ENGL 3365 Editing and Publishing
Quirk is the English department’s journal of literature and the arts at UIW, and it is produced once a year in the Spring semester by the ENGL 3365 class, “Editing and Publishing.” The students in the class work together in groups as they evaluate and edit submissions, communicate professionally with authors, and create and implement the layout and design of the journal. It is a great class for anyone who wants to learn about the field of publishing as a possible career choice, to learn about editing different types of art, and to have a hands-on experience in professional development.
Quirk receives an average of 150 submissions each year, of which a little over half are visual arts. Students in ENGL 3365 evaluate by genre and use specific criteria for each, such as vivid imagery, convincing characterization, authentic voice, and clear plot for fiction. The whole class evaluates and judges all submissions based on these criteria, but the editorial group responsible for that particular genre leads the discussion. Each submission is discussed in class and voted on. Each submission needs a majority vote to be included, and all submissions are blind. The criteria are reasonable and objective. We are always pleasantly surprised by the quality of the submissions we receive each year, and the strongest works become a sort of benchmark in evaluating the other submissions.
Undergraduate Course Description:
Part of the Rhetoric and Professional Writing branch of the UIW English Program, this study of the academic literary periodical involves students in the editing, production, and distribution of the University's literary journal, Quirk.
Prerequisites: ENGL 1311 or 1311L and 1312. This course may be taken with ENGL 2310. (Spring)