How to get research published

[deleted445355]

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I'm a freshman in college and I'm wondering what it takes to get your research published. I was applying to some research positions with faculty member, but I was a little skeptical about what they would have us doing in their labs. To what extent do they allow us to participate in their research? Do we just scrub bottles, observe experiments or actually contribute? Also, how does one learn the basics of publishing and writing posters and papers from working with a busy faculty? Do they teach you or do you have to somehow learn on your own?

 

[StoicJosher]

It depends on the person you work with. Some people only get undergrads to do their scut work.. Especially PIs who have had pre-meds come in and do a few months to check off research on their checklist.. But if you have time to invest in the research (a year or two without break), there is a good chance the PI (or post docs, scientists, graduate students) at the lab will train you and you can develop a project or take on one of the existing projects. You will get published if the work you did was significant and publishable but that is going to be up to the PI. There is also a good chance that your name might be added to papers if you contributed significantly. There are many avenues to getting published in UG and most of it involves investing time and doing the work. And I say most because I know people who had PIs who were relatives and spend a summer in the lab and ended up with names in a couple of papers though they did nothing.

 

[duress]

yeah staticjosher is right, you really need to pick the right professor. See if you can find someone who gives you an intellectual project (not pipetting stuff) and has a recent and strong history of publications. Think about it, who do you have a better chance with, the PI who's last 4 publications were 2011, 2009, 2007, and 2005 or all in 2011? Ask upperclassmen about PI's reputation, and try to see if you can get a good read off the person when you meet with them.

Though I would like to really emphasize that luck is a pretty big factor in getting published as an undergraduate.

 

[notbobtrustme]

Getting published involves a lot of work and tons of luck.

It takes around 10,000 man-hours to get a paper published. Posters are anywhere from 1/3rd to 1/2 that number.