Q: Who is eligible to submit a proposal?
A: All JoDS readers are eligible to submit an essay proposal. We will consider all proposals, including those from PhD students, post-docs, tenured professors, and those outside of academia.
Q: Can I submit more than one proposal?
A: No. Due to limited time and resources, we will be accepting one proposal per applicant. If an applicant submits more than one proposal, we will read and consider the first one submitted.
Q: What is the deadline for essay proposals submissions?
A: The deadline for essay proposals is Friday, 2 March 2018.
Q: Is there a word limit for proposals?
A: All proposals should be no longer than 300 words. For more information on proposals, please see our Submission Criteria.
Q: Can I submit my proposal in a language other than English?
A: No. Unfortunately, we will review proposals and essays written only in English.
Q: When will you notify applicants about the next phase of the competition?
A: Selected respondents will be notified on Monday, 2 April 2018.
Q: Who will select the winners of the competition?
A: The JoDS editorial board will select both semi-finalists and finalists.
Q: What happens if my proposal is selected for the next round?
A: Authors of selected proposals will be invited to submit an essay that expands upon the ideas proposed. More information about how to submit your essay will be communicated at this time.
Q: Is there a word limit for final essays?
A: Essays should be between 3,000 and 5,000 words and contain proper citations as well as any accompanying graphics.
Q: When are final essays due?
A: The deadline for submitting your completed essay is 1 June 2018.
Q: When will I know if my essay has been selected as a winner of the competition?
A: Winners of the competition will be announced on 16 July 2018.
Q: Will there be a revision and review process for winning essays?
A: Yes, all winning essays will be peer-reviewed and copyedited by the MIT Press prior to publication.
Q: Do all proposed pieces need to be essays? Will other forms be considered?
A: Judges will consider works of visual art, poetry, fiction, and multimedia pieces that engage with the theme resisting reduction in a new, creative way for publication in JoDS. However, multimedia pieces will not be considered for the volume of essays published by the MIT Press.
Q: My proposal was not selected for the competition, but I am still interested in submitting to JoDS. How can I do so?
A: We are always accepting essay proposals. Please submit to JoDS through our Open Submissions page.
Q: When will the MIT Press volume of essays be published?
A: The volume of essays will be available in 2019.
Q: How is this competition funded?
A: This essay competition is funded by the MIT Media Lab and the MIT Press Innovations Fund, which supports open access and experimental publishing projects.
Q: Will there be more contests like this one in the future?
A: We do not have any future competitions planned at this time.
Q: How can I share news about this contest with others?
A: Please spread the word about the competition by linking to our Announcement and using the hashtag(s) #ResistingReduction #JoDSComp when posting on social media. Please also follow JoDS, The MIT Press, and the MIT Media Lab on Twitter at the handles @MIT_JoDS, @MITPress, and @MediaLab.
Q: Who can I contact if I have a question about or issue with my submission?
A: Please contact Catherine Ahearn, PubPub Community Manager, at cahearn[@]mit[.]edu.
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