Submission Guidelines

Citation Style:  We follow Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition, using endnotes, with Arabic (not Roman) numerals.  If your endnotes cover all bibliographic information, we do not require an additional bibliography.

Spelling:  We permit writers to use their native spelling conventions.

Punctuation:  We ask that all writers conform to U.S. punctuation conventions.  For example, we require double quotation marks for quoted material, single quotation marks for quotes within those quotes.  Block quotes are indented, and do not use quotation marks at all, except for quotes within the block quote, which would require double quotation marks.  Commas and periods typically go inside the quotation marks.

For example, correct use of quotation marks within an essay:

“Economic systems,” according to Professor White, “are an inevitable byproduct of civilization, and are, as John Doe said, ‘with us whether we want them or not.’”

A good guide to clarify U.S. punctuation conventions:  http://www.thepunctuationguide.com/british-versus-american-style.html

Block quotes:  A prose quotation of five or more lines should be blocked (each line indented).  A block quotation does not get enclosed in quotation marks.  Quotes within a block quote would appear in double quotation marks.

Images:  You may use images within your essay. Images must be emailed separately as JPGs rather than embedded into your MS Word doc.  In the doc, just indicate in all caps “FIGURE 1.  CAPTION TEXT (FILM TITLE, DIRECTOR, YEAR)” in the space where you want the image to appear.  We prefer that an essay use no more than 6 images, but if there is a clear need to justify more, we are open to discussion.

Film clips:  You may include short film clips within your text as well.  We work with Critical Commons—www.criticalcommons.org.  If you upload your film clip to their site and send us the link, we can embed it in your essay.  You can find all the details on their site, but they require a short paragraph of critical commentary (you can copy that from your essay) to justify the clip as fair use.

Biographical Note:  Each essay should be accompanied by the author’s biographical note of about 3-6 lines.  The biographical note should appear at the end of the essay, but before the endnotes.

ISSUE 14 (ISSUE ON ANIMALS) SUBMISSIONS:  Please email your essay as a MS Word doc to the editors, removing your identifying information from the essay.  On a separate page, include your name, essay title, brief biographical note, and email address.

Editors’ emails: Tracy Cox-Stanton, editor@thecine-files.com; Catherine Grant, catherine.grant1@bbk.ac.uk