Submission Guidelines
What kind of articles do we publish?
We publish blogs that:
Have an argument: We publish blogs that argue for a point of view. A simple explainer or description will not suffice. You must put forth an argument. That requires claims and evidence to back them up.
Are persuasive: You should aim to convince a sceptical reader. Anticipate the strongest objections to your argument and address them fairly. Do not assume that readers already agree with you.
Are accessible: Write for an intelligent general reader, not a specialist. Avoid unnecessary jargon and explain technical terms when you use them. A reader should be able to follow your argument without specialised knowledge of the subject.
Make a clear contribution: Your article should tell the reader something they did not know, challenge a common assumption, offer a new way of looking at a problem, or draw out an implication that others have missed.
Are concise: Say what needs to be said and no more. Remove repetition, unnecessary background, and points that do not contribute to the argument. A shorter article with a clear argument is better than a longer article that loses its focus.
Language
Write in simple, clear English. Remember, your aim is to convince the reader, not to dazzle them with your vocabulary. Use British spelling. Prefer short, direct sentences. Use concrete words and active voice. Avoid jargon, unnecessary technical terms, and academic language unless they are necessary to make your argument.
A good blog post for this website will be between 600 and 1,200 words. Longer pieces are sometimes published if the argument warrants it.
Evidence and citations
Support factual claims with evidence. Link to the source wherever possible. Do not cite a source merely because it agrees with your argument. Make sure the source actually supports the claim you attribute to it. Distinguish between facts, interpretations, and opinions. Do not present a contested claim as a fact.
What do we not publish?
We are a policy and economics publication, not a newspaper. We are interested in ideas, arguments, and analysis, not news.
We do not publish:
News reports: Do not simply report on a new policy, government announcement, court ruling, or political development. Use current events as a starting point for analysis if they help you make a broader argument.
News commentary: A reaction to yesterday’s events is not enough. We want to understand what it means, why it happened, or what it tells us about a broader policy question.
Descriptive pieces: Do not simply describe a problem, trend, institution, or dataset. Tell us what the evidence means and why it matters.
Opinion without evidence: Having a strong view is not enough. Support your argument with evidence and engage with reasonable objections.
Partisan commentary: We do not publish pieces whose primary purpose is to praise or attack a political party, politician, or public figure. Focus on the policy or economic question.
A useful test is: Would this article still be worth reading six months from now? A good policy article may be prompted by something in the news, but the news should be the starting point, not the subject.
AI policy
We understand that you will use AI to help you research your piece, but please don’t submit an article generated by AI.
Email for submission
If you would like to send us an article, share it with us at eacademey@ccs.in