It is long overdue for me to highlight this particular publishing opportunity for undergraduates. If there is something that my own institution does well, it is undergraduate research. In addition to having vibrant programs in fields such as psychology in which undergraduates work with faculty on research that leads to conference presentations and publications even while they are still undergrads, we also have other programs such as the Butler Summer Institute, an opportunity to work with a faculty supervisor during the summer. I’ve had the privilege of supervising research related to Biblical studies in that program on occasion, although there is far more work related to other fields, in particular the sciences. We also host an annual Undergraduate Research Conference that attracts presenters from far and wide, which is now in its 30th year.
In addition to the above, Butler now also has its own Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research, which publishes articles in all fields. The journal launched in 2015. Here is the description of the journal from its website:
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.
Submission of original, scholarly research articles is open to undergraduates from any accredited college and university. For further information, see the Mission Statement...Further details about the guidelines for authors may be found on the Author Guidelines page.
Here is the mission statement for those who may not click through to read it:
Mission and Editorial Policy
The mission of the Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research (BJUR) is to advance Butler’s commitment to undergraduate research by seeking to publish original, high quality empirical research undertaken by undergraduates from any university. The new journal will be national in scope, will be multidisciplinary, and will seek to publish the best empirical and scholarly research available from undergraduate students anywhere. Submission of original, scholarly research articles will be open to undergraduates from any accredited college and university.
The publication of the Butler Journal of Undergraduate Research is designed to build upon and strengthen Butler’s commitment to quality undergraduate research by providing an outlet for the publication of outstanding undergraduate scholarship. BJUR recognizes and supports diverse disciplines, perspectives and methods across the social sciences, natural and life sciences, the arts and humanities. The Journal publishes papers that represent original research undertaken by a student or students during their undergraduate career.
BJUR is committed to intellectual integrity, rigorous standards of scholarship, and rational and civil discourse. It seeks to foster open and critical inquiry that privileges no particular disciplinary standpoint while operating within the limits of a standard of scientific, scholarly and empirical discourse committed to the pursuit of knowledge and truth. While every effort will be made to publish issues that represent a fair balance of scholarship across the entire spectrum of undergraduate studies, the Journal’s first priority will always be to publish the best undergraduate research available at any given time regardless of disciplinary representation.
Please spread the word about the journal (as well as our annual Undergraduate Research Conference) your faculty colleagues, undergraduate students, and friends for whom this is relevant!
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