Want to write for The Footnote? Send an idea, an abstract, or a full draft to us at thefootnote@georgetown.edu. A member of our editing team will get back to you within a week! You do not have to be a Georgetown student to submit an article to us. Please see below for detailed guidelines regarding submissions:

The Footnote is looking for pieces between 500 and 1,200 words, although we are flexible on length, format, and theme. We are looking for writing that maintains the academic rigor of a Georgetown classroom, but uses language accessible to the casual history enthusiast. The primary goal is to translate your unique areas of expertise into succinct and fresh perspectives for a broader readership. Remember, your voice is your friend!

When submitting your article, please include a short (1-3 sentences) biography and a photo or image that relates to your article. Please provide citation information for the image; this generally means the creator’s name (if available), the title/description of the image, the date of creation (if available), the name of the institution/website where you accessed the image, and the image’s URL. If you are including a photograph that you took, please include the date and a brief title/description of the image.

Citations: Ironically, we do not use footnotes at The Footnote! In order to better facilitate online publication and readability, authors should use links to sources in lieu of footnotes or parenthetical citations. If you’re using the same source multiple times in a row, you only need to link it once. For citations from books, please link to the publisher’s page or another site that clearly identifies the book. For citations from academic articles, please link to the article page (directly to the journal’s webpage or to JSTOR, Project Muse, Gale, etc.). You can include a page number in a parenthetical at the end of the sentence, if desired. Check out our previous articles for examples, and feel free to contact us at thefootnote@georgetown.edu with any questions.

Below are some ideas for the types of submissions we accept, though this list is not exhaustive. If you have a great idea, send it to us!

Historical Topics and Historical Op-Eds: Turn that term paper into a shorter, more accessible article about an interesting historical topic! Alternatively, use a historical lens to give your take on a modern issue. Take a look at some of our previous articles for inspiration, particularly ones marked as “historical topics” and/or “op-eds.”

Book/Film/Media Reviews: Give your two cents on a piece of art or academia as it pertains to an area of history.

Define that Term: Academia is filled with insider (often polysyllabic) buzzwords. Some of these terms go viral and become central to public discourse outside the ivory tower. Pick an academic term that matters to this moment in history. Tell us where it comes from and why that term is in need of reexamination, clarification, or extinction.

Interviews: interview one of your Georgetown or consortium professors, favorite authors, or other students, scholars, or professionals who work with history. Please email us with your idea prior to conducting the interview.

Research Diary: Did you travel somewhere interesting for your research? Have something to contribute to the conversation about archives after working in them? Learn a new language over the summer? We’d love to hear about your experience – particularly what you learned, and what advice you have for students beginning their own research projects.

Reflections on Teaching: Pedagogy is an important facet of graduate student life and future endeavors, whether you’re a TA for the first time, teaching your own course, or have previous teaching experience outside of a university setting. What new techniques could revolutionize teaching? What practices need to be retired? What have you learned as a teacher, student, or both?

State of the Field: Reflect on the historical profession, either within or outside of academia. What trends have you noticed during your time as a student? What needs to change in the field? Why does history matter in the 21st century and beyond? This area of inquiry is quite broad, and we invite diverse perspectives on these and other issues!

In short, we are looking for pieces that offer a historical perspective on any variety of things in a fun, informative, and accessible way! For more information, contact us at thefootnote@georgetown.edu.