The Concord Review: Full Guide and How to Get Published
by
Indigo Research Team
&
Published:
July 12, 2024
Last Updated:
September 11, 2024
For students who love history, it is a massive deal to have their work printed in the Concord Review. And why shouldn’t it be? This publication is famous for acknowledging and celebrating historical academic excellence, thus providing a platform for students to display their research skills.
There are quite a number of other advantages that come along with having an article published in this journal. They include but are not limited to receiving academic honors, gaining the upper hand during university admissions, and standing a better chance of winning scholarships.
If you are hearing about all these for the first time or perhaps have been trying without much success, do not worry. Our new complete guide covers everything there is to know about getting published in the Concord Review.
Keep reading!
Started by high school teacher Will Fitzhugh in 1987, The Concord Reviews is a global quarterly publication for high school students who write research papers in history. It is unique in that it awards and appreciates academic excellence in the subject by providing a platform where young historians can present their work.
All publications contain carefully studied and excellently penned articles that show great seriousness about history. Being published here also gives learners an upper hand when applying for college admissions since it proves their capability of doing self-guided studies and making new discoveries.
Furthermore, it is important to note that having an article published in this reputable magazine can boost a student’s chances of securing scholarships, which are usually very competitive.
Start by selecting a topic that genuinely interests you. Your enthusiasm will shine through in your writing and keep you motivated.
For your paper to also be outstanding, look for originality. You can do this by finding a unique angle or less-explored aspect of a broader subject. It shows not only creativity on your part but also demonstrates capability in offering insights into historical knowledge that has not been shared before.
For instance, supposing you have a passion for the American Civil War. Rather than giving a general description, you can choose a narrower perspective like the part that spying and intelligence played in the Union Army. You can provide fresh ideas and contribute to the historical narrative in a new way by limiting your point to a unique view.
Ensure there are enough primary and secondary sources available for your chosen topic by conducting a preliminary search. A well-researched paper relies fundamentally upon evidence to support your arguments and analyses.
Additionally, pick topics for your Concord journal with significant historical impact or those offering new perspectives on important events. These will most likely be well-received and contribute to a broader understanding of historical events, trends, or figures.
Begin by identifying first-hand sources such as letters, diaries, official records, pictures and objects. These sources provide accounts and evidence of historical events from people who witnessed them, hence offering a different viewpoint to your paper.
Next, use secondary materials like scholarly articles, books or reliable websites. These give an analysis on primary sources, thus helping you understand the wider implications of what you are writing about.
Take advantage of resources found in your school or local library, which include academic databases, e.g., JSTOR, and Project MUSE, among others. This also involves Google Scholar, where one can find peer-reviewed articles and other scholarly works.
The school librarians should be able to help you get hold of rare documents that may not be easily accessible, as well as recommend more sources related to the topic under study.
Make sure you stay organized during research and take good notes. Keep track of where your information comes from and how it’s used so that you can cite it properly at the end.
Essays should be between 5000-7000 words; the average length is 5500 words (including endnotes and bibliography). All submissions must be electronic, so there is no need to print or mail your essay.
Ensure your paper follows strict formatting rules: Chicago-style endnotes and a bibliography are required. You should aim for at least 10 sources. Check some of the Concord review sample essays or the Essay Requirements page for more details.
The submission should be made in Word doc or RTF format (not Google Docs or PDF). The file name needs to include your first and last names followed by an underscore and then the initial 3 words of the essay’s title.
Writing clearly is very important for presenting your ideas effectively. Here are some tips to help ensure that happens:
Following this advice will help you write research papers that are clear, convincing, and well-supported.
Editing and Proofreading are two critical steps that you go through in the writing process. Having completed your draft, be sure to take a break before revising to return to your work in a new light. Recite your paper loud in your room to trap unnecessarily muffled phrasing or common errors you might overlook mostly when silently reading.
Ask the opinion of your teachers, peers, or role models on how you can improve your writing skills. They could provide you with what you do well or what you can still work on such as coherence, logic, and the force of your arguments. Consider the views they give and be ready to adapt your paper accordingly.
The common errors to look out for are grammatical errors, lack of agreement, and confusing points of evidence. Grammar checkers like Grammarly can be helpful at the beginning, but one should thoroughly review the suggestions themselves.
The Concord Review is published 4 times a year: in September, December, March, and June. An essay will be considered for at least the following 4 publications. Typically, you’ll hear back about a month before the publication date.
