About

Focus and Scope

UJOP offers undergraduate students an opportunity to receive recognition for their engagement in scientific discovery. Authors can submit various types of articles for submission, provided articles report on timely topics in Psychology or Psychology-related fields. Interdisciplinary work is greatly valued and encouraged! Each manuscript makes a valuable contribution to science.

Manuscripts may fall into one of three categories with specific submission guidelines for each: Empirical Research, Literature Review, Hot Topics. Preference is given to empirical work.

UJOP also offers an opportunity for undergraduate researchers to become fully immersed in the production of science. Not only is UJOP a top publishing outlet for exceptional undergraduate research, but students actively engage in the peer-review process by being reviewers themselves. We value and promote a whole community approach to the review process, in which authors and their faculty supervisors join our existing community of peer and expert reviewers to reciprocate constructive feedback. The result: Better research, better researchers, and better science!

Submission Types

• Empirical Research:  Report on a novel study or series of studies performed by the author, which investigates a specific hypothesis or set of hypotheses. Undergraduate authors get to share the results of their hard work with the rest of the world!
• Literature Reviews: Authors go beyond simply rehashing a particular study or opinion; they show us loose ends in the research and provoke interest in new questions! The key is to consolidate research on a specific topic and present the bigger picture of what has been accomplished and where the research is headed.
• Hot Topics:  Undergraduate authors are tasked with thinking outside the box and bringing the general public into the scientific conversation. Authors summarize an interesting area of research, an ongoing research debate, or a significant scientific contribution. Most importantly, "Hot Topics" articles make scholarly research more accessible and approachable. The key is to translate scientific concepts into something meaningful and understandable for an audience of non-scientists!

Peer Review Process

Once uploaded to the Open Journal System, submitted articles will typically go through a three step process from submission to publication: Receive, Review, Revise*. Two reviewers for each manuscript are selected primarily by research interests: one peer reviewer and another expert reviewer. We aim for the entire 3 R's Review Process to be completed within 90 days.

*If a manuscript requires revision, it is the sole responsibility of the author(s) to make the specified changes and resubmit to UJOP within 60 days. Revisions should be made as quickly as possible, as lengthy revision timelines may result in publishing delays. Special permission from the Editor is required for revisions taking longer than 60 days.

Resubmitting Revised Manuscripts

Please resubmit revised manuscripts through the UJOP submission portal. Please review our Tips for Submitting Revised Manuscripts for detailed instructions. Authors typically have 30 days to submit revisions, but can request more time if needed.

Publication Frequency

We aim to publish UJOP issues biannually, with Winter and Summer volumes. Special Issues may be published, as well.

Ongoing submissions

All undergraduate students are encouraged to submit manuscripts online via our Open Journal System. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience a constructive peer-reviewed journal process and get your work published! Students may be asked to make editorial changes deemed necessary by the review committee. Please visit our submission page for additional details.

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.

Sponsors

• Department of Psychology

Sources of Support

Journal History

With nearly 30 volumes published since 1987, the Undergraduate Journal of Psychology (UJOP) is the oldest scholarly-reviewed undergraduate journal of Psychology in the U.S.

UJOP is a refereed, open-access journal, open to undergraduate students across the U.S. and around the globe. The journal is dedicated to publishing exceptional, original, student-authored manuscripts. Empirical studies and integrative literature reviews on timely topics in Psychology or Psychology-related fields, including interdisciplinary research, may be accepted.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UJOP Editor, Dr. Sara Levens at slevens@uncc.edu or the Journal Coordinator, Abagail Higgins at ahiggi27@uncc.edu. Please be sure to reference UJOP in the subject line.