Academic Blog Submission Style Guide

This guide outlines expectations for contributors submitting posts to the Quotidian blog or other academic-oriented public scholarship platforms. Please follow these standards to ensure clarity, consistency, and accessibility.

1. Audience & Tone

• Write for an informed but non-specialist audience.
• Use clear, accessible language without sacrificing academic rigor.
• Avoid jargon when possible; define it when necessary.
• Maintain a respectful, analytical, and reflective tone.

2. Length & Format

• Typical posts range from 800–1,500 words.
• Use descriptive headings (H2 or H3) to organize sections.
• Paragraphs should be concise (4–6 sentences).
• Include a short abstract/summary (50–75 words) at the top.

3. Citations & Sources

• Use Chicago author-date or APA for in-text citations.
• Provide a References section at the end, formatted according to your chosen style.
• For web sources, include stable URLs or DOIs when available.
• When referencing images, artworks, or media, ensure you have rights or use open-access items with attribution.

4. Style & Formatting

• Write in active voice when possible.
• Spell out acronyms on first use.
• Use curly quotes, em dashes (—), and standard punctuation practices.
• Italicize titles of books, films, journals, and websites.
• Use Markdown formatting for italics, bold, lists, headings, and blockquotes.

5. Inclusive & Ethical Writing

• Avoid generalizations or essentializing language about communities, cultures, or religious groups.
• Use people-first or community-preferred terminology.
• Be attentive to context, power, and representation—especially when writing about marginalized groups.
• Ensure translations, phonetic spellings, or Indigenous terms are accurate and respectfully presented.

6. Images, Media & Permissions

• Include 1–3 images per post when appropriate.
• Use high-quality, properly licensed images (Creative Commons, public domain, or your own).
• Provide captions and alt-text for accessibility.
• If using archival materials, check rights and cite repositories.

7. Submission Requirements

• Submit posts as Markdown (.md) or Word (.docx) files.
• Include:
  • Title
  • Author name and affiliation
  • 1–2 sentence author bio
  • Abstract/summary
  • Any images in a separate folder with filenames referenced in text
• Expect light editorial revisions for clarity, accessibility, and style.

8. Revision & Editorial Process

• Editors may request revisions for accuracy, length, tone, or structure.
• Authors retain copyright but grant the blog permission to publish and archive their work.
• Final edits are subject to editorial approval before publication.