Content

Content Requirement Guidelines

Introduction

This section will help to explain what we are looking for in terms of topics and content in each of our three sections. Please take the time to read this and the accompanying sections so that you know where to position your piece within Egyptological, and are able to conform to our submission requirements. This will save both you and the editorial team time and will reduce the likelihood of our having to return pieces for correction and resubmission.

Quick Check

You will need to see the page below for full details, but here’s a quick check for those who want to know the top-level requirements for each section. Word counts are negotiable:

Section Word Count Style
Journal 3000 – 8000 for articles
1000 – 3000 for reviews
Formal, academic
Magazine 2000 – 4000 for articles
1000 – 2000 for reviews
Well researched, approachable, aimed to a wide audience
In Brief Upto 2000 Informal

 

Scope of Egyptological

We are looking for well written articles which are aimed at readers who have an interest in ancient Egypt. The three different sections of the site, described below, provide authors with the opportunity to write for different audiences.  It is important that when you write an article, you consider the audience for whom you are writing.

Although content will usually focus on Predyanstic and Pharaonic Egypt we will also consider articles looking at other areas of Egyptian history.

Topics can include archaeology, museums, art, hieroglyphs, conservation, heritage management, books, and discussion of new rules, laws and guidelines.

Journal

The Journal section features hand-picked papers produced to academic standards, and subjected to a rigorous editorial review process which follows similar guidelines for academic publications.

Journal Papers

In the Journal we welcome research articles, which will usually reflect the specialized research interests of the authors.

All papers should represent new research, produced to academic standards, detailed in our Style Guide, or demonstrate new conclusions made from existing research.

Post-graduates, undergraduates, and anyone producing high quality original research papers are encouraged to submit to this section.

Papers will usually be no longer than 8000 words but longer submissions will be considered.  We are also happy to publish longer topics in parts, as long as all parts are received at the time that the first part is submitted.

All Journal papers must be accompanied by an Abstract of around 200 words, in which a brief summary of the research and its findings should be provided.

Papers will be supported by photographs, maps and diagrams where appropriate.

Papers submitted for the Journal section should provide the following information:

  • Title of the paper and author/s
  • Short biography of the author/s
  • Abstract of around 200 words
  • Keywords (up to five, to include period of research)
  • An introduction
  • Contextualization of the research in terms of previous research on the topic and how current research relates to it
  • Explanation of why the research was undertaken
  • Method
  • Discussion
  • Results and conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • References, citations and bibliography (see Style Guide for details of format required).

All papers submitted to the Journal section will be subject to thorough editorial review and must conform to the guidelines detailed in this and accompanying documents for papers submitted to the Journal section.

Journal Book Reviews

Book Reviews in the Journal should focus on academic publications and writers should demonstrate working knowledge of the given subject matter.

The focus of the review should be on the quality of the content, its originality, the contribution it makes to the areas of research and both the benefits and limitations of the publication. Summaries of the contents should be comparatively brief. We are looking for a critical assessment rather than a summary of the contents of a publication.

We accept reviews for both new and older publications, although we are particularly keen to encourage reviews for recent and upcoming publications where possible.

Book reviews should not exceed 1500 words and should provide the following minimum information in addition to the review:

  • Title of review and name of reviewer
  • Name of the author
  • Title of the publication
  • Year of publication and edition number
  • Publisher and ISBN

Journal Conference Reviews

  • Title of review and name of reviewer
  • Name, location and organizers of conference
  • Indication of conference status (i.e. one-off, annual, ever four years etc)
  • Conference scope (e.g. geographical scope, period under analysis, technological focus)
  • Contribution of individual papers
  • Overall impression
  • Key points to emerge
  • Plans for a conference “proceedings”, if any

Magazine

The Magazine section offers articles, book, television and DVD reviews and exhibition and conference reports. Articles tend to be several pages long, and are aimed at a wide audience.  Anything written for the Magazine should have a friendly and approachable feel to it, aiming at an audience who may have some knowledge about ancient Egypt, but who will not necessarily have specialized knowledge about your chosen topic.

Magazine Articles

Articles focusing on a wide range of topics aimed at a wide audience are welcomed for the Magazine. Articles should be aimed at a wide audience and should have a good general appeal. Our readership is a mixture of those with little knowledge and those with a significant amount of expertise. When writing technical and scientific pieces please ensure that your content is appropriate for readers who are not expert in your subject matter.

It is expected that articles will be accompanied by photographs to highlight key aspects of the topics discussed, and maps and diagrams where appropriate. In the event that photographs or maps are not available the editors may be able to assist.