After you submit your paper, it could take up to 12 months to get a response, although if your essay is accepted, this timeframe is usually shorter. To submit, you must create an author account, which carries a $70 electronic processing fee.
NOTE: This payment also includes access to essays from previous years.
As previously mentioned, issues are released during the summer (June), fall (September), winter (December), and spring (March). Here are the deadlines for each edition:
They welcome submissions at any time of year, so if you submit your paper today, it will still be reviewed for the next 4 issues. Notifications will be sent out a month before the concord publishing date if selected.
The sooner you submit your article for college admission, the better. Such journals usually require about 6 months before submission. For instance, if you are to join a college in January, ensure it is ready by 1st February of the previous year for it to be considered for summer, autumn or even winter editions.
For the seniors, they should submit as early as possible since they, too are legible using their high school essays. It is also possible to present more than one paper over the years in high school.
One reason why this publication is so prestigious is the Concord acceptance rate - approximately 5%. So, if your paper is not accepted, think of it as a chance to learn.
Most of the time, you will get useful comments from experienced reviewers who point out areas where you need to improve, recommend additional sources, and even advise you on how to make your ideas clearer and more logical.
Apply such feedback to your future revisions so that you may grow into a better researcher and writer. Also, after revising according to this kind of feedback, consider submitting it again.
Pay close attention to what these critics say, amend as required and ensure that your composition complies with all the rules.
Several students who were published eventually made it to the top. Their experiences before and after getting published in the Concord Review speak of its life-changing nature.
Below are two excellent success stories and case studies showing what to expect if you get featured on the Concord website.
One of the most significant achievements on Evan's educational journey was his essay "Caesar's Civil War" which appeared in The Concord Review Spring 2023.
Evan Luo thoroughly researched and analyzed the political and military strategies used during Caesar's Civil War, helping him become a member of this prestigious journal. In turn, it validated his interest in history and research.
Evan's work was highly welcomed by his teachers and his peers, especially the Latin teacher, Dr. Toomey, who enthusiastically discussed his paper. The acknowledgment he received drove him to expand and fulfill his academic targets.
Motivated by his achievement, Evan is currently an author of a more complex book to discuss fifteen different topics from Roman history, Structured as the Cambridge Companions series. This project intends to explore different sides of Roman civilization, such as studies of coins, papyrology, and archaeology.
The support and inspiration he received from The Concord Review definitely had a significant impact on his decision to major in history and in classics in college.
Learn more about Evan Luo's journey.
The essay titled "Ploughshares into Swords: Did the German Industrial Phoenix Push Wilhelm II Towards Reckless Ambition?" was authored by Dr. Tamás Vonyó and published in The Concord Review's Summer 1999 number.
At the time, Tamás was a student at Lester B Pearson United World College of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia. The publication in The Concord Review was the very first academic success in his life, which motivated him to carry on with his studies and make a career in history.
Subsequently, he published several works and got a lecturing job at the college where he was an undergrad. He was also involved in writing contributions for the best Hungarian history journals and securing a contract for his first monograph.
His success was moving nonstop. First, he got a full scholarship for an MPhil and then he received a PhD in Economic and Social History from the University of Oxford. His graduate work in German economic history was awarded the prestigious Feinstein Prize and the thesis prize of the International Economic History Association.
Dr. Vonyó's academic journey took him to the London School of Economics and Bocconi University in Milan, and now he is an associate professor with tenure, thus teaching at this university.
He is the author of several published articles in leading journals of economic history and a monograph in Cambridge University Press, which has been evaluated by a historian of high reputation, Barry Eichengreen.
Learn more about Dr. Tamás Vonyó's achievements at The Concord Review.
To be published in The Concord Review is a great accomplishment and can open up many opportunities for you. Use this guide to help you have a higher chance of success. Always remember that thorough research, clear writing, and careful editing are essential.
If you are interested in doing research, consider joining Indigo Research’s programs. At Indigo, we help high school students create a publishable research paper, according to The Concord Review Standard! If this journal is your goal, let us help you pave you the way.
Best of luck with your submission!
Getting published in The Concord Review is a prestigious achievement for any high school student, and Indigo Research can help you reach that goal. With our expert mentorship, you’ll gain the skills and guidance needed to produce high-quality, publishable research. Our program connects you with top professors and provides the resources to excel in your academic pursuits.
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