Confused about listing research on ABS

[Lost&Found]

Hi all,

 

I'm a little confused about how to list research, pubs, and conferences on the ABS.

 

I have a few articles and reviews published in small time journals that don't relate specifically to the research that I do. I know its not as great as having a primary article published but its something so I was hoping to include it in my app. I was just wondering if it would be acceptable to list this as an item on its own? Or if publications (scientific or otherwise) shouldn't be listed individually?

 

I have the same question for conferences. I've presented at a few conferences. Would I list each conference separately? Or together? Or with the research that I did? With only 150 characters, I'm not really sure how I can list it all in one entry.

 

Finally, I know some people at my school who have published articles in the school paper. Would each separate publication count as a separate entry?

 

So sorry for all the questions. Really appreciate the feedback. Thanks in advance.

 

~L&F

[future_doc]

I would list each separately except for the articles in school newspaper that I would clump together.

[meaningful_life]

Hi all,

 

I'm a little confused about how to list research, pubs, and conferences on the ABS.

 

I have a few articles and reviews published in small time journals that don't relate specifically to the research that I do. I know its not as great as having a primary article published but its something so I was hoping to include it in my app. I was just wondering if it would be acceptable to list this as an item on its own? Or if publications (scientific or otherwise) shouldn't be listed individually?

 

I have the same question for conferences. I've presented at a few conferences. Would I list each conference separately? Or together? Or with the research that I did? With only 150 characters, I'm not really sure how I can list it all in one entry.

 

Finally, I know some people at my school who have published articles in the school paper. Would each separate publication count as a separate entry?

 

So sorry for all the questions. Really appreciate the feedback. Thanks in advance.

 

~L&F

 

This thread may help: http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79367

 

OMSAS will be super specific in telling you how to do research so wait until it opens. This is what I have saved from last year:

R: Research;

Specify your education level, ie: 1st year of university and the title of the project. Indicate the type of publications: paper, abstract and presentation at a scientific meeting etc., accepted or published with a reference, but not submitted or in preparation. Please note that projects done as part of a university course do not qualify as research.

Level of Education:

Title of the Project:

Type of Publication (100 characters):

My Role (150 characters):

[PassionMD]

Presenting research has always been a point of extensive thought for myself. The way I presented mine was by work experience i.e. research assistant at [this] lab and then listed underneath it the types of publications I got from it (conf, articles..etc).

[nem90]

This thread may help: http://www.premed101.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79367

 

OMSAS will be super specific in telling you how to do research so wait until it opens. This is what I have saved from last year:

R: Research;

Specify your education level, ie: 1st year of university and the title of the project. Indicate the type of publications: paper, abstract and presentation at a scientific meeting etc., accepted or published with a reference, but not submitted or in preparation. Please note that projects done as part of a university course do not qualify as research.

Level of Education:

Title of the Project:

Type of Publication (100 characters):

My Role (150 characters):

 

How do you distinguish research between non-course based and course based projects, if there is significant overlap in your work. Ie, distinct projects, but end up with one paper at the end.

[meaningful_life]

How do you distinguish research between non-course based and course based projects, if there is significant overlap in your work. Ie, distinct projects, but end up with one paper at the end.

 

If you have a publication or conference presentation out of a course-based project that were opportunities you sought out above nad beyond what was required of the course, you can list publications under research, no problem. What you are saying about multiple distinct projects but one paper in the end, if you were a paid research assistant, put it under work experience as however many entries you see fit; if you were operating on different grants/awards for each of those projects, list them individually under awards/accomplishments. As far as that one paper, it will go under research as one entry. I totally get what you're saying that mutliple distinct projects you undertake over a significant period of time only amount to one publishable product, I think admissions realizes that too.

[nem90]

If you have a publication or conference presentation out of a course-based project that were opportunities you sought out above nad beyond what was required of the course, you can list publications under research, no problem. What you are saying about multiple distinct projects but one paper in the end, if you were a paid research assistant, put it under work experience as however many entries you see fit; if you were operating on different grants/awards for each of those projects, list them individually under awards/accomplishments. As far as that one paper, it will go under research as one entry. I totally get what you're saying that mutliple distinct projects you undertake over a significant period of time only amount to one publishable product, I think admissions realizes that too.

 

Where would undergrad thesis based publications go on under? If you're hired post-thesis to finish off a project and end up with a publishable piece of work, would you be prohibited from listing that under research?

 

Also, how are acknowledgements taken into consideration for research? Say you're acknowledged in a publication.

[meaningful_life]

Where would undergrad thesis based publications go on under? If you're hired post-thesis to finish off a project and end up with a publishable piece of work, would you be prohibited from listing that under research?

