to submit creative works.

The Florida Atlantic Undergraduate Research Journal (FAURJ) is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal that is published annually. The FAURJ is published online and in print. Its missions are to showcase high quality undergraduate research in all fields, supply younger students with an idea of the standard of research, and promote inquiry-based activities at FAU.

Fenjan is the University of Pennsylvania’s premier journal on the Middle East. Through nonpartisan, quarterly issues, Fenjan is dedicated to increasing empathy for and understanding of the Middle East among the Penn Community through written and visual work.

Field: A Journal of Arts & Sciences is IU Kokomo’s peer-reviewed student journal that inspires dialogue across disciplines. Field publishes visual artwork, research essays, and creative writing. We are committed to representing diverse student perspectives and expanding our community’s field of vision.

First-Gen Voices: Creative and Critical Narratives on the First-Generation College Experience is a peer-reviewed journal of creative writing, visual and recorded art, and scholarly work from the first-generation college community—students, faculty, and staff whose parents have not completed bachelor’s degrees from institutions in the United States). Founded in spring 2014 at Loyola Marymount University, First-Gen Voices offers a space where individuals from diverse backgrounds can engage one another in conversation through their shared social identity as first-gen college students. This publication aims to promote awareness about the first-gen experience, the valuable forms of social capital first-gen students bring into the university, and the meaningful contributions they make to their local and global communities.

The Florida Undergraduate Research Journal (FURJ) is a new publication opportunity for students to share their work with others beyond their campus journals. It is dedicated to publishing outstanding undergraduate research across all disciplines. All are welcome to submit.

Forbes & Fifth, a magazine published by Dietrich School undergraduates at the University of Pittsburgh, and sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity, unites works of research, creative writing, and scholarly articles under the banner of interdisciplinary collaboration. We seek articles of an interdisciplinary nature, both in form and content. We’ve featured research articles on Internet memes, Peruvian Terrorism, Mongolian folk rock, Great Britain’s “Little Ice Age,” as well as poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. We’re also interested in visual art, translations, and reviews. Undergraduates at accredited institutions may submit inquiries or work to [email protected].

• Furman University Electronic Journal of Undergraduate Mathematics

The George Mason Review is a cross-disciplinary undergraduate journal. Through the publication of exemplary, scholarly works, the GMR acts as a medium for discussion among us–the Mason undergraduate body–about scholarship. It seeks to re-vision scholarship by exploring and challenging the boundaries separating disciplines from each other, the humanities from the sciences, and academic from creative. In doing so, the GMR hopes to represent the academic excellence of the Mason undergraduate body.

Global Histories: A Student Journal aims to offer a platform for debate, discussion and intellectual exchange for a new generation of scholars with diverse research interests. Global history can provide an opportunity to move beyond disciplinary boundaries and methodological centrisms, both in time and space. As students of global history at Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, our interest lies not in prescribing what global history is and what it is not but to encourage collaboration, cooperation, and discourse among students seeking to explore new intellectual frontiers.

Glocality is an open-access academic journal that offers a platform to undergraduate students to share their work with the scholar community and practitioners worldwide. Articles explore the relationship between local and global on the dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Grand Valley Journal of History provides undergraduate students from all institutions with an opportunity to publish their historically-based research. The GVJH is a journal for all majors, operated by student editors and overseen by a faculty advisory board.

Harf: A Journal of South Asian Studies invites academic work from undergraduate and graduate students working on South Asia. We are a new journal published out of McGill University in Montreal. We welcome all submissions pertaining to the anthropology, history, literatures, and religions of South Asia. We are interested, particularly, in essays that explore marginalized voices, communities, practices, and concepts. Submissions must be double-spaced and 15-30 pages in length, inclusive of all endnotes, footnotes, and bibliography. Submissions must be formatted according to the Chicago Manual of Style as per the notes and bibliography system. Queries may be sent to [email protected] or via our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/harfjournal.

An undergraduate history journal, published annually on this website by the Department of History at Appalachian State University. The journal is edited by undergraduates with the help of a faculty board. Our goal is to publish the best undergraduate historical research possible. In doing so, we would like to provide an opportunity for top undergraduates from a variety of schools to be recognized for their work, familiarize them with the publishing process, and encourage student-faculty collaboration.

Illumin is a student-run online magazine dedicated to the fields of science and technology, specifically engineering. Submissions to the magazine come from USC undergraduate engineers along with submissions from universities across the nation.

Illuminate features academic and creative content of honors students from the Northeast region

IMPULSE is the first international, online neuroscience journal for undergraduate publications. The journal is peer reviewed by students worldwide.

Founded in August 2013, the Indiana University Journal of Undergraduate Research is an entirely student-led journal dedicated to promoting a culture of curiosity all around Indiana University. Any undergrad from all eight of Indiana University’s campuses can submit to our journal, and we accept submissions from any field on a rolling basis.

Inquiries Journal is an open-access, multidisciplinary student journal focused on presenting student scholarship in the social sciences, arts, and humanities.

Inquiro is UAB’s official journal of undergraduate research. The Journal operates by a blind, peer review process conducted by UAB faculty, researchers, and distinguished undergraduate students and maintains the highest standards of scholastic integrity.

Inquiry journal is the online, multi-disciplinary undergraduate research journal of the University of New Hampshire. It is published annually in April.

The Inquiry Journal accepts research works as well as creative works for publication. Research includes any quantitative or qualitative original research that a student has conducted during their academic studies. Creative works include any theoretical works, policy analyses, art projects or displays, among others.

The primary aim of the International Journal of Exercise Science is to engage undergraduate and graduate students in scholarly activity as authors and reviewers as they develop into professionals. In addition to providing students with an outlet for manuscript submission, the Journal will engage students as peer reviewers, thus providing students with a more encompassing experience with regards to scholarly activity. All student authors who have a manuscript accepted in the Journal will be added to the reviewer pool and may have the opportunity to serve as a peer reviewer on future submissions.

A peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to the publication of outstanding scholarship by undergraduates and their mentors from academic institutions of higher learning. The journal accepts submissions of research articles, fiction, poetry, photography, videos, and other creative works from undergraduate students in all academic disciplines.

The International Relations Review (IRR) is an esteemed undergraduate journal at Boston University. Founded in 2009, and indexed in the Library of Congress, the International Relations Review consists of policy-oriented analyses through two annual print issues and a consistent collection of digital commentary; each publication boasts original research, policy recommendations, book reviews, and opinion pieces. Each issue is read by a global network of scholars, practitioners, leaders, and students committed to advancing human progress and approaching tomorrow’s challenges with thoughtful, interdisciplinary lenses.

International Undergraduate Journal of Health Sciences (IUJHS) is a student-run, open access, peer- reviewed online journal that publishes original research papers, short communications, review papers, mini-review papers, letters to the editor, and conference proceedings within the field of human health and medical science. The IUJHS is published twice-yearly.

Intersect is an international Science, Technology, and Society research journal run by undergraduate students at Stanford University and supported by the Program in STS. It welcomes undergraduate, graduate, and PhD submissions at the intersection of history, culture, sociology, art, literature, business, law, and design with science and technology. The journal’s submissions are not exclusive to Stanford affiliates and generally span several continents.

Intersections is an interdisciplinary print-form journal published online by the Comparative History of Ideas program at the University of Washington, Seattle. Intersections features features student essays, research papers, and capstone theses in the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. There are no established deadlines as submissions are accepted on a rolling basis. Work of any length is considered. Interested authors should consult the journal’s Call for Papers page for submission specifications. Authors can contact the editorial staff at: [email protected].

Founded in 1965 at Aberystwyth University’s Department of International Politics, ‘Interstate – Journal of International Affairs’ is a student-run journal that focuses on international affairs.

Inventio is the multidisciplinary undergraduate research journal of The Catholic University of America. Established in 2015, it aims to identify and disseminate original undergraduate research that best represents the university’s commitment to the academic and Catholic traditions that inform its mission to “discover and impart the truth.” The journal accepts submissions of research in theology, philosophy, the humanities, and the social sciences written by current students or within two years of their graduation.

• Invoke ‐ University of Alberta The focus and scope of the journal includes anything sociological, that is presenting scholarly research with a sociological perspective. This does not completely exclude perspectives of other disciplines; sociology is a very broad and overlapping field and submissions from other disciplines will be accepted. Submissions are limited to works done at the undergraduate level.

Issues in Political Economy is a student run journal whose focus is to promote undergraduate research in all areas of economics.

The Jackson School Journal is an online and print publication dedicated to profiling the outstanding research and policy writing relating to international studies.

The James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ) is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal produced by a student editorial board working alongside faculty reviewers. This online journal publishes excellent scholarly research conducted by JMU undergraduates from all academic disciplines. Submissions are evaluated and published on a rolling basis.

The Journal of Science and Health at the University of Alabama (JOSHUA) is an undergraduate research journal relating to science and health.

The JUE is an online publication for undergraduate academic writing. The JUE seeks to distribute original scholarly ethnographies from a variety of disciplinary areas.

The Journal of Art History and Museum Studies (JAHMS) is a student-edited, undergraduate peer-reviewed journal. Led by its student editorial board, JAHMS publishes issues online in the fall and spring academic terms and welcomes intercollegiate scholarly research of students across the globe.

• Journal of Asian and African Social Science and Humanities ‐ Asian and African Research Centre Journal of Asian and African Social Science and Humanities is a double-blind, peer-reviewed journal. The journal publishes research papers in the fields of humanities and social science such as anthropology, business studies, communication studies, corporate governance, criminology, cross-cultural studies, demography, development studies, economics, education, ethics, geography, history, industrial relations, international relations, law, linguistics, library science, media

The Journal of European Psychology Students (JEPS) is an open-access, double-blind, peer-reviewed journal for psychology students worldwide. JEPS is run by highly motivated European psychology students and has been publishing since 2009. By ensuring that authors are always provided with extensive feedback, JEPS gives psychology students the chance to gain experience in publishing and to improve their scientific skills. Furthermore, JEPS provides students with the opportunity to share their research and to take a first step toward a scientific career.

The Journal of Foreign Affairs at Carolina (JFAC) is an undergraduate research journal at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill which publishes excellent undergraduate research on global affairs and current events. This student-run journal partners with the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Carolina International Relations Association to publish biannual issues showcasing not only student research, but also student photography from around the world. This interdisciplinary journal accepts submissions relating to global affairs a wide variety of subjects including, but not limited to, economics, religion, anthropology, international relations, language and regional studies.

The Journal of Integrated Social Sciences is a web-based, peer-reviewed journal committed to the scholarly investigation of social phenomena. We especially encourage students and their faculty advisers to submit the results of their investigations.

Title of Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Relations, Intergroup Relations and Identity (JIRIRI). Years active: 2008 – present Peer-reviewed: yes Review done by: undergraduate and graduate students. A senior associate editor (Ph.D.) trains the students and verifies all the letters that are sent to the authors. The Journal of Interpersonal Relations, Intergroup Relations and Identity (JIRIRI) is a social psychology journal with the goal of promoting the creation and expression of novel theoretical and empirical ideas. Created at Université de Montréal, it is an international scientific peer-reviewed journal for undergraduate students. The JIRIRI’s goal is to promote creative and original ideas in social psychology and related fields, produced by undergraduate students worldwide. Undergraduate students are given the opportunity to either publish an empirical or theoretical manuscript, to review scientific manuscripts or to become part of the editorial team. The JIRIRI’s next goal is to diffuse its material to other professors and students that wish to use the peer-review process as a teaching tool.

The Journal of Near & Middle-Eastern Civilizations is a yearly journal published by the University of Toronto NMC Students’ Union. It seeks to receive work from both graduate and undergraduate students–particularly in relation to the modern Middle East.

The Journal of Politics & Society focuses on undergraduates and interdisciplinary coverage of public policy and law. This journal is the only scholarly publication of its kind. It is also commercially distributed nationwide.

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research publishes outstanding research papers written by Purdue undergraduates from all academic disciplines who have completed a faculty-mentored research projects.

The Journal of Research in Progress (JRIP) showcases the outstanding original research work done by Howard Community College students with their faculty mentors and celebrates their achievements to date.

The Journal of Student Research is an electronic, academic, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal devoted to the rapid dissemination of current research.

The Journal of Student Research at Indiana University East (JSRIUE) selectively publishes the accomplishments of dedicated undergraduate and graduate students’ research, scholarship, & creative activity.

The Journal of Undergraduate Kinesiology Research is published by the Kinesiology Department at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. The peer reviewed, Internet-based journal (ISSN 1936-7007) is dedicated to original undergraduate research in Kinesiology. The Editor-In-Chief invites Kinesiology-related, undergraduate research from all academic institutions.

JURSE is a peer-reviewed, undergraduate journal registered with the Library of Congress that accepts submissions of any subject, from any undergraduate institution. We receive hundreds of submissions for publication every year, from institutions ranging from small liberal arts colleges to international institutions. The review process for publication includes peer, graduate, and faculty referees, ensuring that the Journal publishes competitive material that follows the Journal’s standards for ac

JURP is a peer-reviewed online journal of the Society of Physics Students (SPS) and Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society.

The Journal of Young Investigators is the largest and most prestigious journal of undergraduate research. We accept submissions from all over the world and in all scientific disciplines (including biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, and social sciences). Our journal was founded more than 20 years ago and received a generous endowment from Burroughs Welcome Fund to help finance our mission of enhancing publication opportunities for undergraduate researchers. We are entirely run by undergraduates living in more than a dozen countries. To learn about submitting to the journal our joining our staff, please see our website at jyi.org.

The Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship is an online, refereed journal dedicated to showcasing the research and creative activities of undergraduate students across Kentucky. Submissions are invited throughout the year from a variety of disciplines. The journal publishes annually.

• Kentucky Undergraduate Journal for the Health Humanities (KUJHH) ‐ University of Kentucky KUJHH is an open-access journal in Kentucky that publishes expert-reviewed research, scholarship, and art of undergraduate students enrolled at any Kentucky institution. We define the health humanities as an interdisciplinary study that analyzes how humanistic disciplines (arts, literature, law, history, philosophy/ethics, etc.) inform or intersect with health care and health-related subjects. Applicable topics are essentially your field of interest + the humanities + a health subject(s)

Laridae is an interdisciplinary, undergraduate research journal, which showcases academic and creative works from Salisbury University’s undergraduate student body. The journal is aimed at providing aspiring scholars with a platform to showcase their work in a low-stakes environment, which encourages diversity of thought and risk-taking. Salisbury University works to foster an academic environment where students are empowered to develop critical thinking and chase ideas from inception to resolution. Laridae seeks to facilitate and further augment SU’s academic environment by offering a high-quality forum for the pursuit of knowledge.

Learning and Teaching (LATISS) is a peer-reviewed journal that uses the social sciences to reflect critically on learning and teaching in the changing context of higher education. The journal invites students and staff to explore their education practices in the light of changes in their institutions, national higher education policies, the strategies of international agencies and developments associated with the so-called international knowledge economy.

Live Ideas is the open-access, peer-reviewed undergraduate journal of Kansas State University’s Primary Texts Certificate program. It is co-produced by students and faculty at K-State and is published online once per semester.

LOGOS: A Journal of Undergraduate Research is dedicated to publishing outstanding work by undergraduates in every academic discipline, including original research, essays, creative writing, and artwork. Led by Honors College student editors and advised by a Faculty Advisory Board, LOGOS conforms to the highest standards of scholastic integrity in a blind peer-review process.The Editorial Board welcomes submissions from current and former undergraduate students and collaborative teams, particularly those engaged in departmental honors work, independent study, research assistance, or a competitive summer fellowship.

Lucerna is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal and UMKC’s only undergraduate research journal, publishing articles by students in the social sciences, sciences, and humanities. Established in 2005 by the UMKC Honors Program, Lucerna cultivates and showcases high-caliber scholarship from the entire UMKC undergraduate community.

Lucid is an annual journal of first-generation student writing published through the English Department’s Composition Program at UC Irvine.

The Madison Journal of Literary Criticism aims to provide a forum for undergraduate students to publish their scholarly work and engage in the contemporary literary debates ongoing in the larger academic community.

Mapping Politics is an annual peer-reviewed journal produced by students in the Political Science department at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland. We welcome submissions from Memorial students in all areas of political science including Newfoundland and Labrador politics, Canadian politics, international relations, media and politics, comparative politics, and political theory.

Metamorphosis features scholarly and creative work at COPLAC member institutions across the United States and Canada. The journal is interdisciplinary by design, highlighting work in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, arts and professional programs.

• Michigan Journal of Political Science ‐ University of Michigan

The Midwest Journal of Undergraduate Research is an academic peer-reviewed journal, produced under the direction of student editors and a faculty advisory board. Founded in 2011, the MJUR is dedicated to the publication of outstanding scholarship by undergraduates. The journal accepts submissions of research and analysis from all academic disciplines. Although the majority of manuscripts are submitted by students from colleges and universities in the U.S. Midwest, there is no regional restriction on submissions. Acceptance rate averages 25%. Please visit the MJUR website for more information and instructions for manuscript submission.

The Made in Millersville Journal captures diverse and vibrant student projects presented at the annual Made in Millersville conference. It provides students with a unique learning opportunity as they share their research and creativity with a public audience through the publication process in a digital collection. The Journal enables the creation of multidisciplinary connections by publishing various disciplinary projects in one place to continue scholarly discussion after the Made in Millersville event.

The Missouri Journal of Mathematical Sciences (MJMS) publishes well-motivated original research articles as well as expository and survey articles of exceptional quality in mathematical sciences.

The MIT Undergraduate Research Journal (MURJ) is MIT’s only peer-reviewed scientific journal serving the undergraduate population.

Momentum advocates the presence of a diverse student population conducting independent studies. It serves as a platform to promote creativity, inquiry, and intellectual critique among undergraduates from all disciplines. Led by an Editorial Advisory Board, the journal conforms to the highest levels of academic honor by utilizing a blind review process that permits erudite submission from students across the disciplines. The journal’s ultimate goal is to publish scholarly research among a wide range of captivating themes. Momentum accepts perspectives, creative inquires, and quantitative and qualitative research at the undergraduate level. Please email the Momentum editorial board at [email protected].

