Guidelines for Writers (MERIP)

Writer's Guidelines

Middle East Report welcomes manuscripts on the political economy of the contemporary Middle East, the role of the United States and other outside powers, and popular struggles in the region. We seek to address the intelligent general public as well as those with expertise and professional interest in Middle Eastern affairs.

STYLE

--We seek clear, direct, readable writing.

--Keep sentences short, crisp, and in the active voice.

--Avoid jargon and unfamiliar acronyms.

--Identify all acronyms and people.

--Avoid sexist formulations.

--Capture readers' attention in the lead paragraphs: unless you convince them immediately that the article is worth reading, they won't bother.

--Use subheads.

--Use correct diacritical marks on all foreign words, though we may not use all of them.

--MER generally uses the Library of Congress transliteration from Arabic to English. There may be exceptions for commonly used words.

--Please include a one-sentence description of how you would like to be identified in the biographical note that will appear with your article.

TRANSLATION

--When articles are submitted in languages other than English, authors should expect us to exercise significant editorial discretion to render them into smooth and idiomatic English.

SUBMISSIONS

--For word processing, we use WordPerfect 5.0 for DOS and would prefer manuscripts in this program. We can, however, translate text from most other IBM programs.

--We DO NOT use embedded references (whether footnotes or endnotes). Please include endnotes as text at the end of the manuscript.

--Send a diskette clearly labeled with the format (MAC or IBM), program name and version (e.g. IBM, WP 5.0). Always include an ASCII text file on the disk in case we are unable to translate your program.

--Submit a printed copy as well, double spaced.

--When possible, manuscripts should be sent via the internet as embedded text or, preferably, as an attachment file. Our editorial email address at MER is merip@igc.org.

EDITORIAL PROCESS

--Manuscripts are circulated to members of Middle East Report's Editorial Committee, and occasionally to outside readers with special expertise.

--We inform authors of editorial decisions as quickly as possible, usually within 4 to 8 weeks.

--If an article is promising but needs reworking, we will return the manuscript with suggestions for revisions. A revised manuscript may be circulated for a second review.

--We reserve the right to edit all manuscripts to improve readability. Editorial changes will be cleared with the author before publication.

--Please NOTE WELL that it is not always possible for the Editors to make specific comments on the reasons for rejection of unsolicited manuscripts.

ARTICLES

--Articles describe and analyze a political situation, a theoretical question, an institution, a social class, a particular struggle, a cultural production or some other specific topic.

--Should be original, not formulaic, and based on considerable knowledge of the subject.

--2,500 to 4,000 words.

INTERVIEWS

--MER publishes interviews with well-known persons or with those who can give expression to popular sentiment on matters of importance.

--We also publish concise oral histories.

--Questions should search for problems or weaknesses, not simply elicit information or self-aggrandizing statements.

--Interview authors must transcribe, edit, condense and even rearrange the interview to bring out the most important elements.

--1,500 to 2,500 words.

REVIEW ESSAYS

Review essays deal with a major topic in an original way and use the review of several books, films or other subjects as an instrument for discussing important issues.

--1,500 to 2,000 words.

UPDATES

Updates report recent news or analysis that has not already been covered in the general press. An update may be in the form of a "Letter From..." which presents a story in a detailed way, with much firsthand and original material and a feel for the atmosphere of the area from which the report originates. Or an update may be a short follow-up on previously reported events.

--400 to 1,000 words.

ILLUSTRATIONS

--Authors can help us by supplying black-and-white photos, maps, cartoons or line drawings.

COPYRIGHT

--Middle East Report holds the copyright for all articles published in our pages, unless special arrangement is made prior to publication.

--Requests for reprint permission should be sent to MERIP/Reprint Permissions.

COMPENSATION

--We provide authors three to five copies of the issues in which their piece appears, plus a complimentary one-year subscription if the author is not already a subscriber.

--Under special circumstances we pay a modest fee for contributions.


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