Submit a Memo or Article to our Policy Journal!
Interested in getting your policy idea published? GW Roosevelt Institute’s Policy Journal, an annual publication that seeks to promote innovative public policy ideas developed by students at the George Washington University, is now accepting submissions. We hope that this Journal will serve as insightful publication with proposals that can be advocated for by students.
The Journal accepts policy memos (500-1500 words max) and articles (1000 words max) that propose a specific policy solution and adhere to the following guidelines. Poetry, political cartoons, photography, and other pieces focusing on solutions-oriented thought may also be accepted.
Do you have an idea to create or change a university policy? Have a proposal to help GW better support the DC community? We will have a special first section of the Policy Journal, titled Rethinking Communities, that will include specific proposals for on-campus policy change. Student organizations and individuals are invited to submit policy memos to spread awareness of their positions and provide clear ways for other students to get involved with their efforts. Submissions in this section are especially encouraged to propose ways GW can better engage with and help improve the wider Washington, DC community.
The remaining six sections will publish local, national, and international public policy solutions, categorized into six sections including: Economic Development, Education, Energy and Environment, Equal Justice, Defense and Diplomacy, and Health Care. Submissions do not necessarily need to explicitly relate to any of the previous issues, but all will be categorized into those sections.
Submissions are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, with a Priority Review Deadline on February 27th and the Final Publication Deadline on March 17th.
The Journal accepts policy memos (500-1500 words max) and articles (1000 words max) that propose a specific policy solution and adhere to the following guidelines. Poetry, political cartoons, photography, and other pieces focusing on solutions-oriented thought may also be accepted.
Do you have an idea to create or change a university policy? Have a proposal to help GW better support the DC community? We will have a special first section of the Policy Journal, titled Rethinking Communities, that will include specific proposals for on-campus policy change. Student organizations and individuals are invited to submit policy memos to spread awareness of their positions and provide clear ways for other students to get involved with their efforts. Submissions in this section are especially encouraged to propose ways GW can better engage with and help improve the wider Washington, DC community.
The remaining six sections will publish local, national, and international public policy solutions, categorized into six sections including: Economic Development, Education, Energy and Environment, Equal Justice, Defense and Diplomacy, and Health Care. Submissions do not necessarily need to explicitly relate to any of the previous issues, but all will be categorized into those sections.
Submissions are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, with a Priority Review Deadline on February 27th and the Final Publication Deadline on March 17th.
General Guidelines
- All submissions should include a clear policy proposal(s).
- Writers should use positive language and refrain from personal attacks against of any individual or group. Criticism should assume adversaries are rational actors and, instead, critique or outweigh their arguments.
- Passive voice should be kept to a minimum; use active phrases.
- Images: Writers should feel free to attach one or two photos or graphics, where appropriate. The source should be cited in the image caption (ex. Source: AP).
- Endnotes: The only citations necessary are in-text superscript numbers with corresponding endnotes, following Chicago-Style citation guidelines. An example would be: 1. Wendy Doniger, Splitting the Difference (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1999), 65.
- Writers should use positive language and refrain from personal attacks against of any individual or group. Criticism should assume adversaries are rational actors and, instead, critique or outweigh their arguments.
- Passive voice should be kept to a minimum; use active phrases.
- Images: Writers should feel free to attach one or two photos or graphics, where appropriate. The source should be cited in the image caption (ex. Source: AP).
- Endnotes: The only citations necessary are in-text superscript numbers with corresponding endnotes, following Chicago-Style citation guidelines. An example would be: 1. Wendy Doniger, Splitting the Difference (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1999), 65.
Specific Guidelines
On-Campus Policy Memo Submissions (Rethinking Communities)
- To provide a space for organizations and individual students to highlight their existing efforts and propose solutions for on-campus policy change, we created this section. We especially would like proposals that include ways that GW can better work as an "anchor institution" better support DC low-income communities.
