Information For Authors

Author Guidelines

All students of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are welcome to submit to Double Helix Digest, provided the topic falls within the fields of biology, chemistry, or a related discipline.

Submissions may take one of two forms:

  1. Completed Drafts: Authors may submit a full-length article they have already written, provided it has not been previously published in Double Helix Digest or any other journal. These submissions will enter the editorial process as first drafts and will proceed through a series of guided revisions, including second, third, and subsequent drafts, with support from the editorial team.
  2. Topic Proposals: Alternatively, authors may choose to submit a topic proposal rather than a completed draft. In this case, the author will receive guidance from the editorial board to develop their article from the ground up. This includes support in outlining, structuring, writing, and revising the article through multiple drafts.

Before submitting, authors are responsible for securing all necessary permissions to publish any included materials such as images, documents, or datasets. All listed authors must give their consent to be identified as contributors. Where applicable, research involving human or animal subjects must receive approval from the appropriate ethics committee and comply with the legal and institutional standards of the country in which the study was conducted.

Submissions and inquiries should be directed to uiucdhd@gmail.com. Please note: An editor may reject a submission if it does not meet minimum standards of quality, in which case constructive feedback will be given. The author is then welcome to revise and resubmit.

Submission Categories

Double Helix Digest accepts a variety of article types that highlight student engagement in the biosciences. Submissions should fall into one of the following categories, and additional formatting guidelines may be provided upon acceptance.

  1. Review Article
    Review articles range from 2 to 10 pages and provide an overview or synthesis of current knowledge on a specific topic in biology, chemistry, or a related field. Authors are encouraged to explore areas of personal academic interest or relevance to recent developments in the life sciences. Articles shorter than 3 pages are considered short reviews, while those 3 pages or longer are considered long reviews. All review articles must include an abstract, introduction, conclusion, and in-text citations.
  2. Student Research
    Student research articles present original research conducted by undergraduate students, either independently or as part of a faculty-led project or research group. Articles in this category should include background, methods, results, and discussion sections, along with an abstract and proper citation of sources. Prior to submission, authors must obtain consent from any participating faculty, research mentors, or collaborators involved in the project.
  3. Faculty Feature
    DHD will publish one faculty feature in each volume. These articles must be exactly 2 pages in length (for formatting purposes) and aim to highlight the work and perspective of a current UIUC faculty member in the biosciences. Faculty features may include interviews, profiles, or overviews of current research initiatives. This category provides an opportunity for students to engage with and showcase the broader scientific community on campus. To maintain positive relationships with faculty and ensure professionalism, faculty feature articles are reserved for returning authors in good standing.
  4. Shorts
    Shorts are concise pieces that focus on emerging ideas or brief explorations of topics in the biosciences. The layout of these articles is flexible and varies based on content and author preference. Due to this range, formatting expectations for shorts are determined collaboratively between the author and the editorial team during the review process. All shorts must maintain scientific accuracy and include appropriate citations.

Citations

All in-text citations and works cited pages must follow the most current version of APA style (currently APA 7).

  1. For information on APA-style in-text citations, please see Purdue Owl’s guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html 
  2. For information on APA-style “works cited” pages, please see Purdue Owl’s guide: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html