IU Journal of Undergraduate Research
Description
The Indiana University Journal for Undergraduate Research (IUJUR) VIP team offers a unique, hands-on deep dive into the inner workings of academic publishing and research dissemination. Accepting submissions from all disciplines across all IU campuses, this multidisciplinary team is structured to give students real-world experience in editorial management, scholarly peer review, production layout, digital archiving, and science communication.
As a member of this VIP, you will collaborate with faculty advisors, graduate mentors, and senior peers to guide original undergraduate research from raw manuscript to final, open-access publication. Novice team members will master the mechanics of technical editing, critical review, and publishing software, while returning veterans step into leadership roles managing specific disciplinary boards (STEM, Humanities, Social Sciences, and Creative Arts) or directing marketing and technological infrastructure.
This VIP is ideal for students looking to sharpen their critical thinking, gain comprehensive insight into the research ecosystem, and build an impressive portfolio in project management and communication. Turn your passion for scholarship into a sustainable, university-wide impact. No prior publishing experience is required. First-semester students will receive comprehensive onboarding, as the VIP structure is designed to teach these technical skills from scratch. We just need your interest and enthusiasm!
Goals and Learning Outcomes
The goals of the IUJUR VIP Team include:
- Bridge the gap between doing research and understanding how knowledge is vetted, curated, and preserved globally.
- Cultivate a multi-disciplinary intellectual community by creating a space where STEM, Humanities, Social Science, and Arts students collaborate and learn from each other's research methodologies.
- Ensure operational sustainability by building an institutional pipeline where institutional memory is passed down seamlessly from graduating seniors to incoming novices.
- Promote high-quality undergraduate research visibility across all eight IU campuses.
Learning outcomes:
By participating in the IUJUR VIP team across one or more semesters, undergraduate students will be able to:
- Develop evaluative and analytical skills by executing scholarly peer reviews. Critically evaluate academic manuscripts for methodological soundness, clarity, and contribution to the field.
- Evaluate feedback and differing perspectives from peer reviewers and faculty experts into constructive, actionable editorial revision letters for authors.
- Develop technical and professional literacy by confidently navigate industry-standard Open Journal Systems (OJS) software and digital archiving tools.
- Apply advanced copyediting and design, including implementing precise typesetting, style guides (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago), and graphic design principles to transform accepted manuscripts into publication-ready galley proofs.
- Develop project management, teamwork, and leadership skills by managing workflows, track and advance multiple manuscripts simultaneously through various stages of the publication pipeline under strict deadlines.
- For returning/senior students, practice cross-tier mentorship, by directing sub-teams, onboard novice editors, and run editorial board meetings, effectively managing peer-to-peer workflows.
- Navigating research ethics by identifying and addressing issues related to plagiarism, data fabrication, human subject compliance (IRB), and copyright law.
Communicating specialized, complex research findings to a broad, public audience through strategic science communication and digital outreach.
Majors and Schools Sought
Students from any major are welcome, but ideally those interested in publishing and media will apply.
Desired Skills and Interests
Regardless of major, every student joining the IUJUR VIP team should possess:
- Intellectual Curiosity: A genuine curiosity about research across all fields, from biochemistry to behavioral economics to creative writing.
- Dependability and Accountability: Because the journal relies on a tight pipeline, students must be self-motivated and respect peer-driven deadlines.
- Strong Communication Skills: A commitment to constructive, respectful, and professional communication with peers, faculty, and submitting authors.
Faculty Lead