The Mountaineer Undergraduate Research Review (MURR) is West Virginia University’s student-led and peer-reviewed undergraduate research journal. MURR showcases research and scholarship of students of all majors including humanities, arts, social sciences, and STEM disciplines. MURR is published each fall and spring in both online and print journals. MURR was originally established in 2009, and relaunched in fall 2020 with supervision provided by the institutional Office of Undergraduate Research and the WVU Honors College.

MSU SciReview is an annual publication of literature reviews submitted by Michigan State University students. This publication is open to all students at MSU. We operate as an academic club to further develop research and academic writing skills.

Mysterion is Boston College’s leading source of undergraduate theological scholarship. Though managed by Boston College students, Mysterion provides the opportunity for undergraduates around the world to contribute to theological discourse. Mysterion’s scope encompasses biblical studies, historical theology, comparative theology, systematic theology, and theological ethics. The journal also welcomes submissions that highlight the interdisciplinary nature of theological study and the many ways in which an undergraduate education raises important questions about God, self, and society. 

Publishes research from all disciplines. The research must have been conducted in the state of Nevada.

Seeking to develop the next generation of Americanists, New Errands’ mission is to provide a venue for the publication of important original scholarship by emerging young scholars and to provide a teaching resource for instructors of American Studies looking for exemplary work to use in the classroom. New Errands is jointly published by the Eastern American Studies Association and the American Studies Program at Penn State Harrisburg.

Noetica is a student-founded undergraduate research journal seeking to promote the highest level of erudition. Our motto, Eruditio Flumen Vivendi, or Knowledge is the Flow of Living, reflects our mission to uplift bright thinkers by providing them the opportunity to be recognized for their intellectual endeavors. Noetica encourages submissions of scholarly papers bridging the past and the present. We are affiliated with the interdisciplinary Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program at William & Mary.

The Northwestern Undergraduate Research Journal (NURJ) is a student-produced journal that showcases select research done by Northwestern undergraduates from a variety of academic backgrounds. We publish everything from research in mechanical engineering to anthropology to biological sciences to history. NURJ’s mission is to bring awareness to the Northwestern community about the outstanding research being accomplished by undergraduate students as well as the research opportunities available to Northwestern students.

Nota Bene is a journal of musicology developed by the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University Canada. It seeks to publish essays of a high critical and rhetorical standard, written by undergraduate students from universities around the world. Essays in historical musicology, ethnomusicology, popular music studies, music theory, music education, and interdisciplinary subjects with a focus on the above are invited. All submissions are double-blind reviewed by a panel of professors from across Canada. Questions can be submitted by e-mail.

Nýsa seeks to publish the best of undergraduate and student research from NKU. It provides an outlet for outstanding contributions from students in all fields, with special emphases on fields lacking in discipline-specific venues, research that spans several disciplines, and research that is smaller in scope but still tells a complete story.

The NYU American Public Policy Review (ISSN 2693-9797) is a biannual publication of scholarly articles from undergraduate and graduate students that propose bold, original ideas for change within local, state, or federal government in the United States. The journal is published by undergraduate students at New York University, and submissions are peer-reviewed by faculty with relevant expertise from institutions across the United States. Submissions are open to undergraduate and graduate students from any accredited higher education institution.

As Oberlin College’s alternative history journal, On Second Thought publishes innovative, accessible, and engaging historical content with the goal of reaching the Oberlin community and beyond.

MarSci is an inter-institutional venue for publishing undergraduate research manuscripts pertaining to the marine and aquatic sciences. Students interested in writing a manuscript based on their undergraduate research experience, as well as research advisors to undergraduates, should find MarSci to be the perfect opportunity for undergraduates to engage in the process of submission and publication, a unique learning experience that is not typically available to most undergraduate scientists.

Open Americas (OA) is a platform for sharing content that engages with contemporary social issues issues facing the Western Hemisphere. We advocate a diversity of thought through information, whether research, literature, reviews, or photographs. OA does not strictly adhere to any political or religious doctrine and encourages open, respectful debate and critical thought. We were founded by a group of female undergraduate and graduate students; we greatly value the undergraduate voice and seek submissions year-round.

Oshkosh Scholar is a faculty-reviewed undergraduate research journal published annually by University of Wisconsin Oshkosh’s Office of Student Research and Creativity.

The Oregon Undergraduate Research Journal (OUR Journal) is an open access undergraduate research journal at the University of Oregon. It showcases some of the best research and publications by UO undergraduate students.

PANDION: The Osprey Journal of Research and Ideas is an online and print journal featuring the results of faculty-mentored and faculty-endorsed student research from all colleges and majors at the University of North Florida.

Peer Review is an open-access, digital journal that publishes research-based articles and multimedia projects by current and recent undergraduates who participate in EUI-affiliated courses or students in non-EUI-related courses or programs of study whose research engages the university in a meaningful way.

The Penn Bioethics Journal is the nation’s premier peer-reviewed undergraduate bioethics journal. The journal was established in spring 2004 with the first issue published April 1, 2005, as part of the National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference hosted by Penn. The editorial board has included undergraduates from all four schools at the University of Pennsylvania with faculty advisors Jonathan D. Moreno, PhD, and Connie Ulrich, PhD, RN

A student-run research publication at the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn Undergraduate Law Journal seeks to foster scholarly discourse on topical and historical issues pertaining to law or the legal system. In this spirit, the journal’s principal objective is to publish exceptional undergraduate works, drawn from an array of disciplinary perspectives, that evaluate and elucidate the intricacies, vagaries, and nuances of law as they relate to domestic and international affairs, business, academia, and society. PULJ aims to sustain and enrich a vibrant discussion about law at the undergraduate level because it recognizes that the student writers of today will be the leaders, lawyers, and scholars of tomorrow.

Perpetua is a journal that highlights the research performed at UAH by publishing peer-reviewed articles submitted by undergraduates.

Philologia is Greek for “scholarship, love of learning,” a title that embodies the objectives of the journal. The journal was created for the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech and accepts liberal arts research from all 13 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) universities.It is an annually published, multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal.

The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Review is an international undergraduate journal housed in the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Virginia Tech. The journal is dedicated to publishing original research in philosophy, politics, and economics and the humanities and social sciences more generally. The journal welcomes submissions from current or recent undergraduate students in PPE and related fields worldwide.

The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics (ISSN: 1556-2034) was founded in the spring of 2001 by the Delta Omega Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha at Purdue University, under the name The American Undergraduate Journal of Politics and Government. With the sponsorship of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society, the name of the Journal was changed to The Pi Sigma Alpha Undergraduate Journal of Politics beginning with the Fall 2004 issue. From July 2007 until July 2010 the Journal was based at the Zeta Upsilon Chapter at Union College, and in August 2010 moved to the Eta Rho Chapter at the College of William & Mary. In August 2013, the Nu Omega Chapter at Oakland University began hosting the Journal for a three year term!

Process: Journal of Multidisciplinary Undergraduate Scholarship provides a space for undergraduate writers to share their work outside of the context and constraints of the college classroom. Each issue of Process centers on a topic of contemporary interest to a global audience, fostering critical conversations that transverse disciplinary, cultural, and national borders. We believe that undergraduate writing deserves serious attention, and hope to encourage writers to begin forging new pathways for the future of academic and public scholarship.

The Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research educates, supports, and promotes professional development, and disseminates psychological science. Psi Chi is the International Honor Society in Psychology.

The Psi Beta Journal of Research (PBJR) is a national, independent, peer-reviewed student research journal established in 2021. Our mission is to peer-review, publish, and index scholarly manuscripts that describe psychological research conducted by undergraduates. We assign a unique, permanent DOI to every article.

• PSUR: Political Science Undergraduate Review ‐ University of Alberta The Political Science Undergraduate Review (PSUR) is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes scholarly work done by University of Alberta undergraduates in the field of political science. Our mission is to give students the opportunity to publish some of their written work — a useful asset when applying to grad school or future job opportunities.

PURSUE: Undergraduate Research Journal – Prairie View A & M University As a scholarly journal, “PURSUE: Undergraduate Research Journal” seeks to provide undergraduates with an avenue to publish their original research articles. The original research articles included in this journal are peer-reviewed and selected by the journal’s Editorial Board. The journal is housed at Prairie View A&M University, an Historically Black University, and is available to all young scientists conducting research. This journal also serves as a means for faculty to extend knowledge beyond the classroom and encourage other students to conduct quality research. All undergraduate research is produced in conjunction with a faculty mentor and is peer reviewed. The journal is open to all undergraduates.

Pursuit: The Journal of Undergraduate Research was founded in 2009. Pursuit is dedicated to publishing the scholarly work of undergraduates and is supported by the University of Tennessee Office of Research and the Chancellor’s Honors Program. The editors and review board are undergraduate students who consider and review submissions and work with select faculty and staff to publish Pursuit. All submissions must be double spaced and must be no longer than 30 pages (for Humanities and Social Sciences papers) or 15 pages (for Science and Engineering papers). Please use endnotes instead of footnotes. Submissions in the Sciences and Engineering fields should be written in the third person and should contain the following categories: abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion/conclusions, references.

We seek thought-provoking pieces from any disciplinary perspective that explore questions and problems related to writing, rhetoric, reading, literacy broadly conceived, popular culture and media, community discourses, and multimodal and digital composing. We expect that the work will be informed by critical conversations relevant to the topic–that is, composers should incorporate timely, pertinent research to support claims. In addition, we welcome projects that experiment with form, voice, style, and delivery.

QUEST (or Queens University of Charlotte Explorations in Science and Technology) Journal is a by-students, for students, undergraduate science research journal. Students at Queens University of Charlotte act as the editorial board, accept submissions, solicit peer reviewers from outside the institution, and publish the journal online. We accept all forms of science so long as the authors are willing to publish in the generalized format of introduction, methods, results, discussion. Data must be collected in a robust, scientific, way.

Re:Search: The Undergraduate Literary Criticism Journal at UIUC is an undergraduate produced, peer-reviewed online journal designed to annually publish works exclusively by undergraduate students. It seeks to create a venue for undergraduate students to showcase and publish literary criticism within a greater academic discourse while nurturing a collaborative community between faculty, administration, and undergraduate students.

ReCUR is an annual publication of the Michigan State University Honors College that highlights the diversity and quality of its students’ research and creative endeavors.

Reinvention: a Journal of Undergraduate Research is a new, online, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the publication of high-quality undergraduate student research. The journal welcomes academic articles from all disciplinary areas. All articles in this journal undergo rigorous peer review, based on initial editor screening and refereeing by two anonymous referees. The journal is produced, edited, and managed by students and staff at Monash University and the University of Warwick. It is published biannually and only houses papers written by undergraduate students.

Reuleaux is a peer-edited magazine produced by and for students at the Colorado School of Mines.This magazine gives undergraduate researchers a platform by which they may publish engaging narrative descriptions of their research — in the physical sciences or otherwise — that are approachable to a large audience.

RhetTech—founded at James Madison University by the School of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication in 2017—is a revamp of JMU’s longtime online journal for work generated in university writing courses. RhetTech showcases exemplary work being done in undergraduate writing, rhetoric, and technical communication courses around the country. This journal is run by young scholars in JMU’s School of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication. The name ‘RhetTech’ refers to the genres of works accepted by the journal: ‘Rhet’ refers to Rhetoric, and ‘Tech’ refers to Technical Communication. We accept a variety of content, including: text-based essays, videos, podcasts, photo essays, reviews, websites, blogs, and many more. We encourage student writers to utilize all of the tools at their disposal to communicate the messages they wish to share with readers.

The Rice Historical Review is a student-run, open access journal published online and in print. It features outstanding historically focused papers written by Rice undergraduates.

Righting Wrongs: A Journal of Human Rights is a peer-reviewed academic journal that provides space for students to explore human rights issues, challenge current actions and frameworks, and engage in problem-solving aimed at tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues.

The Rollins Undergraduate Research Journal is an online, peer-reviewed journal.

The Rose-Hulman Undergraduate Mathematics Journal is devoted entirely to papers written by undergraduates on topics related to mathematics. Although the authors need not be undergraduates at the time of submission or publication, the work must have been completed before graduation.

The Roshan Undergraduate Persian Studies Journal is a project initiated by the Roshan Undergraduate Ambassadors as part of University of Maryland’s Persian Studies program.

A faculty-refereed journal devoted to the publication of high quality research by undergraduates worldwide in all research problem areas including, but not limited to, those described in the USDA, CSREES Manual of Classification of Agricultural and Forestry Research. Maintained at the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Articles by graduate students will be considered if the work has been completed as undergraduates. Articles are instantly issued upon acceptanc

Saltman Quarterly is an undergraduate research journal and science communication program hosted by UCSD’s Division of Biology. The student-run organization gives undergraduates an opportunity to get their original biology research and review papers published in a professional journal. The organization also allows undergraduates to get involved in local science literacy initiatives and improve their own science communication.

a biannual, openly licensed, online journal dedicated to publishing the work of San Diego community college students.

The Say Something Theological journal is published by the Department for Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University and is student-led. It provides a platform for students’ work to be published and their voices heard and shared within the greater community.

Scientia, established in 2014, is Baylor University’s undergraduate research journal in science and technology. Scientia is a peer-reviewed journal and publishes original research, review articles, and abstracts written by Baylor undergraduates. With a new issue released each spring, Scientia highlights the research done by undergraduates in that year.

Scientific Terrapin, the University of Maryland’s undergraduate research journal, publishes original student research in applied sciences, natural sciences, and social sciences.

SIURO is devoted to undergraduate research in applied and computational mathematics. The wide range of applied topics published include analysis, discrete mathematics, statistics, operations research, optimization, dynamical systems, modeling, computation, and more.

• Simpliciter: Brandeis Philosophy Journal ‐ Brandeis University Simpliciter is an undergraduate journal of philosophy at Brandeis University located in Waltham, Massachusetts. We aim to recognize excellent works of philosophy produced by undergraduates, and publish writings that make novel contributions to fields across a variety of philosophical traditions. While our journal is necessarily selective, a larger number of submitting authors may be accepted to speak at our conference about their papers.

The SMU Journal of Undergraduate Research (JoUR) is a double-blind, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing the finest accomplishments of SMU student researchers. The SMU JoUR showcases the diverse research and scholarship performed by SMU undergraduate students and their faculty mentors.

Social Moments: A Student Journal of Social Relations is a free, online, interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal examining the social and cultural world through a social science lens. Relevant disciplines include, but are not limited to: sociology, criminology/criminal justice, women/gender studies, sexuality, political science, social psychology, cultural/social anthropology, and cultural/social geography.

Social Science Text and Academic Research (STAR) is a journal that highlights the scholarship and publishes the findings of undergraduate student research in the social sciences at two-year institutions. STAR is open to all students at any two-year institution of higher learning.

Sociology between the Gaps (SBG) publishes high-quality, original articles including research notes, critical essays, and review papers which fall into subfields in sociological work that may be viewed by some as outside mainstream sociological topics; hence the full journal title: Sociology between the Gaps: Forgotten and Neglected Topics. The journal also aims to reflect the intersections of social class, race, gender, age, and cross-disciplinary views by encouraging sociologists and professionals in related fields to submit work on topics that cross disciplinary boundaries and/or areas of specialization but effectively link disciplines to provide a multi-disciplinary perspective on the topics addressed. The Editorial Board encourages original, unpublished papers in the field of sociology written by undergraduate or graduate students to be submitted to SBG. High-quality, well-written student papers may be submitted either by the author(s) of the paper or by the faculty advisor/mentor of students who are currently enrolled in the pursuit of an undergraduate or graduate degree. The submitted work should be reviewed by the student’s faculty mentor for whom the paper was written before it is sent to the Editor-in-Chief of SBG. Student submitters are NOT required to be sociology majors.

Student Perspectives About Civic Engagement (SPACE) is an online journal hosted by a consortium of Chicago area universities. We hope to draw out the voice of university students in metropolitan settings who wrestle with the challenges and the opportunities that the city and surrounding environs present to us through service-learning opportunities. We welcome manuscripts from undergraduate and graduate students who have had a robust civic engagement experience, including service-learning, and want to further explore the meaning of the experience through research and writing.

Spectra is a biannual (i.e., fall and spring issues), peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary, open-access journal primarily dedicated to the publication of undergraduate student research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. If and when possible, Spectra also publishes well-qualified undergraduate research from other institutions.

Spectrum is a student-run, interdisciplinary journal that strives to publish diverse and engaging research completed by undergraduate students within and across the areas of health sciences, natural sciences and engineering, social sciences, arts and humanities. English-language submissions are welcome from undergraduate students at any postsecondary institution. Spectrum is managed by the Undergraduate Research Initiative at the University of Alberta (www.uri.ualberta.ca)

Splice, the Undergraduate Research Journal of the SDSU College of Arts and Letters, is an anthology of peer-reviewed publications produced by undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Letters at San Diego State University. Splice is edited by a multi-disciplinary board of undergraduate/graduate students and faculty advisors from the College of Arts and Letters. The journal is initiated, organized and directed by students, for students.

Spora: A Journal of Biomathematics, a nexus of undergraduate research, is dedicated to further the field of biomathematics and the development of future scientists in mathematical biology. Spora is fully refereed and published both online and in-print.

Sprinkle: An Undergraduate Journal of Feminist and Queer Studies is a peer-reviewed journal devoted to the diverse voices of emerging scholar-activists, authors, and artists in women’s, gender and queer studies, and related fields of inquiry. First established at McGill University in 2007, Sprinkle has been published annually at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo since 2013 and welcomes submissions from around the world.

Stance is an international philosophy journal published by Ball State University undergraduates. [ISSN 1943-1899] Beyond publishing manuscripts, we train an international external reviewer board. Stance is listed in The Philosopher’s Index. All manuscript authors receive constructive feedback. 8% acceptance rate.

The Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ) is an annual peer-reviewed publication of research articles written primarily by Stanford undergraduates, but also by well-qualified students at other institutions, from all academic fields.

Student Spotlight is an independent publishing platform designed to highlight the high-quality works and ideas produced during the course of undergraduate studies. Most undergraduate works require significant reworking to be suitable for publication in academic journals, and as a result many of the unique perspectives and ideas produced in these works never reach further than the course instructor. Student Spotlight aims to make sharing these ideas more accessible by lowering the barriers of entry and allowing students to showcase their strongest papers and essays in a medium closer to the original formatting. We are an interdisciplinary platform and invite publications from students on all topics across the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities fields.

