FAQs
Who can submit to The Shakespeare Institute Review?
Any postgraduate student or early career researcher can submit their work to the journal. No institutional affiliation is required (so you can submit following completion of a postgraduate course), and authors do not need to have any association with the Shakespeare Institute.
Does my article need to be about Shakespeare?
No! We publish writing relating to any aspect of Early Modern Drama. We’re interested in a wide range of topics, including historical performance practices, textual analysis, modern performance, Early Modern material culture, and more.
Does my submission need to fit into a particular theme?
Yes. We publish a Call for Papers for each journal issue. In the CFP, we outline which aspects of Early Modern drama we are currently particularly interested in. The most recent issue focused on community and isolation, for example, while the previous issue looked at performance and performativity. Book and theatre reviews do not need to fit into any particular theme.
What happens next once I submit my work to The Shakespeare Institute Review?
When we receive your article (via email), we will ensure it has been fully anonymised and then send it on to two separate reviewers for peer review. Once we (the journal editors) have heard back from both reviewers, we will make a decision as to whether the article will be accepted for publication. The possible outcomes include: accept without revision, accept subject to minor revisions, accept subject to major revisions, and reject. We will notify you of the outcome and provide you with the detailed anonymous feedback given by the two peer reviewers.
Who will read and review my work?
The two peer reviewers who assess your article will be postgraduate students whose research is in some way related to the topic of your work. They may be based at any institution in the UK. We select our peer reviewers carefully to ensure that all feedback will be informed, sensitive, and constructive.
What form with the feedback take?
Our peer reviewers complete a standardised form which asks them to write a short report for the author, a second short report for the editors, and to give their overall recommendation as to whether the article should be published. The reviewers also add detailed annotations to the article manuscript using Word’s ‘comment’ function.
What criteria will be submission be measured against?
We ask our reviewers to comment on the article’s originality, relevance to the issue’s theme, and quality of content.
How long will it be before I hear back about my submission?
We will notify you of the outcome of your submission within 2-3 months.
If my submission is accepted, how long will it take to be published?
The publication timeframe varies. We aim to have the issue published within 6 months of the original submission deadline. We will keep you fully informed throughout the publication process.
Why should I consider submitting my work to a (postgraduate) journal?
Publishing at postgraduate level is a useful way to share your research, improve your writing skills, and gain publication experience. We pride ourselves on being a supportive and welcoming journal: all submissions (regardless of acceptance) receive detailed constructive feedback intended to help the author improve their work. Going through this process at this stage of your academic career can be extremely useful in developing your work, as well as providing dissemination opportunities.
Who can submit to The Shakespeare Institute Review?
Any postgraduate student or early career researcher can submit their work to the journal. No institutional affiliation is required (so you can submit following completion of a postgraduate course), and authors do not need to have any association with the Shakespeare Institute.
Does my article need to be about Shakespeare?
No! We publish writing relating to any aspect of Early Modern Drama. We’re interested in a wide range of topics, including historical performance practices, textual analysis, modern performance, Early Modern material culture, and more.
Does my submission need to fit into a particular theme?
Yes. We publish a Call for Papers for each journal issue. In the CFP, we outline which aspects of Early Modern drama we are currently particularly interested in. The most recent issue focused on community and isolation, for example, while the previous issue looked at performance and performativity. Book and theatre reviews do not need to fit into any particular theme.
What happens next once I submit my work to The Shakespeare Institute Review?
When we receive your article (via email), we will ensure it has been fully anonymised and then send it on to two separate reviewers for peer review. Once we (the journal editors) have heard back from both reviewers, we will make a decision as to whether the article will be accepted for publication. The possible outcomes include: accept without revision, accept subject to minor revisions, accept subject to major revisions, and reject. We will notify you of the outcome and provide you with the detailed anonymous feedback given by the two peer reviewers.
Who will read and review my work?
The two peer reviewers who assess your article will be postgraduate students whose research is in some way related to the topic of your work. They may be based at any institution in the UK. We select our peer reviewers carefully to ensure that all feedback will be informed, sensitive, and constructive.
What form with the feedback take?
Our peer reviewers complete a standardised form which asks them to write a short report for the author, a second short report for the editors, and to give their overall recommendation as to whether the article should be published. The reviewers also add detailed annotations to the article manuscript using Word’s ‘comment’ function.
What criteria will be submission be measured against?
We ask our reviewers to comment on the article’s originality, relevance to the issue’s theme, and quality of content.
How long will it be before I hear back about my submission?
We will notify you of the outcome of your submission within 2-3 months.
If my submission is accepted, how long will it take to be published?
The publication timeframe varies. We aim to have the issue published within 6 months of the original submission deadline. We will keep you fully informed throughout the publication process.
Why should I consider submitting my work to a (postgraduate) journal?
Publishing at postgraduate level is a useful way to share your research, improve your writing skills, and gain publication experience. We pride ourselves on being a supportive and welcoming journal: all submissions (regardless of acceptance) receive detailed constructive feedback intended to help the author improve their work. Going through this process at this stage of your academic career can be extremely useful in developing your work, as well as providing dissemination opportunities.
