The Complete Guide to the Concord Review
What is The Concord Review?
The Concord Reviews is a global quarterly publication for high school students who write research papers in history. It is unique in that it awards and appreciates academic excellence in the subject by providing a platform where young historians can present their work.
All publications contain carefully studied and excellently penned articles that show great seriousness about history. Being published here also gives learners an upper hand when applying for college admissions since it proves their capability of doing self-guided studies and making new discoveries.
Lastly, it is important to note that having an article published in this reputable magazine can boost a student’s chances of securing scholarships, which are usually very competitive. One reason why this publication is so prestigious is the Concord acceptance rate - approximately 5%. So, if your paper is not accepted, think of it as a chance to learn.
Choosing and Researching Your Topic
Begin by selecting a topic that genuinely interests you. You can do this by finding a unique angle or less-explored aspect of a broader subject. It shows not only creativity on your part but also demonstrates capability in offering insights into historical knowledge that has not been shared before.
Ensure there are enough primary and secondary sources available for your chosen topic by conducting a preliminary search. A well-researched paper relies fundamentally upon evidence to support your arguments and analyses.
Begin by identifying first-hand sources such as letters, diaries, official records, pictures and objects. These sources provide accounts and evidence of historical events from people who witnessed them, hence offering a different viewpoint to your paper.
Next, use secondary materials like scholarly articles, books or reliable websites. These give an analysis on primary sources, thus helping you understand the wider implications of what you are writing about.
Take advantage of resources found in your school or local library, which include academic databases, e.g., JSTOR, and Project MUSE, among others. This also involves Google Scholar, where one can find peer-reviewed articles and other scholarly works.
The school librarians should be able to help you get hold of rare documents that may not be easily accessible, as well as recommend more sources related to the topic under study.
Make sure you stay organized during research and take good notes. Keep track of where your information comes from and how it’s used so that you can cite it properly at the end.
The Paper Requirements
Essays should be between 5000-7000 words; the average length is 5500 words (including endnotes and bibliography). All submissions must be electronic, so there is no need to print or mail your essay.
Ensure your paper follows strict formatting rules: Chicago-style endnotes and a bibliography are required. You should aim for at least 10 sources. Check some of the Concord review sample essays or the Essay Requirements page for more details.
The submission should be made in Word doc or RTF format (not Google Docs or PDF). The file name needs to include your first and last names followed by an underscore and then the initial 3 words of the essay’s title.
Submission Process
The Concord Review is published 4 times a year: in September, December, March, and June. An essay will be considered for at least the following 4 publications. Typically, you’ll hear back about a month before the publication date.
After you submit your paper, it could take up to 12 months to get a response, although if your essay is accepted, this timeframe is usually shorter.There is a $70 submission fee, but it includes a yearly subscription to the ebook version of the journal. If you want a print subscription, the fee is $110 for U.S. students or $150 for international students.
Deadlines
As previously mentioned, issues are released during the summer (June), fall (September), winter (December), and spring (March). Here are the deadlines for each edition:
- Summer: February 1
- Fall: May 1
- Winter: August 1
- Spring: November 1
They welcome submissions at any time of year, so if you submit your paper today, it will still be reviewed for the next 4 issues. Notifications will be sent out a month before the concord publishing date if selected.
The sooner you submit your article for college admission, the better. Such journals usually require about 6 months before submission. For instance, if you are to join a college in January, ensure it is ready by 1st February of the previous year for it to be considered for summer, autumn or even winter editions.
Seniors should submit as early as possible since they are eligible to use their high school essays. It is also possible to present more than one paper over the years in high school.
What happens if I get rejected?
One reason why this publication is so prestigious is the Concord acceptance rate - approximately 5%. So, if your paper is not accepted, think of it as a chance to learn.
Most of the time, you will get useful comments from experienced reviewers who point out areas where you need to improve, recommend additional sources, and even advise you on how to make your ideas clearer and more logical.
Apply such feedback to your future revisions so that you may grow into a better researcher and writer. Also, after revising according to this kind of feedback, consider submitting it again.
The National Writing Board
The National Writing Board provides a unique independent assessment service for the history research papers of high school students. We have evaluated papers from 37 states and 11 other countries. Two senior secondary instructors review the paper, and a three- or four-page report is sent to the author, who may then decide which college admissions officers should receive it to add to the information they now have with which to evaluate an applicant. We have mailed our reports, at the requests of the authors, to more than 100 College Admissions Officers.
These papers are evaluated within twelve weeks against an independent academic expository writing standard developed by The Concord Review, since 1987 the only quarterly journal in the world for the academic work of high school students of history writing in English. E-mail any questions to Bob Nasson at nasson@tcr.org. The fee is $350, and three copies of the paper, with only the title and the number of words on the cover, should be sent, with the completed NWB submission form, to:
The National Writing Board
730 Boston Post Road
Suite 24
Sudbury, MA 01776
The National Writing Board Score Report
The Concord Review Sample Essay Excerpts
"Keep Burning the Light": The Expansion of Women's Academic Opportunities During World War II
Lobotomy in the American Popular Media During the Early Twentieth Century
The Making of the Twenty Year Armistice: Allied Missteps at the End of World War I
Modernism Purged: The Silencing of Avant - Garde Music in Stalin's Soviet Union
The Concord Review Sample Author Reports
Author Report for Lobotomy in the American Popular Media During the Early Twentieth Century
Author Report for "Keep Burning the Light": The Expansion of Women's Academic Opportunities During World War II