Author’s Guide

Peaceful Science (PS) is building trust between scientists and the public. One way we build trust is by encouraging dialogue across differences, and exploring how science interacts with the grand question: What does it mean to be human?

Call for Submissions

We are soliciting factually sound and well-researched content that bridges between academics and the public and has not yet been published elsewhere. We accept articles in wide range of styles, including:

1. Science journalism written to inform the public.
2. Opinion articles presenting a position to persuade others with different views.
3. Dialogue responding to other notable organizations, ideas, events, individuals, or news items.
4. Excerpts of books related to our mission and topic areas.
5. Reviews of books, movies, and TV series related to our mission and topic areas.
6. Written interviews with scholars or other notables.
7. Excerpted transcripts from notable audio or video statements.

We encourage pre-submission inquiries. Soon we will have a form here, but for now send us an email with:

1. A few sentences describing the idea for your submission.
2. Any relevant news hook or dates that will guide the timeline of publication, and inform us to the timeliness of the submission.
3. Your name, affiliations, and qualifications, along with a 1-2 sentence bio.

The best submissions will bridge across differences, engage meaningfully with science, interact with different points of view, and bring different fields into dialogue. 

Topic Areas

1. We are soliciting submissions that explore how science intersects with the grand question of what it means to be human. We are approaching this question from several angles, for example:

   • Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience, Consciousness and Minds
   • Anthropology, Human Exceptionality, and Animal Intelligence
   • Ancestry, Genetics, and Human Origins
   • Race, Inheritance, and Justice
   • Beauty, Perception, Art, and Fiction
   • CRISPR, Genetic Engineering and Gene Editing
   • Transparency, Academic Freedom, and Research Ethics/Integrity.

2. We are also soliciting submissions that bridge across differences, whether it be race, human origins, or other sticky places of conflict. Submissions can be a proposal for ways forward, or seek to increase understanding to difficult audiences.

Our Audience

Our community includes scientists, scholars, and thinking members of the public that represent a large range of different personal beliefs and non-beliefs.  We have the shared goal of advancing science in a fractured society.

Manuscripts should be submitted as a Word document and include a brief bio from the author, in addition to in-text citations or footnotes.  All submissions will be carefully reviewed by our editors, and you will be contacted via email. We use Google Docs as our editing platform, so you can easily review and respond to our edits.

Format, Tone, and Length

We are committed to a peaceful approach to science and faith dialogue, especially with those who hold different views. 

• We strive for a professional tone while also including several entry points for people new to the conversation or with less technical training.
• Use Zotero to include references, cite all sources and ensure arguments or critiques are supported by evidence, and use footnotes to expand on more technical points. 
• Use descriptive headers and subheaders to break up your writing.
• Clarify any words, phrases, concepts used by experts in your field or followers of your religious tradition/non-tradition
• Use inclusive and inviting language that is free from words, phrases or tones that reflect prejudiced, stereotyped, condescending or discriminatory views of particular people or groups.
• Controversial topics should always be approached with humility, acknowledging and accurately characterizing alternate views.
• At our discretion, we may add links and images of related content to submissions. Unless these adjustments risk altering the author’s meaning and intent, we may do this without notifying the author.

The length for articles submitted to the PS blog is open-ended. About 1,000 words is a good place to start, though we also welcome longer deep-thinking essays. Our editorial team will work with you to develop your idea, tighten any loose ends and/or make your draft more concise.

The Editing Process

The editorial team will look over your draft and make edits and comments on the Google Doc. When deemed helpful or necessary, your article may be sent out for review by other scholars. In general, an overview of the editing process will typically follow the outline below:

1. Presubmission inquiry 
2. Inquiry accepted by editor
3. Submit a draft of the article to us.
4. If we decide to take the article, an editor will work with you to improve the article.
5. Once accepted, we will give you a publication date, and release it accordingly.

By submitting your article draft, you are agreeing to allow us to publish the article in final form on our website, and to convert into other formats for distribution.