Purdue Libraries and School of Information Studies News

Supporting and Publishing Purdue’s Undergraduate Research

September 7th, 2020

This blog series, Putting the “Purdue” in Purdue University Press, is celebrating PUP’s 60th Anniversary by featuring the work the Press does in service to its parent institution. You can find the whole series here.

This post highlights the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research.

The Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research (JPUR) is a fully open access journal publishing outstanding research papers written by Purdue undergraduate students. The journal is published annually in physical form, and online readers may freely read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of articles. The aim of JPUR is to encourage the development of undergraduate research at Purdue by showcasing the best work in a tangible, centralized, and public way.

The journal is run completely by Purdue undergraduate students, including a journal coordinator and robust Student Editorial Board. Behind the scenes the journal maintains a unique partnership with Purdue University Press and other departments in the Purdue University Libraries and School of Information Studies, as well as Marketing and Media and the Purdue Writing Lab. The publication of JPUR is sponsored by the Office of the Provost.

“A lot goes into the annual publication, and it has been really exciting to work with the Faculty Advisory Board, Student Editorial Board, Purdue Press staff, and the student authors from start to finish,” said Ethan Edwards, the current journal coordinator. “I read all the proposals, drafts, and finalized publications, which means I have been able to absorb a lot of interesting information about the research that happens at Purdue.”

The research published in the journal is separated into two main sections: articles and research snapshots. The full articles are 2,500–3,500 words in length and include a minimum of five images/diagrams, while the research snapshots are 250 words in length. Other sections include “Out of the Box,” which showcases hands-on or innovative research activities; interviews; and alumni spotlights, which demonstrate how publishing in JPUR as an undergraduate helped students in their later education or careers.

Any current or just-graduated Purdue University undergraduate or professional student engaged in research may submit a proposal at jpur.org. The submitted proposals are reviewed by experts in the discipline and in scholarly writing, as well as by the Faculty Advisory Board. Selected student authors are then invited to submit a full article or a research snapshot.

Edwards, who is a senior pursuing a civil engineering degree at Purdue, had the opportunity to publish with the journal prior to his role as journal coordinator.

“From my experience, I learned a great deal about the scholarly publishing process and was able to improve my writing skills by gaining direct feedback on my work,” Edwards said. “Publishing in the journal also helped me establish a better connection with my faculty mentor and graduate student advisor by working closely with them for feedback. Although it may seem daunting for first-time authors, the satisfaction of seeing your work published to a broad audience both online and in print is absolutely worth it. It is also a great way to show graduate schools, employers, and others your willingness to take the next step with your research.”

You can now access JPUR Volume 10 at jpur.org or wait to pick up a free physical copy from the shelves across from the Purdue University Press office in Stewart Center.