 

Also, how are acknowledgements taken into consideration for research? Say you're acknowledged in a publication.

 

A publication in a peer reviewed journal or abstract from meetings are legitimate ahcievements in the scientific community and are beyond the scope of most, if not all, courses (speaking from an undergrad perspective, of course). I think your publication is fine because you were hired outside of the course.

 

As far as listing your honors thesis from undergrad, the consensus on the forum seems to be to put it even though it is technically course work but because it is an independent project but just be honest in calling it your honors thesis.

 

Consensus on acknowledgements seems to be no, sorry. That seems to be more like padding.

[Lost&Found]

A publication in a peer reviewed journal or abstract from meetings are legitimate ahcievements in the scientific community and are beyond the scope of most, if not all, courses (speaking from an undergrad perspective, of course). I think your publication is fine because you were hired outside of the course.

 

As far as listing your honors thesis from undergrad, the consensus on the forum seems to be to put it even though it is technically course work but because it is an independent project but just be honest in calling it your honors thesis.

 

Consensus on acknowledgements seems to be no, sorry. That seems to be more like padding.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

I'm also a little confused about listing research that was course-based. I have done two independent study projects for which I received credit. They weren't a thesis though. I was wondering if I could list them because they required quite some work and I did continue with both after the course was up.

 

Is research only research if you have a grant, pub or presentation?

 

Thanks so much for your insights!

[thunder]

You should list anything that took a bit of time commitment in terms of research. It does not matter that it was an independent study project. I had two of these in my undergrad, both of them turned into research assistant positions and required a substantial time commitment. I am including these in the ABS.

 

For your last question: no. Most people will be involved in research as volunteers for different projects, with no pubs/presentations.

 

Thank you for your help!

 

I'm also a little confused about listing research that was course-based. I have done two independent study projects for which I received credit. They weren't a thesis though. I was wondering if I could list them because they required quite some work and I did continue with both after the course was up.

 

Is research only research if you have a grant, pub or presentation?

 

Thanks so much for your insights!

[Lost&Found]

You should list anything that took a bit of time commitment in terms of research. It does not matter that it was an independent study project. I had two of these in my undergrad, both of them turned into research assistant positions and required a substantial time commitment. I am including these in the ABS.

 

For your last question: no. Most people will be involved in research as volunteers for different projects, with no pubs/presentations.

 

Thank you

[late_newbie]

I am still confused about this. This is my situation, hope someone can give some insight:

 

I do NOT have any pubs/conf/abstracts/presentation etc.

 

I have worked in 3 different labs:

 

1) 2nd year summer volunteer - BUT it was "research" so not like dishwashing/solution making. I optimized a protocol (adding different experimental procedures, adjusting combinations of methods) for specific protein expression.

 

2) 3rd year volunteer lab assistant (10 mths)- did tissue preparation, ran ELISAs, and other assays, literature searches

 

3) 4th year project course. no pubs. but had final write-up. and presented in front of "thesis" committee -i.e. profs.

 

would these three go under research? OR would the first two go under volunteering and the last one under research?

 

thnx

[WtsupDoc?]

I am still confused about this. This is my situation, hope someone can give some insight:

 

I do NOT have any pubs/conf/abstracts/presentation etc.

 

I have worked in 3 different labs:

 

1) 2nd year summer volunteer - BUT it was "research" so not like dishwashing/solution making. I optimized a protocol (adding different experimental procedures, adjusting combinations of methods) for specific protein expression.

 

2) 3rd year volunteer lab assistant (10 mths)- did tissue preparation, ran ELISAs, and other assays, literature searches

 

3) 4th year project course. no pubs. but had final write-up. and presented in front of "thesis" committee -i.e. profs.

 

would these three go under research? OR would the first two go under volunteering and the last one under research?

 

thnx

 

 

If it was my application I would probably put them all under research. I don't think that you are supposed to put coursework as research, but I did on my application (both 4th year project and 4th year independent lit review). Paid research should go under employment, so I think volunteer can go into the research section (especially if you don't have any other research experience - beef up that section). Just be really be concise and clear about what you did, and exemplify your skills learned/demonstrated.

[thunder]

I would put this under research.

 

I am still confused about this. This is my situation, hope someone can give some insight:

 

I do NOT have any pubs/conf/abstracts/presentation etc.

 

I have worked in 3 different labs:

 

1) 2nd year summer volunteer - BUT it was "research" so not like dishwashing/solution making. I optimized a protocol (adding different experimental procedures, adjusting combinations of methods) for specific protein expression.

 

2) 3rd year volunteer lab assistant (10 mths)- did tissue preparation, ran ELISAs, and other assays, literature searches

 

3) 4th year project course. no pubs. but had final write-up. and presented in front of "thesis" committee -i.e. profs.

