JPUR Opens Doors for Undergraduate Researchers
November 13, 2013
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN — Patrick Pawletko, a senior in School of Civil Engineering, led a team of Purdue engineers and anthropologists to supply an African village with electricity. Madison Heslop, a senior in American studies, investigated the mystery of “The Old Pump” outside Stone Hall on Purdue’s campus. Stephanie Wicke, a senior in math education, researched the effects that specific questioning techniques have on students’ critical thinking skills.
These students are just three of the 70 undergraduate authors who had their research published in the 2013 edition of the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research (JPUR). Each year students from all disciplines submit abstract proposals in hopes of being accepted to be published as either an article or snapshot in the journal. The journal showcases the best undergraduate research at Purdue and highlights the student as the author.
Publishing in JPUR gives students a leg up when it comes to applying for jobs and graduate schools. Heslop explains that “publishing with JPUR makes you a more attractive candidate for a career with research and writing. It’s a huge advantage if you want to get a higher degree because you already know how the publishing process works.”
Pawletko also stresses the importance of learning to articulate his work to a general audience and how JPUR enabled him to develop those necessary skills. He said working directly with a writing coach allows the student author to get direct feedback on how to formulate and improve their work.
Wicke said, “JPUR was a great way to get feedback, especially with the peer review process at the beginning of the year.”
Submissions to JPUR are on a steady rise since the journal debuted in 2011, making acceptance for publication increasingly valuable. The first deadline for proposals to be submitted for the 2014 issue is on Friday (Nov.15) while the final deadline is February 15. Only abstracts, not full papers, are required for a proposal and submissions may be uploaded through http://www.jpur.org using a simple three-step process.
Sources: Brooke Halteman, JPUR Coordinator, jpur@purdue.edu
Charles Watkinson, Purdue Libraries, ctwatkin@purdue.edu, 765 494 8251
