Ideas in ALL Blog
Submissions
The Ideas In ALL blog is a forum to showcase the work being carried out in the Assisting Living and Learning (ALL) Institute by our members and as well collaborations with other universities, civil society, and stakeholders. We aim not only to present critical discussion on topical research issues, on current projects, but also deliver posts that reflect and analyse current global issues, that are relevant to the ALL mission. The Ideas In ALL blog aims also to be a platform for debate. It situates at the interface between academic scholarship and informative discourse geared to the general public.
We are interested in well-written and thought provoking and topical comments and analysis, and we welcome submissions and proposals that broadly address the Maynooth University research beacons listed below:
- Data and Digital Transformation
- Health and Wellbeing
- Heritage, Culture and Language
- Society and Public Policy
- Sustainability and Climate Change
Informal Contact
We are also happy to receive formal and informal approaches regarding possible submissions and proposals. If you have an initial idea for a post, do let us know at IdeasInALL@mu.ie
Requirements and Content Guidance
General
We assume that posts we receive are written by the author who sends it to us. Submitting authors are responsible for disclosing and acknowledging substantive contributions to a submitted post and all relevant institutional connections.
Structure and Content Essentials
Purpose and Relevance
Every blog post should start with a clear introduction stating its purpose and explaining why the topic matters — highlighting its importance, timeliness, or relevance. This draws readers in right away and shows the post’s value.
Blog Structure
Posts must follow a clear structure: introduction, key arguments, purpose, and conclusion. Include explicit links to ALL’s ethos, mission, and research. Maintain consistent terminology throughout.
Length
Aim for 900–1,000 words. Posts exceeding this will still be considered.
Format
Submit text in Microsoft Word format. All associated materials must be accessible.
Title
Use a short, suggestive title to draw readers in. Precision like an academic article isn’t needed — focus on sparking interest.
Author Bio
Include a brief bio, e.g. “Author: Delia Ferri – Co-Director of the ALL Institute, Department of Law, Maynooth University.” Add a link to your Maynooth University profile if relevant.
Research Beacon
Specify the relevant research beacon, e.g. “Health & Wellbeing.”
Images
Provide an impactful, relevant, copyright-free image with alt text. Alt text describes the image for visually impaired users and screen readers, be specific, especially for logos or icons.
Funding Acknowledgement
Include if applicable.
Tags
Add 3–5 tags in order of importance, starting with the most relevant, e.g. “Human Rights.”
Social Media Handles
Provide your preferred handles (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) for post promotion where possible.
Submission Timeline
Send drafts at least 10 working days before your desired publication date.
Style: Language, Tone, and Clarity
Your blog should be understandable and appealing to a non-expert audience. Use plain, accessible language and avoid technical or specialised jargon. If a term is essential to the topic but not widely known, include a short explanation or hyperlink to a reliable source. Ideally, weave the explanation naturally into the sentence.
Blogs for this platform should feel conversational and inclusive, inviting readers in rather than creating distance with overly formal or complex phrasing. The goal is to inform and connect with readers while maintaining accuracy and precision.
Write in an active and direct style. For example, instead of saying “It was highlighted by the report that…,” say “The report highlights….”
Be mindful of tone. Aim for an informative yet warm and approachable voice, you’re sharing ideas, experiences, and reflections, not writing an academic paper.
Prioritise clarity over complexity. Words like “engenders” or “ameliorates” can usually be replaced with simpler versions such as “creates” or “improves.” Keep sentences direct and concise.
Use examples and visuals where appropriate to ground abstract ideas and keep readers engaged. Ensure spelling conventions are consistent throughout (e.g. organise, realise, recognise or organize, realize, recognize).
Remember: Blogs are an opportunity to open up conversations and make research, initiatives, and ideas accessible to a broad audience. Clear, thoughtful, and engaging writing helps your message reach and resonate with as many readers as possible.
References and Links
Use hyperlinks within the text rather than footnotes, endnotes, or academic-style citations (for example, avoid “Ferri, 2022”). Links should direct readers to credible, relevant sources, such as journal articles, legislation, government policies, official documents, other blog posts, or news stories.
Use clear and descriptive link text so readers understand exactly where the link will take them. Avoid generic phrases like “click here” or “read more.” Where possible, weave links naturally into the sentence.
Avoid adding multiple links to the same source, and keep the number of links manageable. Too many links can overwhelm readers and make navigation difficult, particularly for users with cognitive or visual disabilities. The goal is to make each link clear, concise, and meaningful for every reader.
Purpose and Relevance
Every blog post should open with a clear introduction stating its purpose and why the topic matters to readers, highlighting its importance, timeliness, or relevance. This draws readers in and helps them understand the post’s value right away.
Blog Structure
Posts should follow a clear structure: introduction, key arguments, purpose, and conclusion. Include explicit links to ALL’s ethos, mission, and research. Use terms consistently throughout.
Co-authoring
Collaboration is encouraged, both with ALL members and external partners (e.g. civil society organisations).
Media Content
Original media (e.g. video, images) is welcome. All material must be accessible, see earlier guidance on alt text for images.
Original Content
Content should be original to the blog. Links to external sites (e.g. RTÉ Brainstorm) are fine.
Acceptance and Editing
Acceptance, Removal, and Publication: The editors reserve the right to decline to publish any post or to remove any post after it has been published. Submitting your article to the blog does not constitute an agreement on behalf of the Ideas In ALL blog to publish your post. If your submission is accepted, the editors reserve the right to publish the blog post when and how they deem appropriate.
Editing: The editors may edit all blog posts for style, clarity, and punctuation. Editing is carried out in a collaborative spirit with the author (s). Editing will ordinarily be pursued only so far as is necessary to render the text suitable for publication, and publication is not agreed until the final text is produced.
Republishing rights: Blog posts that have been submitted and accepted to the “ALL Blog – IDEAS IN ALL: A blog on assisting living and learning by the ALL Institute” in principle should not be re-published on another site. However, if the author wishes to re-publish her/his blog post s/he must accredit the original post and blog space, by adding a general disclaimer/citation: E.G. Original Post published on ALL Blog – IDEAS IN ALL – Delia Ferri (2020) ‘European Union Disability Policies after 2020: Back to the Future’ Ideas In All: A blog on assisting living and learning by the ALL Institute, 01/12/2020. https://www.ideasinall.com/
Cross-posting: The ALL blog in principle does not republish posts published elsewhere. However, authors are allowed to submit shortened or amended version of previously published articles/posts. Any posts that are not original articles and that have appeared on another blog or website will be acknowledged as such at the start of the piece. In that instance, they should change title and ensure that the content is not reproduced verbatim. The original publisher will be credited and a link to the piece will be included. It is the responsibility of the author to inform the editor if a piece of work is not an original piece of writing and if the piece has been submitted to any other media outlet for consideration or publication.
Disclaimer
The Authors are solely responsible as to the accuracy and correctness of any information included in their posts. The views and opinions expressed in the posts are those of the Authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the ALL Institute and/or of Maynooth University. The ALL blog cannot be held responsible for misuse of content within this blog by third parties. Nothing on this blog constitutes legal or professional advice.
You can send your post to IdeasInALL@mu.ie. For queries in advance to the submission you can contact one of the editors via the above email address.