Undergraduate journal Crossings is hoping to increase presence online

All undergraduate students at the University of Alberta have the opportunity of getting published in Crossings, an undergraduate academic arts journal.

Crossings publishes written essays and articles, media like visual photography and art, and does peer-review for both written and media submissions. If you’re an undergraduate student who has done work for a class offered by the faculty of arts, and the grade was no less than an A minus, you’re eligible for submission.

The journal is a creation of the Organization for Arts Students and Interdisciplinary Studies (OASIS), and receives most of its funding from OASIS. Crossings was created by OASIS to showcase the diverse research from all of the programs in the faculty of arts and this is the third year of publication for the journal.

Crossings looking to expand online presence

This year, Crossings is looking to expand its online presence with digital media and interactive submissions. Hailey Lothamer, editor-in-chief of Crossings and OASIS vice-president (academic), is hoping to have a more engaging and interactive display of media through the digital and physical versions of the journal. Lothamer wants to explore all creative sides of the faculty of arts, going beyond the traditional and academic journal that Crossings is known for.

“We want to make Crossings as representative of the faculty of arts as possible,” Lothamer said. “It’s an ambitious task because the faculty of arts is very decentralized, and it has a large [variety] of materials it covers. That is why we want to expand [Crossings‘] online and media presence.”

The department of media and technology studies is newly established in the faculty of arts, and Crossings wants to provide more opportunities for students in this department through interactive publications.

“I’m hoping to tap into other media submissions or work with [technological creations] students have done, because I think it would be a really cool thing to showcase on Crossings,” Lothamer said.

Getting involved in the peer-review process is also an option for those who don’t want to submit their own work.

“We aim to make Crossings a beneficiary for the students in the faculty of arts whether they publish with it, or whether they’re looking to volunteer and gain some experience in peer-review,” Lothamer said.

For those who want to publish their work — whether it be academic, creative, or both — Lothamer recommends looking into Crossings.

“I think it’s a fantastic opportunity … not only do we strive to uphold academic standards and make it a learning process for students, [Crossings] is also a great way to showcase your work.”

Submissions will be opening beginning of December, with the exact date to be announced.