Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions or concerns about submitting a paper to Discussions, this is the place to start. If you have any other questions, please contact us at discussionsjournal@gmail.com.

Is there a fee for submitting to Discussions?

No, it is free to submit.

Can I submit papers from a class?

Yes, you may submit papers written for a class as long as they are original research or review and your professor has given approval.

Does the research have to be related to science or engineering?

No, Discussions publishes research from all fields. In the past, we have published from diverse research fields such as Art History and English. Please consult the archives page for examples of past publications.

Does my submission have to be based on experiments I have done?

No, your paper does not have to be explicitly based on experiments you have conducted. However, your research must present new ideas in your field. Please consult the archives page for examples of past publications.

Can I report on research I am doing in someone else’s lab?

Yes, we recognize that most undergraduate researchers work in someone else’s lab. To have your work published, your Principal Investigator (PI) must approve your submission, and they must be included in your acknowledgements. Please consult the submission guidelines for further details.

What if I’m not an undergraduate? Can I submit a paper that I wrote when I was an undergraduate?

We only accept papers written by authors who are currently undergraduates or who have completed their undergraduate degree within the last year.

If I do not go to CWRU, can I still submit to Discussions?

Yes, while Discussions is based at Case Western Reserve University, we are a national journal. We encourage you to submit no matter your school or country of origin.

Does Discussions consider submissions from international students?

Yes, Discussions considers all works submitted by undergraduate students, irrespective of their nationality.

Can I submit a multi-author article?

So long as all of the authors are undergraduate students, yes.

Can I submit a paper that is already published in another journal?

Yes, but even though we accept dual publications, some journals do not. Please consult the journal where your paper was originally published to learn their rules and regulations.

What happens after my paper is submitted?

After we receive submissions, they are sent to our Review committee for selection. Authors of selected papers will be notified and will work with our Content committee to prepare their submission for publication. The edited articles are sent to our layout team and the final journal will be sent to print.

Will I be notified if my paper is selected or rejected?

We are currently transitioning to a rolling submissions timeline. It is our goal to get back to you within a month of your submission with comments on your article and a decision.

How many articles get accepted per issue?

We will accept between three and five articles per issue. The exact number is variable per issue.

How should I format my submission?

We publish all of our articles in APA format. Submissions not in APA will need to be edited.

What is the page/word limit for a submission?

At this time, there is no page limit for a submission.