Defining the Ideal Piece 

 
 
In your group… 

1) Share your piece and the qualities/achievements of that piece which make it a good example of your genre.  

2) Work together to make a list of qualities/qualifiers for each genre as a checklist which you will each refer to 
during the selection process (this can be qualities that go beyond the ones listed for the example you brought 
in).  

3) V
​ iew this document, “Submissions Criteria,”​ which has been used as a rubric/checklist for the board in the 
past. Is there anything from these lists you would like to add to the lists you just made? 

Sample: 

Pieces 

Genre  Piece + Attributes/Achievements 

Creative Nonfiction  Member: ​Jordana Levine

Example​: I think a great example of

a quality piece of creative nonfiction
is a documentary I recently watched,
called ​Sinatra: All or Nothing at All ​(a
biopic of Frank Sinatra).

Attributes/Achievements​: It
thematically segments each part of
Sinatra’s life under the titles of his
real-life songs, much like a record
album. This introduces a creative
cohesion to an otherwise literal,
non-fiction body of information (his
major life events). Also, it is
historically accurate, and the
presentation is clean and concise.
 

Fiction  Member​: Joe Doe

 Example​: I think a great example of
a quality piece of fiction is
sld;kfja;sdlkfjasl;dkfjals;df.

Attributes/Achievements​: Reason A,
B, C.
 
 

Checklists  

Creative Nonfiction: 

-Creative techniques unifying facts/ideas  

-Clear message/theme  

-Original/not cliche  

Fiction: 

-Clear theme 

-Well-developed characters 

*END OF SAMPLE PAGE* 

Committee workspaces begin on the next page. 

 
 

Committee: Natural & Social Science & Gender/Ethnic Studies 

Pieces​: 

Genre  Piece +Attributes/Achievements   

Natural Science  Member: Austin Nash

Example​: Hibernation and Daily

Torpor Minimize Mammalian
Extinctions

Attributes/Achievements​:
Concise writing
Supporting figures
Distinct question

Social Science  Member: ​Niamh Horan

Exa

e​: GIVING UP ON THE SUPREME

mpl​

COURT: THE ROLE OF POLITICAL

GRIEVANCE AND BETRAYAL

Attributes/Achievements​:

Natural Science  Member:​ Jaclyn Gary

Example​: High diversity and host
specificity observed among
symbiotic dinoflagellates in reef
coral communities from Hawaii
Attributes/Achievements​: thorough
intro, clear methods

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:
 

   

   
 
Checklists​: 

concise writing  

supporting figures 

distinct question 

logical flow  

thorough introduction 

clear methods  

Additional Comments: 

These disciplines are often very structured in professional journals which serve as a 
model for our sections 

Committee: Humanities & Creative Writing 

Pieces​: 

Genre  Piece +Attributes/Achievements   

Humanities   Member: ​Jaxon

Example​: ​Capitalist Realism
 Attributes/Achievements​:
● novel/unique
● Contemporary
● Cultural critique
● Well written/accessible

Creative Nonfiction  Member: ​Evan and Ciera

Example​: ​Hyperbole and a Half,
Grizzly Man
Attributes/Achievements:
● Greater impact than
individual story
● Uniqueness in topic
● Balances narrative and
information

Fiction  Member​: Taylor

Example​: ​The Husband Stitch, Eight
Bites
Attributes/Achievements​:
● Commentary beyond the
story
● Purpose—worth it to read
● Engaging, vibrant prose

Poetry  Member: Sravya, Noah

Example​: ​GULP GULP by Sandy
Song, Honors Journal 2018
Attributes/Achievements​:
- Spoke of issues that are not
usually heard
- Unique poem structure that
showcased cultural
differences
- Educated the audience on
unique struggles
 

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:  

   
 

Checklists​: 
 - Promote a better/larger understanding of the topic 
- Something unique in the structure that discusses a topic differently, or 
mentions a topic not usually talked about (some unique factor?) 

Additional Comments: 

Committee: Art 

Pieces​: 

Genre  Piece +Attributes/Achievements   

Photography / Visual Art (Ceramics)   Member: ​Ruthie Angevine

Example​: Ceramics Exhibit /
Photography Prints of local artist’s
ceramic collection
Attributes/Achievements​: T ​ he visual
displays and prints were clean and simple
allowing for the viewer to focus their
attention on the craft of each piece and
limit their distractions. I liked that I was
able to see multiple styles and mediums
created by one artist and think that could
be something we experiment with in the
journal as well. Seeing this collection
makes me think that our submissions
should not only be clean and professional
in their appearance by range in both
medium of physical art and in simplest vs
interpretive nature.
 Music  Member: ​Hannah Richardson
Example​: Faraway Look by Yola
Attributes/Achievements​ I love that it
defies genres, has excellent
production quality, and is something
that's never really been heard
before. The whole work is also very
cohesive. You can tell just from
looking at the album cover what the
songs will sound like, and all of the
songs are in the same wheelhouse,
though each is unique in its own
way.

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:
 

   

   

Checklists​: 

- Genre bending pieces  

- Eye catching  
- Cohesive  
- High production value, clean and pleasing to look at  
- Adds diversity  
- Individuality of artist  
- Contemporary and new pieces  

Additional Comments: 
  

Committee: Design & Media 

Pieces​: 

Genre  Piece +Attributes/Achievements   

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:  

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:

  Member:
Example​:
Attributes/Achievements​:
 

   

   

Checklists​: 

Additional Comments: