Publish Your Opinion

Theme

• As this is an opinion page, non-partisan submissions are encouraged such as submissions praising or criticising partisan policies.

• Work that is related to our research specialisms (Regional Inequality and Structural Racism) will be prioritised, but other work such as current news events will also be considered for publication. 

• For your submission, you may consider writing about a policy that you are passionate about in a way that will help readers understand the topic in more depth.

​

Structure

• Word count: 350-800. 

• Op-eds should include a title. Submissions can include subheadings if necessary.

• Any academic works cited should be included in the bibliography below the work. Please use the Chicago style. However, academic references will often not be included in the final publication. 

• Hyperlinks are preferred and should be used throughout the text if desired. 

• All work should be sent in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced. 

• All work should include your name, preferred pronouns, and any relevant titles (e.g. MP, Dr, etc) at the top of the piece, along with the word count. 

• Write in your own voice - the piece does not have to be formal.

• We want our work to be as accessible as possible. As such, avoid jargon where possible. If you choose to include it, try to provide a very brief layperson's understanding, ideally linked to a site with more information. 

• Op-eds do not have a strict structure but we encourage submissions to have clear arguments throughout.

​

Style and Formatting

General 

• All work should be sent in Times New Roman, 12-point font, double-spaced. 

• All work should include your name, preferred pronouns, and any relevant titles (e.g. MP, Dr, etc) at the top of the piece, along with the word count. 
   

Register, jargon, and writing level 

• Submissions should be written in a formal style in line with commonly accepted spelling, grammar, and punctuation. If you have any doubts, refer to the BBC style guide here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsstyleguide/

• UK English should be used. 

• We want our work to be as accessible as possible. As such, avoid jargon where possible. If you choose to include it, try to provide a very brief layperson's understanding, ideally linked to a site with more information. 

• Acronyms should only be included after first fully writing out the phrase, and can then be used alone. 

  • E.g. Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)... GMCA has done… 
     

Images

• Any images should be sent in gif, png, jpg, or jpeg formats. 

• All images provided must be submitted with evidence they are free to use and in the public domain. 

​

Publishing Ethics and Plagiarism

• Any work you submit must be your own. The Peterloo Institute rejects plagiarism in the strongest terms. 

• Contributors are wholly responsible for the content of their work, such as accuracy and content. 

• As such, any external work does not reflect the position of the Peterloo Institute. 

​

Inclusivity and Diversity 

• ​Submissions that include insulting, aggressive, or otherwise derogatory content towards any individual, group, or otherwise will not be tolerated. We welcome disagreement and discussion, but your work must always reflect the respect and tolerance which underpins everything we do at the Peterloo Institute. 

• Writers who submit offensive or illegal content will not be considered for future publication. 

• We want to provide an inclusive platform for a diverse range of writers. We actively encourage publications from people of marginalised backgrounds.

• Our team works very hard to ensure all submissions are treated with respect, empathy, and understanding. Our role is not to write for you but with you, providing support for your particular perspective. 

• We are constantly looking to improve our submissions process and make it as easy as possible for a full spectrum of people to publish their work with us. If you feel there are any barriers to entry with the existing rules and guidelines, you can contact either our editorial team or our inclusivity and diversity officer(s), who will handle your input with respect whilst upholding the rigorous standards of the Institute. 

​

Submission Process

• Once we receive your work, it will be assigned to a relevant editor who is best placed to help you.

• The editing process can take place through Google Docs (in which case suggestions will be left on the document) or another word processing software, in which case the editor will agree with you on the best method for communicating changes, likely via email.

• They will read your work and make the initial assessment as to whether it is in line with the editorial rules and guidelines.

• If your work is something we would be interested in, the editor will work with you to make any necessary changes to ensure it adheres to the standards we expect from our publications.

• You will have the final say on changes, except copy editing issues, in-house stylistic rules (such as the use of the Oxford comma), or other aforementioned content issues.

• Before your work is published, it will always be read by a second team member, who will consult with your lead editor on any suggested changes.

• We will always provide a justification if your work is rejected. If this is the case, please do not resubmit the work unless it has undergone substantial revision.

• If your work is accepted, we will confirm your consent for publication in the agreed form and it will be passed on to our content and marketing team, who will organise the scheduling and publishing on our digital platforms.

​

All submissions should be sent through the Google Form OR sent to: 

editorial@thepeterlooinstitute.org

​

If you have any further questions, please get in touch via email or through our social media and we’ll be happy to answer! 

​

Happy writing and we look forward to reading your work.