WRITERS’ GUIDELINES

Tribal College Journal Feature Story Themes

(Themes and deadlines subject to change)

We are presently seeking feature articles addressing the following themes. All feature articles must involve tribal colleges in some way. Possible feature article topics are listed, but alternative topics on each theme are welcome. We want both long features (2000 words) and short features (500-1000 words).

Specific feature subjects are decided upon one month before the deadlines. Before writing an article, please contact the editor to discuss it. The journal's thematic approach requires us to carefully plan each issue to assure an appropriate mix of articles.

Articles should focus as much as possible on a person or the people involved with the project or program being discussed. We prefer for you to use a lot of quotations and/or anecdotes to illustrate your point. For examples of features to emulate, we recommend you read Vol. 16, N.3, “TCUs Probe Identity Questions as They Indigenize Their Institutions,” by Paul Boyer for an example of an article using interviews or Vol. 12. N.2. “Of Science and Spirit: Leech Lake combines culture, inquiry in the lab” by Michael Wassegijig Price for an example of an article describing the author’s own experience. (For a sample of one of these articles, make your request by email or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope.)

Upcoming themes

TRAVEL. Vol. 22.2  The concept of travel relates to both new experiences as well as traveling through time and visiting the past. This issue will explore the educational travel experiences of tribal college faculty and students, including a tribal college road trip. What can be learned from travel? What do students learn from tribal college visitation programs?  It also could examine spiritual traveling through ceremony or time to sacred spaces.

Deadline for feature story suggestions: June 1, 2010. Feature deadline: July 16, 2010. On Campus shorts deadline: July 27, 2010.

FOOD.  Vol. 22.3   Culinary arts, campus gardens, and healthier campus menus are on the rise. This issue will highlight culinary programs, organic farming, Native plants, food scarcity on the reservation, nutrition programs, and seed banks. How do tribal college nutrition programs impact residents on the reservation? What traditional foods can be used to combat diabetes and heart disease?

Deadline for feature story suggestions: September 1, 2010. Feature deadline: October 16, 2010. On Campus shorts deadline: October 30, 2010.

STUDENT RETENTION.  Vol. 22.4 Keeping students on a path to graduation can be a challenge at any college. Many tribal colleges have programs to encourage student retention, including mentorship programs, counselors, student events, and academic tutoring. So why do students drop out? Do financial and family commitments supersede education? How do first-year experience programs encourage students to stay in school? How can stop out and drop out students get back in school?

Deadline for feature story suggestions: December 1, 2010. Feature deadline: January 16, 2011. On Campus shorts deadline: January 30, 2011.

Tribal College Journal Departments

Talking Circle (600-1100 words). Share a successful intervention, a classroom project, specific methodology, or instructional approach that has worked in a tribal college classroom or department. We are interested in facilitating faculty discussion about their work.

Profile (600-1000 words). Focus on a person, and use many quotes. The article should address the person’s work, but the focus should be on the person. Note how they solved a central problem. Include tribal affiliation, age, and family information. At least one photo should accompany article. For examples of good profiles, read Vol. 16, N.3, “Nick Tilsen: A New Generation of Activists Protects the People, the Land” by Winona LaDuke or Vol. 15, N.4, “Tommy Merino: 40 years of fighting for Indian education” by Juan A. Avila Hernandez.

Campus Shorts (250-350 words). Longer than a calendar listing but shorter than an article, these have a news angle but an enduring interest. Since we are quarterly, all shorts cover past events or programs at tribal colleges that are as interesting three months from now as the day they are written. Include contact information at the end.

Voices (600 words). First person opinions about issues in Native education. We are especially interested in hearing the voices of tribal college students, administrators, and faculty; other voices are welcome.

Resource Guide (2000 words). Must relate to the theme. (Please study a previous issue.) Format includes: introductory paragraph to provide focus, listings for video, web sites, books, other publications, and organizations. Regular paragraph format, no hanging indents. All material must be currently in print. Check all URLs and provide alternative contact (e-mail, phone, or mailing address). Readers use these resource guides extensively, and citations must be as complete as possible.

Media Reviews (150 words). Include title, author, illustrator, publisher, page count, price, ISBN, byline, and one sentence about yourself. Follow the format in past issues. We also need an actual cover or a 300 dpi scan of the cover. Keep in mind that many of our readers are college librarians and instructors seeking new materials. Tell them whether you recommend the resource for classroom use.

Scholastic research. We consider research about any aspect of Indian education. Research that addresses tribal college communities is especially welcome. We will consider research that deliberately uses nontraditional research methods. We adhere strictly to the space limit of 3,500 words. Research articles should b written clearly and simply, without jargon. The paper should link the research to a body of literature if there is a relevant literature base. Include an abstract and a summary. If notes are needed, use endnotes (not footnotes) that adhere to the style guidelines of the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual. The review panel recommends acceptance, rejection, or acceptance with revisions. Authors’ names should appear only on the title page, and four copies should be submitted. Do not enclose in folders. The blind review process takes 6-8 weeks. Please notify us if you have submitted your manuscript to another journal. If we decide to publish your research, we will ask for it in digital format.

Audience

The journal’s audience is quite diverse. While the stories should serve the tribal colleges’ staff, students, faculty and administrators, the journal is also read by other educators, legislators, college donors, and the general public.

Style and Technical Requirements

We seek a storytelling, not an academic, style. The first priority is imparting experience; imparting information is secondary.

Whenever an Indian person is mentioned, include the tribal affiliation in parenthesis. Italicize “foreign” or Native language words only the first time they appear. When possible, articles should be submitted by e-mail. Use underlines and italics as necessary, but avoid unnecessary formatting (different sizes and fonts), which has to be removed. When citing electronic sources obtained over the Internet, give information sufficient for retrieval of book/article/material.

A FINAL WORD: Use active verbs. The active voice is usually more direct, concise, and vigorous than the passive (Strunk and White, The Elements of Style). Keep sentences short. We are counting on you for accuracy, story telling ability, willingness to provide more details or a rewrite upon request, and meeting deadlines. This is a magazine, not a newspaper or a dissertation, so please provide your best work.

Payment

The rate of payment varies depending upon the complexity of the story, whether it is submitted on time, the quality of the writing, and whether the work is part of the writer’s job requirements. No payment is made for voices or research articles. Note: Payments are made after publication.

Editing

Most articles require editing for length, clarity, or style and will be returned to the writer for revision.

Contact: Marjane Ambler, interim editor
Tribal College Journal
P.O. Box 720
Mancos, Colo. 81328
Phone (970) 533-9170 Fax (970) 533-9145
E-mail: editor@tribalcollegejournal.org

TCJ EDITORIAL AND AD SCHEDULE

	Issue #1	Issue #2	Issue #3	Issue #4
Research deadline	March 2	June 1	Sept. 1	Dec. 1
Features deadline	April 16	July 16	Oct. 16	Jan. 16
Campus shorts deadline	April 28	July 27	Oct. 30	Jan. 30
Reserve ads	May 18	Aug. 17	Nov. 16	Feb. 16
Photo deadline	May 15	Aug. 14	Nov. 16	Feb. 16
Final ad deadline	May 22	Aug. 21	Nov. 20	Feb. 27
DISTRIBUTION DATE	Aug. 10	Nov. 9	Feb. 19	May 10