Writing a Paper

>>9127500
>as I'm still an undergrad and obviously don't have the equipment, time, or even permission to use a lab.
er what? You should have an undergrad research class in your final year. If not, that's not a good sign of your university, i went to a crap shit small university and we still had research to do, in my case with C. elegans.

Try to get into a professors research group instead. Talk to your professors that are working in fields that interest you and ask if you can help them in the lab. At the university I attend, 3rd and 4th year undergrad students can participate in classes that are geared towards gaining research experience (given a research project). If you're planning on going to grad school, research experience is incredibly important.

>>9127508
My uni does it weirdly.
We had to choose our final project from a list, one person per project, and they were randomly assigned if more than one person signed up to one. Only about 10% were actually lab based. If you didn't get the one you wanted (like me) you were randomly assigned one.
The one I've been assigned is some data analysis project that I have no interest in at all, and is basically bioinformatics, which I do not enjoy in the slightest.
I did a small research project last year and a literature review in my first year, but I don't have permission to use a lab for some side-project, hence why I think I could do a proper literature review or something.

>>9127516
I've had to write a literature review on depression medication and did a research paper last year which was the main part of my grade for the year as well, so I have experience. I'll also be doing stuff this year.
I just want to actually write about a topic I'm interested in for the amount I'm interested in and not have to make it fit the topic and guidelines for being graded.
I don't think any of my professors would want help from an undergrad but that's worth a shot I guess.

>>9127500
I have a PhD in biological sciences and have several publications under my belt.

If you're entering your final year, it is highly unlikely that you'll be able to find and finish a research opportunity with a lab at your school/university. I doubt that you would be able to publish a literature review given your lack of experience and status in the scientific community. I also say this because many published literature reviews are invitation only, so the authors of these publications are often highly respected researchers on the topic at hand, and thus familiar with almost all of the literature on hand. As a result, they more than likely have a much better ability than you to synthesize this literature and articulate the most pressing questions. So, ultimately, your literature review could be a decent final paper for a class but would not be publishable.

>>9127667
Thanks for the advice and the insight. In that case I'll just hold off until postgrad before I attempt anything like that.

>>9127710
No problem. Just curious - what are your plans for after you've graduated with your BSc?