Baylor Senior Krystal Tan Publishes Paper in Undergraduate Journal
Baylor senior, Krystal Tan, is a History and Political Science double major, History Student Ambassador, and now, published author. Tan’s paper for Dr. Dan Watkins’s Capstone Seminar in European History, “Thibaudeau’s Paradox: A Revolutionary’s Complicity in Napoleon’s Empire,” was published in the Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History. Below, Tan shares insight into her inspiration for her paper topic and advice to undergraduates who would like to see their written work published. Be sure to read her remarkable paper at the link below!
- How did you come to choose Antoine-Claire Thibaudeau and his reluctant support of Napolean’s consolidation of power for your paper topic?
“I came across Thibaudeau while reading a book on Napoleon’s rise, which briefly mentioned his memoir. I’ve always been drawn to the inner political workings of government, and since Thibaudeau played that kind of role for Napoleon, he immediately caught my attention. I tracked down the citation, read and translated parts of the memoir, and found that he offered a unique perspective that challenged the usual narrative of unwavering support for Napoleon from those closest to him. As I dug deeper, I uncovered a great trail of primary sources that helped me build a narrative around his reluctant support—it also helped that I found him both fascinating and unexpectedly funny!”
- How did you decide to submit your paper for publication?
“I decided to try and get my paper published after encouragement from Dr. Watkins, who guided us through the revision process and introduced us to various journals. I hadn’t considered publishing before, but his support made it feel possible. After incorporating his feedback into my paper, I submitted it to the Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History.”
- Did you submit your paper to multiple publications or just the Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History?
"I had learned that you should only submit to one journal at a time, so I chose Armstrong, submitted it, and fortunately, it was accepted. The process of choosing the Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History was fairly easy. I read a few of their publications, enjoyed the content, and felt my paper may be a good fit! Some other journals had narrower focuses that didn’t align with my topic, so that helped narrow down the options."
- Do you have any advice for students who want to publish their work?
"I would just say, don’t be afraid to try, and don’t hesitate to ask for guidance. I didn’t realize publishing an essay was a feasible option until my professor mentioned it and gave incredibly helpful feedback that made the process feel much more approachable. And really—what’s the worst that could happen? If a journal turns you down, you just move on to the next one. It’s all part of the process."
You may read Tan’s paper in its entirety HERE.