Author Guidelines
All entries should focus on providing a clear and accessible description of the subject. Authors should feel free to sequence the presentation of facts and descriptions to engage readers, while taking care to avoid overly involved or esoteric explanations. The goal is to inform readers by providing basic information and explaining significance.
SUBMISSION
Entries must be submitted electronically through the workshop on the Oregon Encyclopedia web site. Questions about that process can be directed to the editorial office (oepinfo@pdx.edu).
EDITORIAL PROCESS
All entries are subject to external review, fact-checking, and copy editing. Authors have the opportunity to respond to reviewers' suggestions and to revise their entries. The editors reserve the right to revise the accepted manuscript for clarity, consistency, style, syntax, and punctuation.
ENTRY CATEGORIES
There are five categories of entries: biography, events, place, institutions and groups, and biota. As much as possible, entries should include the following:
Biography: Begin with what field of endeavor, talent, or skill makes the person important to Oregon. Provide a brief outline of the person's life, with specific reference to significant relationships to Oregon's history and culture. What are the person's principal accomplishments? What are the person's significant relationships to events, places, institutions, and organizations in Oregon? What is the person's legacy? What difference has the person made to Oregon?
Model Biographies: "George Aguilar, Sr.," by Jarold Ramsey and "H.L. Davis," by Glen A. Love.
Events: Describe the event and its time, location, and origin. What part in Oregon history did the event play? What led up to it? What organization(s) and individual(s) are associated with the event? Describe the aftermath of the event and its social, cultural, or political consequences. What is the event's legacy?
Model Events: "Hood to Coast Relay," by Joy Margheim and "Vortex I," by William G. Robbins.
Places: Describe the location of the place and its significance to Oregon over time. To what and to whom is it related? What economic, social, political, and spiritual importance does the place have for Oregon?
Model Places: "Mt. Hood Freeway," by Val Ballestrem and "Silicon Forest," by Craig Wollner.
Institutions & Groups: Describe the background and development of the institution or group. What is the significance to Oregon history and culture, including economic, social, political, spiritual, or aesthetic connections? What significant individuals, events, and places are related to the institution or group? What is the relationship to other institutions, agencies, places, and communities?
Model Institutions and Groups: "Ku Klux Klan," by Eckard Toy and "Oshu Nippo," by George Katagiri.
Biota: Describe the flora/fauna and its relation to Oregon. Describe its significance to the natural landscape, including references to agriculture, geography/geology, economics, weather, and aesthetics. What social impact does it have? How does it affect Oregon's food or fiber industries?
Model Biota: "Sugar Pine," by Frank A. Lang and "Port Orford Cedar," by Frank A. Lang.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING
Documentation: All entries must rely on existing scholarship, and authors must include documentation for quotes and specific information. Include documentation as parenthetical notes (author, date, page number) and provide the full citation to this documentation using the add source button. The references will be used in the review process to assess entries and essays. Notes will be removed in published entries, with sources appearing at the end of each entry. The Workshop system strips entry text of most formatting, including superscript citations, so we recommend authors use parenthetical citations.
Suggested Readings: Authors of entries up to 1000 words should submit as many as three suggested readings. Authors of essays 1000 words or more should submit up to five suggested readings. Authors can include these sources using the add source button, or they can enter these as a "Note to Editor." Authors can also list these at the bottom of the entry text, but we do not recommend this as the Workshop system will include this text as part of the overall word count.
Audience: The Oregon Encyclopedia will be a reference for general readers, teachers, and students. Authors should write for readers who have a range of ages and experience.
Originality: All essays and entries must be original and should not have been previously published, either in print or on the World Wide Web.
Style: Authors are encouraged to write in their own individual styles. They should write clearly and concisely and make sure that entries are focused and lacking in ambiguity. Although entries should reflect the authors' scholarly interpretations and professional judgment, they must be free of bias or personal opinion.
Controversial Topics: Where there is the potential for a topic to be controversial and there is not a significant corpus of scholarly work available, authors should handle the topic with fairness and respect.
Jargon: Authors should avoid using jargon and explain any local or specialized terminology.
Quoted Materials: Entries can include quotes from the work of scholars and other experts (with a reference to a source). Long quotations should be avoided, along with quotations from materials that require permission to reprint, such as poetry and lyrics.
Images: Authors are encouraged to submit suggestions for appropriate images (e.g., maps, photographs, artworks), film clips, and audio and video clips that could accompany their entries. Authors should submit captions and credits for all supplementary materials.
Keywords and Cross References: Authors are encouraged to identify keywords and cross references in their entries.
Style Guide: Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition
Suggested Writing Guides: Elements of Style, by William Strunk and E.B. White, and The Columbia Guide to Online Style, by Janice Walker and Todd Taylor.