Swarthmore Undergraduate History Journal is a peer-reviewed, faculty-approved, student run research publication that seeks to encourage undergraduate scholarship on diverse subjects. We uphold publishing ethics and are committed to the integrity of academic research. This journal is also specifically inclusive of historical narratives often overlooked in mainstream scholarship, and allows for the submission of interdisciplinary articles so long as the focus remains historical.

Texas Philosophical is an online, open access, double-blind, peer-reviewed journal sponsored by Texas State University. The journal publishes annually and accepts submissions from any and all philosophy and ethics related topics.

Every year Texas State Publishes an Undergraduate Research Journal. Use the link to submit your research for publication!

Tezhib is Habib University’s first Research Journal that aims to contribute to the existing body of knowledge through the academic contributions of its students. By archiving the innovative and analytical works of undergraduate students from the humanities, development, epistemology to philosophy, religious studies, technology, literature and language, Tezhib aspires to motivate undergraduate students towards research and inquiry by providing them with an opportunity to publish their work.

The Aggie Transcript is a forum for students to discuss and exchange their perspectives on science and its role in society. We provide a publishing venue for students to display their expertise and to share what they have learned in their classes. Our journal represents an inclusive and accessible form of expression for students to submit pieces of original writing, news, and art related to the life sciences.

The Bell Tower journal will publish work by Hope College undergraduate students that demonstrates the intersection of Christianity and learning across the academic disciplines.

The Classic Journal promotes the extraordinary achievements in writing and research by undergraduates in the Writing Intensive Program (WIP) at the University of Georgia. The Classic Journal is a cross-disciplinary publication, fostering a community of diverse writers throughout the arts, humanities, and sciences.

The Contemporary is a student-run startup publication based at Trinity University that empowers collegiate journalists nationwide to report on critical issues in their communities.

The Dialectics is an electronic journal devoted to undergraduate scholarship and discourse. The journal welcomes high-quality essays on issues of public importance.

The General is a peer-reviewed undergraduate academic journal based at Brock University. It serves as a scholarly forum for undergraduate students in history at Brock to engage in critical discourse with a range of intellectual and public debates through historical inquiry.

The Gettysburg College Journal of the Civil War Era annually publishes undergraduate papers on the Civil War era and its lasting memory. We are interested in academic essays, public history essays, and book reviews broadly relating to the American Civil War.

The Gettysburg Historical Journal features original undergraduate student research and essays. It is produced by students at Gettysburg College and published annually. While the Gettysburg Historical Journal focuses on research in the field of history, we publish and encourage submissions from other disciplines that utilize historical viewpoints or methodologies, including sociology, anthropology, and classics.

A showcase of STEM research done by the students of Hampden-Sydney College along with feature writing centering around a topic selected by the student editorial board and news updates from the H-SC STEM departments.

• The Harvard Undergraduate Research Journal ‐ Harvard University

A nationally competitive interdisciplinary journal seeking illuminating, insightful, and contemporary research at the undergraduate level. Students need not be members of Honors Programs to submit papers. The primary goal is to give all undergraduates the opportunity to participate in scholarly conversations within their disciplines and to expose them to the dialogue that occurs between a journal and a contributor in editing an article for publication. The Honors Review will provide its authors with the unique chance to receive prompt and personal feedback during the editing process through the use of private online discussion forums

The Interdependent is committed to exploring the global commons across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Its mission is to foster multidisciplinary research and discussion on global interdependence and cross-cultural encounters, and to encourage global empathy. It publishes third-year global travel reflections, as well as shortened fourth-year theses and creative works across all concentrations in NYU’s Global Liberal Studies program.

The International Journal of Law, Ethics, and Technology is designed to understand all matters relating to the law. While the Journal emphasizes theoretical work and broad issues arising from law to technology, no topic of legal interest and no approach to scholarship is excluded. The peer-reviewed Journal welcomes outstanding original doctrinal and critical scholarship contributions to domestic and international law and comparative law as well as legal history and legal philosophy. In addition, we welcome interdisciplinary contributions in areas of relevance to the law and, in particular, work that uses the techniques of the social sciences and the humanities to contribute to understanding legal studies. In terms of its substance, this Journal combines domestic, international, and comparative law. Indeed we view the Journal as a context where these three subjects traditionally defined as distinct fields can enter into a productive dialogue about current changes in the world and be open to the work of all scholars wherever they may be. We partner with HeinOnline, a premier online research platform making our content available to global law school/research university libraries. The International Journal of Law, Ethics, and Technology is a quarterly publication. Title: The International Journal of Law, Ethics, and Technology cited as Int’l J. L. Ethics Tech. ISSN 2769-7150(Online) | 2769-7142(Print) DOI prefix: 10.55574 Publisher: La Nouvelle Jeunesse The International Journal of Law, Ethics, and Technology’s scholarship is made possible by funding from La Nouvelle Jeunesse. Email: [email protected]

The Journal of Undergraduate Research publishes original scholarly research by undergraduate students at South Dakota State University. The journal publishes Research Articles and Abstracts. Submission is open to all undergraduate students and recent graduates of South Dakota State University.

The Kennesaw Tower is an undergraduate research journal affiliated with and based in the Department of Foreign Languages at Kennesaw State University. Our mission is the diffusion and participation of quality, undergraduate research projects in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish into the regional, national and international arena through an on-line medium.

The Measure: A Journal of Undergraduate Research is a refereed journal dedicated to publishing undergraduate research from courses in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at Sam Houston State University. Students enrolled in a CHSS course during the academic year are eligible to submit their work for publication consideration, whether or not they are majoring in one of the disciplines in the college. The Measure is guided by these central principles: undergraduate research is a vital component of higher education; students enhance their education when they engage in original research to make an intellectual contribution to the discipline; research shared with a broader audience enhances learning outcomes; and faculty members contribute to society when they involve undergraduates in research opportunities.

The Mercury: The Student Art & Literary Magazine of Gettysburg College has been published annually since 1894. All students of the College are invited to participate and submit their work. Student editors are elected annually by the entire staff. The Mercury accepts submissions of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, artwork, and photography.

The Midway Review is a journal of essays published in print and online three times a year at the University of Chicago. Founded in 2005 as a forum for political, cultural, and literary exchange across political and disciplinary boundaries, the Review seeks to publish readable, polished essays on all topics that would engage a general intellectual audience. We also publish book, film, music, and television reviews, as well as interviews. We do not publish academic papers unless they have been revised into essays—the first-person form of something you might read in Harper’s or The New Yorker. We accept work from students, alumni, and faculty at all colleges and universities. We consider submissions each year in October, January, and April.

The mission of The Mirror is to provide undergraduate students at UConn with a platform to showcase their work and educate the community on sociological issues. The journal strives to expose students to the process of publication and assist them in reaching their full potential while pushing them to engage with critical thinking, creativity, intersectionality, and their sociological imagination.

The Morningside Review is an online journal published by Undergraduate Writing Program at Columbia University. It features exemplary essays written by first-year undergraduates in the Core Curriculum course, University Writing. Hundreds of students voluntarily submit their essays to TMR for possible publication and approximately ten are chosen each year by an editorial advisory board made up of University Writing instructors. Since these essays serve as vivid examples of peer work, they are commonly assigned in University Writing. Students may be prompted by their instructors to identify the rhetorical strategies employed in an essay, contemplate their effectiveness, and attempt to emulate those they admire in their own work. Thus, Columbia University students may make their imprint on University Writing long after they have completed the course.

College and high school students wishing to submit brief articles should first visit this page, http://northstarreports.org/write-for-us/. We accept articles 2 pages or shorter concerning all aspects pertaining to global and historical connections.

The Oak Leaf: LSUA’s Undergraduate Journal of Teaching and Research (UJTR) is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal designed to acknowledge the achievements of LSUA undergraduates in all areas of teaching and research. While undergraduate teaching and research are the main focus, research from faculty members is also encouraged for submission. While we primarily accept publications within the LSUA community, we also welcome submissions outside of LSUA.

An International Journal of Undergraduate Research and Criticism in the Discipline of English

The Owl is an interdisciplinary journal that publishes a variety of undergraduate research at Florida State University, as well as creative projects such as artwork, photography, poetry, and creative writing. It promotes an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas, showcases the heterogeneity of our emerging scholars, and establishes undergraduate research as a focus of Florida State’s academic community.

The Politic is a quarterly magazine that strives to inform the greater Yale community about the most important local, national, and global political happenings.

The Rock Creek Review is an undergraduate academic journal edited, produced, and published by students at Heidelberg University in partnership with the English Department. This journal will solicit literary research from schools around the world for an annual publication every spring.

The Saber and Scroll Journal is published quarterly and welcomes submissions from independent scholars, graduate, and undergraduate students, as well as alumni from any institution. The Journal will consider submissions on any history or military history topic. Also welcomed are book reviews and exhibit/museum reviews as well as web-site reviews.

• The West Point Journal of Politics and Security ‐ United States Miliitary Academy The West Point Journal of Politics and Security is an undergraduate journal based in the Department of Social Sciences at the U.S. Military Academy. Published annually online, it aims to be the premiere publication in the United States for undergraduate research on topics germane to U.S. and international political and security interests, showcasing research primarily situated in political science and security studies, and extending into economics, history, sociology, and area studies.

Launched in Fall 2019, The Word is a student hiphop research journal that aims to embody the founding spirit and purpose of hiphop: providing a mode of creative expression and voice to marginalized communities, inspiring activism, and making a way outta no way.

The Yale Review of Undergraduate Research in Psychology is an annual journal that showcases the best and most original research in psychology conducted by undergraduates from around the world. They publish research in all areas of psychology, including clinical, developmental, cognitive, and social psychology. Their goal is to contribute to the scientific advance by encouraging serious, quality research early in students’ academic careers. We provide a platform for undergraduate scientists to share their findings, and aim to bring together a community of young psychologists from both the United States and abroad.

Tolle Lege is a student journal of theology and philosophy published annually at the end of the fall semester. Essays written by any student of the university on any topic in theology or philosophy are considered for publication, although preference is given to undergraduates.

Established in 1967, the Towson University Journal of International Affairs is the oldest undergraduate-run journal of IA. The purpose of the TJIA is to explore the international implications and potential solutions to a range of problems and phenomena across the field. We urge undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals to submit papers that delve into the topic. We are a forum for intellectual and scholarly development. We provide thorough feedback and consultation throughout the submission process. TJIA staff members will work closely with the author in order to produce the highest level of scholarly work possible.

Since 2001, TuftScope: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Health, Ethics, & Policy has provided an academic forum for discussion of pertinent health care and biosocial issues in today’s world. The journal addresses different aspects of health care, bioethics, public health, policy, and active citizenship. It is operated and edited by undergraduate students of Tufts University and is advised by an Editorial Board composed of Tufts undergraduates and faculty. New issues are released biannually in print and online versions.

U-Lingua is a quarterly magazine published by ULAB. It contains articles from the world of linguistics ranging from new and current research that’s being carried out to interviews with people working in various linguistics-related jobs. It welcomes writers from any education or employment status, with any ideas suitable for the magazine.

CLUJ provides undergraduate students around the world the opportunity to publish and share their research with an international audience. The Journal was founded by a comparative literature undergraduate student in 2011 and has since been recognized as a premier undergraduate journal featuring top peer-reviewed, undergraduate research in comparative literature. We invite abstracts from those working in, around, or critically engaging with topics in literature from a comparative nature, broadly construed. Possible topics include interdisciplinary research across disciplines within the arts and sciences (e.g., literature and philosophy, literature and history, literature and science, and literature and new media); research engaging with literary theory and ‘schools of criticism’ (e.g., gender studies and queer theory, postmodernism, cultural studies, Frankfurt School and critical theory, structuralism and semiotics, psychoanalysis, animal studies, and posthumanism); and articles comparing at least two authors or texts, print, and/or media.

The University of California Riverside Undergraduate Research Journal provides a student-edited multi-disciplinary journal that features the very best faculty-mentored undergraduate research and scholarship accomplished on our campus. This peer review process is managed by the Student Editorial Board (SEB) with guidance from the Faculty Advisory Board (FAB), and logistic support from Undergraduate Education’s Educational Initiatives. The Journal is sponsored by the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.

The University of Central Florida Undergraduate Research Journal is a peer-reviewed undergraduate journal published online. Its mission is to showcase articles of exemplary works from a wide range of student scholarship in all fields.The journal seeks outstanding research submitted by undergraduate UCF students who have been involved in faculty-mentored research projects and activities related to scholarship.

The UCLA Undergraduate Science Journal (USJ) is a student-run academic journal showcasing original research and review articles submitted by undergraduate authors.

Since 2001, the Undergraduate Journal of Experimental Microbiology & Immunology (UJEMI) has published original research conducted by undergraduates at the University of British Columbia. In 2015, UJEMI was expanded to UJEMI+, and international, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to enhancing undergraduate learning and experiences by providing thorough and constructive reviews from experts in the fields of microbiology and immunology.

Founded in 2020, Ukweli – The Howard University Undergraduate Research Journal is housed within the College of Arts and Sciences, supported by the Office of Honors and Scholar Development, and the Office of Research, Ukweli is a student-led, faculty-supported, biannual publication. Ukweli seeks to publish the highest-quality academic writing from Howard University undergraduate students.

This annual journal is dedicated to the publication of outstanding faculty-mentored research conducted by current undergraduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill. Research in the disciplines of natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities is published.

The Undergraduate Economic Review is an online peer-reviewed journal that promotes undergraduate economic research from around the world.

Welcome to the Virginia Tech Undergraduate Historical Review, where we publish the best undergraduate original historical research! VTUHR adds to historical scholarship by publishing original historical research conducted by undergraduates. Our articles contribute to the scholarly conversations that surround their topics and add fresh perspectives from a new generation of scholars. The mission of the journal is to publish outstanding original historical research while providing undergraduate editors and authors the chance to learn about the publishing experience.

With the help of Fairfield University’s International Studies Program, four undergraduate students established the Undergraduate Journal of Global Citizenship in 2010. The journal was part of an AAC&U Bringing Theory to Practice grant to promote responsible global citizenship and student development. The journal is designed to highlight the accomplishments of young minds in constant intellectual engagement with their surroundings. The Undergraduate Journal of Global Citizenship honors the work of undergraduates from diverse academic backgrounds, united by their dedication to global citizenship and social responsibility, in line with the Jesuit values of the university. Welcomed are undergraduate submissions that showcase and promote the understanding of global citizenship and social responsibility. We view global citizenship as a disengagement from barriers into a recognition and understanding of human actions with social, political, environmental, and/or economic impact worldwide. A sense of community, not only with our direct neighbors but also with societies and lives around the globe, makes a socially responsible individual.

The journal offers a space for undergraduates to share original research and other scholarly works of history. The journal is interested in historical content on any and all facets of the collective past.

The Undergraduate Journal of Humanistic Studies (UJHS) is a peer-reviewed academic journal that promotes undergraduate research in the humanities and social sciences at Carleton College. Our goal is to present papers that bring to light new narratives and fresh points of view. Highlighting work that challenges dominant perspectives, the UJHS serves as a forum for contributors and readers to reconsider their position within the context of their society. In the spirit of the liberal arts, the UJHS is a multidisciplinary journal that accepts submissions from a broad range of subjects, demonstrating how student research can contribute to a variety of fields.

The Undergraduate Journal of Psychology at Berkeley is an annual publication that allows undergraduate students who have completed scientific studies in psychology and psychology-related fields to publish their findings to the larger academic community, promoting further and more excellent undergraduate research. UJPB accepts and reviews submissions from all psychology-related fields, including psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, and linguistics, as long as the papers are the original work of undergraduate students.

The Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research adds to the increasing number of scholarly journals that invite undergraduates to pursue their own intellectual projects. We seek undergraduate contributions to the burgeoning academic conversation on service learning and community-based research. The Undergraduate Journal of Service Learning and Community-Based Research is open to undergraduate students in the U.S. and across the globe in all subject areas. All submissions will undergo a rigorous review process.

The URNCST [pronounced “earnest”] Journal is an independent research journal based in Toronto, Canada that accepts research article submissions from undergraduate students all over the world. The URNCST Journal was created to provide dedicated undergraduate researchers with a cost-effective and meaningful platform to showcase their research findings, and prides itself on 8 defining characteristics: open access; peer-reviewed; rapid turnaround time; international; broad and multidisciplinary; indexed; innovative; and social media promoted. Furthermore, the URNCST Journal is unique among undergraduate research journals issuing all published articles a digital object identifier made possible through our CrossRef membership. To learn more and submit YOUR article, please visit https://www.urncst.com!

Undergraduate Research is a national double-blind, educator-reviewed print and electronic journal published annually in the winter. The journal is a forum for multidisciplinary undergraduate research and creative endeavors within higher education such as case studies, conceptual pieces, creative endeavors, creative writing, journalism writings, literature reviews, original art, photography, and scientific studies.

The Illinois Tech Undergraduate Research Journal is a student led peer reviewed scientific journal published by undergraduates. The Journal highlights and promotes a wide range of undergraduate student research throughout campus, from law to mechanical engineering to biochemistry to psychology. It also provides a forum of interdisciplinary discussion on topics involving the latest advancements, the most controversial debates, and the most intriguing questions.

The Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences (UJRHS) is a national, peer reviewed scholarly journal publishing undergraduate articles related to the human sciences including: Exercise Science, Family & Consumer Sciences, Food Science and Human Nutrition, Health Sciences, Human and Child Development, Interior Design, Personal and Family Financial Planning, Textiles and Apparel, and Educator training in these fields.

• Undergraduate Research Journal of Psychology at UCLA  ‐ UCLA

The IIT Undergraduate Research Journal is a student-led, peer-reviewed, scientific journal published by undergraduates for undergraduates and the IIT academic community at large.

Re-established in 2022, the University of Chicago Undergraduate Law Magazine, or ULM, is the College’s premier legal publication. ULM offers itself as a collaborative and educational pre-professional community welcoming students across all disciplines to explore law’s ubiquitous applications within life and society.

Student-run, nontechnical research journal. Our mission is to build connections among undergraduate, graduate students, and the public, as well as among the different academic disciplines, through the publication of nontechnical articles in all fields of research.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Undergraduate Research Journal is an open-access and peer-reviewed journal of scholarly work conducted by undergraduate students. The goals of this journal are to (1) provide a platform through which undergraduate students who conduct novel research at UNC Charlotte may publish their work, (2) allow students on the review board to experience the peer review process, and (3) share research that is conducted at UNC Charlotte with the Charlotte community and beyond.

