Undergrads learn from academic journals nationwide. In BYU’s College of Humanities, they publish them too.
Stepping into the world of academic publishing can seem daunting, even for seasoned editors. Luckily, the College of Humanities publishes numerous academic journals to give students experience as writers, editors, and publishers long before entering the world of publishing as a professional. These journals cover a wide range of disciplines, from deep dives into Korean culture to thought-provoking philosophy topics, but each has the same purpose: to provide students with an experiential learning opportunity to help them become experts in their fields. For undergraduate Rachel Hart (Editing and Publishing ’25), having leadership roles on the staff of Schwa, the Linguistics Department’s academic journal, has given her the chance to practice what she learns in the classroom.
Joining an Undergraduate Journal
Initially, Hart joined the editing and publishing major to take her love of reading to the next level and, eventually, get paid to read every day. Hoping to get immersed in her studies, she then joined Schwa as a staff editor and quickly discovered that editing goes beyond simply reading the text—it requires an in-depth look at content, structure, and even the piece’s grammar. Hart explains, “I love to read, and I think a lot of editors start out that way. It obviously is a lot of fun to read what authors have written, but I think [working with Schwa] helps bring me a little more to reality [because] it’s not just fun and games.”
But that environment where I could learn and practice the things that I was learning in my classes really helped.
During her first two semesters with Schwa, Hart sifted through students’ journal submissions and provided critiques on chosen articles to help authors improve their work. Hart then became managing editor and helped the editor in chief by directing meetings, helping select pieces for the journal, and finalizing each entry for publication. She says, “I went into Schwa not really knowing what I was doing—I hadn’t really taken any serious editing classes yet.”
In winter 2024, Hart became Schwa’s editor in chief, a position she will hold into the upcoming fall 2024 semester. In this capacity, she has learned a great deal about leadership by overseeing each step in the editing and publishing processes and taking personal responsibility for each of the papers published by Schwa. As she prepares to start her fifth semester with Schwa, Hart notes that working alongside her peers and the faculty advisor has helped her develop confidence in her performance as an editor. She explains, “Confidence comes from experience. [While] the knowledge I’ve gained is from [my] classes, there’s only so much you can learn in classes.”
Journaling Beyond BYU
Now, as Hart prepares to graduate, she feels she has the experience needed as an editor to help her find and acclimate to a job editing fiction. Having learned a lot about writing queries, working with authors and other editors, holding leadership positions, and using the editing tools discussed in class, Hart now encourages students to get involved in a journal or any other experiential learning opportunity that interests them. She says, “Just start and take that step: apply for the internship or reach out to the professor or start working with a journal. It’s often the first step that’s the hardest.”
Just start and take that step: apply for the internship or reach out to the professor or start working with a journal. It’s often the first step that’s the hardest.
Hart believes that as students get involved with hands-on projects in their studies—such as journals, research, or internships—they will conclude their studies feeling both confident in all they’ve learned and excited about the future. She says, “Being able to experience the different steps of [editing and publishing] has taught me [that] I want to do [it]. It gave me the assurance that maybe it’s not exactly what I was thinking, but I still love it.”
Find a journal that interests you on the Linguistics Department website or on the Kennedy Center website.