 

would these three go under research? OR would the first two go under volunteering and the last one under research?

 

thnx

[meaningful_life]

If it was my application I would probably put them all under research. I don't think that you are supposed to put coursework as research, but I did on my application (both 4th year project and 4th year independent lit review). Paid research should go under employment, so I think volunteer can go into the research section (especially if you don't have any other research experience - beef up that section). Just be really be concise and clear about what you did, and exemplify your skills learned/demonstrated.

 

I agree. Definitely put 3 under research. For 1 and 2, if you feel like you got "research experience" out of it in some capacity, the include it. If, at any time, you were paid, it won't go here unless it's a pub/abstract/etc. If OMSAS stays the same as last year, for 1 and 2, you'll need to be honest in the "type of publication" section in writing "no publication, volunteer."

 

I think this person's experience goes to show how OMSAS instructions are open to interpretation and are really a case by case kind of thing.

 

Like if you volunteered in a lab, washing dishes and running assays for which you have no biological understanding and come out of the lab with no knowledge of how you contributed scientifically, then it is not research. I do not mean to offend anyone. I only say this with such passion because I love my research and always see undergrads volunteering in one lab or another summer after summer but not knowing the simplest things like the significance of a Western blot. And then they want to include the experience as research...

 

So anyhow kudos to you for making the most of your time in the lab! Hope this helps! Yay research!

[Chamilt]

The only thing I recall is that the only things you can put under research are "peer reviewed papers".

 

As a masters grad I may be somewhat biased, but it would make it easy for the adcoms to see who actually did research. They know that very few undergrads are going to have their name on a full paper, perhaps an abstract (which does count if it was at a major conference), let alone a first author.

 

Otherwise, everyone is putting things that IMO don't count as research, ie volunteering an hour or two a week in a lab where you do the grunt work that doesn't involve much critical thinking, conception of the project etc...

 

We always had 2 or 3 undergrads hanging around and they were more of nuisance than anything and didn't contribute much.

[WtsupDoc?]

In contrast... I am also a master's grad. In my fourth year of university I spent a lot of time in a research lab. I held a grant in the summer before fourth year, did a "thesis project" in fourth year and then worked the following summer there before starting my masters. I didn't end up with a first author publication, but did end up with a few posters/abstracts. I worked along side several master's students then and spent as much, if not more time in the lab, conducting bench research. I was also responsible for ordering, organizing the lab, and training incoming UG/grad students.

 

I don't think that broad statements can be used to label experiences. I completely agree, if you are washing dishes that isn't research (but can count as volunteer). Even if you are running experiments but have no clue about the science behind it or why you are doing it and are simply carrying out instructions, that isn't research either. In second year I was paid to wash dishes and carry out experiments (DNA extraction, PCR, among other things) for grad students, but I put this as employment because I wasn't conducting my own, independent research.

 

That doesn't mean that all undergrad experiences in a lab cannot be considered "research." Use your best judgement and be honest. The adcoms see hundreds of applications and I'm sure that they are bright enough to differentiate between real research experience and other activities. Remember, they can call your verifier, so make sure you actually did what you said you did.

[Chamilt]

I agree with you. Sorry that I put a blanket statement on all undergrad helpers. There are some good ones! We did actually have one scholars elective kid that helped out in the lab every year (4 years) by the time he was done he has several publications including a 1st author and was running independant projects in 3rd year.

 

But this example and your own experience kind of emphasize my point, that if you DID contribute in undergrad then you should have at least your name on a published abstract, and therefore be able to put it under research.

 

Volunteering in the lab should be under volunteer work.

[meaningful_life]

I agree with you. Sorry that I put a blanket statement on all undergrad helpers. There are some good ones! We did actually have one scholars elective kid that helped out in the lab every year (4 years) by the time he was done he has several publications including a 1st author and was running independant projects in 3rd year.

 

But this example and your own experience kind of emphasize my point, that if you DID contribute in undergrad then you should have at least your name on a published abstract, and therefore be able to put it under research.

 

Volunteering in the lab should be under volunteer work.

 

Definitely agree. Haha, I'm a SE kid too! Small world, maybe I know your SE kid.

[Chamilt]

Definitely agree. Haha, I'm a SE kid too! Small world, maybe I know your SE kid.

 

I honestly don't even remember his name! It has been over 4 years since I've seen him.

 

I'm guessing you went to western? Or do other schools have scholars electives?

[meaningful_life]

I honestly don't even remember his name! It has been over 4 years since I've seen him.

 

I'm guessing you went to western? Or do other schools have scholars electives?

 

Yep, I'm just finishing up undergrad in the program now. Nope, think it's exclusive to Western.