<p>Hey everyone, I’ve been working in an evolutionary biology lab for the past year and a half (I’m a sophomore and I started at the beginning of freshman year), and I am (hopefully) going to be transferring this upcoming spring semester. Due to a bunch of problems with the experiment, at the end of my freshman year, there was a pretty big redesign, and a friend of mine worked over the summer and brought the project just about to completion. I’m working on another project currently, but I’m not sure I’ll get published…Does it look bad to work in a lab for this length of time and get no publication out of it? My professor would write me a strong recommendation, but I’m worried that the lack of publication will be frowned upon…Any thoughts?</p>
<p>No. Publications can be a matter of being at the right place at the right time, what type of research you’re doing, and your PI. I have a friend who worked in a lab for a year and got a publication; when her PI left for another position, she worked in a second lab for 2 years with no pub.</p>
<p>i really know nothing about this but i was under the impression that getting published is just added awesomeness and lack of publication is not something that takes away from the research experience…</p>
<p>Spartan,</p>
<p>Don’t worry about a publication. Just the fact that you have taken the initiative to do research and spent time learning lab techniques adds value to your application in a Researcher’s point of view. </p>
<p>Whether you get a publication out of it or not depends entirely on the Researcher/Mentor you work with and also on the component of luck.</p>
<p>If you did some of the thinking work (not lab tech work) - you should go to the PI and request to be added. That is your right and it is unethical for them to publish without you.</p>
<p>If however, you did tech work only - there is no harm to talk to the PI and ask him if he will include you. It will help your application. HOWEVER, if you do list publications, be prepared to defend what you did (not an I was there) to deserve publication in your interview.</p>
<p>I think most importantly you should get that strong rec from your PI before you transfer out. The rec should be really strong and helpful since you worked so long there. </p>
<p>But yes dont stress about not getting a publication. I believe its all about timing, if you are lucky you can get a paper within a year or worse, which takes even more than five years. If your contribution was kinda big, im sure your PI will include you in the paper.</p>
<p>Great, thanks for the advice. I know a great deal about what we’re currently studying, and it’s a shame that the timing didn’t work out to my advantage…I was just worried because I don’t want to be seen as a pre-med student who tried to join a lab and go through the rote motions to get a resume boost. I plan to continue research when I transfer, so hopefully I’ll have more luck. I understand that timing and a little bit of luck play each play a factor, but it’s too bad they didn’t work out in my favor. I’ll be sure to secure a strong rec before I leave.</p>