UWP 298/280 - Journal Editing Workshop

 (2 units)

Course Description:  Reading and critiquing manuscript submissions. Discussing relevant work in the field of writing studies. Applying principles of professional editing. Developmental editing, copy-editing, and typesetting of accepted manuscripts. Soliciting articles and communicating with contributors. Students encouraged to enroll both quarters.

Summary of Course Content:  As an editorial practicum, UWP 280 will provide direct experience in the editing and production of Writing on the Edge, a multidisciplinary writing journal now in its 22nd year. As assistant editors, students will learn and apply the principles of editing and publishing 2 issues ("Fall" and "Spring"). Topical Outline: Processing of submissions, including effective reading, commenting, and discussion. Manuscript critique consistent with journal's editorial guidelines and mission. Writing/revising editorial guidelines to match goals and mission of journal. Standard forms and styles related to communication with contributors--letters of acceptance, rejection, and requests for revision. Standard practices related to physical production of the journal, incuding editing, copyediting, typesetting, layout, design, and printing. Journal distribution including managing subscriptions, communicating with subscribers, and promoting the journal via academic conferences such as the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCC). Proposal of topics for manuscript solicitation, including subjects to be interviewed, and professional and pedagogical issues of interest.

Illustrative Reading:  Academic journals in the field including College English, Journal of Advanced Composition (JAC), Pedagogy, College Composition and Communication (CCC), Genre, back issues of Writing on the Edge, journals in students' own academic disciplines.

Justification of Units:  UWP 280 will be a two-unit course offered Fall and Winter. As members of the Assistant Editorial Board, students will meet 2 hours per week to critique and decide on manuscript submissions as well as discuss outside reading. Students will spend an additional 4 hours/week doing outside work for the journal, including reading submissions, writing external communications, revising writer's guidelines, researching other journals for ideas/themes, revising/maintaining the journal's website, copy-editing, typesetting, and distributing the journal.