UReCA, the NCHC Web journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, is seeking submissions from all currently enrolled undergraduate students.

The American University in Cairo’s Undergraduate Research Journal (URJe) is an open access multi-disciplinary, refereed annual publication for undergraduate research and creative works. It is managed and published jointly by the Office for Undergraduate Research and the Main Library at the American University in Cairo.

Welcome to the UTPB Journal of Undergraduate Research. With this journal we hope to share our students’ research with the campus, region, nation, and wider global community. We publish not only abstracts of posters and presentations from our undergraduate research day, but also the actual posters, presentation slides, and full-length papers resulting from our students’ research. We look forward to beginning a fruitful conversation based on research and scholarship in all disciplines done by the undergraduate students of the University of Texas Permian Basin.Aim: The aim of the UTPB Journal of Undergraduate Research is to share the best research occurring at the undergraduate level at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin with the global community. The UTPB Journal of Undergraduate Research is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed journal covering undergraduate research in the physical and social sciences, arts, and humanities.

The UWill Discover Journal publishes award-winning presentations from the University of Windsor UWill Discover project where there were more than 160 student presentations from all University of Windsor faculties. The 2023 UWill Discover Sustainable Futures theme creates awareness about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The conference was funded in part by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Undergraduate, professional, and graduate students: Share and reflect critically on your community/civic engagement experiences and disseminate the knowledge emerging from your practice or even research.

The journal publishes reflection essays, profiles of engagement practice, research studies (quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods), and reviews of current literature, all with guidance and mentorship from engaged faculty and staff.

The Vanderbilt Historical Review (VHR) is the first and only journal of history at Vanderbilt. The publication seeks to show the importance of studying the past through its semiannual publication of historical research. Topics may cover a wide range of disciplines, including economics, politics, anthropology, and more. The editorial board leads a blind review process in which historically accurate, interesting, and creative articles are critiqued. Undergraduate students at any university are encouraged to submit their work. The journal provides a forum of academic debate over relevant historical questions.

The Vassar College Journal of Philosophy is a student-run publication supported by the Philosophy Department of Vassar College. Dedicated to both quality and accessibility, it seeks to give undergraduate students from all disciplines a platform to express and discuss philosophical ideas. The Journal is published once a year, in the spring, both in print and online.

Veritas: Villanova Research Journal (VVRJ) is the University’s peer-reviewed undergraduate research journal. VVRJ promotes investigation and discovery, the peer review process, and the work of Villanova students and their faculty mentors by publishing scholarly work across all fields of study.

The journal publishes student research that meets its standards, is authored by Villanova undergraduates or recent graduates, and promotes the pursuit of truth.

The Virginia Journal of Gender Studies is the only undergraduate research publication in the United States dedicated to feminist and queer scholarship. The journal was founded to provide opportunities for undergraduate students to contribute their research to the field of women, gender, and sexuality studies, as well as to increase access to academic publishing.

UNC Charlotte Undergraduate Research Journal

History: The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Undergraduate Research Journal is an open-access and peer reviewed journal of scholarly work conducted by undergraduate students. The goals of this journal are to: 1) provide a platform through which undergraduate students who conduct novel research at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte may publish their work, 2) allow students on the review board to experience the peer review process, and 3) share research that is conducted at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with the Charlotte community and beyond. Manuscripts undergo a rigorous review process by a board of student and faculty reviewers. This journal accepts scholarly work from multiple disciplines.

Please note that the Journal is currently on hiatus and not accepting new submissions.  We hope to resume activity later in 2024.

Announcements

The Undergraduate Research Journal at UNC Charlotte is currently on hiatus.

Current Issue

Leadership Alignment Teachers’ and Administrators’ Perspectives within Two Schools

• Gabriel and Medina

Auditory Processing Difficulties Influence on Perceptual Learning

• Fiallo and Galati

Meditation, Personality, and Workplace Stress

• Waters and Shanock

Examining the Opportunities and Access to Gifted Programs Unintended Social and Emotional Consequences

• Eident et al.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Undergraduate Research Journal is an open-access and peer reviewed journal of scholarly work conducted by undergraduate students. The goals of this journal are to: 1) provide a platform through which undergraduate students who conduct novel research at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte may publish their work, 2) allow students on the review board to experience the peer review process, and 3) share research that is conducted at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with the Charlotte community and beyond. Manuscripts undergo a rigorous review process by a board of student and faculty reviewers. This journal accepts scholarly work from multiple disciplines.

Stanford Publications

Main navigation, contexts: undergraduate anthropology journal.

“Contexts is an annual publication comprised of scholarly articles and reviews (book, film, art, and event reviews) written by Stanford undergraduates in all academic fields. The mission of Contexts is to provide a forum for students to share, discuss, and reflect upon social issues in a manner that demonstrates anthropological thought and modes of inquiry. CONTEXTS is published electronically on the web, with print issues released annually. For current as well as previous issues of undergrad journal, please see Undergrad Journal. For question, comments or to get involved please visit contexts.Stanford.edu or email  [email protected] ”

The Cutting Edge: Stanford’s Undergraduate Education Research Journal 

The Cutting Edge is Stanford University's undergraduate educational research journal. It is a platform where students can publish their research papers, opinions, fictional works, or other pieces pertaining to education.  Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis, and we are looking for all sorts of stories with an educational focus. Find submission guidelines here .

Embodied is an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal focusing on themes of feminism, gender, and sexuality. Founded in 2021, Embodied is a student-run initiative dedicated to facilitating discussion, inquiry, and scholarship in this historically overlooked field. The journal publishes original research, as well as academic papers, features, editorials, creative writing, and multimedia pieces. It welcomes submissions from undergraduates and co-terminal students at all academic institutions. Submission is not exclusive to Stanford affiliates.

Grace: Global Review of AI Community Ethics

GRACE: Global Review of AI Community Ethics is a new peer-reviewed, international journal at Stanford University, funded by the NSF. An open-access journal, indexed in Google Scholar, GRACE offers a unique intellectual forum for AI Ethics practitioners to share their work.

Herodotus Journal

“This journal is dedicating to preserving and showcasing the best undergraduate work of Stanford University's Department of History, selected through a process of peer review.”

Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology and Society

“Intersect is an international Science, Technology, and Society research journal run by undergraduate students at Stanford University and supported by the Program in STS. It welcomes undergraduate, graduate, and PhD submissions at the intersection of history, culture, sociology, art, literature, business, law, health, and design with science and technology. The journal's submissions are not exclusive to Stanford affiliates and generally span several continents. Several students have published revisions of their PWR 1 RBAs in this journal, including  Max David Mellin  and  Cindy Zang Liu . Intersect publishes three times during each academic year at Stanford: at the end of Autumn, Winter, and Spring quarters. Submissions are accepted on a rolling basis.”

Machina , Symbolic Systems Journal

This isn’t exactly your classic academic journal. We’re looking for high quality submissions that excite people about SymSys and SymSys-related topics – your well-written PHIL 182 class paper, an excerpt from your short story about the metaverse, your art, etc!

Probe Magazine

“Probe is a student-run, peer-edited journal that publishes work at the intersection of biology, art, and technology. Topics may include but are not limited: debates in bioscience, biological breakthroughs, and medical technology.”

“Rewired is a digital magazine where technology and society meet. We're committed to curating stories that amplify diverse perspectives and bridge disciplines. We're a community of Stanford undergrads and postdocs in fields ranging from philosophy to anthropology to political science. Together, we're leading a cultural shift in the way Stanford thinks about technology.”

Stanford Economic Review

“The Stanford Economic Review is Stanford University’s only undergraduate economics publication. For almost a decade, we have published incredible empirical research papers from undergraduate students across the globe, serving as a medium to amplify the voices of some of the world’s brightest minds. Since 2021, our publication has also been accepting qualitative pieces about modern economic issues for the commentary section of our website. We publish one journal issue each academic year and publish commentary pieces on our website throughout the year. Please see the ‘Submit’ section of our website for more details about the submission requirements, and please reach out to us at  [email protected]  if you have any thoughts, comments, questions, or concerns.”

Stanford Journal of Public Health

The Stanford Journal of Public Health (SJPH) is an annual, student-led publication centered at Stanford University dedicated to connecting different players in the public health community — inviting undergraduate students, graduate scholars, and distinguished experts — to discuss central conversations revolving around public health. The Journal features a multi-faceted approach to public health issues and is divided into three sections:

• Exploration and innovation : showcases cutting-edge research on current public health issues and outcomes; spotlights potential tools for public health enhancement and profiles practice-based approaches to public health.
• Governance : introduces potential and current systemic policy-based public health approaches
• Reflections : a space for personal narratives and experiences related to public health journeys and stories.

We seek to provide those at Stanford and at other peer universities to engage in these discussions and introduce new research by contributing to the Journal. The Journal offers interested individuals the opportunity for tangible contributions to the public health sector and simultaneously raises awareness of relevant critical issues in community health.

Stanford Politics

“We welcome topics ranging from art and culture to technology or social justice...we welcome strong, provocative writing backed by insightful analysis, original reporting or personal experience, and pitches can, of course, be inspired by academic work you have done. We are a non-partisan publication, which does not mean that what we publish cannot be ideological, but rather means we welcome perspectives from anywhere on the political spectrum. Stanford Politics aspires to illuminate important issues that people may not be aware of, contribute new and unique ideas to existing discussions or debates and provide thought-provoking challenges to, or critiques of, conventional wisdom.”

Stanford Undergraduate Law Review (SULR)

The Stanford Undergraduate Law Review (SULR) is a student-run legal publication focusing on law and civil liberties. The Online Journal will feature shorter pieces and a looser structure than past SULR issues. We accept submissions focused on civil liberties, civil rights law, or policy of about 3-4 pages from undergrad uate students at Stanford University. S tudents are encouraged to submit think pieces, past essays, reflections, studies, and anything in between.

The Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ)

“Founded in 2001, the Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal (SURJ) is an annual, peer-reviewed publication of research articles from all academic fields. The mission of SURJ is to encourage, recognize, and reward intellectual activity beyond the classroom, while providing a forum for the exchange of research and ideas. Our journal is run entirely by a staff team of Stanford undergraduate students, led by two Editors-in-Chief. SURJ primarily publishes work produced by Stanford undergraduates, but also publishes papers from well-qualified students at other institutions. All submitted papers undergo review by SURJ’s team of editors, who subsequently deliberate and select the best submitted papers for publication.”

Center for Undergraduate Research and Engaged Learning

Distinguish Yourself

Undergraduate Research Journal

                                                                                                             2023 Undergraduate Research Journal

The University of California Riverside Undergraduate Research Journal provides a student-edited multi-disciplinary journal that features the very best faculty-mentored undergraduate research and scholarship accomplished on our campus. This peer-review process is managed by the Student Editorial Board (SEB) with guidance from the Faculty Advisory Board (FAB), and logistical support from the  Center for Undergraduate Research and Engaged Learning team . The Journal is sponsored by the Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education.

Prior to submission , students should review all Journal Requirements including paper requirements, guidelines, and other submission information.

Publishing workshops are provided to clarify expectations for successful article submission:

• Students interested in submitting articles to the Journal are highly encouraged to read through the Author Workshop presentation . 
• Those students who are unable to attend should carefully review the Journal Formatting Guidelines (below).
• The workshops will be presented by a member of the Student Editorial Board who outline the expectations, will provide clarification, and answer specific questions about preparing an article for submission.

Article Submission:

Fall: Oct. 13, 2023 at 5pm

Winter: Jan. 8, 2024 at 5pm 

Spring: April 5, 2024 at 5pm

Submit Article Here

Cover Art Submission:

April 20, 2024 at 5pm

Student Editorial Board Applications:

Now accepting applications for the 2024-2025 academic year! Applications are due by 11:59pm on Friday, April 19.

Submissions for Articles and Cover Design Art

Submissions will be accepted throughout the academic year, however finalized selection of articles will be determined after the April 1 deadline for the annual spring publication.

• Article Submission
• Cover Art Submission

Submitting an Article

Articles submitted to the Journal must be original work written by currently enrolled undergraduate students at UCR, who are involved in faculty-mentored research, scholarship, and/or creative activity. All articles must be approved by the student researcher's faculty mentor(s) for submission to be complete. Once the student has submitted the article online, each faculty mentor will receive notification via email.  The faculty mentor will then have the option to approve, hold the article for edits, or not approve.  It is highly recommended that students acquire verbal approval from their mentor(s) before they submit online. The student will be notified of the mentor's action and is responsible for following up with the mentor if the article was not approved.  Only those submissions approved by faculty mentors will move forward to the editorial evaluation process. If appropriate, research must have approval from institutional oversight boards or committees. 

The UCR Undergraduate Research Journal is considered a campus journal.  The Journal is housed in the Rivera Library Special Collections and can be found in the UCR Library .  The submission of a paper to the Journal does not exclude the possibility of submitting similar work to an external journal unless the external journal's submission or publication restrictions prohibit it.  Students who are published in the Undergraduate Research Journal may also submit their work for publication in other journals. 

You are encouraged to review articles previously submitted and accepted. You can view the  most recent Journal to see examples.  

• Margins must be 1-inch on all sides.
• Abstract must be single-spaced .
• Article text must be double-spaced .
• All pages must be numbered .  Place page number in the center of the page at the bottom.
• References :  Follow the citation styles of your discipline. Some examples are MLA, APA, CSE, ACS, etc. Please work with your faculty mentors to determine which should be used.
• Articles must be submitted as a Word document (.dox or .docx format).
• The final page of your article should include your faculty mentor's bio. Please consult with your faculty to ensure that you are included the most updated bio.
• Name your file as "Submission Number - (XXXXX) - First Submission" - upon submission your article will be assigned a Submission Number, please use that number for future revised submissions.
• Document size cannot exceed 5MB.
• Maximum length of the article cannot exceed 15 pages, 12-point Times New Roman , including all figures, tables, graphs, footnotes, and references. It does not include the abstract and author information.
• Journal Template

The ideal structure of any article will depend on the discipline. Please consult with your faculty mentor to determine the paper structure that is most appropriate for your submission. It is recommended that all submissions contain the following elements: 

• One author should take primary responsibility for the work as a whole. The Primary Author is responsible for submission.
• Everyone who is listed as an author must have made a substantial, direct, intellectual contribution to the work. For example, they should have contributed to the conception, design, analysis and/or interpretation of data, as well as to the actual writing of the article. 
• Please list authors in order of contribution. You are encouraged to discuss this with the team members prior to submission . The order that you provide in this submission is the order the authors will be listed.
• All authors should participate in the editing process by reviewing drafts and approving the final version before publication.
• Abstract --A single paragraph containing no more than 250 words. An abstract briefly defines the problem, purpose, or specific topic addressed by the research. It briefly indicates the methods and/or approach taken in inquiry and summarizes results or conclusion. It should be written in grammatically correct, logically connected sentences. It should be understandable by any audience with reasonable knowledge of its field. The abstract should not contain any charts, tables, graphs, figures, or spreadsheets. The abstract must be single spaced.
• Keywords -- 6-8 keywords relevant to the topic

PLEASE NOTE:   If your paper is accepted and you have photos/ graphs/images, we will ask that you submit the images in high resolution (300 DPI) for publication. For more information on each of these paper sections, please watch the Publishing in the Journal Workshop Video or attend a Submitting to the Journal workshop.  

• Is the research question clearly articulated?
• Is the research approach clearly defined?
• Does it make clear the results/relevance of this research?
• Well-defined position and motivation for research.
• Logical, step-wise method and methodology.
• Clarity of conclusions.
• Significance of results.
• Direction of study and broader implication of research.
• Grammar and spelling.
• Proper formatting and labeling of figures and graphs.
• Clarity of article presentation.
• Appropriate use of citations/references.  
• Year of Study
• Research and research mentor
• Awards/recognition (funding, research, honor societies, leadership roles)
• Future goals

It is important that care be taken with grammar and spelling in your biography, as it is considered part of your submission in the review process.

• Author: Connor Richards, Department of Physics and Astronomy
• Connor Richards is a third year Physics major. He studies physics beyond the standard model at the Large Hadron Collider. With funding from the Goldwater Scholarship, University of California Regents’ Scholarship, UC LEADS Fellowship, and Chancellor’s Research Fellowship, he has participated in research and outreach at the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN) for two years under the guidance of Dr. Owen Long. Currently Vice President of CNAS Science Ambassadors, Richards’ passions are research, science outreach, and STEM education. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in High-Energy Physics and a faculty position.  

Library Research Guides  (Find citation styles for your discipline)  Managing your references UCR library Workshop Schedule UCR Library Specialist  

Submitting Cover Art

The Journal Editorial Team invites original art submissions for the Journal cover.  Authors and non-authors are encouraged to submit images that represent their research and/or creative work.  Images will be selected on a competitive basis based on creativity and/or relevance to research, scholarly, or creative activity. The image must be an original, unpublished work that does not contain, incorporate, or otherwise use any content, material, or element that is owned by a third party or that violates a third party’s intellectual property rights, including but not limited to the law of copyright or trademarks.

• Submissions must be your own artwork.
• Submissions must be unpublished (unless being used in the Journal).
• No less than 300 dpi set at their required size in: Photoshop, InDesign, or high resolution PDF, CMYK color setup.
• Preferred submission size is 8.75" x 11.25" (or scalable down to this size).
• You are allowed to submit up to 3 images.
• You must provide a description of no more than 80 words.  

Each entry will be judged by a panel consisting of the Faculty Editorial Board Chair, the Editor-In-Chief, the Associate Editors-In-Chief, and the Copy Editors.  The top 3-5 covers will be voted on by the entire Editorial Team, including the Faculty Advisory Board and the Student Editorial Board.  The winning design will be used on the cover of the Journal, which will also include a half-page about the winner and his or her work.  The winner will be recognized at the Journal Unveiling Ceremony.

The judges reserve the right not to award the prize if no entry is deemed fitting. The judges’ decisions will be final and no correspondence will be had in relation to their decisions or the competition.  

