Writing for Agora

Download a pdf copy of these guidelines.
Download the Agora author agreement.

Writing for Agora

We welcome submissions that relate to history teaching in any way, whether it’s a classroom-ready activity, a deep analysis of part of the curriculum or an aspect of history teaching as a discipline. Writing for Agora gives you a chance to share your expertise and ideas with history teachers and to participate in the intellectual life of the history teaching community. It also contributes to your professional development, while raising your profile and strengthening your publishing credentials.

Each issue of Agora features a theme relating to history teaching. You might choose to write directly on the theme or to explore wider issues. Articles that don’t relate to the theme are welcome, although they may be held over for an appropriate issue.

Upcoming themes

Please submit peer-reviewed articles and book reviews at any time.

Objects and artefacts
Issue 1, 2019 (vol. 54, no. 1)
Closed for submissions
Distribution date March 2019

Inclusion and differentiation
Issue 2, 2019 (vol. 54, no. 2)
Closing date for Thema and Praktikos submissions: 11 May 2019
Distribution date August 2019

Historical skills
Issue 3, 2019 (vol. 54, no. 3)
Closing date for Thema and Praktikos submissions: 29 August 2019
Distribution date November 2019

Agora structure

Agora features four sections to accommodate different styles and interests. Consider which section best suits your intended contribution.

Thema
(2000­–5000 words)
Perspectives on the theme
(e.g. curriculum-related content, educational discourse)

Praktikos
(1500–3000 words)
Teaching ideas
(e.g. units of work, excursion ideas, assessment strategies)

Sungraphô
(4000­–6000 words)
Peer-reviewed research articles relating to history teaching and learning
(e.g. pedagogy, historiography, current debates and developments)

Sungraphô articles are subject to a double-blind peer-review process coordinated by the Sungraphô section editor, Dr Heather Sharp of the University of Newcastle. Because the review process is of uncertain length, Sungraphô articles are not necessarily linked to the issue theme.

Kritikos (online only)
(500–1000 words)
Reviews of books, websites, films, historical novels, software and other resources.

General information

Please carefully read these guidelines before submitting your item. All contributions should be emailed to the editor, Dr Katrina Burge. By submitting a contribution to Agora, you agree to the terms of the author agreement. Please include a signed copy of the author agreement with your submission.

The editor’s decision on whether HTAV will publish your submission is final. If your article is published, you will receive a complimentary print copy of the issue in which it appears. Review authors receive a high-quality digital offprint of their review and are welcome to keep any materials sent to them for review.

Editorial process

Your article or review will be edited to correct spelling or syntax errors, apply house style and, where necessary, enhance expressions and clarify meaning. The editor(s) will endeavour to consult you before making substantial changes.

Planning to write

At least 6-8 weeks before the closing date for submissions, please contact Agora editor Katrina Burge to pitch your ideas. You’re encouraged to submit an outline or extract of your work.

Please note that the submission dates refer to the final handover of a completed article, not a draft.

Content and tone

Material needs to be broadly appropriate for practising history teachers and educators.

Tone may vary from a formal, academic style to a more conversational style, depending on the nature of your contribution. You are asked to adopt a fair-minded approach when discussing the work of others, and this should be evident in the tone of the writing. Agora submissions are expected to be courteous and academically rigorous.

Notes for reviewers

To reach a wide audience, reviews will be published online in the open access section of the website. Selected books are available for review – have a look at the book list and contact us to request your complimentary review copy. If you have found something else you’d like to review, please consider its suitability for history teachers – its relevance to the curriculum or for teacher professional development, and appropriate year levels for its use – as well as its merits as a whole.

Your review should be about 500 words long. Give a brief summary of the overall content and then focus on specific aspects, discussing the quality and usefulness of the written content and the images/illustrations. Where applicable, classroom application of the material should be stated. Reviewers are expected to comment on the strengths and limitations of the title while maintaining a courteous tone at all times. They should cite specific examples from the work and comment on the merits of the work as a whole.

Please avoid reviewing items if you have close links with the author or publisher.

Originality and copyright

Articles submitted must be the original work of the author(s). Note that third-party material used in Agora contributions is subject to the ‘fair dealing’ provisions of Australian copyright law, not the more generous ‘10% approach’ often used in school.

If it is essential for you to use copyright material beyond the scope of fair dealing (e.g. long quotations, images), please contact the editor as soon as possible to discuss getting appropriate permissions. Unless otherwise agreed, HTAV will seek permissions and pay related costs.

If you article is accepted, you assign copyright to HTAV but reserve your right to use your contribution in your teaching activities and other specified uses. Please see the author agreement for more information on copyright.

Formatting and style guide

Format

Please submit your item as a Word document with structural formatting (headings, bold, italics).

Images

Images should be submitted as individual jpeg or tiff files, minimum resolution 300dpi.

You’re encouraged to supply or suggest suitable images to accompany your article, and HTAV will also carry out image research as required. For copyright reasons, it’s essential that you provide the source of the image. If it is not your original work, please advise the editor as early as possible so we can start the process of getting permission to reproduce the item.

If school students or their work feature in your photographs, please ensure that you have written permission from the parent or guardian specifically releasing the image for publication in Agora. (Standard school permissions are generally not adequate.) If you wish, you can use this permission form.

Spelling

Spelling follows the Macquarie Dictionary. Please use –ise (not ize) and -our ( not –or) spellings.

Style guide

If you use the work of others directly or indirectly in your submission, it must be acknowledged. Agora follows the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition). Please use the Word footnote feature and include full footnotes, not Harvard-style author date references. A bibliography is not required.

More information can be found at the Chicago Manual of Style website.

Download these Guidelines (pdf)

Author Agreement (pdf)

Student Permission Form (doc)