Source: McMaster News Release via Academica | April 7, 2014
McMaster University undergraduate students Claudia Frankfurter and Andrew Webster are leading the development of a new McMaster Undergraduate Research Journal (MURJ), the university’s first exclusively online, multidisciplinary, and doctoral-reviewed undergraduate research publication. “We wanted to give all undergraduates the opportunity to engage in the fundamental scholarly process,” says Webster. “This process encourages students to think both critically and imaginatively, to question the ‘obvious,’ to hone their analytical research and writing skills and sharpen their intuition to reveal new patterns and possibilities. These skills are absolutely transferable to any career a student may choose.” Frankfurter and Webster, both third-year Health Sciences students, are active researchers who have had articles published in academic journals. “A lot of learning at the undergraduate level is theoretical and done in a classroom setting,” says Frankfurter. “Research gives students the chance to apply their learning and contribute to the current body of knowledge. It can give meaning and a sense of purpose to undergraduate education.”
TCS Insights: The existence of an undergraduate research journal will allow students in different fields of study to better their communication and research skills as they pursue a post-secondary education. This gives them the opportunity to be better prepared for their careers upon graduation. The creation of this journal further exemplifies why McMaster should be a destination for students looking to study abroad.