Additional Information

Dr. Morris Maduro, Biology; Faculty Advisory Board Chair Dr. Monica Carson, Biomedical Sciences Dr. Erica Heinrich, Biomedical Sciences Dr. Andrea Denny-Brown, English Dr. Vorris Nunley, English Dr. James Tobias, English Dr. Jonathan Eacott, History Dr. Wendy Saltzman, Biology Dr. William Grover, Bioengineering Dr. Xiaoping Hu, Bioengineering Dr. Joshua Morgan, Bioengineering Dr. Isgouhi Kaloshian, Nematology Dr. Matthew King, Religious Studies Dr. Leonard Mueller, Chemistry Dr. Catherine Larsen, Chemistry Dr. Ruoxue Yan, Chemical and Environmental Engineering Dr. John Briggs, University Writing Program Dr. Elizabeth Davis, Psychology Dr. Weiwei Zhang, Psychology  

SEB Board Members gain hands on experience in the publication of the Journal.  They work closely with the Faculty Advisory Board members as well as several undergraduate researchers and their faculty mentors. Serving on an editorial board is a wonderful experience for students contemplating careers in research and creative scholarship.

Students who are involved in faculty mentored research, scholarly or creative projects will be invited to submit their articles for the review by the Student Editorial Board, working with guidance from the Faculty Advisory Board.  

• Student Editorial Board Job Descriptions
• Peer-Review Process

Apply for the Student Editorial Board - Application Deadline, September 30

• Angelin Simon
• Sekirou Shimono
• Nicole D'souza
• Vanessa Hua
• Katherine Morrisette
• Kashish Rai
• Trusha Bhagwat
• Matthew Dimaandal
• Tara Keezhanjil
• Bobbi Monae Mandour
• Aurchana Manickavasagan
• Nandini Mannem
• Vishruth Nagam
• Elliot Randolph

The UCR Undergraduate Research Journal was first published in 2007. All current and past volumes of the Undergraduate Research Journal can be found in Special Collections in Rivera Library. Starting in 2018, all issues will be made available on Escholarship , the open-access publication source for the University of California. 

• Volume XVI (2022)
• Volume XV (2021)
• Volume XIV (2020)
• Volume XIII (2019)
• Volume XII (2018)
• Volume XI (2017)
• Volume X (2016)
• Volume IX (2015)
• Volume VIII (2014)
• Creative Works: Mosaic Art & Literary Journal
• Honors Audeamus Journal

Home > OUR > The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Welcome to The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal ! The URJ is a peer-reviewed journal featuring the work of University of Central Florida undergraduate researchers from all disciplines. Founded in 2007, the URJ has published over 100 articles written by UCF undergraduate students. All undergraduates participating in faculty-mentored research projects are invited to submit their work to be considered for publication.

• UCF Libraries Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research

The University of Central Florida Libraries founded the Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research in 2008 to celebrate the most outstanding article published in the Pegasus Review each year. Articles are assessed by a team of judges that includes past Pegasus Review editors, librarians, and other faculty members. Each annual winner receives a $250 stipend, which is announced during the award ceremony at the end of Research Week in March. Winning articles are highlighted in UCF’s Showcase of Text, Archives, Research & Scholarship (STARS) and a copy is sent to President Cartwright.

If you have contributed a poster to the Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence, or if you have conducted a research study you are proud of, consider turning your poster or project into an article and submitting it to the Pegasus Review for publication.

To view our previously published work, you can browse our archives here .

To learn more about the submission process, view our submission guidelines here .

To submit your work, fill out our online submission form .

Most Recent Archived Issue: Volume 15, Issue 1

Paternal Ages and Genetic Diseases and Congenital Anomalies Neda Hamood

Characterizing Particle Bed Stratigraphy as a Function of Particle Size in an Airless, Microgravity Environment Gillian Gomer, Michael Fraser, Anthony Meola, and Raquel Guzman

Legislating Healthcare: A Legislative History of Healthcare Equity and Access in the Mid-20th Century United States Jazmin Alvarez

Vertebrate Animal Behaviors and Abundances on Estuarine Shorelines Stabilized with Biodegradable Materials Utilizing Wildlife Cameras Katherine Guise

Determining the Extent of Pioneer Mangrove Acidification on Intertidal Oyster Reefs Cindy Whitten, Andres Alatorre, Nicole Campbell, Savanna Freeman, Sydney Henderson, Kate McLendon, Connor Wright, June Davison, Madison Ganci, and Katherine Harris

Microplastics, Macro-Problems: Abundance of Man-Made Materials in the Waters and Sediments of Florida State Parks Luciana M. Banquero, Kate McLendon, Andres Alatorre, Mackenzie Daniels, Savanna Freeman, Cassidy Starke, Katherine Harris, and Sidney J. Busch

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• Interviews and Blog Posts
• Vols. 15 - present

Analyzing the Efficacy and Utility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on College Students with Disabilities

Author: Magda Wojtara (University of Michigan)

Social Sciences

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Many adults in the United States suffer from one or multiple disabilities. In the college student population approximately 19% of college students suffer from a disability (National Center for College Students with Disabilities, 2018). Commonly experienced disabilities include, but are not limited to, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, chronic illness and other disabilities (National Center for College Students with Disabilities, 2018) . The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights act preventing discrimination based on disability, was first passed in 1990 and was amended in 2008 to include a more inclusive definition of disability. Previous studies suggest that the ADA has improved accessibility for individuals with disabilities. The hypothesis of this project is that while the ADA has improved accessibility for individuals with disabilities, many individuals with disabilities still do not have access to appropriate accommodations. Furthermore, the hypothesis suggests that these individuals, especially those with invisible disabilities, remain stigmatized. To test this hypothesis, an in-depth literature review was conducted alongside a brief survey that was distributed to undergraduate students at multiple universities. The data from this study reveal that the ADA was successful in some aspects of providing protections for individuals with disabilities, but ultimately that reform is still needed to ensure appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities on college campuses. Future studies would further explore the relationship between various intersectional identities including but not limited to race, religion, and sexual orientation and disability accommodations.

Wojtara, M., (2023) “Analyzing the Efficacy and Utility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on College Students with Disabilities”, University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal 16. doi: https://doi.org/10.3998/umurj.3780

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Published on 21 mar 2023, peer reviewed, cc-by-nc-nd 4.0, introduction.

Evidence is accumulating that students with disabilities still experience accessibility issues and stigmatization. This is especially true for those with invisible identities. There are many barriers that prevent students with disabilities from participating in many academic and social settings due to a lack of sufficient usable accommodations (National Center for College Students with Disabilities, 2018). The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990 and amended in 2008, is the most recognizable anti-discrimination legislation for individuals with a disability. This legislation made strides by putting in place protections, which were previously not present, for individuals with disabilities ( Figure 1 ). Section 504 of the ADA stipulates that institutions of higher education only provide reasonable accommodations when requested by the student which is in contrast to legislation in place for students in primary and secondary school where the onus falls on the school for identifying students that need support and providing the needed support ( Kreider, Bendixen & Lutz, 2015 ). It is our expectation that this study will demonstrate that improvements have been made since the passage of the ADA but that some accommodations are not sufficient or usable for individuals with disabilities. Despite increasing information, finding studies relating stigmatization and accessibility issues in college students with disabilities to the ADA has proved challenging.

Such research is crucial and topical because it helps to identify areas in which the ADA is sufficient and areas where reform may be needed. There is a growing need for finding out the real-world efficacy of ADA legislation and related legislation. It is also important to see and discern if there are any trends within the college student population that are more broadly applicable to our understanding of the effectiveness of the ADA. The investigation on effectiveness of the ADA in a college student population was because of existing gaps in the current literature. Previous research at nearly 230 health and fitness centers across 10 states has identified that people with physical and mobility disabilities have limited access to programs, equipment and services and had higher accessibility scores compared to before the ADA but that these were still barely sufficient and often resulted in a lack of usability (Rimmer,Padalabalanarayanan, Malone & Mehta, 2017). Previous research also shows that individuals with disabilities are less able to participate in preventative services such as mammograms, pap tests and dental cleaning ( Pharr & Bungum, 2012 ). Furthermore, some adjustments made under the ADA for individuals who are blind, fall short of what they could accomplish for individuals with low vision ( Arditi, 2017 ). This is yet another example of how the ADA has resulted in increased accessibility, but often not real-world usability.

In educational settings many professional programs grapple with providing students with the necessary support. For example, Doctor of Pharmacy Programs (PharmD) struggle with providing disability-related accommodations for skills-based laboratory and experiential performance assessments ( Volino, Allen & Gallimore, 2021 ). On the other hand, libraries have been able to vastly improve accessibility in a cost-effective manner which can serve as a model for how to provide ADA-compliant and effective accommodations (Willis, 2018). It is also known that there are high rates of peer victimization in college students with disabilities ( Lund & Ross, 2021 ). Additionally, many college students with different disabilities face unique challenges in adjusting to higher education meaning there is no “one size fits all” approach to supporting students ( Lipka, Sarid, Aharoni, Bufman, Hagag & Peretz, 2020 ). To investigate how effective the ADA has been in improving accessibility and reducing discrimination for individuals with disabilities we sampled 150 college students alongside a literature review. The survey questions contained three sections and students indicated their agreement with the statements on a scale of strongly agree to strongly disagree.

Recruitment and Participants

Participants were recruited from a multi-university undergraduate student sample from the midwestern United States. Social media, recruitment flyers, word of mouth and email announcements via school-based email lists were utilized in study recruitment of students with disabilities for the study. Informed consent was obtained from each participant within the anonymous survey which was distributed by individuals other than the research team member. The project did not include any access to identifiable private information, intervention or interaction. Participants were 152 students from 2-year and 4-year institutions in the midwestern United States with an age range of 18–25. Student participants therefore included traditional and non-traditional undergraduate students. The study sample was approximately 57% female, 40% male and 3% nonbinary or other identification. The majority of conditions represented in the study were learning or mental disabilities. The study was exempt from review by the IRB due to the nature of the survey.

Literature Review

For additional information, an in-depth literature review was conducted based on relevant search terms. Previous literature provided additional context for changes and outcomes relating to the ADA and students with disabilities. Databases such as PubMed were utilized with the following search terms: “ADA”, “ADA and College”, “Disability and College”, and “Invisible Disability and College.” Except for papers pertaining to just the passage and immediate impacts of the ADA, all other pieces of literature were published within the past 10 years. Much of the literature (n=30) that ultimately provided relevant information was published in the past 2 years which may be indicative of increased conversations on disabilities in higher education. Considering the COVID-19 pandemic, this recent research has helped to shed light on potential impacts of the pandemic on accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

The author and research team member had previous experience in collecting data for several clinical research studies. A graduate student enrolled in the social work program assisted with data presentation, phrasing, and general advice. The anonymous survey was distributed for a month to students with disabilities with no follow up, individual interviews or focus groups. The survey included a few questions relating to the type of disability, degree of accomodation, barriers, and ability to report ADA noncompliance ( Table 1 ). These questions had responses that included the following: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Strongly Agree, and Agree. The survey also collected basic demographic data namely: gender, sexual orientation, age, and category of disability. These questions were generated by the researcher based on their relevance to the study goals.

Survey questions sent to students with disabilities following the collection of demographic data information. All these questions had the following answer options: Strongly Disagree, Disagree, Neutral, Agree, Strongly Agree.

The results of the small-scale survey are recorded below in the following images. Students with disabilities were asked to answer the survey questions and indicate their level of agreement with the statements. 79% of students indicated that they faced academic, physical and/or social barriers ( Figure 2 ). This means that many students with disabilities felt that barriers had not been ameliorated by existing infrastructure and systems. Additionally, 48% of students indicated that they were satisfied with their ability to report ADA violations and/or misconduct ( Figure 3 ). This implies that several students may not be able to report ADA violations or challenges they are facing with current systems. Lastly, only 31% of students surveyed indicated that they have always received appropriate accommodations for their disability. This means that a vast majority of students with disabilities are not receiving accommodations to the extent that appropriately meets their needs.

The literature review yielded additional insights and context for the proposed hypothesis. A main theme included that many felt that systemic issues in education for students with disabilities were exacerbated by the pandemic and pivot to virtual learning ( Luterman, 2022 ). A recent review article analyzed peer-reviewed qualitative studies published between 1994 and 2017 and utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) as well as the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) to select 10 articles ( Gow, Mostert & Dreyer, 2020 ). Data from this review showed many things including: 1) many students in higher education experience the fear of stigmatization and do not disclose their disability status and need for additional support 2) higher education institutions (HEI) are not meeting the diverse needs of their student body and that staff is not trained or equipped to support diverse needs 3) variable accessibility across different departments even within the same HEI 4) many students with disabilities rely on support from their family, friends and peers ( Gow, Mostert & Dreyer, 2020 ).

Other research suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an even greater impact on disabled students. A report published by the Center for Reinventing Public Education analyzed more than 400 case reports and research papers. The CRPE found that 82% of school districts reported that it was difficult to provide “hands-on” accommodations for students with disabilities during remote work ( Morando-Rhim & Ekin, 2021 ). Indeed, less instructors were confident in their ability to meet the requirements of Individualized Education Programs (IPEs) for students with disabilities ( Stelitano, Mulhern, Feistel, Gomez-Bendaña, 2021 ). Students with disabilities also trended toward reporting negative experiences with virtual learning environments ( McMaughan, Rhoads,Davis, Chen, Han, Jones, Mahaffey, & Miller, 2021 ).

Even among college students, there were additional disparities indicated by the literature for those enrolled in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) courses. Students with disabilities are underrepresented in undergraduate STEM majors as they only make up 5% of students enrolled in STEM undergraduate degree programs despite making up 26% of the US population ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018 ). STEM courses and STEM careers have generally been found to be particularly unwelcoming to students with disabilities when compared with non-STEM courses and careers ( Duerstock & Shingledecker, 2014 and Wells & Kommers, 2020 ). Undergraduates with disabilities that are majoring in STEM are less likely to receive accommodations than their peers majoring in other non-STEM disciplines (Lee, 2014).

To maintain compliance with the ADA and similar legislation, many colleges and universities have created Disability Resource Centers (DRCs) ( Gin, Guerrero, Brownell & Cooper, 2021 ). These centers serve many functions but many have a variety of ways to support students with disabilities such as by providing note-takers, and test-taking services. However, many undergraduates are not aware that the DRCs exist or have cited that the resources are unclear or difficult to access (Gin, Guerrero, Brownell & Cooper, 2021). Students with disabilities at the K-12 level have also indicated that they had less overall support and fewer accommodations for their disability in online courses compared to in-person courses ( Terras, Anderson & Grave, 2020 ).

The results of this preliminary study suggest that the ADA has improved accessibility for individuals with disabilities since its first implementation, however, many individuals with disabilities still do not have access to appropriate accommodations. Furthermore, this study suggests that these individuals, especially those with invisible disabilities, remain stigmatized. In order to further validate these findings, similar studies should be conducted to determine if this trend can be extrapolated to individuals of a variety of backgrounds. In future studies researchers can also analyze the impacts of any new legislation or amendments to the ADA. Additionally, future studies can run interviews and focus groups. Namely, semi-structured interviews and focus groups would be beneficial in discerning specific narratives and valuable qualitative insights. It may be interesting to study distinctions and similarities in other age groups as well. Future studies should include these components for a more in-depth analysis. This study contributes to a broader understanding of disabilities and disability accommodations in the college student population.

Due to the rapid and unprecedented effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, education and educational accommodations suffered for some students with disabilities. On the other hand, some students with disabilities may have benefited from the flexibility of remote instruction ( Morando-Rhim & Ekin, 2021 ). Improvements have been made since the passage of the ADA but that some accommodations are not sufficient or usable for the unique needs of different students with disabilities. As the pandemic continues, thoughtful reopening plans that account for the specific needs of students with disabilities should be crafted with input from key stakeholders (e.g. parents, instructors, students) along with medical and public health professionals (McLaughlin & Vercler, 2020).

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Brandenburg, J. E., Holman, L. K., Apkon, S. D., Houtrow, A. J., Rinaldi, R., & Sholas, M. G. (2020, January 1). School reopening during COVID-19 pandemic: Considering students with disabilities. Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine. https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-pediatric-rehabilitation-medicine/prm200789 https://content.iospress.com/articles/journal-of-pediatric-rehabilitation-medicine/prm200789

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Gin, L. E., Research for Inclusive STEM Education Center, Guerrero, F. A., Brownell, S. E., Cooper, K. M., (2021). Covid-19 and undergraduates with disabilities: Challenges resulting from the rapid transition to online course delivery for students with disabilities in undergraduate stem at large-enrollment institutions . CBE-Life Sciences Education. https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.21-02-0028 https://www.lifescied.org/doi/10.1187/cbe.21-02-0028

Gow, M. A., Mostert, Y., & Dreyer, L. (2020). The promise of equal education not kept: Specific learning disabilities - The invisible disability. African journal of disability, 9, 647. https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v9i0.647 https://doi.org/10.4102/ajod.v9i0.647

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Kreider, C. M., Bendixen, R. M., & Lutz, B. J. (2015). Holistic Needs of University Students with Invisible Disabilities: A Qualitative Study. Physical & occupational therapy in pediatrics , 35(4), 426–441. https://doi.org/10.3109/01942638.2015.1020407 https://doi.org/10.3109/01942638.2015.1020407

Lee, A. (2013, November 30). Students with disabilities choosing science technology engineering and math (STEM) majors in postsecondary institutions . Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1048786 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1048786

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Lund, E. M., & Ross, S. W. (2021). Retrospective and Current Peer Victimization in College Students with Disabilities: Examining the Intersectionality of Sexual Orientation and Gender. Sexuality and disability , 1–15. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09669-6 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09669-6

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McMaughan, D. J., Rhoads, K. E., Davis, C., Chen, X., Han, H., Jones, R. A., Mahaffey, C. C., & Miller, B. M. (2021). COVID-19 Related Experiences Among College Students With and Without Disabilities: Psychosocial Impacts, Supports, and Virtual Learning Environments. Frontiers in public health , 9, 782793. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.782793 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.782793

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Harvard-Style Citation

Wojtara, M. (2023) 'Analyzing the Efficacy and Utility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on College Students with Disabilities', University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal . 16(0) doi: 10.3998/umurj.3780

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Wojtara, M. Analyzing the Efficacy and Utility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on College Students with Disabilities. University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal. 2023 3; 16(0) doi: 10.3998/umurj.3780

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Wojtara, M. (2023, 3 21). Analyzing the Efficacy and Utility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on College Students with Disabilities. University of Michigan Undergraduate Research Journal 16(0) doi: 10.3998/umurj.3780

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• Reumatologia
• v.59(1); 2021

Peer review guidance: a primer for researchers

Olena zimba.

