Submissions

Now Accepting Submissions for Volume 13

Pitch us your article by February 1 to get started!

View Submission Form

Multi-stage, Peer-reviewed Process

  1. Submit a synopsis to be considered for publication
    • 6 free-response questions
    • Reviewed by 2 board members and 1 faculty member
    • Gauging general interest nature of the submission and quality of writing
    • Cover artwork ideas also accepted at this stage (no artwork needed)
  2. If synopsis is accepted, invited to submit a full manuscript
    • 2,500 words or less Written for a general audience
    • Looking for interesting, engaging, and novel research
    • Cover artwork submissions must be accompanied by artwork at this stage
  3. If full manuscript is accepted, assigned to a team of personal peer-editors
    • Refine research and writing, limiting disciplinary jargon
    • Check references, finalize visuals
    • Format article for Explorations journal style
  4. Submit final article and required forms/approvals
    • Secure approval from faculty advisor
    • Copyright agreement
    • Author information
    • All final files submitted
  5. Final articles are assigned to LAUNCH staff for review and editing
    • Verify approvals, format, files submitted
    • Further refine writing
    • Author approval of edits required
  6. Final articles are assigned to a third-party professional editor for editing
    • Verify references, transform into Chicago Manual of Style Further refine writing
    • Author approval of edits required
  7. Articles placed into journal design once edits and approvals are complete
    • Finalize visuals, captions, and author information
    • Minor edits may be communicated during this stage INTERACTIVE PLATFORM and PRINT DESIGN
  8. Wait for publication in November and celebrate!
Volume 13 Submission Timeline
Dates Description
February 1, 2021 Synopsis Submission Deadline
Submit a synopsis of your research or scholarly work by this date to be considered for publication.  
Late-February to Early-March 2021 Synopsis acceptances will be issued by this date.
Mid-March 2021 Full Manuscript Deadline

By invitation only, if synopsis is accepted.
Mid-April 2021 Full manuscript acceptances will be issued by this date.

Late-April to Early-May 2021

 1-on-1 meetings with Explorations editors to refine full manuscripts in preparation for the final article submission. Contact editorial teams with questions.
Mid-May 2021 Final article, original files, faculty approval, and required paperwork deadline
Summer 2021 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 2021 Journal Release

Volume 13 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?
Connect to Your Discipline 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?
Your Process 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.

General Editorial Guidelines