Inclusive Publishing Strategies for Journal Staff and Prospective Authors in the Digital Humanities

Author

Rachel Schrauben Yeates, Kennesaw State UniversityFollow

Date of Award

7-23-2024

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Professional Writing

Department

English

Committee Chair/First Advisor

Chris Palmer

Second Advisor

Erin Bahl

Abstract

In this project, I will share the inclusive strategies and solutions to common pitfalls I observed in my exploratory review of a selection of DH online journals and share Inclusivity Guides tailored to journal staff and prospective authors to perform a quick audit of journal site design and content. I paid special attention to the information available to researchers considering submitting their work for publication. Which journals leave a good impression and provide potential authors with enough information to confidently submit their work? How can prospective authors assess a journal’s commitment to furthering and practicing inclusivity in their field, and how can journal staff showcase those practices?

To answer these questions, I begin by describing my methods–I conducted an exploratory review of a selection of DH journals to garner insight into the ways they were practicing inclusivity and accessibility. Next, I share the inclusive strategies I gleaned, breaking them down as they relate to website design, proactive language, editorial workflows, and outreach and author support. Then I provide quick-reference sheets–one for journal staff, another for prospective authors–as a quick reference when evaluating their own journal or a journal they’re considering submitting work to. The reference sheets are available under a CC-BY license to adapt and distribute freely with credit. Lastly, I make recommendations based on my findings for authors, journal staff, and future researchers.

Comments

This capstone and additional resources are licensed under a CC-BY Creative Commons license.