1 Department of Internal Medicine No. 2, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine

Armen Yuri Gasparyan

2 Departments of Rheumatology and Research and Development, Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (Teaching Trust of the University of Birmingham, UK), Russells Hall Hospital, Dudley, West Midlands, UK

The peer review process is essential for quality checks and validation of journal submissions. Although it has some limitations, including manipulations and biased and unfair evaluations, there is no other alternative to the system. Several peer review models are now practised, with public review being the most appropriate in view of the open science movement. Constructive reviewer comments are increasingly recognised as scholarly contributions which should meet certain ethics and reporting standards. The Publons platform, which is now part of the Web of Science Group (Clarivate Analytics), credits validated reviewer accomplishments and serves as an instrument for selecting and promoting the best reviewers. All authors with relevant profiles may act as reviewers. Adherence to research reporting standards and access to bibliographic databases are recommended to help reviewers draft evidence-based and detailed comments.

Introduction

The peer review process is essential for evaluating the quality of scholarly works, suggesting corrections, and learning from other authors’ mistakes. The principles of peer review are largely based on professionalism, eloquence, and collegiate attitude. As such, reviewing journal submissions is a privilege and responsibility for ‘elite’ research fellows who contribute to their professional societies and add value by voluntarily sharing their knowledge and experience.

Since the launch of the first academic periodicals back in 1665, the peer review has been mandatory for validating scientific facts, selecting influential works, and minimizing chances of publishing erroneous research reports [ 1 ]. Over the past centuries, peer review models have evolved from single-handed editorial evaluations to collegial discussions, with numerous strengths and inevitable limitations of each practised model [ 2 , 3 ]. With multiplication of periodicals and editorial management platforms, the reviewer pool has expanded and internationalized. Various sets of rules have been proposed to select skilled reviewers and employ globally acceptable tools and language styles [ 4 , 5 ].

In the era of digitization, the ethical dimension of the peer review has emerged, necessitating involvement of peers with full understanding of research and publication ethics to exclude unethical articles from the pool of evidence-based research and reviews [ 6 ]. In the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, some, if not most, journals face the unavailability of skilled reviewers, resulting in an unprecedented increase of articles without a history of peer review or those with surprisingly short evaluation timelines [ 7 ].

Editorial recommendations and the best reviewers

Guidance on peer review and selection of reviewers is currently available in the recommendations of global editorial associations which can be consulted by journal editors for updating their ethics statements and by research managers for crediting the evaluators. The International Committee on Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) qualifies peer review as a continuation of the scientific process that should involve experts who are able to timely respond to reviewer invitations, submitting unbiased and constructive comments, and keeping confidentiality [ 8 ].

The reviewer roles and responsibilities are listed in the updated recommendations of the Council of Science Editors (CSE) [ 9 ] where ethical conduct is viewed as a premise of the quality evaluations. The Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) further emphasizes editorial strategies that ensure transparent and unbiased reviewer evaluations by trained professionals [ 10 ]. Finally, the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) prioritizes selecting the best reviewers with validated profiles to avoid substandard or fraudulent reviewer comments [ 11 ]. Accordingly, the Sarajevo Declaration on Integrity and Visibility of Scholarly Publications encourages reviewers to register with the Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) platform to validate and publicize their scholarly activities [ 12 ].

Although the best reviewer criteria are not listed in the editorial recommendations, it is apparent that the manuscript evaluators should be active researchers with extensive experience in the subject matter and an impressive list of relevant and recent publications [ 13 ]. All authors embarking on an academic career and publishing articles with active contact details can be involved in the evaluation of others’ scholarly works [ 14 ]. Ideally, the reviewers should be peers of the manuscript authors with equal scholarly ranks and credentials.

However, journal editors may employ schemes that engage junior research fellows as co-reviewers along with their mentors and senior fellows [ 15 ]. Such a scheme is successfully practised within the framework of the Emerging EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism) Network (EMEUNET) where seasoned authors (mentors) train ongoing researchers (mentees) how to evaluate submissions to the top rheumatology journals and select the best evaluators for regular contributors to these journals [ 16 ].

The awareness of the EQUATOR Network reporting standards may help the reviewers to evaluate methodology and suggest related revisions. Statistical skills help the reviewers to detect basic mistakes and suggest additional analyses. For example, scanning data presentation and revealing mistakes in the presentation of means and standard deviations often prompt re-analyses of distributions and replacement of parametric tests with non-parametric ones [ 17 , 18 ].

Constructive reviewer comments

The main goal of the peer review is to support authors in their attempt to publish ethically sound and professionally validated works that may attract readers’ attention and positively influence healthcare research and practice. As such, an optimal reviewer comment has to comprehensively examine all parts of the research and review work ( Table I ). The best reviewers are viewed as contributors who guide authors on how to correct mistakes, discuss study limitations, and highlight its strengths [ 19 ].

Structure of a reviewer comment to be forwarded to authors

Some of the currently practised review models are well positioned to help authors reveal and correct their mistakes at pre- or post-publication stages ( Table II ). The global move toward open science is particularly instrumental for increasing the quality and transparency of reviewer contributions.

Advantages and disadvantages of common manuscript evaluation models

Since there are no universally acceptable criteria for selecting reviewers and structuring their comments, instructions of all peer-reviewed journal should specify priorities, models, and expected review outcomes [ 20 ]. Monitoring and reporting average peer review timelines is also required to encourage timely evaluations and avoid delays. Depending on journal policies and article types, the first round of peer review may last from a few days to a few weeks. The fast-track review (up to 3 days) is practised by some top journals which process clinical trial reports and other priority items.

In exceptional cases, reviewer contributions may result in substantive changes, appreciated by authors in the official acknowledgments. In most cases, however, reviewers should avoid engaging in the authors’ research and writing. They should refrain from instructing the authors on additional tests and data collection as these may delay publication of original submissions with conclusive results.

Established publishers often employ advanced editorial management systems that support reviewers by providing instantaneous access to the review instructions, online structured forms, and some bibliographic databases. Such support enables drafting of evidence-based comments that examine the novelty, ethical soundness, and implications of the reviewed manuscripts [ 21 ].

Encouraging reviewers to submit their recommendations on manuscript acceptance/rejection and related editorial tasks is now a common practice. Skilled reviewers may prompt the editors to reject or transfer manuscripts which fall outside the journal scope, perform additional ethics checks, and minimize chances of publishing erroneous and unethical articles. They may also raise concerns over the editorial strategies in their comments to the editors.

Since reviewer and editor roles are distinct, reviewer recommendations are aimed at helping editors, but not at replacing their decision-making functions. The final decisions rest with handling editors. Handling editors weigh not only reviewer comments, but also priorities related to article types and geographic origins, space limitations in certain periods, and envisaged influence in terms of social media attention and citations. This is why rejections of even flawless manuscripts are likely at early rounds of internal and external evaluations across most peer-reviewed journals.

Reviewers are often requested to comment on language correctness and overall readability of the evaluated manuscripts. Given the wide availability of in-house and external editing services, reviewer comments on language mistakes and typos are categorized as minor. At the same time, non-Anglophone experts’ poor language skills often exclude them from contributing to the peer review in most influential journals [ 22 ]. Comments should be properly edited to convey messages in positive or neutral tones, express ideas of varying degrees of certainty, and present logical order of words, sentences, and paragraphs [ 23 , 24 ]. Consulting linguists on communication culture, passing advanced language courses, and honing commenting skills may increase the overall quality and appeal of the reviewer accomplishments [ 5 , 25 ].

Peer reviewer credits

Various crediting mechanisms have been proposed to motivate reviewers and maintain the integrity of science communication [ 26 ]. Annual reviewer acknowledgments are widely practised for naming manuscript evaluators and appreciating their scholarly contributions. Given the need to weigh reviewer contributions, some journal editors distinguish ‘elite’ reviewers with numerous evaluations and award those with timely and outstanding accomplishments [ 27 ]. Such targeted recognition ensures ethical soundness of the peer review and facilitates promotion of the best candidates for grant funding and academic job appointments [ 28 ].

Also, large publishers and learned societies issue certificates of excellence in reviewing which may include Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points [ 29 ]. Finally, an entirely new crediting mechanism is proposed to award bonus points to active reviewers who may collect, transfer, and use these points to discount gold open-access charges within the publisher consortia [ 30 ].

With the launch of Publons ( http://publons.com/ ) and its integration with Web of Science Group (Clarivate Analytics), reviewer recognition has become a matter of scientific prestige. Reviewers can now freely open their Publons accounts and record their contributions to online journals with Digital Object Identifiers (DOI). Journal editors, in turn, may generate official reviewer acknowledgments and encourage reviewers to forward them to Publons for building up individual reviewer and journal profiles. All published articles maintain e-links to their review records and post-publication promotion on social media, allowing the reviewers to continuously track expert evaluations and comments. A paid-up partnership is also available to journals and publishers for automatically transferring peer-review records to Publons upon mutually acceptable arrangements.

Listing reviewer accomplishments on an individual Publons profile showcases scholarly contributions of the account holder. The reviewer accomplishments placed next to the account holders’ own articles and editorial accomplishments point to the diversity of scholarly contributions. Researchers may establish links between their Publons and ORCID accounts to further benefit from complementary services of both platforms. Publons Academy ( https://publons.com/community/academy/ ) additionally offers an online training course to novice researchers who may improve their reviewing skills under the guidance of experienced mentors and journal editors. Finally, journal editors may conduct searches through the Publons platform to select the best reviewers across academic disciplines.

Peer review ethics

Prior to accepting reviewer invitations, scholars need to weigh a number of factors which may compromise their evaluations. First of all, they are required to accept the reviewer invitations if they are capable of timely submitting their comments. Peer review timelines depend on article type and vary widely across journals. The rules of transparent publishing necessitate recording manuscript submission and acceptance dates in article footnotes to inform readers of the evaluation speed and to help investigators in the event of multiple unethical submissions. Timely reviewer accomplishments often enable fast publication of valuable works with positive implications for healthcare. Unjustifiably long peer review, on the contrary, delays dissemination of influential reports and results in ethical misconduct, such as plagiarism of a manuscript under evaluation [ 31 ].

In the times of proliferation of open-access journals relying on article processing charges, unjustifiably short review may point to the absence of quality evaluation and apparently ‘predatory’ publishing practice [ 32 , 33 ]. Authors when choosing their target journals should take into account the peer review strategy and associated timelines to avoid substandard periodicals.

Reviewer primary interests (unbiased evaluation of manuscripts) may come into conflict with secondary interests (promotion of their own scholarly works), necessitating disclosures by filling in related parts in the online reviewer window or uploading the ICMJE conflict of interest forms. Biomedical reviewers, who are directly or indirectly supported by the pharmaceutical industry, may encounter conflicts while evaluating drug research. Such instances require explicit disclosures of conflicts and/or rejections of reviewer invitations.

Journal editors are obliged to employ mechanisms for disclosing reviewer financial and non-financial conflicts of interest to avoid processing of biased comments [ 34 ]. They should also cautiously process negative comments that oppose dissenting, but still valid, scientific ideas [ 35 ]. Reviewer conflicts that stem from academic activities in a competitive environment may introduce biases, resulting in unfair rejections of manuscripts with opposing concepts, results, and interpretations. The same academic conflicts may lead to coercive reviewer self-citations, forcing authors to incorporate suggested reviewer references or face negative feedback and an unjustified rejection [ 36 ]. Notably, several publisher investigations have demonstrated a global scale of such misconduct, involving some highly cited researchers and top scientific journals [ 37 ].

Fake peer review, an extreme example of conflict of interest, is another form of misconduct that has surfaced in the time of mass proliferation of gold open-access journals and publication of articles without quality checks [ 38 ]. Fake reviews are generated by manipulating authors and commercial editing agencies with full access to their own manuscripts and peer review evaluations in the journal editorial management systems. The sole aim of these reviews is to break the manuscript evaluation process and to pave the way for publication of pseudoscientific articles. Authors of these articles are often supported by funds intended for the growth of science in non-Anglophone countries [ 39 ]. Iranian and Chinese authors are often caught submitting fake reviews, resulting in mass retractions by large publishers [ 38 ]. Several suggestions have been made to overcome this issue, with assigning independent reviewers and requesting their ORCID IDs viewed as the most practical options [ 40 ].

Conclusions

The peer review process is regulated by publishers and editors, enforcing updated global editorial recommendations. Selecting the best reviewers and providing authors with constructive comments may improve the quality of published articles. Reviewers are selected in view of their professional backgrounds and skills in research reporting, statistics, ethics, and language. Quality reviewer comments attract superior submissions and add to the journal’s scientific prestige [ 41 ].

In the era of digitization and open science, various online tools and platforms are available to upgrade the peer review and credit experts for their scholarly contributions. With its links to the ORCID platform and social media channels, Publons now offers the optimal model for crediting and keeping track of the best and most active reviewers. Publons Academy additionally offers online training for novice researchers who may benefit from the experience of their mentoring editors. Overall, reviewer training in how to evaluate journal submissions and avoid related misconduct is an important process, which some indexed journals are experimenting with [ 42 ].

The timelines and rigour of the peer review may change during the current pandemic. However, journal editors should mobilize their resources to avoid publication of unchecked and misleading reports. Additional efforts are required to monitor published contents and encourage readers to post their comments on publishers’ online platforms (blogs) and other social media channels [ 43 , 44 ].

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

• Open access
• Published: 22 April 2024

The power of laughter: a study on humor and creativity in undergraduate nursing education in Egypt

• Mona Metwally El-Sayed 1 ,
• Eman Sameh AbdElhay 2 ,
• Manal Mohammed Hawash 3 &
• Samah Mohamed Taha 2  

BMC Nursing volume  23 , Article number:  259 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Creativity in nursing education is crucial for developing practical problem-solving skills, and humor is a valuable tool for stress management and fostering a positive learning environment. This study explored the relationship between creativity and humor among nursing students.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 265 convenient undergraduate nursing students aged 20 to 25. The Short Scale of Creative Self (SSCS) and the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS) were used to measure creativity and various aspects of humor.

Showed a significant positive correlation between humor and creativity ( r  = 0.238, p  < 0.001). Positive correlations were found between Humor Production, Coping or Adaptive Humor, and Appreciation of Humor with creativity ( r  = 0.254, 0.230, and 0.461, p  < 0.001, respectively). In contrast, Attitudes Toward Humor and Humorous People were negatively correlated with creativity ( r =-0.343, p  < 0.05). Humor accounted for 16.2% of the variance in creativity.

The study concluded a strong link between humor and creativity, with positive correlations observed between creative self-efficacy and creative personal identity with different aspects of humor. The study recommends the incorporation of humor into nursing education and healthcare settings to encourage creative problem-solving and reduce burnout among students and staff.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

Nursing education gives individuals the necessary knowledge and skills to become competent healthcare providers. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reports that improving the educational level of nurses leads to better patient outcomes, lower mortality rates, reduced readmission rates, and shorter hospital stays [ 1 ]. Learning in nursing is usually facilitated through course materials, quizzes, assignments, and discussions. Students are encouraged to actively engage in learning and find ways to improve their understanding. However, some challenges may negatively impact their academic achievement, such as boredom [ 2 ], disinterest in the course, withdrawal, and reluctance to take responsibility [ 3 ]. Humor can create a less intimidating learning environment, increasing students’ motivation to complete their assigned activities [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].

Humor is a playful and light-hearted approach that can ease tension, handle uncomfortable situations, and enhance communication and comprehension in educational settings [ 7 ]. It is a complex phenomenon that involves cognitive, emotional, behavioral, psychological, and social aspects [ 8 , 9 ]. It is a fundamental part of daily life and can act as a coping mechanism [ 8 ]. Humor is a positive experience that transcends cultural and social boundaries. It is the ability to recognize and appreciate the comical aspects of a situation [ 9 ]. Humor can play a vital role in engaging students in learning by directing their attention to the necessary information and creating a pleasant, emotional, and social atmosphere [ 10 ]. Humor can boost motivation in the learning process and improve students’ creative thinking abilities throughout learning activities [ 10 ].

Using humor in nursing education can be effective if it follows specific standards that ensure its positive impact. These standards include appropriateness, timing, and sensitivity to the needs of students. It is important to use humor respectfully, upholding the students’ dignity and not detracting from the seriousness of the educational environment [ 11 ]. To balance lightheartedness and professionalism, it is crucial to use humor in moderation and prevent it from becoming a distraction. Humor can be a valuable tool to break the ice, foster rapport, and reduce stress for students and educators. By applying humor thoughtfully and in line with these criteria, nursing students can have an enhanced educational experience while maintaining professionalism and respect [ 11 , 12 ].

Nursing education in Egypt considers creativity a fundamental skill. Creativity is crucial in helping nurses provide top-notch patient care as nursing tasks become more complicated [ 13 ]. Creativity lies in systematically generating innovative and meaningful ideas, and it is a vital component of nursing education, encompassing the arts and sciences [ 14 ]. It is a complex and multifaceted concept with various definitions [ 15 , 16 ]. Studies have demonstrated that promoting creative problem-solving skills and fostering creativity through teaching innovative teaching methods among nursing students can improve their academic performance [ 13 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the factors influencing their creativity to promote creative thinking among nursing students.

Although the research agenda stresses the significance of exploring various areas, such as personalities and impediments, in education, there has been limited empirical research on creativity in nursing education [ 20 , 21 ]. However, the National Curriculum Standards in Undergraduate Nursing Program (NCSN) emphasizes that creativity, aesthetics, ethics, politics, and technical expertise are essential tools that enable students to make meaningful contributions to the care network, emphasizing patient care and a commitment to the healthcare system [ 22 ].

Chen and colleagues (2019) discovered that an excellent sense of humor is often associated with higher creative abilities. The confluence model explains the mechanism behind humor and its positive effects on creativity. From a cognitive perspective, understanding humor requires utilizing critical, creative skills. Positive emotions can lead to higher cognitive flexibility and more free associations, which benefit creativity. The emotional perspective highlights how humor fosters a positive attitude toward creativity. Appreciating humor can create positive emotions that may result in better creative output. Lastly, the motivational perspective clarifies how the happiness derived from humor leads to a strong motivation to engage in creative activities [ 23 ]. While some research indicates that positive emotions may promote unconventional ideas, other studies suggest that positive emotions may not necessarily confer any advantage in creative performance [ 24 ].

