Time Allotments: Each panel period is scheduled for approximately one hour and thirty minutes. During the panel session, the presentation of each paper should take no more than fifteen minutes. Discussants and responses from authors should take no more than a total of fifteen minutes. A minimum of fifteen minutes should be allotted for audience participation.
Role of Chair: At the meeting, panel chairs should provide a brief introduction of participants; and a brief overview of the panel (for instance, common themes). Chairs should act to move proceedings along and recognize questions from the floor. The panel chair should be firm in limiting excessively talkative participants
Paper Copy. If the panel chair does not receive a copy of the participant’s paper by the set deadline, then s/he should contact the author to request copies for all panel participants.
Replacements. Panel chairs should recruit replacements for discussants who withdraw from participation.
Communication. Please keep the section and program chairs informed of all panel changes as soon as possible in order that the printed program may be as accurate as possible.
Role of Discussants. Discussants should address the significance of any substantive problems with the papers during the panel. Try to limit remarks to no more than three or four major points in a single paper. Stylistic critique is useful and generally appreciated by the authors, but should be communicated outside the panel by marginal or separate notes and conversation. Further, discussants's comments should be courteous and constructive even when critical of papers.
Role of Authors. Paper authors are expected, as courteous and responsible professionals, to complete their papers and send their copies by the set deadline to the other members of the panel, including the panel chair, the discussants, and the other authors on the panel.
Do Not Read the Paper. Paper authors should prepare complete, written papers, but during the panel they should only present findings and significance rather than read the paper.
Bring Copies. Paper authors are encouraged to bring printed copies of their papers for distribution to members of the audience. Also, it would be very useful in adding to the professionalism of the conference if each paper would provide copies for the exhibition area for interested conference participants.
Awards. Panel chairs should forward to their section chair papers to be considered for the one of the awards in either the faculty or graduate student categories.
Withdrawals. If a panelist must withdraw from participation, he/she should inform the panel chair and the program chair as soon as possible. There are often other persons who proposed papers or who wish to act as discussants, but could not be included in the program because of the limited number and size of the panels. A current non-participant might be able to fill the vacancy. Unjustified no-shows might lead to a prohibition to participate in future conferences
Pre-registration. All participants should pre-register by the deadline indicated in the Call for Participation to insure that their names will be printed in the Final Program and to take advantage of fee discounts.
Projection Technology at the Conference. Unfortunately, there will be no computer projection technology available at this conference. Plan on making your presentation the traditional way: with no PowerPoint slides. However, you may, instead, distribute printed copies of your slides to the audience (approximately 10 or 15 copies). Sharing complete printed papers is also good.