Submissions

Submission Instructions

PORTALES encourages the submission of both creative and expository student work related to the study of Iberian, Hispanic, Lusophone, Latin American, Latinx, Indigenous, or Caribbean languages and cultures. Ultimately, no explicit guideline limits this connection, such that the relevance of the aforementioned cultures and perspectives in the text is at the author and editors’ discretion.

All undergraduate students, irrespective of major or institutional affiliation, are invited to submit articles, fiction, or artwork. Recent graduates are eligible to submit work they completed as undergraduates. The Editorial Board welcomes the submission of independent research projects and essays as well as creative pieces, interviews, and nonfiction features on related topics (e.g., reviews of films, cultural events, academic forums, or museum exhibitions). Proposals are considered on a rolling basis, so there are no fixed deadlines for submission. In accordance to our double-blind editorial review process, submissions should be anonymous: please do not include your name anywhere in the document of your text (such as in the header or footer).

• Language: your text can be in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, or English.

• Approximate word count: The average feature in Portales is approximately 1,500 to 5,000 words in length, but the Editorial Board does not stipulate either a minimum or a maximum word count for consideration.

• Format: Please submit your draft in a Microsoft Word document (to allow for the editor’s comments and suggestions), double-spaced, on Times New Roman font, size 12. Please provide an abstract (250-300 words) with each submission.

• At the end of your piece, or on a separate file, write a list of 5-10 keywords relevant to your piece to allow for the text’s efficient classification within the journal and the library’s archive.

Note on the Editorial Process:

After you submit your piece for consideration, the Editorial Board will acknowledge your submission. Within the subsequent semester, you will receive a follow-up email, notifying you whether your piece was accepted for publication. 

If your submission is accepted, an editor will be in touch with you to collaborate on the review and editing processes. Once the piece is ready for publication, it will appear in a forthcoming issue of Portales.  

Policy on Inclusive Language in Spanish:

Regarding text submissions written in Spanish, authors are welcome to use either the linguistic guidelines as established by the Real Academia Española (RAE), to opt for explicitly inclusive language (including the use of ‘x’ or ‘e’ to replace gendered words, as exemplified in this guide) or to consult the United Nation’s strategies on gender inclusivity in Spanish. Portales does not endorse or recommend any of the aforementioned options in particular. Authors are encouraged to contact members of the Portales Editorial Board or the Editorial Advisor for advice on these linguistic policies.