Information for Authors and Artists

See call for submissions for more info or submit your work here.

There will be two submission cycles for Volume IX of Horizons Journal.

The first submission cycle DUE DATE is January 27th, 2024. *Earlier submission is welcomed and encouraged. 
*For works submitted by this initial deadline, student authors may be invited to revise and resubmit submissions.

The second submission cycle DUE DATE is May 10, 2024. 

In both submission cycles, all student works undergo peer review by members of the Horizons Editorial Review Board. 

Reviewers’ anonymous feedback is shared with the submitter. 

All works submitted can expect to undergo substantial revision before being fully considered for publication.

Article submissions should be no longer than 4,000 words (papers longer than this can be submitted, and if considered, there is the understanding that reducing word count will be a key piece of the revision process).

Submissions must be in a Word document format (eg. .doc, .docx). Submissions received in other formats may not be considered. Students have access to the Google Suite and Google Docs through UH – use UH login to access.

​Horizons Journal has a wide readership, so think about how to engage readers from a non-specialist background — often papers that are too wordy do not engage, while papers that are too brief may leave the reader confused about the background or processes being discussed.

Proofread for grammar and syntax, and ensure that the citation style used is correct prior to submission – this is vital.

The following are some key areas to pay special attention to (not an exhaustive list):

  • Abbreviations/acronyms: at first mention, spell out fully followed by the abbreviation in parenthesis. Example: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM). Use the abbreviation/acronym in your text thereafter.
  • Scientific names: note proper casing and italicization
  • Hawaiian/non-English words: include proper diacriticals (Mac or PC)
  • Proofread to make sure the abstract is free of spelling or grammatical errors!

Each submission must include:

1. Article Title:

Use a title that is both eye-catching and gives brief insight into the focus of the submission piece. To help with this think about: the purpose of the research/creative/paper and the method used. One may also use a subtitle to add extra detail about the work.

2. Abstract OR Artist Statement:

One the first page of your uploaded submission you mush have either a complete abstract (for research papers) or artist statement (for creative submissions). See below for exact guidelines for each.

FOR RESEARCH PAPERS: An Abstract:
An abstract is a brief, concise summary of the work. Abstracts typically include an introduction, research/scholarly methods used, results (even if preliminary), and a conclusion.

  • Introduction: Include the research question/hypothesis and a brief background (if space permits).
  • Methods: Show the validity of the research by describing the design of the project. Include applicable information, such as the setting of the research, number of subjects and how they were selected, and methods used to measure/analyze the data.
  • Results: Summarize the findings.
  • Conclusion: State what can be concluded from the project and the implications of the research.
  • 250 words maximum (name and title are not included in the word count)

Additional guidance on writing an abstract may be found on this or this webpage. Submitters may also review past issues (accessible from the sidebar) for abstracts from previous submissions.

FOR CREATIVE SUBMISSIONS: Provide An Artist Statement:

Artists are expected to be able to discuss their own work and engage in conversations that go beyond the particulars of the piece under consideration. The Artist Statement is a chance to define the important conversations engaged in through this artistic or creative.

  • The statement does not necessarily involve theoretical or historical discussions, though either or both can apply.
  • May focus on aspects of practice, artistic processes, influences and ideas, or discuss the significance of particular creative process or material choices.
  • Unlike the abstract, there is not an exact length requirement–most will be one to two pages long, but you can expand if necessary.

The Artist Statement is a required accompaniment to any creative submission and should be a minimum of 400 words. The statement should help the audience see the connection between the questions asked or the problems addressed on the one hand, and the music produced, glass object created, photograph taken, or poem written on the other hand.

This should clearly articulate the significance of the work beyond the creator/artist.

For more help on composing an Artist Statement, please visit this webpage. Review past issues for artist statements from previous submissions.

3. Keywords for your article (optional)

4. Article in Microsoft Word format:

Articles must be submitted in Microsoft Word doc format without a title page, but including an abstract and page numbers.

5. Reference List:

Submissions can use any formal referencing style, but they must be exact. Pieces with missing or incorrect references may be returned without review. Make sure you pay close attention to ensure you avoid plagiarism.

Diagram showing overview of publication process: