Undergraduate researchers report only moderate knowledge of scholarly communication: they must be offered more support

Abstract

Undergraduate students are increasingly participating in the scholarly communication process, mostly through formal research experiences. However, Catherine Fraser Riehle and Merinda Kaye Hensley, having surveyed and interviewed university students, reveal that undergraduate researchers have only moderate levels of confidence in their knowledge of scholarly communications, especially publication and access models, author and publisher rights, determining the impact of research, and research data management. Moreover, students revealed that to receive specific guidance in these areas was rare. There is much opportunity for faculty members, graduate students, librarians, and research programme coordinators to collaborate and develop learning interventions in these areas