Research in nursing and education highlights the importance, relevance, and beneficial effects of incorporating humor in enhancing the educational experience [ 25 , 26 ]. Humor aids in mitigating stress and fostering a sense of unity among students and faculty, creating a more supportive and cooperative atmosphere [ 11 ]. This can stimulate creativity by inspiring students to think innovatively and tackle challenges with a fresh mindset. Incorporating humor and creativity in undergraduate nursing education is indispensable for developing well-rounded and capable nurses who can adeptly handle the complexities of patient care [ 12 ]. By creating a fun and engaging learning environment, students can be more motivated and inspired to excel in their studies. This benefits the students and enhances the quality of care they can provide for their patients [ 25 ].

The significance of humor and creativity in nursing education is paramount. Integrating these concepts in nursing education is essential for nurturing a new generation of skilled, knowledgeable, compassionate, and resilient nurses. Nevertheless, there appears to be a research gap in this field, particularly in Egypt and the MENA region. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the relationship between humor and creativity among nursing students to understand how humor can foster creativity and enhance nursing practices.

Research hypothesis

Nursing students with higher humor would have higher creativity.

Research design

An observational cross-sectional survey, adhering to STROBE guidelines, was used, and data collection occurred from April 1st to June 30th, 2023.

The study was conducted at the College of Nursing at Mansoura University, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education in Egypt. The college offers nine undergraduate nursing programs through a credit-hour system.

Participants

The target population for this study was the 2nd-semester students enrolled during the 2022–2023 academic year.

Sample size calculation

The sample size for this study was determined using specific procedures. The population data was based on the total number of registered students in the 2nd semester of 2022–2023 at the College of Nursing, Alexandria University, which was 805. The Office of Undergraduate Nursing Students provided this data. The desired precision and confidence level was set at an absolute error (d) of 5%, a type 1 error (α) of 5%, a z-score of 1.96, and a 95% confidence level, based on previous studies by Goriup et al. (2017) and Barutcu (2017) [ 27 , 28 ]. The formula \( \frac{\left(Z1- a/2\right)*p(1-p)}{d2}\) was used to calculate the required sample size, resulting in a minimum sample size of 238. After considering an unresponsive rate of 10%, the final sample size was adjusted to 265.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

The study was conducted with 2nd -semester undergraduate students from the College of Nursing at El-Mansoura University during the 2022–2023 academic year. Inclusion in the research was voluntary, and those who chose not to participate were excluded. Furthermore, students with self-reported pre-existing psychiatric conditions who received pharmacological or psychotherapies for such conditions were also excluded.

Sampling and recruitment

A convenient sample of undergraduate students was recruited. The total number of invited students was 291. Sixteen refused to participate, 4 initially accepted, withdrew, and did not complete the questionnaires, and 6 were deemed ineligible. These final 265 participants formed the basis for the subsequent analysis ( Fig.  1 ) .

Flow chart of participants’ recruitment process

Study measures

Demographic characteristics data sheet.

The researchers developed it to elicit demographic characteristics of the participants, such as age, gender, marital status, region of residence, living arrangement, recreational activities, family monthly income, and work while studying.

Short scale of creative self (SSCS)

The SSCS evaluates two aspects of creativity: Creative Self-Efficacy (CSE) and Creative Personal Identity (CPI) [ 29 ]. The scale consists of 11 items, with six dedicated to the CSE subscale and five to the CPI subscale. Each item is scored on a 5-point Likert scale, where 1 signifies “definitely not,” and 5 represents “definitely yes.” The total score can range from 11 to 55, with higher scores indicating greater creativity. The CSE subscale scores can range from 6 to 30, and the CPI subscale scores can range from 5 to 25. The internal consistency of the two subscales was further supported by high Cronbach’s alpha values: 0.83 for CSE and 0.89 for CPI.

Multidimensional sense of humor scale (MSHS)

The MSHS is a comprehensive tool for assessing various aspects of humor [ 30 ]. It consists of 24 items that capture four independent dimensions of humor: (i) humor production and creativity, e.g., “Other people tell me that I say funny things.” (ii) coping or adaptive humor, e.g., “Uses of humor help to put me at ease.” (iii) appreciation of humor, e.g., “Humor helps me cope.” and (iv) attitudes toward humor and humorous people. “Calling somebody a “comedian” is a real insult”. The scale is presented as a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from 0 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree), with a possible total score between 0 and 96, calculated by summing the scores of each factor. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency, as indicated by a high Cronbach’s alpha of 0.91.

Ethical approval

Official permissions for the study were secured from the responsible authorities at the College of Nursing, Mansoura University. Before inclusion in the study, participants had to provide informed consent, which involved signing a document. The study’s purpose was communicated to the participants, emphasizing the anonymity of their responses and the assurance of confidentiality. Detailed instructions were provided on how to respond to the study tools. Utmost care was taken to respect the privacy and confidentiality of the data, which was maintained throughout the study. Students were informed of their right to participate and their freedom to withdraw from the study.

Pilot study and reliability

Prior to the commencement of the main study, a preliminary pilot study was conducted involving 20 nursing students. These students did not participate in the main study. The pilot study confirmed that all the tools used were accurate, Comprehensible, and suitable for the study. The internal consistency of the study measures was evaluated using Cronbach’s Alpha test.

Data collection

After the pilot study participants were excluded, a convenient sample was selected. Trained researchers conducted structured interviews with each participant, collecting necessary data using data collection tools. Each interview, lasting approximately 10–15 min, was conducted in a private setting, such as an empty classroom or clinical lab, to ensure privacy. Informed consent was obtained from each participant, ensuring their anonymity and confidentiality. The interviewers held no authority over the students, and there were no incentives for participation. The students were reassured that their participation was voluntary and that they had the right to withdraw without repercussions. All responses were kept confidential. To ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information, researchers meticulously reviewed the responses to the data collection tool provided by each participant.

Data analysis

Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software (version 26.0). A meticulous review and verification were conducted following data entry to ensure accuracy. The distribution normality of quantitative variables was evaluated using Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Shapiro’s tests. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the internal consistency of the research instruments, thereby indicating their reliability. The humor and creativity subscales were summarized using means (M), standard deviations (SD), and frequencies or percentages for categorical variables. Pearson’s correlation coefficient measured the strength and direction of the relationship between two normally distributed quantitative variables. A multiple linear regression analysis was carried out to determine the impact of various humor domains on creativity. All results were deemed significant at the 5% ( p  < 0.05).

Table  1 shows that the majority were female (61.51%). The age distribution was even, with 32.83% being 20 or older, 28.68% between 21 and 24 years, and 38.49% being 25 years or more. Most participants were single (93.58%) and lived with their families (74.71%). The participants were almost evenly split between urban (53.20%) and rural (46.80%) residences. Regarding income, 25.66% reported their family income as insufficient, while 51.32% found it somewhat sufficient, and 23.02% considered it sufficient. A significant majority of the students (90.94%) worked while studying. Regarding recreational activities, 70.19% engaged in sports, 33.21% in art and music, 93.96% enjoyed going on trips, 26.04% participated in campus activities, and 50.57% participated in cultural activities.

Table  2 presents the participants’ average scores on the Self-Concept of Creativity Scale (SSCS) and the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS). The SSCS mean score for the Creative Self-Efficacy subscale was 22.29 (SD = 4.76); for the Creative Personal Identity subscale, it was 19.31 (SD = 2.52). The total mean score for the SSCS was 41.60 (SD = 7.28). Regarding the MSHS, the mean scores were as follows: 21.48 (SD = 2.56) for the Humor Production and Creativity subscale, 14.27 (SD = 2.68) for the Coping or Adaptive Humor subscale, 7.56 (SD = 1.96) for the Appreciation of Humor subscale, and 8.58 (SD = 2.48) for the Attitudes Toward Humor and Humorous People subscale. The total mean score for the MSHS was 51.89 (SD = 9.68).

Table  3 presents the Pearson correlation coefficients (r) between various aspects of humor and creativity among the participants. The Creative Self-Efficacy subscale demonstrated a significant positive correlation with the Humor Production and Creativity subscale ( r  = 0.224, p  < 0.001) and the Appreciation of Humor subscale ( r  = 0.529, p  < 0.05). However, it negatively correlated with the Attitudes Toward Humor and Humorous People subscale ( r =-0.224, p  < 0.05). Similarly, the Creative Personal Identity subscale exhibited significant positive correlations with the Humor Production and Creativity subscale ( r  = 0.265, p  < 0.001) and the Appreciation of Humor subscale ( r  = 0.417, p  < 0.05). It also negatively correlated with the Attitudes Toward Humor and Humorous People subscale ( r =-0.251, p  < 0.05). The total scores of the SSCS displayed significant positive correlations with the Humor Production and Creativity subscale ( r  = 0.254, p  < 0.001), the Coping or Adaptive Humor subscale ( r  = 0.230, p  < 0.05), the Appreciation of Humor subscale ( r  = 0.461, p  < 0.05), and the total of the MSHS ( r  = 0.238, p  < 0.001). However, they had a negative correlation with the Attitudes Toward Humor and Humorous People subscale ( r =-0.343, p  < 0.05).

Table  4 presents a multiple linear regression analysis examining the effect of various aspects of humor on creativity among participants. The model was statistically significant (F = 169.782, p  < 0.001) and explained 16.2% of the variance in creativity (Adjusted R^2 = 0.162). All four humor variables showed significant effects on creativity. Specifically, the Humor Production and Creativity subscale (B = 0.226, Beta = 0.102, p  < 0.001) and the Coping or Adaptive Humor subscale (B = 0.071, Beta = 0.121, p  < 0.001) had positive effects on creativity. However, the Appreciation of Humor subscale (B=-0.100, Beta = 0.075, p  = 0.005) and Attitudes Toward Humor and Humorous People subscale (B=-0.209, Beta = 0.377, p  < 0.001) had negative effects on creativity.

Creativity is vital for nursing education, economic development, and individual well-being. The nursing profession requires creative individuals with researcher roles who have access to knowledge and can produce and use information [ 26 ]. Expanding creativity enables modern nursing applications and greater problem-solving. The current study investigated the creativity of nursing students and the elements that influence it, such as humor.

The present study revealed that nursing students possess moderate creativity, as evaluated through the SSCS, with mean scores of 22.29 and 19.31 for CSE and CPI, respectively, and a total mean of 41.60. These findings were consistent with a cross-sectional study involving 720 medical students, which found that the majority demonstrated moderate creativity. The study identified several factors that can enhance creativity, including problem-based learning, critical thinking, concept mapping, teamwork, and innovative teaching methods [ 31 ]. Another study by Qian et al. (2023) suggested that creative self-efficacy (CSE) impacts an individual’s readiness to experiment with new ideas, effort levels, and resilience when faced with challenges. Those with high CSE will likely possess sufficient psychological capital to withstand uncertainties and difficulties, leading to increased motivation, cognitive resources, and activities to meet contextual demands [ 32 ].

Along the same line, Karwowski (2016) employed a crossover longitudinal and sequential approach to examine the development of CSE and creative personal identity (CPI) beliefs over time. The study involved 976 Polish participants aged between 15 and 60 who responded to the Short Scale of Creative Self. The results indicated that these beliefs remain stable in the short term (six months), but significant changes can be observed after 20 months. The study found evidence of growth in both constructs as individuals transition from adolescence to early adulthood. However, a decrease in CPI was observed in all age groups, except those aged 15 to 24, which showed a significant increase [ 33 ]. Moreover, a focus group study explored the perspectives of medical students, postgraduate medical trainees, and medical specialists on creativity within the medical context. The study concluded that participants perceived creativity as a form of art encompassing thought and action. Creative problem-solving strategies, considered the “creative part” of critical thinking, can enhance students’ critical thinking skills. These strategies encourage students to be open-minded, curious, and reflective and think and conceptualize outside the box. This process fosters the development of their intuition, associative ability, and metaphor usage [ 34 ].

These findings could be related to the fact that in the healthcare industry, nursing students must have the requisite skills and knowledge to tackle real-life scenarios. While indispensable, clinical training can be overwhelming due to its unique challenges. From witnessing the natural progression of death to dealing with highly contagious illnesses in real time and technological advancements, these experiences can be daunting [ 35 ]. The challenges they confront necessitate the application of new concepts and abilities, prompting personal introspection and self-examination. Working with limited resources and alongside individuals with poor clinical skills forces them to learn and grow, thus becoming better prepared to handle real-life situations. Modern teaching methods of “blending learning” require self-learning, and search places a premium on creative thinking, enabling students to become innovative problem solvers.

Our research has uncovered an exciting insight - most participants scored moderate on the humor scale, with a mean score of 51.89. This finding indicates how humor is deeply ingrained in Egyptian society, where using humor to alleviate difficult situations is widely accepted [ 36 ]. Such a cultural disposition aligns with a study conducted by Jiang et al. (2019), which examined the impact of culture on the perception and usage of humor and its mental health benefits. The study found that Easterners view humor less positively than their Western counterparts. They also use humor less often as a coping mechanism, primarily due to this perception. However, despite the cultural differences, Westerners and Easterners show similar patterns in the relationship between their humor and psychological well-being scores [ 37 ]. Numerous studies have shown that incorporating humor into the therapeutic relationship can positively impact the nurse’s mental health and understanding of the patient’s care needs [ 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. According to Chelly et al. (2022), humor helps nurses alleviate stress and anxiety while humanizing the issue. Though the context in which humor can be used is highly influenced by personal factors, such as age, gender, and personality, its use is strongly recommended. However, it is necessary to use humor cautiously and in appropriate circumstances, as there may be barriers to its use [ 41 ].

Our findings indicated that the total scores of SSCS showed a significant positive correlation with Humor Production and Creativity ( r  = 0.254), Coping or Adaptive Humor ( r  = 0.230), and Appreciation of Humor ( r  = 0.461). However, there was a negative correlation between Attitudes toward Humor and Humorous People ( r =-0.343). Furthermore, the authors performed multiple linear regression analyses to determine the impact of various humor components on nursing students’ creativity. The model was statistically significant, accounting for 16.2% of the variance in creativity (Adjusted R^2 = 0.162). These findings could be linked to humor in educational environments, appreciated for its capacity to create a relaxed atmosphere and improve interpersonal dynamics, demonstrating humor’s diverse roles in various aspects of life. Nursing students employ humor as a coping mechanism to deal with challenges, such as imagining humorous scenarios, sharing jokes, or indulging in amusing conduct. This coping humor fosters creative problem-solving, positive emotions, resilience, and mental well-being [ 11 , 12 , 36 ].

These findings were congruent with another study on 228 psychological counselors aged between 23 and 52 years—of which 130 were female and 98 were male—which found a positively significant correlation between psychological resilience, psychological well-being, and coping humor. Research indicates that a sense of humor can improve physical and psychological health and overall well-being [ 42 ].

Ghayas and Malik (2013) also found that humor predicts creativity and sociability levels in university undergraduates. Moreover, humor’s creation and performance dimensions were strong predictors of creativity. In contrast, the elaboration subscale of creativity significantly predicted humor. The attitude towards humor and humorous people, along with the humor subscale, were the only significant predictors of sociability [ 43 ]. Similarly, Biemans and Huizingh (2023) employed a mixed-methods study design and found that being in a humorous mood improves creativity in specific creative situations. They highlight how research into the impact of humor on creativity and innovation can take new directions [ 44 ]. Moreover, Kocak (2018) studied the influence of various humor types on creativity and the role of university innovation environments in this relationship. The study involved 362 academics from Turkish universities. The findings revealed that aggressive humor negatively correlates with academic creativity while self-enhancing and affiliative humor positively correlate. Self-defeating humor, however, showed no significant link with creativity. The study also found that the innovation climate moderately affects the relationship between humor styles and creativity. These findings highlight the potential of different humor styles to enhance organizational productivity and creativity [ 45 ].

Nursing implications

This study’s findings present several implications for nursing education and practice. The positive correlation between humor and creativity suggests that integrating humor-based activities and creative problem-solving training into the curriculum could enhance students’ creativity. As a valuable tool for stress management, humor could help reduce burnout among students, potentially improving their inventive problem-solving skills. Nursing educators can incorporate relevant humor into their lessons using various forms such as cartoons, spontaneous humor, role-playing, jokes, and funny stories to engage students effectively. Moreover, it could help develop more effective communication strategies, improve patient-nurse relationships, and apply innovative nursing interventions to manage health problems and enhance the overall quality of patient care. Humor can make patients feel more comfortable and open during interactions, leading to better communication and, ultimately, better health outcomes.

Study limitations

This study offers important insights into the connection between humor and creativity in nursing education. However, it has several limitations. The findings are based on a non-probability convenient sampling technique, which may limit their applicability to a broader population. The study’s cross-sectional design prevents the establishment of a causal relationship between humor and creativity. The reliance on self-report measures could introduce social desirability bias. Future research could address these limitations using objective measurement tools, such as observational or peer-rated instruments and probability sampling methods. Longitudinal studies could provide a more nuanced understanding of how the relationship between humor and creativity evolves. Furthermore, exploring personality traits, learned helplessness, academic burnout, self-evaluation, motivation, and cultural influences as covariates with humor and creativity. Further experimental studies on humor-based activities and creative problem-solving training in nursing education to improve student creativity, stress levels, and academic performance. These studies can provide concrete evidence for the benefits of humor and creativity in healthcare settings.

Conclusion and recommendations

Our findings underscored a significant correlation between various facets of humor and creativity. Positive correlations were observed between creative self-efficacy and creative personal identity with different aspects of humor, such as humor production, coping or adaptive humor, and appreciation of humor. Conversely, negative correlations were found with unfavorable attitudes towards humor and humorous individuals. Considering these findings, it is crucial to maintain a comfortable and humorous atmosphere in nursing education settings. Such an environment encourages creative problem-solving skills and can help reduce burnout among nursing students and staff. Therefore, it is recommended that humor be integrated into the educational system and healthcare settings to enhance creativity and overall well-being.

