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BLS unveils pilot Student Monthly Labor Review to publish student research
Summary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics announced a pilot Student Monthly Labor Review that will allow currently enrolled undergraduate and terminal master’s students to submit original, data-driven research using BLS data; submissions require faculty approval, a 150-word abstract, and a review decision target within eight weeks.
Cody Parkinson, an economist with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, introduced a pilot Student Monthly Labor Review aimed at giving undergraduate and terminal master’s students a pathway to publish original research that uses BLS data.
The program is intended to give student authors editorial feedback, professional experience and exposure to the MLR’s readership of researchers, lawmakers, businesses and media. "The Student Monthly Labor Review is a pilot program that provides an opportunity for student authors to refine their analytical abilities," Parkinson said.
Eligibility is limited to currently enrolled college students in undergraduate or terminal master’s programs. Parkinson said students from any field may submit as long as the work includes at least some BLS data. Submissions must be original work approved by a professor or department chair; the program will not accept abstracts or theses, and papers should avoid personal opinion or advocacy.
Authors must complete a submission form that includes contact information for the author and advisor, university and degree details, a paper title and a 150-word abstract, and signatures affirming originality and rights to the work. Parkinson pointed listeners to detailed author guidelines posted at bls.gov/opub/mlr/4-authors.htm and walked through the form’s contact and education fields.
After submission the office will perform a confirmation check for completeness, then review articles for publishability. Parkinson said the program’s goal is to notify authors whether their paper will be accepted within eight weeks of submission and to provide feedback for improvements if not accepted. "Our goal is to let you know if the paper will be accepted within 8 weeks of submission," he said.
Accepted papers will proceed to a detailed editorial process focused on clarity, tone, structure and accessibility; Parkinson described this as a stage where editors may request reorganizations or additional sources and where grammar and style edits are applied before final sign-off.
Published student pieces will be promoted on bls.gov, highlighted to subscribers and shared via social channels. Parkinson closed the recorded session by thanking viewers and providing a contact for questions (spoken as "studentmlrbls dot gov").
The Student Monthly Labor Review is described in the presentation as a pilot program; BLS did not announce funding details or a formal launch date in the recording.
