PROSPECTIVE WRITERS

General Editorial Guidelines

The Reading Style

The Lexington Universal Circuit: A Journal of Economics and Politics at Bernard M. Baruch College is not a newspaper, rather a journal of opinion. We do not want you to regurgitate the news. Instead, we want your own in depth opinion and commentary on issues related to economics, politics, and society. Please follow proper journalistic ethics by elaborating on your views in a fashion that is emblematic of higher learning. To get a better idea of what we want you to aim for, please read some of the articles which have already been published on the Circuit.

First time submissions by prospective writers tend to be in the ballpark of a 1000 words. However, we are flexible in regard to length. We use your first published article as an indicator of your writing skills and style, as well as your ability to research. With that said, you should also note that there is no maximum ceiling on length. When you’re thinking about length, ask yourself 2 questions. The first is, “Have I elaborated on my thoughts to the extent that my readers have a clear perception and understanding of my thesis?” The second is, “Is my article long enough to cover the important points of my view(s), but short enough to keep things interesting?”

Proper Documentation

Your article should have supporting facts and statistics, but they should only come from reliable sources. We appreciate proper documentation because it shows us that you did research to support your views. Appropriate sources include, but are not restricted to, government agencies, universities, scholarly database networks, think tanks, and well known institutions that compile data sets. Using other blogs as sources for ideas and information is also encouraged. However, these blogs should be administered by individuals and/or organizations that specialize in the subject matter you are writing about. Using newspapers and magazines should generally not be used as sources for any type of raw data. If anything, use them as precursors for further research. Keep in mind, your notes and works cited will be displayed alongside your article on the site for every reader to see.

The Circuit takes the sources you use in your article VERY seriously. We require you to cite your sources judiciously. You do not necessarily need to explicitly identify sources of data, quotes, and/or ideas directly in your sentences. However, you must use in-line parenthetical citations  within your sentences, which will in turn appear in your compilation of works cited.  These in-line parenthetical citations will be in the form of bracketed numbers that correspond to a particular source in the works cited.  Obviously, not all sources in the works cited have to correspond to a specific piece of information in your piece.  All sources are to be listed in MLA format in the works cited.  Here is an example:

Deng’s guiding philosophy was that “capitalist techniques can be put to good use in a socialist economy,” which would enable China to benefit from a “greater reliance on market forces” [1].  Under Deng Xiaoping’s vision, farmers were given partial pricing and equity incentives that allowed them to sell a fraction of their crops on the open market.  Additionally, special economic zones (SEZs) were created to attract foreign investment, boost exports, and import advanced technology, which in turn generated efficient productivity [2].  Even economic direction and control was decentralized, leaving provincial governments in charge of various enterprises for the purpose of competition through the laws of the free market. Most notably, coastal regions and cities were allowed to test free market reforms and to offer tax and trade incentives to encourage both foreign and domestic investment.  Eventually, state price controls on many goods were seen as obsolete and counterproductive, leading to their disposal [3].

Works Cited

What Happens After Your First Submission?

After your first article has been approved and published, you will be inducted into Lexington Universal Circuit. What does this mean? It means that you will receive an online profile. As previously stated, you will not be subject to deadlines.

In addition, you will have the choice to write SHORTER pieces, typically consisting of 300-750 words.

Everything Online

All editing and communication between editors and writers will take place online. Every writer will need to create a Google Docs Account because we will be using this application for the editing process of your work. You will receive the exact protocol about this after your first successful publication.

From time to time, we will be contacting you about profile updates and submissions. We also encourage your interaction with other writers on the site. This would be a great opportunity to share ideas and network with students and academic professionals from all over the world.

The Lexington Universal Circuit also takes your behavior on the site very seriously. Please be courteous to your fellow writers, as well as other our online readers. That means being respectful with your comments. We ask that you do not blow up on a reader, should that individual disagree with your views. If for any reason you think a comment is inappropriate, and wish to remove it, please contact an editor.

Is Your Writing Protected?

Yes, your work is protected by our creative commons license. This license will allow for others to redistribute your work, as long as they give you full credit. However, your work cannot be modified or commercialized by any other party without your permission.

——————————————————————————————————————————