Articles should ideally be between 1500 and 2500 worlds although longer articles may be considered. We are also happy to publish longer topics in parts, as long as all parts are received at the time that the first part is submitted.

All articles submitted to the Magazine should include

  • Title and author/s
  • Short biography of the author/s
  • Introduction
  • Discussion of topic
  • Summary/conclusions
  • List of references
  • Acknowledgements

All papers submitted to the Journal section will be subject to thorough editorial review and must conform strictly to the guidelines detailed in this and accompanying documents for papers submitted to the Journal section.

Book Reviews

There are few restrictions on the type of book reviewed in this section – they may be anything from academic to children’s books. We discourage reviews on alternative archaeology and we do not accept reviews of fiction books.

The focus of the review should be on the quality of the content, its originality, the contribution it makes to the areas of research and both the benefits and limitations of the publication. Summaries of the contents should be comparatively brief. We are looking for a critical assessment rather than a summary of the contents of a publication.

Book reviews should not usually exceed 1500 words and should provide the following minimum information in addition to the review:

  • Title of review and name of reviewer
  • Name of the author
  • Title of the publication
  • Year of publication and edition number
  • Publisher and ISBN

Exhibition Reviews

Exhibition reviews are very welcome. Exhibition reviews should exceed no more than 1000 words and should contain the following information

  • Title of review and name of reviewer
  • Title of exhibition and gallery/museum in which it is being exhibited
  • Organizers
  • Topic
  • General indication of the size of the exhibition
  • Strengths and weaknesses
  • Insights obtained
  • Sense of what sort of audience it would appeal to
  • Any observations about disabled access
  • Availability of supporting material if appropriate

Website Reviews

There are a great many websites dealing with Egyptological topics on the World Wide Web. We will consider reviews of any websites which viewer believe have reached a very high standard of content quality and presentation. Website reviews should be no longer than 1000 worlds and need to provide:

  • Name of website, website URL (address) and website author
  • Title of review and name of reviewer
  • Date site last viewed
  • Scope of website
  • Discussion of content in terms of accuracy, value, reliability and references provided
  • Audience for whom it might be a benefit
  • Overall statement of usefulness

In Brief

In-Brief is the place for short pieces, quick reviews and informal articles on a vast variety of topics. There are also plans for a readers gallery, and an events and courses calendar.

We are happy to receive a wide spectrum of short pieces of research, commentary, observations, informative brief articles, and short reports and reviews. If you only wish to offer a short contribution or are new to writing and want to test your skills then this might be the place for you.

We are looking for pieces which do not exceed 2000 words and will usually be less.

Although all items will be subject to editorial review are standards are much more relaxed in this area of the site.


Material that we will not consider

Please see the list below of material that we will not consider for submission to any section of Egyptological Online.

  • Essays written for Egyptology courses that have not been re-worked to meet the needs of a readership, rather than a tutor or supervisor.
  • Fiction in the Journal or Magazine sections
  • Poetry
  • Reviews of fictional works
  • Hostile attacks on writers, Egyptologists or other individuals
  • Articles which are speculative without evidence to support the ideas presented
  • Promotional or advertising material
  • Alternative archaeology or channeled material
  • Articles dealing with with modern Egyptian politics and law, unless they concern Egyptian heritage management
  • Biographies of living individuals
  • Any submission that fails to confirm to our publication guidelines

Exclusivity

For the Journal and Magazine sections we request exclusivity for the duration of the entire issue in which a paper, article, review or report appears. As well as promoting the value of Egyptological, exclusivity periods make it easier for us to identify any sites which are lifting our content.

All papers in the Journal are required to be original works not published elsewhere.

Articles and short pieces submitted for the Magazine or Colloquy sections may have been published elsewhere previously as long as it has not had a wide distribution in a free-of-charge publication. If a submission has been published elsewhere we encourage you to acknowledge this in the article you submit. Egyptology societies may use this method to advertise the quality of the material produced by their members.  You should mention any previous publication to us as soon as possible so that we can help you to consider any necessary changes.

Editorial Decisions

IN ALL CASES we reserve the right to reject any submission. We will usually offer an explanation for any submission rejected but in all cases the editors’ decision is final.

Where Magazine or Journal articles are time sensitive (notably reviews), we may publish them on the site immediately, out of cycle.  They will subsequently be adopted into the next edition for that section when published.  If you think this should apply to your article, please let us know.

Last modified: April 25th, 2014