Guidelines for Presenters

• One does not have to be a member of RMMLA to propose a paper, but one must become a member by April 1 to appear in the program.
• Paper proposals based on a 300-word abstract are due to the session chair no later than March 1. The session chair is asked to notify applicants by March 15 of his/her selections.

• Members may submit papers to different session chairs. However, no one may read more than one paper at the convention. Members may, however, serve as presenter, Chair and Alternate Chair at a single convention. Involvement as an invited participant in a Special Event does not factor into this count.

• If one has a paper accepted in more than one session, it will be necessary to decide which to give and then notify the chair of the session to be dropped, as well as the RMMLA Secretariat of this choice. Failure to do so may mean elimination of one or both papers from the program. If a presenter is found to have two papers on the program and cannot be contacted to choose which one to drop, the Executive Director will choose, taking into account only how this will affect the two sessions concerned.

• Please limit remarks to the time alloted, in order to leave time for questions. In session with three presenters, this means 20 minutes; in session with four presenters, this means 15 minutes.
• AV Request Deadline = May 1. NOT ALL MEETING ROOMS have audio-visual equipment. If audio-visual equipment is needed, please notify the session chair AND the RMMLA Secretariat (by email at rmmla@wsu.edu). RMMLA offers the following AV equipment:
  • Computer projection with a PC laptop with USB ports
  • Pverhead projector
  • Slide projector
  • DVD-VCR players (Region 1, NTSC compatibility only)
  • CD-boombox
  At the present time, RMMLA does NOT offer Internet connectivity.

• Members who propose papers are expected to attend the convention to read at the scheduled time. The Program Committee does everything possible to vary the day/time a session meets from year to year, and to accommodate scheduling requests received by May 1, but not all requests can be granted. If an applicant has a paper accepted for the convention, we ask that s/he plan to attend and share her/his research/work. If one must cancel, please let the session chair and RMMLA know in a timely manner so that a replacement can be found.
• Papers may NOT be read in absentia.

• If the session chair does not arrive, please delegate someone as temporary chair/moderator and continue with the session, both for the sake of the audience and for the sake of the presenters who have made the effort to travel to the convention to present their paper and get feedback on their ideas. In such situations, senior faculty are urged to take on this responsibility, thereby modeling academic professionalism to junior faculty and graduate students who may be participating. Substitute chairs may request the absent chair’s folder from the Registration Desk, as it contains information on session chair duties, as well as the Chair’s Report Form. Thank you to all for your understanding and professionalism in this situation. RMMLA can do nothing to guarantee that a session chair will be present at his/her session. If we know ahead of time, we try to find a replacement, but if we are not given notice, there is nothing that we can do.

• Substitute chairs are also asked to hold elections for a new chair and alternate chair for the following year’s convention. Please return the completed Chair’s Report Form to the registration desk OR e/mail the information to the Secretariat (rmmla@wsu.edu) by November 1.

• Space has been left for one wheelchair in each meeting room. Please keep this area and the aisles clear for persons who may be using wheelchairs, canes, crutches, or motorized vehicles. Space should be left around the doors and aisles to allow access.

• People who are deaf or hard of hearing and who use sign language interpreters or read lips need to sit where they can see both the speakers and the interpreter. The interpreter may stand close to the speaker or within a direct line of sight to allow the audience to view both the speaker and the interpreter. Speakers should be aware of the location of interpreters and attempt to keep this line of vision clear.

• Given the uncertainties involved in using technology, presenters are advised to bring printed handouts, even if AV equipment has been requested.
• Presenters should bring an extra copy of their paper, even in draft form, for the use of members who wish or need to follow a written text. Speakers who use handouts should prepare a few copies in large-print format (boldface, 14-16-point font size) and briefly describe or read all handouts to the audience. Avoid colored papers. Speakers should indicate whether they want their papers and handouts returned.

• Consider the possibility that persons in the audience may be blind. Allow ample time when referring to a visual aid or handout, or when pointing out the location of materials. Briefly describe the materials.

• When not using an overhead projector, turn it off. This reduces background noise and helps focus audience attention on the speaker.

• Speak clearly and distinctly, but do not shout. Use regular speed unless asked to slow down by members of the audience, sign interpreters, or persons using real-time captioning.

• Because microphones often fail to pick up voices in the audience and because voices from the front of the room are often hard to hear from the back of the room, speakers should always repeat questions or statements made by members of the audience. In dialogues or discussions, only one person should speak at a time, and speakers should identify themselves so that audience members will know who is talking.

• Avoid speaking from a darkened area of the room. Some people read lips, so audience should have a direct and clear view of the speaker’s mouth and face.

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