School of Information Student Research Journal is the student-run scholarly journal of San Jose State University. This publication covers all types of libraries, and it features articles by both students and professors. It has a formal, scholarly tone which should appeal to anyone interested in original LIS research. From 2010 to 2017, the journal was known as SLIS Student Research Journal, but as of 2018, its new title is School of Information Student Research Journal.
As a copy and content editor for SJSU’s School of Information Student Research Journal, I’d like to share some of the insights I’ve learned regarding the journal’s expectations. The first point I’d like to discuss is the concept of escape velocity. Dr. Anthony Bernier, faculty adviser for the journal, defines escape velocity as “the intellectual ‘breaking free’ of the gravitational pull of current scholarship in library and information science and the charting of new vistas, identification of new questions, and the proposal of new answers as we advance our knowledge and insights about what comes next.”1 Furthermore, Dr. Bernier notes that in order to reach escape velocity, “one should first become familiar with the current ‘gravity’ (as one does with a successful lit review). Whereas the lit review establishes the current state of the field (gravity), a successful analysis of it and the pertinent gaps one finds in it, offer an opportunity to reach escape velocity.”2 Simply stated, an author who has reached escape velocity contributes something new and original to the field of scholarly discourse.
Authors who wish to reach escape velocity must frame their work within the context of both a core question and thesis statement. A core question defines the reason for a study.3 Examples include “How has the makerspace movement affected library usage?” and “How has the rise of eBooks affected circulation statistics?” A thesis statement is simply the answer to the core question.4 Framing your paper with a clear core question and thesis statement improves your chances of publishing with the journal tremendously.
Another insight I’ve gleaned as an editor concerns the use of direct quotations. Before my time with the journal, I used direct quotations frequently, in the hopes of precisely capturing the original’s author sentiment. However, I’ve since learned that using a lot of direct quotations in a scholarly journal article impedes an author’s ability to reach escape velocity.5 Remember, one of the goals of scholarly discourse is to contribute original, insightful research. Paraphrasing your sources, rather than directly quoting them, will help you reach that goal.
I hope this post has helped you understand the School of Information Student Research Journal’s expectations. Publishing with the journal is a very rewarding experience and a great way to build your academic reputation. If there’s anything else you’d like to learn about the journal, don’t hesitate to reach out at sjsu.slis.srj [at] gmail.com.
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