Writing for Agora gives you a chance to share your expertise and ideas with History teachers and contribute to the History teaching community. Agora invites submissions that relate to History teaching in any way, from classroom-ready activities to deep curriculum discussions and insights into History teaching as a discipline.
Issue themes
Each issue of Agora focuses on a theme relating to History teaching.
2027
Issue 1: After the Wars
Curriculum alignment:
• L9–10: The globalising world (1945–present)
• VCE Modern History: The changing world order
Closing date for submissions 30 November 2026
Distribution date March 2027
Issue 2: Ancient Societies
Curriculum alignment:
• L7–8: Ancient Societies (10,000 BCE–600 CE)
• VCE Ancient History
Closing date for submissions 30 March 2027
Distribution date July 2027
Issue 3: Modern Imperialism
The causes, nature and consequences of modern imperialism, including European expansion, colonialism, resistance, and its enduring legacies in the modern world.
Closing date for submissions 30 July 2027
Distribution date November 2027
Agora structure
Agora features four sections that accommodate different styles and interests. Consider which section best suits your intended contribution.
Thema
Curriculum-aligned content and teaching ideas addressing the issue’s theme.
Article length: 1800–2500 words
Praktikos
Practical teaching ideas addressing any part of the History curriculum.
Article length: 1200–1800 words
Sungraphô
Research, analysis and literature reviews addressing any part of the History curriculum.
Article length: 3000 to 3500 words
Reviews
Reviews of books and other resources.
Article length: 600 words
Writing the article
Planning to write
At least 6 weeks before the closing date for submissions, please contact the Agora editor to pitch your idea for an article. Indicate which part of the Victorian History curriculum your article addresses, and include whether you are targeting an upcoming theme.
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 an informal 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.
Include a teaser sentence that summarises the article beneath the headline, and cite sources as endnotes in Chicago style.
Format
Please submit your item as a Word document with structural formatting (headings, bold, italics).
Images
Images should be submitted as individual jpg files with a minimum resolution of 1200 pixels wide. Do not submit images within Word or PowerPoint files. Ensure that images obtained from the internet have non-commercial Creative Commons licences or are in the public domain, and provide this licence and its source in an image caption. Do not simply copy images from web sites as they may not be in the public domain.
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 the Student Permission Form below.
Spelling
Spelling follows the Macquarie Dictionary. Please use –ise (not ize) and -our ( not –or) spellings.
Citations
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 Word’s 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.
Submitting your article
Please send submissions to the Agora editor. Please include a signed copy of the author agreement with your submission.
By submitting a contribution to Agora, you agree to the terms of the author agreement.
Reviews
Books available for review are listed here. Contact the editor to request your complimentary review copy.
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 up to 600 words long. Give a brief summary of the overall content and then focus on specific aspects, discussing the quality and usefulness of the content. 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.
The 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.
The editor’s decision on whether HTAV will publish your submission is final.
Originality and copyright
Articles submitted must be the original work of the author(s). It is the author’s responsibility to fact check the article, particularly where artificial intelligence has been used to research or draft any part of the content submitted. 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 your 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.