www.theconversation.com
About The Conversation US
TheConversation(theconversation.com)isanindependent,nonprofitpublisherofcommentaryand
analysis,authoredbyacademicsandeditedbyjournalistsforthegeneralpublic.Wepublishshort
articles(800-1000words)byacademicsontimelytopicsrelatedtotheirresearch.
Ourmissionis“topromotetruthfulinformationandstrengthenjournalismbyunlockingtherich
diversityofacademicresearchforaudiencesacrossAmerica.”
Who Reads TCUS?
OurarticlesarefreetoreadandfreetorepublishonaCreativeCommonslicense–anybodycan
republishourarticlesandweactivelypromotetheirrepublication.Wepublish~8articlesperdayand
throughpublicationandrepublicationhave6-7millionreadspermonth.
WeareregularlyrepublishedinlargenationaloutletssuchasTheWashingtonPost,Time,
Newsweek,CNN,ScientificAmericanandmanymore.ThroughourpartnershipswithTheAssociated
PressandCommunityNewspaperHoldings,Inc.ourarticlesarepickedupinlocalnewspapers–
providinganalysisincommunitiesthatwouldnototherwisebeenabletohearfromtheseacademics.
Bywriting,academicscanreachaudiencesinpublicationslocally,nationallyandinternationally.
What is The Conversation US looking for in an article?
Wereacttothenewswithexpertanalysisand
helpsetthenewsagendawithideasoriginatingin
academia.Oureditorsconsiderfourthingsinapitch:
● Isitofinteresttoageneralaudience?OurarticlesarereadacrosstheUnitedStatesand
internationallybynon-academics.Whatdoesalaypersonwantorneedtoknow?
● Istheideatimely?Timelinesscanmeanmanythings:newresearch,analysisofsomethingin
thenews,commentarypeggedtohistoricanniversaries.Whyshouldareadercarenow?
● Istheacademicanexpertinwhattheyarewritingabout?
● Cantheacademiccoverthetopicin1,000wordsorfewer?Ourarticlesarenot
comprehensive,butrathermakecriticalpointsthatthepublicneedstobeawareof.
Wearelookingforacademicstopitchusarticles.Thismeansyouwritea4-5sentencedescriptionof
thearticleandwegiveyoufeedbackpriortoyourinvestingtimeinwriting.Thebestwaytodosoison
ourpitchformhere:https://theconversation.com/us/pitches
Wesuggestthatyoureadafewrecentarticlestogetabettersenseofourwritingstyle.
Our Process
Theeditorialprocessisacollaborativeone.Authorsmustbeaffiliatedwithanacademicinstitution.
Onceapieceiscommissioned,oureditorsworkwithauthorstoestablishtheangleandstructureofthe
piece.Everypieceislineeditedforclarityandaccuracyandisreadbyasecondeditorandcopyeditor
beforepublication.Authorsmustfilloutadisclosureformlistinganyconflictsofinterest.Authorshave
controloverthefinalcopy:oureditorscannotpublishwithoutauthorapproval.
Benefits of Writing for The Conversation
Authorshaveaccesstoanauthordashboardandcanseethenumberofreadsthearticlehasreceived,
thegeographiclocationofthosereadersandbywhatmediaoutletsthearticlehasbeenrepublished.
DashboardsalsomonitorallengagementonFacebook,TwitterandLinkedInaswellascommentson
site.Thesemetricscanbeusedtodemonstratepublicengagementandeducation.
WritingforTheConversationhelpsensurethevoicesofresearchersarefrontandcenterinthepublic
square;improvesacademiccommunicationsskills;drivesmorereaderstoscholarlyarticles;and
connectsscholarsinsometimesunexpectedwaystobothotheracademicsandthegeneralpublic.