JSM Guidelines for Participants

A draft manuscript is proof of a "paper in progress." It can be a copy of your presentation slides or vu-graphs, a copy of your handouts, a detailed draft outline of your presentation or a draft copy of your final manuscript. A draft of your paper is required by June 1^st and to be submitted to the session chair. If you have a later draft, with major changes, send a copy to the session chair. You will find the tips below helpful to your participation.

It is also helpful to send the Session Chair prior to the JSM:

Now that the written version of your paper is in hand, you must prepare an oral presentation version of the paper.

Remember that many points sound differently when presented orally than when the reader can go back and forth over the printed words and symbols.

Presentation time is limited, generally restricting you to only the main points of your paper.

Speak from notes - do not read verbatim the written version of your paper.

Be sure to use handouts or visuals, especially if you have formula, data or graphics.

Handouts are recommended. However, you should not merely read the handout to your audience.

Handouts have an advantage over visual aids in that they are not subject to equipment availability and can be kept by the audience.

Handouts should include your name and address for those who want to request the final version of the paper. Prepare at least 100 handouts. If you run out of handouts, be sure to collect business cards or names and addresses to mail copies later.

The key word is aid. Your visuals are to convey information in an understandable form to the audience. Avoid illegible clutter or "death by the vu-graph."

An overhead projector (transparency type only), a 35mm carousel slide projector, and screen will be standard equipment in every meeting room. Blackboards will not be provided. Other equipment can be arranged in advance, but may be at the author’s expense.

All speakers find it valuable to practice their delivery before the actual presentation.

Practice your talk. Get colleagues to listen to you, including some who are not too knowledgeable on the topic of your paper; they will be able to point out places where you may not come across clearly.

Make such rehearsals as realistic as possible and time them. Refining your timing is one of the most important aspects of your rehearsal.

Leave a message for your session chair on the JSM Message Center to acknowledge your arrival.

Check the location of your room, so you can arrive on time.

Arrive at the meeting room 10 minutes before the session begins to take car of last-minute details. Be sure that the Session Chair knows you are there.

Make arrangements with the chair for the distribution of your handouts.

Stay aware of the time for your presentation. The chair is required to stop your presentation at the end of the allotted time, regardless of whether or not you are finished.

Speak clearly and loud enough to be heard in the back of the meeting room.

Stay for the entire session, for the courtesy and benefit of your audience and your co-speakers.

Obtain a copy of papers and handouts for each presenter.

Obtain a biographical sketch of all participants. Prepare a brief introduction for each.

If the presenters have handouts, arrange for someone at the session to help distribute them at the appropriate time.

Before the Session Begins

All Session Chairs will have a form available in the meeting room requesting information about session attendance and the quality of presentations. Please fill out the form and return the completed form to the Meetings Registration Desk or mail to the ASA office following the meeting.

Contact the speakers and/or the session organizer to ensure that you get copies of the papers well before the meeting.

Familiarize yourself with the papers and prepare your discussion

Send the Session Chair a brief biographical sketch of yourself.

Arrive at the meeting room about 10 minutes before the session begins. Make sure that the Chair knows you are there. If you have not met the other participants, introduce yourself.

With the Chair's help, be aware of the time available for your remarks.

Prepare about 10 minutes of discussion, and reserve the remainder of your time for extemporaneous reaction to the presentation.

Your role is to begin discussion of the paper(s) to stimulate the audience, and to clarify the author's points.

Prepare a question for each speaker to help if the open discussion begins to lag.

Bring extra blank transparencies for on-the-spot visuals.

A draft manuscript is proof of a "paper in progress." It can be a copy of your presentation slides or vu-graphs, a copy of your handouts, a detailed draft outline of your presentation or a draft copy of your final manuscript. A draft of your paper is required by June 1^st and to be submitted to the session chair. If you have a later draft, with major changes, send a copy to the session chair. You will find the tips below helpful to your participation.

A poster session is a presentation where materials such as maps, photographs, graphs, charts, and/or tables are posted on a display board along with brief textual summaries of their work. Ideally, a well-constructed poster will be self-explanatory. Successful poster presentations are those which achieve both coverage and clarity.

Each poster display should include a lettered sign giving the title and the name(s) of the presenter(s). This sign should be 6" in height with letters at least 2" high in a bold font.

Extensive, imaginative use of captioned illustrations, photographs, graphs, or other types of visually appealing material is an extremely effective mode of communication in a poster presentation.

People attending a poster session are free to move about from poster to poster and does not allow time for people to read excessive text. Text should be limited to four or five pages of double-spaced, 16-20 point text. This will allow lettering to be read from several feet away.

Do not mount materials on heavy board because these may be difficult to position on the poster board.

Be sure to provide clear labels for each section of your presentation.

Each poster is part of a session and will remain in place for 2 hours. Check the program for time and location.

Locate your assigned space and have your materials posted and organized before your scheduled time. The space will be available 60 minutes ahead of time.

You must be present during the two-hour period and your material must be posted to be eligible for publication in the JSM proceedings volume.

After the presentation is concluded, remove your posted materials immediately.

You will be provided with an 8' x 4' display board, push pins, and a table. Bring other materials that you might need, such as tape. Do NOT write or paint directly on the display board.

Audio-visual equipment for contributed posters is not provided. Electricity (two outlets per poster booth) will be provided at no additional cost in all poster booths. Telephone and other audio visual equipment must be arranged at the author’s expense with the appropriate vendors.