Genres

Classic Features

extended works of scholarship. The Classic Journal is dedicated to showcasing scholarly essays and research articles composed by undergraduates. This category allows students from different disciplines to present their research projects to a larger audience. Check out the examples from Issue 1.1.

Classic Features will be published based on creativity and intelligence, not because they meet certain writing standards. Students from any discipline are encouraged to submit research papers, analyses, proofs, proposals, articles or any other forms of critical writing.


Classic Reviews

shorter pieces of writing that present critical looks at books, articles, works of music, works of art, plays, films, television shows, technologies, and scientific discoveries. Reviews go beyond summaries or general reports to engage with the materials from different perspectives or present new understandings.

Examples:

a book review might examine the author’s choice of characters and/or plot and how those aspects of the book reflect current social and/or cultural attitudes

a music review, or an album review, might look at how the album functions as a complete narrative (e.g., Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly might be interesting album to explore from that perspective). A review could also explore a particular sound palette that is unusual within the conventions of the genre it has been placed in by the marketplace.

a review of a scientific discovery/study might explore the implications of the discovery/study on a local level or for the field in general. For example, a new scientific discovery might have positive or negative implications on a community, or the project might have particular problems to explore within the scientific community from an ethical standpoint.


Classic Alternatives

offer a more creative outlet for critical work.

Examples:

a visual argument, such as a map or series of photographs
a multimedia/multimodal argument
a portfolio or exhbit

Accompanying these types of submissions, writers might want to include a written explanation of the goals, decisions, and issues the author/composer/artist encountered during the writing process.

Alternatives might also take the form of class assignments beyond the essay that offer insight into the inner workings of a student’s particular field. For example, biology students could submit letters (e.g. Water Quality letter), articles (e.g. Carb Cutter article), or even fliers. (Note: There could be many submissions from large classes that do these similar projects, and The Classic Journal will take the most outstanding for consideration for publication.) Blog posts or other digital media projects would also fall into this category. Especially strong reading responses, essays covers, or problem sets could also be considered alternatives.