About
The URCA Journal aims to highlight the amazing research achievements produced by UCSB undergraduates and their graduate and faculty mentors. In the journal, students have the opportunity to share their research and contribute to the broader knowledge of UCSB’s campus.
Journals
In the interest of further highlighting Undergraduate Research at UCSB, the URCA Journal is an open-access publication and will be available to anyone interested. We invite submissions from all undergraduate students in research from all disciplines with no GPA restrictions.
Apply
Submissions can be by one or more UCSB students who have completed research either on campus or off campus, though the research must have been completed while the student was an undergraduate at UC Santa Barbara. Our Priority Deadline is May 1 and our General Deadline is May 15.
Workshops
We hold a number of workshops starting in Spring quarter to raise awareness of the URCA Journal. If you are unable to attend one of our scheduled workshops, don’t hesitate to contact us to set up a one-on-one meeting. We are also happy to attend classes to share about the URCA Journal.
About
A multi-discipline journal for all UCSB undergraduates
UCSB’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Journal (URCAJ) was created in the Spring of 2019 to highlight the research achievements of UCSB undergraduate students. In the interest of furthering the exposure of UCSB undergraduate research, this is an open-access publication and will be available to anyone interested. We invite submissions from ALL undergraduate students in research from ALL disciplines and we intentionally do not have GPA or academic year restrictions so that all of our student’s research accomplishments can be accessed.
Why should you publish?
Students who are seeking post-graduate opportunities (especially Master’s and Ph.D. programs) focused on research will find that this the URCAJ is a great opportunity to publish their research and supplement their professional career. Students will also be making valuable contributions to their fields of study and enriching their academic experience. Also, many graduate programs request concise versions of your research and this would be a ready-made edited, research paper to submit for applications. The undergraduate research selected for this journal will display the diversity of research done at UCSB and how this research lays the foundations for practical applications in many fields.
Journals
URCA Journal Volume I | Spring 2019
Apply
Who can submit to the URCA Journal?
Please include the following in your submission:
- 10-15 page research paper (this limit includes your bibliography) in PDF AND Word format
- 100-word abstract
- Brief biography of student author(s)
- Faculty Endorsement form
Guidelines for URCA Journal submission:
- Submit in PDF and Word format
- 12-point font and 1-inch margins
- Consistent citation style that follows your discipline (APA, MLA, Chicago)
- Ensure that your research meets the research criteria:
- Clarity: Does the author provide enough background knowledge and context to make the research paper understandable and compelling to a general audience?
- Organization: Is the research understandable and are the author's motivations clear?
- Appropriateness: Was the topic and its significance communicated in a manner appropriate for a non-specialist audience?
- Visuals: If used, did the extra images, charts, graphs, et. enhance the research and help to emphasize the primary points of the research? Is the research well formatted?
- Intellectual Significance: Did the author explain why the project matters (for example, its significance to the academic discipline)?
- Engagement: To what extent did the talk speak to your intellectual curiosity? Did it make you want to learn more about the topic?