Guidelines

Author Guidelines

Board Game Academics uses a double-anonymous peer review process for all submissions, which you can read more about here. 

Each year, we will provide a call for submissions outlining the theme and scope of the upcoming issue. Review the current call for submission here. 

Please read the full list of guidelines on this page before submitting your work. If you have any questions for our editors, please reach out at any time. 

Aims of Board Game Academics

Below are the aims of this journal and our editorial focus for work we will consider. Please review carefully before submitting.

To publish research that takes a critical approach to analyzing the role of gaming in society, psychology, pedagogy, and more.

Board Game Academics seeks to elevate voices from across the spectrum of academic writing to discuss how board games, tabletop roleplaying games, and other analog gaming experiences can serve as lenses through which broader discussions are held. 

To establish a place for iterative scholarship on tabletop gaming topics

Developing an ongoing conversation between scholars who have utilized tabletop game experiences in higher education settings.

To provide a platform for discourse that influences student engagement

Sharing practical applications and case studies of tabletop game use in student-facing situations.

What We Publish

The following list is not inclusive, but provides an idea of the types of work we are looking for

Reviews of up to 800 words, commentaries and opinion/editorial pieces of up to 2,000 words, and papers of 3,000-4,000 words. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

  • issues related to the history of tabletop games and their play
  • use of tabletop games in the classroom
  • gaming as an additive, pedagogical tool
  • paratextual creation (fan and otherwise) within tabletop gaming communities
  • political economy of tabletop games
  • the mediated depictions of race, gender, sexuality, etc. within tabletop games
  • adapting TTRPGs to therapeutic environments
  • investigating historical prominence of analog gaming
  • examining the sociological benefits of analog gaming

 

 

How to Submit

  1. View the call for submissions below and prepare an abstract of no more than 250 words describing your proposed topic and format. 
  2. Please include a copy of your CV and a preliminary works cited page (both in .PDF format). 
  3. Accepted abstracts will be notified by May 1. Confirmation is requested by May 31. 
  4. Citations should conform to MLA (9th ed.)
  5. The length of your manuscript should not exceed the listed lengths above depending on genre
  6. Do not include your name or any other identifying information anywhere on your submission. Include your name, institutional affiliation, and contact information (as needed) on a separate cover sheet). Attach your CV as a separate file with submission.
Submit Your Work