- Memos should include the following sections:
- Word range: 500-1500 words; longer submissions may be accepted, but Journal Editors reserve the right to edit down pieces.
Local/National/International Policy Memo Submissions
- Any policy issue can be discussed, but the piece must include a specific policy proposal that could be implemented at the university, local, state, federal, or international levels.
- Memos should include the following sections:
- Word range: 500-1500 words; longer submissions may be accepted, but Journal Editors reserve the right to edit down pieces.
Non-Memo Short Article or Poetry Writing Submissions
- Shorter articles and poems will be accepted for both the Rethinking Communities and issue-based sections.
- Write in your own voice. If you’re funny, be funny. If an issue is very close to your personal life, say so; at the same time, approach the article as if potential policymakers, community leaders, and professors are reading.
- Word limit: 1000 words; longer posts may be accepted, but Journal Editors reserve the right to edit down pieces.
- To provide a space for organizations and individual students to highlight their existing efforts and propose solutions for on-campus policy change, we created this section. We especially would like proposals that include ways that GW can better work as an "anchor institution" better support DC low-income communities.
- Memos should include the following sections:
- Title: Engaging title that alludes to or describes proposal.
- Preview: 2 sentence description of policy proposal.
- History: Outlines background information on the issue. If applicable, include what work a student organization has done on this issue.
- Policy Description and Analysis: Describes the policy proposal(s), preferably with the use of a case study, such as a successful example of a similar project on another university. It would be helpful to address common criticisms of the policy, if possible.
- Next Steps: Proposes clear steps forward to help students get involved with this issue, such as what current campaigns are occurring to advocating for this policy.
- Word range: 500-1500 words; longer submissions may be accepted, but Journal Editors reserve the right to edit down pieces.
Local/National/International Policy Memo Submissions
- Any policy issue can be discussed, but the piece must include a specific policy proposal that could be implemented at the university, local, state, federal, or international levels.
- Memos should include the following sections:
- Title: Engaging title that alludes to or describes proposal.
- Preview: 2 sentence description of policy proposal.
- History: Outlines background of the issue. previous legislation pertaining to its attempted resolution, and relevant background statistics.
- Policy Description and Analysis: Describes the policy proposal in detail, preferably with the use of a case study (successful example of a similar project) and projected budget. Effort should be made to address common criticisms of the policy.
- Next Steps: Proposes clear steps forward to help students get involved with this issue, such as organizations currently advocating for this policy or an effective advocacy strategy that could create support for it.
- Word range: 500-1500 words; longer submissions may be accepted, but Journal Editors reserve the right to edit down pieces.
Non-Memo Short Article or Poetry Writing Submissions
- Shorter articles and poems will be accepted for both the Rethinking Communities and issue-based sections.
- Write in your own voice. If you’re funny, be funny. If an issue is very close to your personal life, say so; at the same time, approach the article as if potential policymakers, community leaders, and professors are reading.
- Word limit: 1000 words; longer posts may be accepted, but Journal Editors reserve the right to edit down pieces.
Review Process
- All written and visual submissions should be sent to gwrooseveltinstitute@gmail.com for editing by our Policy and Advocacy Board by March 17th, 11:59 pm at the latest, To facilitate an efficient, on-going editing process, authors are encouraged to submit before either deadline or at any time in between.
- If the submission is approved, editors will send edited submissions back for approval on a rolling basis. Submissions will be edited using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature to allow for easy commenting and revising, subject to author approval.
- We will not publish a post without the author’s consent. If you have any issues with an edit, it is within your right to withdraw the submission.
- Please email us with any additional questions or concerns.
- If the submission is approved, editors will send edited submissions back for approval on a rolling basis. Submissions will be edited using Microsoft Word’s Track Changes feature to allow for easy commenting and revising, subject to author approval.
- We will not publish a post without the author’s consent. If you have any issues with an edit, it is within your right to withdraw the submission.
- Please email us with any additional questions or concerns.