Data availability

The datasets used or analyzed in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Abbreviations

Kolmogorov-Smirnov

Statistical Package for Social Sciences

Research Ethical Committee

Short Scale of Creative Self

Creative Self-Efficacy

Creative Personal Identity

Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale

American Association of Colleges of Nursing

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the students who participated in this work.

The Science, Technology, & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), in cooperation with the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB), provides open-access funding.

Open access funding provided by The Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with The Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB).

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Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

Mona Metwally El-Sayed

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, College of Nursing, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

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Gerontological Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

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Contributions

ME and MH planned and designed the research. ST and EE contributed to the methodology and data analysis. The manuscript was reviewed and approved by the research team.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mona Metwally El-Sayed .

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The effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students: a parallel randomized controlled trial

• Amin Sedigh 1 ,
• Sara Bagheri 2 ,
• Pariya Naeimi 3 ,
• Vahid Rahmanian 4 &
• Nader Sharifi 5  

BMC Medical Education volume  24 , Article number:  438 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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One of the new educational systems is the mentorship method. This study aimed to investigate the effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students.

This research was a randomized controlled trial that was conducted on undergraduate students in the operating room department of Khomein Faculty of Medical Sciences, Markazi Province in Iran. The number of operating room students were 70 that were divided into intervention and control groups by random allocation using Permuted Block Randomization. Inclusion criteria included all operating room students who were in internship, and exclusion criteria included failure to complete the questionnaires. The data collection tools were the demographic questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Situational Motivational Scale. In the control group, clinical training was done in the traditional way. In the intervention group, training was done by peer mentoring method. The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, paired t-test, chi-square test, ANCOVA, univariable and multivariable linear regression.

The study revealed significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Post-intervention, the intervention group demonstrated substantial increases in self-confidence (mean difference = 5.97, p  < 0.001) and significant reductions in stress levels (mean difference = -3.22, p  < 0.001). Conversely, minimal changes were noted in the control group for both self-confidence (mean difference = 0.057, p  = 0.934) and stress levels (mean difference = 0.142, p  = 0.656). Although both groups experienced decreases in anxiety and depression levels, these changes were not statistically significant ( p  > 0.05). Furthermore, the intervention significantly enhanced academic progress in the intervention group compared to the control group (mean difference = 20.31, p  < 0.001).

The results showed that the implementation of the peer mentoring program was effective in improving academic progress, self-confidence, and reducing the stress of operating room students. Therefore, this educational method can be used in addition to the usual methods to improve the education of operating room students.

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Introduction

Using effective training methods can increase people's motivation and commitment, increase productivity and reduce mistakes [ 1 ]. Clinical training is an important part of training in medical sciences, which plays an essential role in shaping the basic skills and professional abilities of students, including students of the operating room [ 2 , 3 ]. Learning and mastering work roles and tasks in the operating room environment is challenging; In addition, operating room students should be trained in many interventions in the surgical process before, during and after surgery [ 4 ].

Operating room students are affected by various stresses during the course of clinical training, and various contextual and environmental factors play a role in creating this stress [ 5 ]. The results of a study among nursing students showed the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms to be 28.7%, 41.7% and 20.2%, respectively [ 6 ]. Also, studies have shown students' self-efficacy at an average level [ 7 ]. The experience of stress in the clinical environment can affect students' learning and acquisition of clinical skills and lead to a drop in their academic performance [ 8 , 9 ]. Considering the high level of stress and the fact that mistakes have no place in the operating room, it is important to pay attention to the quality of training of operating room students and to strengthen the knowledge and skills of future operating room personnel [ 10 ].

Learners and students prefer new educational methods to traditional and passive methods. Active approach is a form of teacher-learner interaction in which learners are no longer passive listeners, but active participants in the learning process [ 11 , 12 ]. The basis of active and comprehensive learning methods is that learning is based on experience and learners actively create knowledge based on their personal experience [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. The importance of active learning has led professional associations and accreditation organizations, as well as organizations such as UNESCO, to recommend active learning methods in education [ 16 ].

One of the new educational systems is the mentorship method. In this educational method, the mentor and mentee establish a long-term relationship based on friendship with each other. Positive attitude, experience and volunteering are characteristics of mentorship [ 17 , 18 ]. For the first time, Whitman and Fife examined the peer teaching strategy in university education. In this method, higher year students teach practical and theoretical lessons to lower year students [ 19 , 20 ]. The implementation of the mentorship program increases self-confidence, emotional support, and increases students' interactions [ 21 , 22 ]. When students, despite having knowledge and ability in clinical practice, lack sufficient competence, the reason may be a lack of self-confidence, confidence in their own ability, or understanding of the necessary self-efficacy [ 23 , 24 ]. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students.

Study design

This research was a parallel randomized controlled trial that was conducted on undergraduate students in the operating room department of Khomein Faculty of Medical Sciences, Markazi Province in Iran from September 2022 to April 2023.

Participants

The number of operating room students were 70, who were included in the study by census method. Inclusion criteria included all operating room students who were in internship, and exclusion criteria included failure to complete the questionnaires.

Randomization and blindness

First, the students completed the written consent to participate in the study, and then they were divided into intervention and control groups by random allocation using Permuted Block Randomization [ 25 ]. Therefore, 35 participants were placed in each group. Then the participants of the intervention and control groups completed the questionnaires before the beginning of the internship. Due to the nature of the intervention in the present study, it was not possible to blind the subjects under the study. Therefore, blinding was performed on those who collected and recorded the data and those who performed the analysis. This research was designed and implemented according to the CONSORT guidelines (Fig.  1 ).

Consort -flow- diagram

Instrument and data collection

The demographic questionnaire included gender, age, marital status, economic status of the family, education level of parents and occupation of parents.

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) consists of three subscales including 7 questions for each. Each question is scored from 0 (does not apply to me at all) to 3 (completely applies to me). Each of the areas of stress, anxiety and depression has 7 questions and the minimum score for each area is 0 and the maximum score is 21. The score of each area is obtained from the sum of the scores of the answers given to the questions of that area. Antony et al. analyzed the mentioned scale; The results of the correlation calculation indicated a correlation coefficient of 0.48 between the two factors of depression and stress, a correlation coefficient of 0.53 between anxiety and stress, and a correlation coefficient of 0.28 between anxiety and depression [ 26 ]. The reliability of this scale in Iran in a sample of 400 participants was reported as 0.7 for depression, 0.66 for anxiety and 0.76 for stress [ 27 ]. Also, in the validation study of this questionnaire in Iran by Sahebi et al. the reliability of this scale was investigated through internal consistency and its validity using factor analysis and criterion validity with the simultaneous implementation of Beck depression, Zang anxiety and perceived stress tests. In general, the obtained reliability and validity coefficients were very satisfactory and significant at the p  < 0.001 level. The correlations between DASS depression subscale with Beck depression test were 0.70, DASS anxiety subscale with Zang anxiety test was 0.67, and DASS stress subscale with perceived stress test was 0.49. The internal consistency of DASS scales was also calculated using Cronbach's alpha and these results were obtained: depression 0.77, anxiety 0.79 and stress 0.78 [ 28 ].

Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) consists of 10 two-choice questions. Every statement that applies to the person receives the answer "I agree" and every statement that does not apply to the person receives the answer "I disagree". A positive answer to each of statements 1 to 5 will receive a positive score of one, a negative response to statements 1 to 5 will receive a negative score of one, a positive response to statements 6 to 10 will receive a negative score of one, and a negative response to statements 6 to 10 will receive a positive score of one. Then the total score is calculated. A positive score of 10 indicates the highest level of self-esteem, and a negative score of 10 indicates very low self-esteem. The retest correlation is in the range of 0.82–0.88 and the internal consistency coefficient or Cronbach's alpha is in the range of 0.77–0.88, this scale has satisfactory validity (0.77). It also has a high correlation with the New York and Guttman National Questionnaire in measuring self-esteem, so its content validity is also confirmed [ 29 ]. In Iran, Cronbach's alpha coefficients of 0.84 to 0.92 have been reported for this scale. Also, the reliability and validity of this tool has been checked by factor analysis, dichotomization and re-sampling methods, and the results show that this scale can be used in Iran as well [ 30 ].

The Situational Motivational Scale (SIMS): After confirming the content validity of the tool in Iran, its reliability has been confirmed by retest method (73.76) and Cronbach's alpha has been reported as 74–88%. The short form of this questionnaire was made by Bahrani in Shiraz. This questionnaire has 49 statements that are arranged on a Likert scale from completely disagree [ 1 ] to completely agree [ 5 ]. Reliability of the 49-question questionnaire used in this research was measured by Bahrani by retesting and calculating Cronbach's alpha. In the retest method, the reliability coefficient of the whole test was 0.95. Also, the internal consistency of the questionnaire was calculated as 0.77 [ 31 , 32 ].

Intervention program

In the control group, clinical training was done in the traditional way with the help of a trainer. In the intervention group, training was done by peer mentoring method with the help of fourth year operating room students and under the supervision of the instructor. Based on the overall GPA criteria, the first to sixth ranked students were selected as mentor students. Before using the students as mentors in the internship, 3 training sessions were held for them by the professors of the operating room.

In these meetings, the lesson plan of the internship course was fully explained based on the last chapter of the operating room field, and the necessary points regarding training and how to deal with students were explained.

Then, these students participated in three tests and the first to third students of each test were selected as mentors. Therefore, a total of nine students were selected as mentors. In the intervention group, internship training was carried out with the implementation of peer mentoring program during one academic semester. Students of the intervention group (35 participants) were placed in five groups of seven according to the internship program. The total training sessions of each group were 18 sessions, nine of which were conducted by the method of peer mentoring program. A total of 45 peer mentoring sessions were conducted for all groups. Each of the mentors mentored a seven-person group of mentees during nine sessions. At the beginning of each session, the mentor briefly explained the topics to the mentees according to the educational topics and guided them practically during the session. It should be noted that all the meetings were held under the supervision of the main teacher of the course and if necessary, this person provided the necessary guidance.

At the end of the academic semester, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) and Situational Motivational Scale (SIMS) were completed again by the students of the intervention and control groups.

Statistical analysis

Stata software version 14 was used for the data analysis process. Initially, the data's normality was verified using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The results were presented as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage in the section on descriptive statistics.

The means of the study variable between the intervention and control groups were compared using an independent t-test, and the means before and after the intervention were compared using a paired t-test in the analytical statistics section. The Chi-square test was used to compare the associations between qualitative variables in the various groups.

The ANCOVA test was conducted after the intervention to control for any baseline differences in scores of self-confidence, stress, perceived anxiety, depression and academic progress between the two groups before the intervention (pre-test). This adjustment was made to account for any potential confounding factors that may have influenced the outcomes.

Univariable and multivariable linear regression by the backward method was applied to examine the association between self-confidence, stress, perceived anxiety, depression, gender, mother's education, father's education, family economic, and academic progress. A significance threshold of less than 0.05 was used.

The mean age of participants was 22.31 ± 2.59. Thirty-six individuals (51.4%) were female, and 50 individuals (71.4%) were single. Regarding education, 22 participants (31.4%) held diplomas from their fathers, and 21 participants (30%) held diplomas from their mothers. In terms of mothers' occupations, 35 individuals (52.9%) were housewives, and 31 individuals (44.3%) reported their family's economic status as medium (Table  1 ). On the other hand, there were no significant differences in age, gender, marital status, mothers' education, fathers' education, fathers' occupation, mothers' occupation, and family economic status between the intervention and control groups( p  > 0.05) (Table  1 ). Also, in terms of variables of self-confidence, stress, anxiety, depression and academic progress between the intervention and control groups, no significant difference was observed before the intervention ( p  > 0.05) (Table  2 ).

Before the intervention, high levels of stress (12.65; 12.25), anxiety (11.34; 11.02) and depression (10.08; 10.42) and low levels of self-confidence (1.31; 1.22) were observed in the intervention and control groups.

The results indicated a significant difference in the mean scores of self-confidence ( p  < 0.001), stress ( p  < 0.001), and academic progress ( p  < 0.001), between the intervention and control groups after the educational intervention. Furthermore, this difference was also statistically significant in the intervention group before and after the educational intervention ( p  < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the mean scores of anxiety and depression before and after the intervention, as well as in comparison with the control group ( p  > 0.05) (Table  2 ).

The results showed significant differences between the intervention and control groups. Post-intervention, the intervention group showed substantial increases in self-confidence (mean difference = 5.97, p  < 0.001) and significant reductions in stress levels (mean difference = -3.22, p  < 0.001). In contrast, minimal changes were observed in the control group for both self-confidence (mean difference = 0.057, p  = 0.934) and stress levels (mean difference = 0.142, p  = 0.656). While both groups exhibited decreases in anxiety and depression levels, these changes were not statistically significant ( p  > 0.05). Moreover, the intervention significantly improved academic progress in the intervention group compared to the control group (mean difference = 20.31, p  < 0.001) (Table  2 ).

The ANCOVA test was used to compare the means of self-confidence, stress, anxiety, depression and academic progress in the two groups after adjusting the Pre-test as a covariate. Results showed there was a significant difference between the means in the self-confidence, stress and academic progress before and after intervention with adjusted pre- test score (before intervention) (Table  3 ).

The results of the univariate linear regression analysis showed that self-confidence and stress are associated with academic progress ( p  < 0.05) (Table  4 ). Additionally, the results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that for a one-unit increase in the stress score, the mean academic progress score decreases by 0.520 (B = -0.520, P  < 0.001). Furthermore, for a one-unit increase in age, the mean academic progress score increases by 0.220(B = 0.220, P  = 0.029). Moreover, students whose fathers have university education have, on mean, a higher academic progress score compared to students whose fathers are illiterate, with an increase of 0.212 for each unit difference in paternal education level (B = 0.212, P  = 0.036). According to the multiple regression model, 33.4% of the variations in academic progress can be predicted by stress, age, and father’s education (Table  4 ).

This research was conducted to determine the effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students.

The results showed that before the educational intervention, there was no significant difference between the control and intervention groups in demographic variables, academic progress, self-confidence, stress, anxiety and depression. It is noteworthy that according to the regression analysis, students whose fathers had a university education had a higher academic progress score compared to students whose fathers were illiterate.

The results of the study before the intervention show a high level of stress, anxiety and depression and a low level of self-confidence in students. Mohammadi's study showed the mean situational anxiety scores of the operating room students to be at a medium–high level [ 33 ]. Of course, according to Findik's study, the stress level of nursing students was low on the first day of operating room practice. It was found that students use the self-confidence approach in dealing with stress [ 34 ]. According to Norouzi's study, insufficient skills of students in communicating with staff, discrimination between paramedical students and assistants, lack of practical prerequisite skills, weak supportive performance of instructors and psychological needs are among the stressful factors of operating room students [ 3 ]. According to the students, practice with the support of staff and instructors in clinical training leads to better training. Improper interaction between staff and students negatively affects the clinical education process [ 35 , 36 ]. The results of Mohibi's research report the existence of discrimination as one of the main complaints of students in the clinical environment [ 37 ].

The results showed that training using the peer mentor method improved the mean scores of self-confidence, stress and academic progress variables in the intervention group after the educational intervention. Also, compared to the control group, the intervention group had achieved a significant improvement in the mentioned variables. In addition, the results showed that self-confidence and stress are related to academic progress, and as the stress score increases, the mean academic progress decreases. The results of Raymond's study showed that the implementation of the mentorship program was effective in reducing the stress and loneliness of first-year nursing students. In addition, an increase in their sense of self-efficacy and sense of psychological belonging was also reported [ 38 ]. According to Yoon's study, peer mentoring program increased students' self-confidence in basic nursing skills and critical thinking skills [ 39 ]. Considering that clinical educators play a fundamental role in controlling stress, creating a supportive environment and promoting students' self-confidence in the clinical learning environment [ 40 ], it seems that the use of students in the role of peer mentoring has been able to act as an important factor in increasing self-confidence, reducing stress and enjoying clinical experiences and thus improving their academic progress.

While in Walker's study, a significant reduction in the anxiety of a specific clinical situation was observed among nursing students who were guided by their peers [ 41 ], in the present study, no significant improvement was observed in the students' anxiety. It can be said that the special conditions of the operating room distinguish it from other clinical skills training departments, therefore peer training alone cannot be effective in reducing the anxiety of operating room students. Also, depression did not decrease significantly in any of the intervention and control groups. It should be said that anxiety and depression are more complex than stress and their reduction in operating room students requires the use of psychological interventions along with peer mentoring program.

Due to the limitation of the statistical population, sampling was not possible and the students were selected by census method. On the other hand, due to the special considerations of the operating room space, the implementation of the peer mentoring program faced limitations. Although the main teacher of the course was present in all the implementation sessions of the mentorship program, physicians and other clinical personnel did not trust the mentors to some extent.

Of course, the use of this training method could not be effective in reducing anxiety and depression, which can be aggravated as a result of working in the tense environment of the operating room, and it seems necessary to conduct more investigations in this field.

Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available because they contain raw data from study participants, and sharing these data requires participants' permission. But are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors of this study wish to express their gratitude to all the students, especially Miss Azadeh Nasiri and the officials of Khomein University of Medical Sciences.

Informed consent

All participants provided written informed consent.

This research was supported by Khomain University of Medical Sciences (No: 400000009).

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Molecular and Medicine Research Center, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran

Amin Sedigh

Department of Medical Education, School of Medical Education and Learning Technologies, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Sara Bagheri

Student Research Committee, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran

Pariya Naeimi

Department of Public Health, Torbat Jam Faculty of Medical Sciences, Torbat Jam, Iran

Vahid Rahmanian

Department of Public Health, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran

Nader Sharifi

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Contributions

Conceptualization: A S, S B; Data curation: A S, P N; Formal analysis:  N SH, V R; Methodology: A S, S B, N SH; Project administration: A S, P N, N SH; Writing–original draft: N SH, V R; Writing–review & editing: all authors.

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Correspondence to Nader Sharifi .

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Ethical approval was obtained from the Human Research Ethics Committee at the Khomain University of Medical Sciences (Code IR.KHOMEIN.REC.1400.010). All study participants provided written informed consent. Confidentiality and anonymity were ensured. All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were by the ethical standards of the institutional and national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration.

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Sedigh, A., Bagheri, S., Naeimi, P. et al. The effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students: a parallel randomized controlled trial. BMC Med Educ 24 , 438 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05424-z

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Received : 29 December 2023

Accepted : 12 April 2024

Published : 22 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05424-z

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