Hidden in a back room of Johnson Hall with color-coded bookshelves and the smell of coffee lingering in the air, Colorado State University students edit articles written by university students worldwide. Started in 2009, the Journal of Undergraduate Research produces work annually from a range of subjects, including science, art and history.
According to Deanna Cox, the editor-in-chief of the publication and senior natural resources management and journalism major, the journal is registered with the Library of Congress and is peer reviewed. After a piece of work is submitted, it is reviewed by two undergraduate editors, a graduate student and a professor.
“We’re always looking for new pieces,” Cox said. “Because we’re undergraduate students, our connections are limited. Our network is really just made up from the editors that are here.”
The journal publishes work from students’ classes, but Cox says that they hope students will develop their ideas further.
“No piece that is submitted is ready to published,” Cox said. “There are always some ways that students can improve their writing and dig deeper into the subject. We hope they take this as a chance to really embrace what they’re researching.”
Though they are located at Colorado State University, the journal also has editors in Brazil, India, Romania, Australia and Mexico.
“We really do rely on our network,” Cox said. “Say I’m reading a paper about natural resources, well then I, as a natural resources major, have a lot of professors from over the years that I can go talk to.”
According to Anna Chopp, associate editor and sophomore health and human sciences major, editing for the journal is a fulfilling experience.
“Being an editor is a great learning experience because you are reading submitted work from so many different subjects,” Chopp said.
Associate editor Michaela Koretko, a sophomore journalism and biology major, said that JUR is a very inclusive group. She emphasized the relational aspects of the journal.
“We work really hard,” Koretko said. “But we have to get really close to each other as a result. It’s a great group of people and we have to rely on each other.”
Cox hopes that the journal will continue to grow, saying that they are always eager for more students to apply as editors and for students to submit work.
“Obviously having your piece published in a journal as an undergraduate looks great on a resume,” Cox said. “But it also allows you to improve your writing, your ideas and the depth of your interest in a specific subject.”
Collegian Diversity Beat Reporter Hannah Ditzenberger can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter at @h_ditzenberger.
