Pre-law student revitalizes publication to promote student research

The Mercer Review, a pre-law and academic publication, received a revitalization this semester with a new editor. The publication, led by junior Safia Serena Tejani, offers undergraduate students the opportunity to disseminate their knowledge on various global topics and comment on their original research.

The journal site was once dedicated to uploading scholarly articles for Mercer law students, but is now an open academic resource for any student to submit academic work they feel proud of.

“I wanted to create this post so that people who search and want other people to see it have a platform,” Tejani said.

Tejani took over Mercer Review when it was known as “The Law Street Journal”. The website now includes peer-reviewed articles on a wider range of topics, including climate science research, socio-economic studies and world news. Tejani said this change was made to serve a broader student demographic and encourage greater student interest in the research process.

“Originally, we were going to be a law journal for pre-law students, but we realized that was a niche market,” Tejani said. “However, we had a lot of students who wanted to submit their work on various topics. This has allowed us to broaden our scope to allow students who wish to submit research in class, a topic of interest to them, or to hone their writing skills.

Once she became editor-in-chief of Mercer Review, Tejani didn’t know which platform would be best to organize the publication.

“We didn’t know if we wanted to put it on paper or if we wanted to put it online,” Tejani said. “We realized it’s much more accessible online. We found that a website would attract more people with a colorful and easier to read aesthetic.”

Mercer Review uses a peer review system to verify the academic papers it receives from student submissions before uploading them. Mercer Review’s academic advisor, journalism professor Evey Wilson, praised Tejani’s efforts to revitalize the organization and explained his duties.

“I try to help out whenever needed, but Safia has really taken on this project, recruiting participants, juggling peer reviewers, and building a website,” Wilson said. “I read articles, gave feedback and helped a bit in the website design process.”

Wilson said she wants to see more students take advantage of the publication’s opportunity.

“I hope Mercer Review becomes a similar student-run, student-researched publication,” Wilson said. “It’s a great way for Mercer undergraduates to get involved in revamping class projects or exploring new ideas.”

Tejani said she has enjoyed the various topics the writers have submitted to the journal so far.

“It was fun to read the articles that people submitted,” Tejani said. “Even though I read some of these articles checking the grammar, I learn so much about the topics. That’s how I know this is an important resource to have. If I learn more about the topics, then more people will be able to find out more about what is happening in our country and in other countries.

Tejani hopes the Mercer Review can become a staple of Mercer’s student research publication and hopes it will continue after graduation.

“Right now, we’re looking for people who may not know much about Mercer Review or the research process, but want to be trained for a leadership role,” Tejani said. “I would really like young students to get involved in this project, because I believe that having published work is something that many students can benefit from in the future. »

To write for Mercer Review or apply for a leadership position on the staff of the team, students can complete an application located on the homepage of the website at mercerreview.com or via email at mercerreview@gmail .com. Students can submit their publication requests with a copy of their writing via a Google form.

Articles are submitted to the website on a rolling basis. Submissions are read by peer reviewers and then comments are sent back to editors for further editing until the document is complete. Contributors receive feedback within a week and final versions are posted the following week.