Submit to OR
Submissions for Volume 14 are CLOSED!
Thank you for your work!
We appreciate all the submission we’ve received over the past six months. Submissions for Volume 15 will re-open in September 2024.
Our Vision
We at Occam’s Razor are committed to honoring the complexity and humanity within the practice of research and writing in every discipline. Often, our academic discussions about research prioritize the product over the process. We acknowledge the messy reality of research writing: the long sleepless nights, the agony over finding just the right word to sum up a concept, the third (or fourth, ninth, fourteenth) drafts, and the nagging imposter syndrome. To divorce research from its chaotic process of creation would be to ignore its joy and excitement as we grow into inquisitive students of the world we live in.
As a result, we want to know our authors as people and to glimpse their writing process as integral to their final product. In addition, we welcome creative approaches to research topics, which could take an infinite variety of forms, diverting from the standard essay using personal reflections, integrated sound clips or videos, artistic renditions, and more. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Submission Rules
Western undergraduate students may submit academic work (essays, research papers, etc.) from any discipline.
Submissions must be from an undergraduate class, program, or independent research associated with WWU.
Submissions can be from the current or any previous quarter.
Students may submit up to two papers per yearly reading period.
Recent graduates may submit their undergraduate work up to one year after graduation.
*Note* Occam’s Razor will not publish essays that are over 15 pages. However, if your paper is more than 15 pages, you are welcome to submit it. However, if your piece is chosen, you will be required to work with an editor to cut it down to the page limit.
There are two deadlines for submissions: November 17th and February 2nd.
Publication Process
If your paper is selected, an Occam’s Razor editor will work with you one-on-one to prepare your piece for publication. The first submissions are edited in January, and the second in February-March. You will be invited to speak about your published work at our annual release party in May. Occam’s Razor is published both online and in print every spring quarter.
Before you submit, we suggest reviewing previous volumes of Occam's Razor to gain an idea of the writing we have published.
Submission Format Guidelines
Word (.doc) file
Title must be included in document
References must be included in document
Anonymity throughout file: do not include your name
Submission Instructions
1. Email your anonymous Word (.doc) file to occamsrazor@wwu.edu. If your file is too big, let us know, and we’ll help you out.
2. Using the form below, provide your personal information. Please include the following:
Your name and email address
The discipline and class (or research/program) your work originated from. (Ex: English, ENG 410)
The title of your piece
A sample author bio typed into the 'Message' section. Tell us who you are, and why you wrote this paper. We are especially looking to publish work by Black students, Indigenous students, students of color, LGBTQ+ students, neurodivergent, and disabled students. If you hold one or more of these identities, we encourage you to include that information in this space.
Note: Each student may submit up to two essays per year. Please submit both items separately, with independent author bios. If you decide to withdraw your submission, please contact us at occamsrazor@wwu.edu.