澳门跑狗论坛

Science

Student Scientists Are Publishing Their Research In This Peer-Reviewed Journal

By Sarah Schwartz 鈥 December 21, 2022 3 min read
Middle or high school girl performs chemistry experiment with a Black male middle or high school lab partner
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

There鈥檚 a consensus in science education that science should be something students actually get to do鈥攖hat learning how to employ investigative methods to test hypotheses is just as important as understanding the periodic table or being able to diagram a cell.

A group of professional researchers is now working to support that goal, giving teenagers the opportunity to publish their own scientific papers.

The , an open-access publication that publishes original research from middle and high schoolers, was started in 2011 by Harvard University graduate students who thought there should be a way to document the work that school-age researchers were submitting to science fairs. The journal now publishes students from at least 20 countries and is available to read for free online.

The process鈥攐f conducting research, getting feedback from working scientists, and seeing one鈥檚 own findings in print鈥攊s transformative, said Grace Kim, a first year student at Emory University who published in JEI in fall 2021. Kim is now an outreach coordinator with the journal.

Before she started her project, she鈥檇 had the idea that publishing was something that only adults or doctoral students could do. 鈥淵ou have to research in a university and find these grand results鈥攏ew things鈥攁nd share with the world,鈥 she said.

Submitting to JEI showed her that wasn鈥檛 the case.

鈥淚 was excited to know that I could do something on my own,鈥 she said.

Supporting the thrust of new science standards

The journal also helps support the goal of many states鈥 expectations for student learning in science. Inquiry and engagement in the scientific process are key parts of the Next Generation Science Standards, released in 2014 and in use in about 20 states. They require that students learn science and engineering practices alongside content knowledge.

Teachers have said that finding ways to have students authentically practice science in class can be challenging鈥攅ven as science education organizations and curriculum companies put out new materials designed to align to the NGSS.

This year, the journal is on track to publish about 175 papers from middle and high school students in the United States and internationally, said Scott Soldat-Valenzuela, JEI鈥檚 executive director.

The submission guidelines for the journal are broad: Any hypothesis-driven experimental research is fair game.

Many of the papers are in natural sciences, but not all, said Soldat-Valenzuela. Earlier this month, for example, they published a paper on socio-economic status correlates with Indian teenagers鈥 physical activity. 鈥淲e really want students to write about something that they鈥檙e passionate about,鈥 he said.

Opportunities for feedback, collaboration

Students must be in 6th-12th grades when they submit their work, and they need to have a mentor鈥攚hether a teacher, parent, or other adult. JEI provides a guide on how to prepare an academic paper, covering details like hypothesis design and how to format figures and tables.

Volunteers鈥攇raduate students, post-doctoral students, and other science professionals鈥攔eview the submissions and provide feedback.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an advanced experience, but it鈥檚 also really educational for them,鈥 said Soldat-Valenzuela. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e getting real feedback from a real reviewer.鈥

The process also puts students in conversation with professional researchers, said Kim.

Her 2021 paper presented survey research that Kim conducted with students at private international schools in South Korea, one of which she attended. Reviewing other literature allowed her to contextualize and compare her results, Kim said, noting the differences in student experiences across countries and socioeconomic statuses.

Kim sought JEI out. She knew she wanted to get more involved in the science community, and she was looking for a way to publish her research. That鈥檚 how most submissions come to the journal, said Soldat-Valenzuela.

Now, he said, the team is trying to broaden its outreach to more teachers and students, especially in lower-income communities. It鈥檚 started to offer seminars to prepare middle and high schoolers for the submission process and answer any questions. They want to make it clear that anyone with a hypothesis to test can conduct research.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really focused on the student writing, and learning how to publish their work, and how to communicate their science to other students,鈥 Soldat-Valenzuela said.

A version of this article appeared in the February 01, 2023 edition of 澳门跑狗论坛 as Student Scientists Are Publishing Their Research in This Peer-Reviewed Journal

Events

Artificial Intelligence K-12 Essentials Forum Big AI Questions for Schools. How They Should Respond鈥
Join this free virtual event to unpack some of the big questions around the use of AI in K-12 education.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 澳门跑狗论坛's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School & District Management Webinar
Harnessing AI to Address Chronic Absenteeism in Schools
Learn how AI can help your district improve student attendance and boost academic outcomes.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 澳门跑狗论坛's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Science Webinar
Spark Minds, Reignite Students & Teachers: STEM鈥檚 Role in Supporting Presence and Engagement
Is your district struggling with chronic absenteeism? Discover how STEM can reignite students' and teachers' passion for learning.
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Science Reading and Writing Like a Scientist
English and science teachers in Missouri middle schools collaborate to help students tackle complex scientific texts.
6 min read
Illustration of magnet attracting letters.
Dan Page for 澳门跑狗论坛
Science One Change That Can Get More Girls, Students of Color Taking Computer Science
Making computer science classes a graduation requirement can be a powerful strategy.
5 min read
Two teen girls, one is a person of color and the other is white, building something in a science robotics class.
iStock/Getty
Science A Marine Science Program in a Surprising Place Shows Students New Career Options
It's hard to find teachers for STEM subjects, but a school system in a landlocked state has found a way to make it work with marine science.
5 min read
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024.
Nolden Grohe, 16, feeds exotic fish during Marine Biology class at Central Campus in Des Moines, Iowa, on Sept. 27, 2024. The Iowa school system has had a hands-on program for three decades that has introduced students to career possibilities in aquarium science, marine biology, and related fields.
Rachel Mummey for 澳门跑狗论坛
Science The Biggest Barriers to STEM Education, According to Educators
Educators share the challenges schools face in teaching STEM.
1 min read
Photograph of a diverse group of elementary school kids, with a white male teacher, working on a robot design in the classroom
E+