<p>is writing a research paper and getting it published a big deal?
My son wrote a research paper and will be published. He wrote this based on his 4 years experience on something he did(non-scientific). He is the first author.
Can this be a hook? thanks everyone</p>
<p>Not really a hook, a good accomplishment perhaps. It also depends on how prestigious the journal of publication is. Many people do research in high school, and I for example, have already papers accepted for publication.</p>
<p>If it is truly outstanding, he should submit it with his application with a cover letter.</p>
<p>Really? many people do research papers in high schools and get it published nationally? We are international and we do not have much opportunity to do likewise. My son wrote an independent research paper not through his school. it will be pubished in a national journal. Something he concluded after doing his volunteer work for 4 years</p>
<p>thanks twinmom. But what is truly outstanding?</p>
<p>What journal will it be published in?</p>
<p>not meaning to steal the post, but on a related note: would it even be worth mentioning that i got a research paper published in the town historical society monthly newsletter? i mean, that's not a common thing (i'm the only person who has ever published a paper in the newsletter; it's more meant for telling people about meetings and such), but colleges don't know that...</p>
<p>A 'research paper' might be a nice bonus in any undergraduate application but how much it matters really depends on the details. These day's 'published' can mean almost anything including self-publishing one's own book via the on-demand publishers that are out there.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Is it a peer reviewed article published in a peer reviewed journal? If yes then this is a big plus... if not then it likely won't carry too much weight with university faculty.</p></li>
<li><p>What was the journal? The quality of the work is more important than the name of the journal it is published in, but the name of the journal still matters as it's a quick indiciator of quality. Was the paper published in a well established journal that's been around for decades or was in published in something that just opened shop last week?</p></li>
<li><p>Finally, and probably most importantly, what was the work, what skills were required to complete the work, what insights were gained ect. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>I think you really must take all of those things into consideration... having any publications (even just writing for a local paper) shows initiative and is always a plus but just simply saying "I published something" is far too vague to carry much impact on its own...</p>
<p>Where would you write that you had published it in a certain place, and where could you explain all the stuff you just said we should explain?</p>
<p>rocketman.
We are international and the journal is only known here in my country. It is a national journal that has been around since 1992. As I said he wrote the paper based on his experience with his volunteer work and he proposed some new ideas to solve certain problems. He was first to be selected as a HS student to have his paper published. Most of the authors in the journal are college professors.
what do you mean by "Is it a peer reviewed article published in a peer reviewed journal?" thank you</p>
<p>A "peer reviewed" journal is one where decisions to accept or reject a paper submitted for publication are done by the editor based on the recommendation of a panel of usually 2 or 3 peers --> fellow scholars working in the same field who have read and critiqued the paper, rather than just by the editor alone. </p>
<p>Peer review is considered to the be worthiest form judgment about the scholarly merits of the work.</p>
<p>thanks scipio</p>
<p>jmom</p>
<p>It is worth mentioning. The adcoms will make the decision as to how much weight to put on it. Is it in English? In that case include a clipping. If it is in a foreign language, give a synopsis of the paper.</p>
<p>La Montagne</p>
<p>You can mention that you published a news item in your local newsletter. But it should be a substantial item, not a couple of lines announcing a meeting.</p>
<p>J mom,</p>
<p>I would basically describe it as you did in your post. It's worth finding out if it's peer-reviewed as that will make a bit of a difference. As was previously mentioned, that means that the paper was reviewed by an independent (and usually anonymous to the authors) board of scholars from the subject covered by the publication. The reviewers will critically review the article to see if all of the evidence and conclusions are supported by the reported facts and generally review the robustness of the arguments. The editor always has the final say, but it is almost impossible to get an article published in a peer-reviewed journal without having it approved by such an independent board.</p>
<p>When describing the work, make sure he is specific and focuses on his specific contribution to the project and what skills he used to compete the work. If they dig around, most applicants can likely find where they've 'published' something in one form or another (even a newspaper) so if you're going to mention something like this then be sure to provide enough detail to set it appart from the field.</p>
<p>thanks all of you for your comments^^</p>
<p>it is an accomplishment, but certainly will not make/break his decision.</p>