Guidance for Contributors
Series-wide guidance for everyone who shapes the scholarly programme. Each edition page sets out its own deadlines, themes and submission portal.
Guidance for Session Chairs
The chair sets the tone of a session. A good chair keeps time without hurrying anyone, introduces each presenter with care, and turns a sequence of talks into a discussion. These notes cover the session from preparation to report.
The Role
Time
Keep every paper to its allocated slot so that delegates moving between parallel sessions can rely on the programme.
Fairness
Give every presenter the same introduction, the same time and the same courtesy, whatever their seniority.
Discussion
Draw out questions that connect the papers and bring the audience, in the room and online, into the conversation.
Before the Session
The Week Before
- Read the abstracts, and the full papers where time allows
- Confirm with each presenter that they will attend and in which mode
- Check the pronunciation of names and preferred forms of address
- Prepare one question for each paper in case the audience is slow to begin
On the Day
- Arrive or join at least fifteen minutes before the start
- Check the room, projector, microphones and online link with the technical support team
- Confirm that recorded presentations are loaded and play correctly
- Meet the presenters and agree the order and the time signals
Opening the Session
Start on time, even if the room is still filling. Welcome the audience, name the session and its theme, and explain briefly how questions will be taken, including from online participants. Introduce each presenter with their name, affiliation and paper title only; the time belongs to the presenter.
Timekeeping
Agree the signals with presenters before the session begins.
| Moment | Signal |
|---|---|
| Two minutes remaining | A visible card or a brief message in the online chat |
| Time reached | A second signal, asking the presenter to conclude |
| Thirty seconds beyond | A polite spoken intervention to move to questions |
Keep to the published start time of each paper. If a presenter is absent, do not move later papers forward: hold an open discussion instead, so that delegates arriving for a particular paper do not miss it.
Moderating Discussion
- Take questions in turn from the room and from the online audience
- Ask questioners to state their name and affiliation and to keep questions brief
- Give priority to those who have not yet spoken, and make room for early career researchers
- Redirect statements that are not questions, and close the discussion on time
- Where time allows, close the session by drawing out the threads that connect its papers
When Things Go Wrong
Technical Failure
Move to the next presenter while the problem is fixed, then return to the paper if time allows. For online presenters, ask the technical team to try a reconnection before rescheduling.
A Presenter Is Absent
Record the absence, keep to the published times, and use the slot for discussion of the papers already presented.
A Conduct Concern
Intervene calmly where behaviour breaches the Code of Conduct, and report the matter to the organisers as soon as the session ends.
After the Session
- Report any absent presenters to the organisers on the day
- Report any technical problems so that later sessions can be protected
- Pass on any conduct concerns promptly and confidentially
- Thank the presenters and the technical team