Submissions

COVID-19 Statement from LAUNCH: UGR for
Explorations Prospective Authors

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DEADLINE EXTENDED DUE TO COVID-19
Cover Artwork Submissions Now Due by March 25, 2020 at Noon
Volume 12 Submission Timeline
Dates Description
February 3, 2020 Synopsis Submission Deadline
Submit a synopsis of your research or scholarly work by this date to be considered for publication.  
February 21, 2020 Synopsis acceptances will be issued by this date.
March 25, 2020 Full Manuscript Deadline

By invitation only, if synopsis is accepted.
April 17, 2020 Full manuscript acceptances will be issued by this date.

April 20-May 6, 2020

 1-on-1 meetings with Explorations editors to refine full manuscripts in preparation for the final article submission. Contact editorial teams with questions.
May 13, 2020 Final article, original files, faculty approval, and required paperwork deadline
Summer semester Articles undergo two additional rounds of editing by LAUNCH staff and a professional editor. Authors must stay in contact with Explorations staff to manage edits and approvals, and to answer any questions staff may have about article content or design.
November 2020 Journal Release

General Editorial Guidelines

  • See full manuscript templates and guides:
  • See final article templates and guides (docs pending for Vol. 12):
    • Final article author submission guide
    • Final article author manual
    • Final article template
    • Final article submission
    • Author survey
    • Final article faculty approval
    Articles
    • 2,500 max for full manuscripts (various file formats allowed on Explorations Interactive, however, figures worth 300 words in printed copy)
    • Figures, images, tables, etc., must be placed in the document and labeled consecutively with captions and/or titles
    • Maximum of 10 references/citations
  • Cover Artwork
    • Full design must be 8.625" by 11.125" (Portrait Orientation). This means that your 8.5” x 11” document includes a 1/8” bleed. Your design must extend to the edges of the document (i.e. Do not leave the bleed area blank unless it is intentional for the design).
    • At least 300 dpi. Vector format is preferred for digital artwork.
    • Note that we will place the Explorations and Texas A&M University logos, as well as a “tab” with the volume number and release date, on the cover design. See past issues for examples.
  • Faculty advisor approval required and involvement encouraged at all publication stages

Volume 12 Synopsis Submission Questions

Question/Category Scholarly Creative Works Cover Artwork
Your Question What research question does your project address? What research question does your project address? What subject matter does your artwork address?
Your Process Why is this research important and how will it contribute to your field? How does your work engage with disciplinary paradigms, such as genre, school, style, or form? How does your work engage with disciplinary paradigms, such as genre, school, style, or form?
Connect to Your Discipline Briefly describe your methods or theoretical framework. Briefly describe your methods, technique, and/or process, and explain how they are connected to your final product. Briefly describe your methods, technique, and/or process, and explain how they are connected to your final product.
Significance: The "Wow" Factor Explain why this project is a timely, significant, and relevant research project. What new knowledge did your work produce? What is the broader context of your artwork? What new knowledge does your artwork produce? How should your artwork be interpreted by your target audience?
Project Outcomes Do you have outcomes or results from your project? If yes, please expand on those outcomes. If no, please provide a brief timeline of your expected outcomes. Have you produced an artifact, and have you had an exhibition, performance, or public display of the work? If yes, please explain. If not, please provide a brief timeline of when you expect to complete your artifact and public exhibition/ performance/display. Is your cover artwork an original piece for Explorations, or has it been displayed/exhibited/published elsewhere? What role do you see your cover artwork serving the Explorations journal?
Your Individual Contributions If you are part of an ongoing research project (i.e. lab, grant, database, etc.) or part of a team, describe your specific contributions to the project. If this does not apply to you, please write N/A and a sentence explaining why. If you are part of an ongoing research project (i.e. performance, musical group, installation, etc.) or part of a team, describe your specific contributions to the project. If this does not apply to you, please write N/A and a sentence explaining why. If you are part of a team or collaborative group (undergraduates only) that produced this cover artwork, describe each member’s specific contributions to the project. If this does not apply to you, please write N/A.

Note to Authors of Cover Artwork Submissions: You will also be asked to upload a draft version of the proposed cover artwork. All Cover Artwork submissions must be entirely original (use of stock photography or other images found online is strictly prohibited).

Direct questions to explorations@tamu.edu.