TRAIL SIX
An undergraduate journal of geography
Papers are submitted for blind review by a board of peer editors, after which they are voted on. Upon approval, Faculty members of the UBC Department of Geography are invited to review papers that align with their research interests and expertise. Reviewers and editors then collaborate with the authors to refine their writing before putting forward a final draft for approval by the Editor-in-Chief.
Current and previous editions of Trail Six are made available to the public on the principle that open-access research supports a global exchange of knowledge. The articles that constitute each volume are representative of the array of topics that comprise the discipline of geography. Situated at the intersection of the natural and social sciences, Trail Six continually seeks to disseminate innovative and original scholarship that appeals to the diverse intellectual palate of our readership.
Questions? Reach out to TRAILSIX@UBCGSA.CA
Trail Six is a nationally-recognized academic journal, published annually by students at the University of British Columbia’s Department of Geography.
It exists to publish the exemplary scholarly work of undergraduate students within the field of geography in a peer-reviewed, academic setting.
Article submissions for Volume 19 of Trail Six are now closed.
All undergraduate students currently enrolled at the University of British Columbia are encouraged to submit original scholarly work to Trail Six, a nationally recognized undergraduate journal, provided they meet the following criteria.
Submission Guidelines:
One submission is permitted per person.
You may not re-submit submissions from prior years.
Papers must have been written during or after the 2019/20 academic year. More recent work may be preferred.
Graduated students may submit work up to one year after graduation; however, the paper must have been written during their tenure as an undergraduate.
Papers from any field are permitted so long as they are related to geography or one of its sub-disciplines. This may include, but is not limited to: GIS, geomorphology, hydrology, politics & political geography, economic geography & global business, feminist geography, cartography, environmental sustainability, biogeography, climatology, social geography, or urban studies & planning.
The submission must not exceed 3500 words; this will be reduced to a maximum of 3,000 words in the editing process. Papers that exceed the 3500 word submission cap will not be considered.
Abstracts are not required for submission; however if the paper does not already have one, you must write one for the published version of the paper during the editing phase.
The submission must not have been previously published, nor be under consideration before another journal.
Papers written for classes from any year level are welcome, so long as they have not been submitted to Trail Six or another academic journal in the past.
Group work is permitted; one participant will work with Trail Six as the main author and all group members must consent to having their work published.
Papers should use APA citations. Submissions may be accepted if another citation style is used, but if the submission is successful, authors will be asked to change the style to APA.
You must be able to commit approximately 1 hour a week to the review process between January and March – though more may be necessary closer to publication.
Short-listed papers will be reviewed by the Trail Six editorial board and faculty members prior to publication. All submissions are anonymized and will be subject to a double-blind peer-review process.
How to submit:
Please include the following information in your submission:
Your manuscript must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document (.doc) or Google Doc. GIS and cartographic work must be submitted in an appropriate file format (.pdf is recommended).
A cover page for your manuscript must be included in the file. This must include the title of your paper, your full name (do not include your name in subsequent pages), the course for which the paper was written, and the course instructor for whom the paper was written for. Please indicate if edits have been made after the paper was graded. Edits are encouraged but are not necessary as we will work with you to refine your work.
The deadline for submission is December 31, 2024 at 11:59pm.
BECOME AN EDITOR
Editor Recruitment for 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 are now closed.
Please contact us at TrailSix@ubcgsa.ca for more information.
FAQ
What kind of work can I submit?
You may submit any paper for a Geography course, whether GEOB/GEOS (physical geography) or GEOG (human geography). GIS and cartography projects are encouraged, though please note that the final version of Trail Six will be printed in black and white.
Papers written for other disciplines may be submitted, though it is required that they are related to geography or one of its sub-disciplines. This may include, but is not limited to: GIS, geomorphology, hydrology, politics & political geography, economic geography & global business, feminist geography, cartography, environmental sustainability, biogeography, climatology, social geography, or urban studies & planning.
Can editors submit to Trail Six?
Yes, editors are welcome to submit to Trail Six. The double-blind review method ensures the anonymity of all authors so that submissions are reviewed without bias.
Can I submit a group project?
Yes, Trail Six welcomes group submissions. The group must designate one person to serve as the main author and all others must provide written consent allowing the work to be published in Trail Six. The main author may not submit any other papers to the journal.
When is the journal published?
Trail Six is published annually, with a new volume every March.