Realising the Potential of Student Research through the Edinburgh Student Journal of Science

Abstract

We present the Edinburgh Student Journal of Science (ESJS), a multi-institutional academic journal, founded at the University of Edinburgh and designed specifically for undergraduate and Master’s students. Throughout their degrees, most undergraduate STEM students are encouraged to undertake their own scientific research through a dissertation or a research project. This research is too-often discarded by the student as soon as a grade has been awarded, the value of their research equal only to the mark they received. The Edinburgh Student Journal of Science (ESJS) offers undergraduate and Master’s students the opportunity to professionally publish their original research, preventing the loss of student-led research to the scientific community and helping students understand the innate value of their work.   The ESJS tackles the ‘hidden curriculum’ of publishing, while addressing two key institutional priorities: we enhance student belonging through partnership, and educate the next generation in open research practices. The journal is run by postgraduate students and provides a supportive and educational environment for students to engage first-hand in the process of peer-review (by PhD students) and publishing. This supports students in their transition from knowledge-consumers to contributing members of the scientific community, while acquiring key transferrable skills for the next steps in their careers.   As a Diamond Open Access journal, the ESJS is free to submit to and read, removing financial barriers and directly addressing the need to use open outputs to train future researchers. In this way, students learn about open and ethical research by practicing it while obtaining tangible (DOI-assigned) outputs. The success of the ESJS demonstrates that by integrating professional publishing standards with a pedagogical focus, we foster a profound sense of academic identity and a research culture where students are recognised as genuine researchers, equipped with the values and skills necessary for the future of open science.