Faculty Mentors

Thank you for mentoring a student preparing a submission for Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship.

Your expertise is essential in helping students navigate the research, writing, and editing process and in ensuring their work meets the standards of scholarly publication.

You may also wish to review the Instructions for Students.

Types of Eligible Student Submissions

Student research submissions may include, but are not limited to:

Senior seminar research papers/projects
Original research projects
Literature reviews
Research papers completed for coursework
Translations
Research proposals
Research articles
Write-ups of other research studies

For original creative writing (fiction, poetry, plays, etc.), students should submit to Longwood’s undergraduate-run literary magazine, A Common Place.

Role of the Faculty Mentor

As a faculty mentor, your primary role is to guide your student throughout the research, writing, and revision process. This includes:

Assisting with research and data collection (if applicable)
Offering feedback on early drafts to help refine arguments, structure, and clarity
Guiding acceptable uses of AI and ensuring inclusion of an AI Statement (See Incite AI Policy)
Assisting with grammar, organization, and formatting (refer to the Incite Style Guide)
Recommending Writing Center support when needed
Review and sign off before the student’s initial submission on Digital Commons
Help your student interpret and implement editorial feedback
Review and sign off again before the student’s final submission on Digital Commons

Your name will appear alongside the student's name in the published version of the journal.

Submission Process

Initial Submission
Once the paper is polished, the student must:

Submit it to the Digital Commons: Initial Submission Site
Upload a completed Incite Cover Sheet Tempate 2025-2026 (doc) signed by you

Your signature confirms that you support the submission and believe it is suitable for publication.

Editorial Review

The Incite Editorial Board will review submissions and provide feedback, typically by late January via the student’s Longwood email.
Students will be matched with a board member with subject matter expertise when possible
If you'd like to join as a reviewer, contact Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell at shotwellhg@longwood.edu.

Handling Editorial Feedback

Students may receive more feedback than they can realistically incorporate. Help them prioritize revisions that most strengthen their work while preserving the integrity of their research and writing.

Use your discretion to balance ambition with practicality, and discuss the differences between publishing in Incite and in a professional academic journal.

Help your student prioritize which changes to implement
Use your expertise to guide revisions while preserving the student’s original intent
Clarify the differences between publishing in Incite and academic journals in your field

Final resubmissions are due mid-February.

Resubmitting the Paper

For the final submission, students must:

Upload the revised Word document to Digital Commons
Submit a new Cover Sheet, signed by you

Remind your student to follow the Style Guide carefully, especially the section on images.

Final decisions are made by Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell, in consultation with you and the Editorial Board.

Faculty Mentor Award Eligibility

Faculty mentors are eligible for a Mentorship Award, based on:

Student feedback
Quality of mentorship as observed by the Editorial Board

The Editorial Board will select the award recipient.

Celebrate Your Student’s Success

Students who publish in Incite are:

Automatically eligible for student awards
Recognized in the Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry (late April)
Provided printed copies of Incite at the Showcase

Thank you for playing an essential role in supporting student research and academic growth!

View, download, print Instructions for Faculty Mentors with Students Submitting to Incite 2025-2026 (pdf).