• General Questions

    What is MSURJ?

     

    The McGill Science Undergraduate Research Journal is an annual publication that features original undergraduate research in the form of scientific articles.

    How often is it published?

     

    MSURJ is published once a year in early April.

    How can I get involved?

     

    Undergraduates can become involved with the journal as an editor, author, or reader. For details on how to join our team of editors or how to publish in MSURJ, please visit the relevant Editors or Authors section of our website.

    What is the MSURJ Blog?

     

    The MSURJ Blog, titled The Abstract, is our general-interest level weblog for the public. It can be found here.

    Who supports MSURJ?

     

    We are wholly funded by university groups, including the Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, and the Science Undergraduate Society, as well as several other departments and student societies.

    Where can I get a copy of MSURJ?

     

    You can find the PDF format of our current issue and all of our back issues at this link. We also publish a number of paper copies each year, which are distributed in McGill libraries, at our annual launch in April, at various tabling events throughout the year, and on stands around campus.

    When and what is the launch?

     

    The physical copy of MSURJ debuts each year at a wine and cheese launch held in early April. This is normally held at the Thompson House or in the Bellini Atrium.

  • Author Questions

    How can I publish in MSURJ?

     

    Articles may be submitted any time up to our deadline in early January. Received articles undergo double-blind peer review by 2-3 scientists at the faculty or post-doc level in the relevant field, and 2-3 rounds of copyediting by members of the MSURJ board. Revised articles are returned in early March with either acceptance or rejection justified by peer review and editor commentary. Final proofs are presented to authors just prior to publication, and the final journal is published in April.

     

    What kind of articles do you accept?

     

    MSURJ is a scientific journal that primarily publishes original undergraduate research. This research may be part of a 396 course, an honours thesis, summer research, or an independent project, as long as the article presents novel findings by an undergraduate student. We may also accept a limited number of literature reviews. Research relating to any subject studied in the Faculty of Science is considered, including both health and physical sciences. For more information, see our submission guidelines.

    How should I format my article?

     

    Our detailed submission guidelines can be found here. In brief, articles must be submitted in .doc, .docx, or .tex formate, and they should be no longer than 4000 words (not including the title, abstract, or references).

    I have moved away from the location of my lab, and I cannot ask my colleagues and/or my supervisor to sign the consent form in person. What do I do?

     

    You can have your colleagues or supervisor send us an email giving their consent to have your paper published in MSURJ. When contacting them, please attach the consent form (Publication Rights Agreement). This email must originate from their academic email account, and should contain the following sentence:

     

    As a contributing co-author/investigator/supervisor, I hereby declare that I have read the Publication Rights Agreement and grant the author ___________ my full permission to publish the submitted article entitled ___________ in MSURJ.

    Who should I suggest as reviewers? Do I need to know them in person? Are they restricted to McGill professors?

     

    You should suggest professors who are in the same field of research as your work and have the necessary background to judge the contents of your manuscript. You do not have to know the reviewers, and they are not restricted to McGill professors.

    Does MSURJ have a publication fee?

     

    No, publication in MSURJ is free thanks to the generous contributions from across the McGill community.

  • Editor Questions

    Who are the editors?

     

    Our editorial board is made up of 15-20 undergraduates who manage the yearly preparation and publication of MSURJ. You can find out more about us in the About section of our main website.

    What do editors do?

     

    Editors are responsible for publicity, management, and the preparation of articles. In the fall semester, the main role of editors is to promote the journal, to solicit articles, and to garner funding from faculties, departments, and other student groups. In the winter, the board copy-edits articles, contacts peer reviewers, and communicates with authors. We also plan various events throughout the year, including our official journal launch in April.

    How do I become an editor?

     

    Editor applications are accepted from summer to September/October each year. We typically try to maintain an editorial board size of 15-20 people from year to year. In general, we seek candidates with focused ideas, strong communication abilities, quality editing skills, and extraordinary enthusiasm for research. Laboratory research experience is appreciated but not a requirement. Students from any undergraduate year are encouraged to apply.

  • Contact Us

    McGill Science Undergraduate Research Journal
    805 Sherbrooke St. West Room 1B21
    Montréal, QC H3A 2K6


    Email: msurj.sus@mail.mcgill.ca

    P. 514.398.6979 | F. 514.398.6766 (Science Undergraduate Society)