Call for Submissions
As a multidisciplinary journal of undergraduate research and creative works, the Sparks Journal is designed to accommodate myriad modes of presentation including traditional journal style articles, visual and audio galleries, and videos. For more details including format-specific requirements see previously published works and “Examples” under the “For Contributors” menu, and download the submission template files linked to here. If you are unsure about the suitability of your work’s format for publication, contact Dr. Jeffrey Groff. All works accepted for publication must satisfy the following characteristics of excellence for undergraduate research:
- Well-written and/or clearly presented according to the conventions of the field of study.
- Demonstrates originality and/or creativity.
- Makes a contribution to the larger academic and scholarly conversation in its field of study.
Guidelines for Submissions
- Individual departments, knowledgeable of the conventions of their own disciplines, will serve as the primary evaluators of student work, essentially serving as peer reviewers to ensure that each submission meets the characteristics of excellence.
- Each program on campus can submit up to two works per academic year. For example, the Department of English and Modern Languages, which houses programs in English, English Education, Spanish, Spanish Education, French, and Journalism, can submit up to two works per program.
- Each submission needs to include a 1) student-written abstract and 2) a submission form complete with required signatures (available here). See this page for a guide on writing an abstract.
- Each submission must conform to the submission template (available here).
- Submissions (including the body of the work, the abstract, and any supporting files) should be sent via email to Dr. Jeff Groff (jgroff@shepherd.edu). Submission forms should also be scanned and emailed to the same address or sent via campus mail to Jeff Groff, Institute of Environmental and Physical Sciences. Submission forms submitted electronically must be sent from a faculty advisor’s email address.
- Submissions are accepted on an ongoing basis. However, submission deadlines will be posted for publication within specific time frames. Submissions should be for work completed during the preceding academic year.
Questions? Contact the representative from your school:
College of Arts and Humanities: Dr. Heidi Hanrahan, hhanraha@shepherd.edu
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences: Dr. Heidi Dobish, hdobish@shepherd.edu
College of Education and Professional Studies: Dr. Belinda Mitchell, bmitchel@shepherd.edu
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics: Dr. Jeffrey Groff, jgroff@shepherd.edu
Resources for Contributors
Submission Template Files
Submission Form
Abstract Composition Guidelines