Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Works   Information for Authors
Journal of Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Works

Information for Authors

The University of Texas at San Antonio Journal of Undergraduate Research (JURSW) publishes one volume each year. JURSW welcomes submissions from undergraduates from any institution. Initial Early submission deadline for the 2024 edition is November 15, 2024 with a final submission date of November 30, 2024. Students may submit their work in any of the following categories:

Abstracts

The JURSW accepts abstracts (750 words) in fields of study which value research abstracts.

Poster Format

Research and/or creative projects that have been presented as a poster at a symposium or other venue may be submitted as a single file (for example, one PowerPoint slide is recommended).

Short Report/Short Communication

These types of reports take on various forms/formats in different academic disciplines. The faculty mentor(s) can help with the most appropriate format. In general, authors should include an introduction/background (the WHAT) leading to the purpose (the WHY) of the project and the HYPOTHESIS (the WHAT DID YOU EXPECT TO FIND/CREATE) if appropriate. The report should describe the methods and procedures (the HOW) utilized, then objectively report the results/outcomes. Finally, the Author should discuss the results/outcome compared to the hypotheses and in relation to the introduction/background leading to a summary of the work’s relevance (the SO WHAT) to the field of study, the campus, Texas, the world, or whatever is appropriate. Research may be completed or ongoing. Suggested foci include:

  • Describe the process of developing a research idea
  • Describe new techniques learned and how they were applied
  • Describe on-going but uncompleted research or other scholarly projects
  • Describe completed research or other scholarly projects not suitable for abstract form

 

Thesis Format

Honors’ and other UTSA UG programs’ thesis formats are typically too detailed for this collection. Please convert the thesis work into a condensed "report" form (above), excluding an extensive review of literature, raw data, and thesis cover pages, table of contents, and other sections not mentioned in report format above.

Formal Papers Review Papers

Authors are welcome to submit original research journal manuscripts or review articles for publication in this collection. If submitting a review of literature, you must have synthesized new knowledge based on your hypotheses and findings. All discipline-specific formats will be considered. The manuscript is a complete report, consisting of a title page, abstract & key words, references, and a conflict of interest statement.

Visual/Auditory and Other Unique Formats

The JURSW welcomes submissions that may not be appropriated for presentation using the above formats. Examples may include audio files of musical compositions, architectural plans, project schematics, etc. The editorial staff will work with student presenters to showcase their work in the best possible format as deemed manageable by the Editor. Authors should contact The Office of Undergraduate Research (O.U.R.) to help the Editor determine the best way to highlight the UG work.