<p>I'm doing an undergraduate research project right now. Since I'm looking at grad school (in co-op, but not really enjoying it) I was wondering if I really need to get something published before I graduate. Is it going to be nearly impossible for me to get in otherwise? Also, from anyone who has gotten published as an undergraduate engineer, how do you go about doing it?</p>
<p>me and someone else will publish a paper in a few months. i will be a second author. basically, just do research and u will get published.</p>
<p>It's quite a bit more involved than "just doing research." To get a publication, especially a publication in a "high impact" journal, you need to show that your research tells a convincing and interesting story about an important problem. The "better" the journal, the more convincing and thorough the arguement and the more universal the problem. As a second author this isn't quite as important for you to be worried as it is for the principal investigator and the first author (who usually writes the majority of the paper).</p>
<p>Getting published is definately not a requirement but will undoubtedly help you get into the top flight schools. Going through the process itself will help you decide if research is for you. How you will go about getting published depends a lot on if you worked independently or worked under a grad student or post doc. If it was the latter, you should talk to that person and the PI about potential publications and any ideas you have about what your data means. If it was the former, you just talk to the PI yourself - most likely you will be writing the paper. </p>
<p>If you are ambivalent about graduate school, I would highly recommend taking a year off; possibly working in a research lab full time. Don't go just because you are unsure of the job market or dislike the internship you are in now.</p>