UPCOMING DEADLINES

The second issue of JMURJ will be published the first week of April, Spring 2010. We are currently accepting submissions from all majors. The next deadline for Topic Proposals is Friday, December 11th. Download a topic proposal form here: ______________

WHAT WE PUBLISH

The James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal publishes research articles, research reports, review articles, and feature articles (see below) concerning research conducted by undergraduates. We define research as: 
“a systematic study directed toward fuller human understanding, or making an original, intellectual, and creative contribution to a discipline.” 
Not sure if your work fits under our definition of research? Email the JMURJ Staff (jmurjstaff@gmail.com).

TYPES OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED

Want to turn a paper you wrote for class into one of these articles? Consult the JMURJ Staff (jmurjstaff@gmail.com).

GENERAL GUIDELINES

• Papers are written for a general collegiate audience. Technical concepts and terminology should be explained in detail. Papers should entertain, as well as inform.
• All papers are to be .doc files, double-spaced, and 12-point typeface.
• Include a short abstract with your submitted work, about 250 words, at the beginning of your paper.
• Multiple reference styles are accepted (e.g. MLA, Chicago, APA, and APS). However, please remain consistent and properly cite all sources before submitting your work.

  
SUBMISSION AND PUBLICATION PROCESS

1. Topic Proposal Deadline: Friday, December 11th, 2009.

• A Topic Proposal is a brief description of your research: What is your research topic? What are the implications of your research? When did you start and finish OR when will you finish your work? How does your research contribute to the JMURJ mission?
• Express your interest in JMURJ by emailing the JMURJ Staff at jmurjstaff@gmail.com.
• A Review Editor will be assigned to your submission and will provide you with a Topic Proposal Form.
• Complete and submit your Topic Proposal Form by the deadline to the JMURJ Staff via email. Your assigned Review Editor will contact you shortly after this deadline if your topic was or was not approved by the JMURJ Staff.

4. Submission and Faculty Review Form Deadline: Monday, January 18th, 2010.

• The JMURJ Staff will provide feedback and perhaps narrow the scope of your research to fit the needs of JMURJ. Most papers will be significantly shorter than your original work. The maximum length of every submission is 2,500 words. Please consult your assigned Review Editor for assistance in conforming to this length requirement.
• Review your paper with three faculty members within your discipline. These faculty members will check your facts, citations, research methods, the originality of your work, etc. and provide feedback.
• Once the faculty members reviewing your paper are satisfied with your work, they will fill out and sign the Faculty Review Form. Download here: ______________
• Submit an electronic copy of your final paper to the JMURJ Staff via email, as well as a hard copy of your paper with the Faculty Review Form to Wilson 417 by the deadline.

5. Blind Peer Review Process Begins: Monday, January 25th, 2010.

• Every author that has submitted his or her work to JMURJ will be required to participate in a blind peer review process. As a peer reviewer, you will be assigned to an anonymous submission and will complete a rubric that rates readability, coherence, pertinence to the JMURJ mission, etc. Assignments and the Peer Review Rubric will be made available to you by the JMURJ Staff via email and the JMURJ website.

6. Blind Peer Review Process Concludes: Friday, February 5th, 2010.

• Turn in your Peer Review Rubric by the deadline to the JMURJ Staff via email.

7. Editorial Process Begins: Monday, February 8th, 2010.

• You will meet with your Review Editor and other JMURJ Staff members on a regular basis to create a legible, interesting, and publishable representation of your research. Technical jargon and complex concepts will be defined and explained to suit a broad, collegiate audience.
• You will work with the JMURJ Photographer and Graphic Designers to create visual representations of your research for publication (e.g. action shots, compiles charts, pictures of slides, etc.).

8. Completed Submission Deadline: Monday, March 1st, 2010.

• Submit your completed electronic submission, including all visual representations, by the deadline to the JMURJ Staff via email.

9. JMURJ Staff Convenes: Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010.

• All completed submissions are reviewed and analyzed by JMURJ Staff.
• JMURJ Staff selects which submissions are fit for publication.

10. Notification of Submission Status: Friday, March 4th, 2010.

• You will be notified whether or not your work will by published in the upcoming issue of JMURJ.

11. JMURJ Spring 2010 Print Edition Release: Monday, April 5th, 2009. 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. If I am not finished my project, can I still write about it? YES. Consider writing a research report about your project.

2. Can I write about someone else’s original research? YES. Consider writing a review article or feature article about his or her original research.

3. Can I write an article even if I have not conducted an experiment? YES. JMURJ is an academic publication comprised of various forms of research. We define research as: “a systematic study directed toward fuller human understanding, or making an original, intellectual, and creative contribution to a discipline.”