SPARK Reviews

Spark Reviews

Spark Reviews are short 1,500 to 3,000 word reviews on any artistic production which the author finds personally and/or culturally significant. Reviews might explore books, poems, plays, films, television series, exhibitions, music, video games, or other forms of creative expression. The stance taken by reviewers may be favourable or unfavourable, or fall somewhere in between.

The purpose of Spark Reviews is to showcase the author's individual writing style and analytical skills. Reviewers are encouraged to write for a general audience, and to take a slightly less formal approach to their subject than what is usually required of peer- reviewed academic articles. They may also choose to compare texts or a selection of pieces, structuring your review in a style which suits you best.

Submitting your proposal

Submissions for Spark Reviews are open to current students and alumni of St. Anne’s College. Proposals can be submitted anytime throughout the year to Spark Reviews Editor, Brittany Hause, at brittany.hause@st-annes.ox.ac.uk. Individual submissions must not exceed two sentences and must give a clear indication of the themes and work(s) that the author would like to write about. Writers may submit more than one proposal.

Deadlines for Spark Reviews drafts do not run concurrently with the other sections of STAAR. Normally these deadlines are set for one month after the SR Editor has confirmed the topic and on an individual basis to fit around the author's academic and professional work. The final deadline for Spark Review proposals is Monday 21st June.

All reviews will be published online, and a small selection to appear in the 2021 print edition. Spark Reviews for the 11th issue of STAAR will follow APA citation guidelines.

Firework Competition

Spark Reviews accepted for publication are automatically entered into the journal’s annual Firework Competition for the chance to win a small cash prize at the end of the academic year. The winner will receive £100 and the runner-up £50. Last year’s winner was Andreea Scridon for her review on A Socially-Distanced Romeo and Juliet at Sadler’s Wells .