The Criterion: An International Journal in English · Conference Collaboration Programme
Programme Documentation
The documents collected here constitute the formal governance framework of the Conference Collaboration Programme as it applies to The Criterion: An International Journal in English. Together, they define the responsibilities of all parties involved in a collaboration — conference organisers, Guest Editors, peer reviewers, and invited authors — and establish the editorial, ethical, and procedural standards to which every special issue produced through the programme is held.
All parties are expected to read the documents relevant to their role before a collaboration commences. The proposal evaluation process assumes familiarity with these documents, and questions that commonly arise during the application and collaboration process are addressed within them. Where a document and any other communication are in conflict, the document takes precedence. The Programme Documents are reviewed periodically; the versions available for download below are the versions currently in force.
Application Materials
The Conference Proposal Template is the recommended preparation document for organisers intending to submit a collaboration proposal. The online application form — accessible via the Apply for Collaboration page — is the submission instrument; the template is not submitted separately. Its purpose is to allow organisers to read through every question, draft responses offline, and arrive at the form fully prepared. Working through the template before opening the form significantly improves the quality and completeness of submitted proposals, and reduces the risk of an incomplete submission.
Conference Proposal TemplateA preparation and reference guide mirroring the online application form exactly. Sets out all questions in sequence — conference identification, organising committee details, academic rationale, review process description, submission projections, Guest Editor nomination, and ethical declaration — so organisers can draft and review responses before submitting. Download and work through this document before opening the application form.
These documents define the editorial framework within which all special issues of The Criterion are produced. They govern the roles, authority, and responsibilities of Guest Editors and the editorial office, and establish the peer review standards that apply to every manuscript submitted through the programme. Conference organisers should read both documents before nominating a Guest Editor. Guest Editors are required to read and formally accept both documents as a condition of appointment.
Special issues of The Criterion are assigned three independent peer reviewers per manuscript, consistent with the journal’s standard review policy. The double-blind model applies without exception. These specifications are set out in full in the Special Issue Review Protocol.
Guest Editor GuidelinesDefines the advisory role of the Guest Editor in full, including eligibility criteria, the boundary between advisory and decision-making authority, conflict-of-interest obligations, communication protocols, confidentiality requirements, and responsibilities at each stage of the special issue process. Acceptance of these guidelines is a condition of appointment.
Special Issue Review ProtocolSets out the complete peer review and editorial management process for manuscripts submitted to special issues of The Criterion, from initial submission through screening, triple-blind peer review, editorial decision, revision, and publication. Defines the four decision categories, revision windows, ethical issue handling, and the appeals process.
The Extended Paper Requirements document is the primary reference for all authors invited to submit manuscripts to a special issue of The Criterion. It defines the standard of scholarly development a conference paper must achieve before it is eligible for submission, explains the distinction between a conference paper and a journal article, and provides practical guidance on structuring, developing, and self-assessing an extended paper. The Manuscript Submission Standards specify the formatting, length, citation style, and file requirements that all submissions must meet. Both documents should be read before beginning to prepare a manuscript.
Submissions to The Criterion must be a minimum of 3,000 words (excluding abstract and Works Cited), formatted in Times New Roman 12pt, and cited in MLA 9th Edition throughout. The journal publishes English literature, literary theory, linguistics, ELT, cultural studies, postcolonial studies, digital humanities, and interdisciplinary humanities research. Creative writing, poetry, short fiction, book reviews, and author interviews are published in regular issues of The Criterion but are not accepted through the Conference Collaboration Programme; all special issue submissions must be research articles.
Extended Paper RequirementsDefines the five development requirements a conference paper must satisfy to meet The Criterion‘s submission threshold for a special issue: expanded and sustained argument, substantially developed engagement with scholarship, new or significantly developed scholarly contribution, compliance with journal length and format requirements, and demonstrated independence from the original conference paper. Includes a self-assessment checklist and common errors to avoid.
The Publication Ethics and Peer Review Framework sets out the ethical standards to which all parties in the special issue process are held. It is aligned with the guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and governs editorial responsibilities, peer review integrity, author responsibilities, plagiarism policy, conflict-of-interest disclosure, and the procedures for corrections and retractions. All parties are expected to be familiar with this framework.
Publication Ethics and Peer Review FrameworkThe COPE-aligned ethical framework governing all publications of RCELL journals, including special issues produced through the Conference Collaboration Programme. Covers editorial responsibilities, reviewer obligations, author responsibilities, plagiarism and misconduct policy, conflict-of-interest requirements, and post-publication corrections.
The Collaboration Agreement is the formal academic memorandum of understanding executed between The Criterion and an approved conference organiser. It sets out the legal and ethical framework of the collaboration, the responsibilities of both parties, the provisions governing editorial independence, branding and communication permissions, financial arrangements, and the procedures for addressing ethical breaches or termination. The Collaboration Agreement must be signed by both parties before any public announcement of the journal collaboration is made. Organisers are encouraged to review this document before submitting a proposal, as it provides the fullest account of the commitments that approval of a collaboration entails.
Collaboration AgreementThe binding academic memorandum of understanding between The Criterion (RCELL) and an approved conference organiser. Covers the Scholarly Curator Model, absolute editorial independence, organiser obligations including prohibited communications and branding restrictions, journal obligations, the Guest Editor role, manuscript and author provisions, financial arrangements (no fees payable by either party), ethical breach and termination procedures, and Schedule 1 for collaboration-specific details.
