The Journal
The Nerve is Boston University’s premier undergraduate journal of the mind and brain. Journal submissions are typically longer form, highly polished pieces to be featured both online and in print. Issues are released annually in April. Please refer to the following criteria before submitting your work to the journal:
Citations & Structure
All submissions must use APA 7th edition citation style. Research articles (excluding literature reviews) must follow the IMRaD structure: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion.
Manuscript Formatting
Manuscripts should preferably be formatted according to the following specifications:
- Manuscript in DOCX
- Double-spaced
- 12-point Times New Roman
- 1-inch margins
- Left-aligned text
- 0.5-inch first-line paragraph indentation
- No additional spacing between paragraphs
- Section headings centered and bold
Figures
Authors should submit copies of the original, high-resolution figure files separately from the manuscript in addition to the figures included in the manuscript.
Eligible Research
In addition to independently conducted research, we accept submissions based on coursework, UROP research, Capstone Projects, and Honors Theses. If a submission reports research conducted in a laboratory, the author must obtain explicit permission from the relevant Principal Investigator (PI) before submission.
Faculty Sponsorship
All Research Articles must have a faculty sponsor, either at Boston University or at another academic institution. The sponsor may be the author’s PI or another faculty member familiar with the research. We will contact the listed sponsor to confirm their support. Submissions without sponsor confirmation will not be considered.
The Blog
The Nerve Blog features shorter, more contemporary pieces related to the brain. The blog is updated continuously. Please refer to the following criteria before submitting your work to the blog:
Submission Formatting
We accept PDF, DOCX, or Google Docs for initial submission. Editing is conducted exclusively in Google Docs. Upon acceptance, the editor will request a Google Doc shared with the author and the official blog address.
Submissions should be formatted according to the following specifications:
- Manuscript in PDF, DOCX, or Google Docs
- 1.15 spacing
- 12-point Times New Roman
- Define acronyms on first use; use SI units; include effect sizes and sample sizes where relevant
- Bibliography at the end (APA 7)
Submission Categories
Blog articles are categorized by subject and type of piece. Subjects may include — but are not limited to — cognitive neuroscience, neuropharmacology, neuroethics, etc. Similarly, popular submission types may include research in brief, news & neuroscience reporting, academic writing & essays, opinion or editorial, creative writing, and interviews.