How to write and publish a research paper? Step-by-step Start to End guide | UC Irvine applicant

Summary

The video is an interview with high-school student Sahasra Koppala about conducting research as a student, studying in the IB Diploma Programme, and applying to U.S. universities. She describes research as one way to demonstrate readiness for university-level work, while emphasizing that students can pursue it through different routes and that publication is not essential.

Research-Paper Guidance

Choose a topic you care about

A topic may relate to a likely career or academic interest, or combine fields—for example, philosophy and business, or psychology and the environment. The key is choosing something engaging enough to sustain a long project.

Choose a route that fits your needs

• Structured research program: Sahasra completed the Lumiere Research Program. She says it provided a timeline, regular video meetings with a PhD candidate, weekly deadlines and feedback, and a manager who helped keep her on track.
• Independent study: Choose a topic, learn the conventions of research writing, and complete the work independently. She recommends this option if program fees are a concern.
• Working with a teacher: Contact a teacher who knows the subject, explain your interests, and suggest possible topics. According to Sahasra, this may be possible without a program fee.
• Journals or calls for papers: Sahasra also responds to the host’s suggestion of writing for a journal or a “call for papers.” She says this may be another route if a relevant opportunity interests you, although she had not personally used one.

Consider the trade-offs of paid programs

Sahasra found her program systematic and supportive, but advises students to understand who will supervise them. In her experience, guidance came from a PhD candidate rather than a professor. She suggests assessing a program’s structure and support rather than assuming that a professor’s name or publication opportunity alone makes it worthwhile.

Treat publication as optional

Sahasra completed her project to demonstrate her ability to conduct research but did not publish it because she was busy with exams and other schoolwork. The program offered publication as an option, but her mentor felt publication was not necessary to show her research capacity.

Keep evidence of your work

Sahasra received a certificate confirming completion and identifying the research supervision and evaluation. She describes it as a credential for her participation and work.

IB Diploma Advice

Computer science

Learn the logic behind common pseudocode patterns rather than trying to memorize every possible solution. Sahasra recommends mastering frequently used patterns, asking a teacher to explain them, and applying the same operators and structures to new problems. For theory questions, she suggests using relevant computer-science terminology; for Paper 2, practise the material for the chosen option.

Computer science IA

Sahasra built a desktop application, sought help from her teacher, and completed the documentation after building the app. She says students who are not confident coders can still make progress by using learning resources, asking teachers for help, and learning from coding guidance while doing the work.

Economics

Give particular attention to Paper 3 calculations and policy questions. Practise applying concepts to unfamiliar examples and manage time carefully.

Business Management

Know the concepts and be able to explain advantages and disadvantages—for example, those of different company types or a joint venture. Sahasra found it useful to memorize the formats of financial statements, while noting that understanding the underlying logic is also helpful.

Predicted grades and exams

Sahasra says her predicted grades were issued after an early Grade 12 examination period. She recommends staying aware of school timelines and balancing applications with exam preparation.

College Applications and Activities

Build a coherent, authentic profile

Sahasra tried to connect her activities to an area of interest—business and the environment—while including a range of experiences, such as internships, projects, and religious or community activities. She advises students to be honest rather than trying to present an artificial persona.

Use essays to show who you are

Sahasra describes the Common App essay as an opportunity to share a personal story and qualities beyond a résumé of achievements. Rather than simply re-explaining a research project, an applicant might write about a personal connection to the project or what the experience meant to them.

Get feedback where useful

Sahasra managed much of her application herself. She sought feedback from friends and older students with relevant experience and also showed her work to her school counselor.

Understand the application platforms

• Common App: Collects application details, activities, the main essay, counselor reports, and teacher recommendations.
• UC application: Separate from the Common App. Sahasra describes it as including detailed personal and family information, an activities section, and four short responses chosen from the UC prompts.
• In Sahasra’s account, the UC application allowed up to 20 activities, compared with 10 on the Common App. She stresses that meaningful activities matter more than filling every available slot.
• Because the same UC application is sent to the campuses selected, she says it is not structured around a separate “Why this campus?” essay for each one.

Consider Early Action

Sahasra recommends considering Early Action if an application is ready. She describes the early pool as competitive and notes that application timing may affect how schools handle predicted grades. This is her personal observation, not a universal rule.

Research is optional

Research is one possible extracurricular, not a requirement. Sahasra presents it as a way to demonstrate interest and initiative, while emphasizing that students should be genuine about their interests and activities.

Speakers and Sources Featured

Speakers

• Host: The presenter of The Average Vlogs and the “Common Man with Special Views” episode. Channel metadata identifies the host as Vardan Bajaj.
• Guest: Sahasra Koppala, an IB Diploma student who discusses her research experience and university applications.

Programs, Platforms, and Institutions Mentioned

• Lumiere Research Program — Sahasra’s research program.
• Pioneer and a program name transcribed as “poens” — mentioned as other research-program options; the latter name is unclear in the subtitles.
• Common App and the UC application — application platforms discussed.
• IB Diploma Programme — the guest and host discuss its subjects and coursework.
• Universities mentioned include UC Irvine, UCLA, UC Berkeley, the University of Washington, the University of Richmond, the University of Connecticut, and the University of Pittsburgh.