MSERA 2023 CALL FOR PROPOSALS

‘Bold New Beginnings’

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While we welcome all proposals, our theme of ‘Bold New Beginnings’ encourages research presentations  on social issues and equity across a variety of differences and intersections, including (but not limited to) race, ethnicity, sexual identity, orientation, language, culture, gender, religion, and ability. 

 

Proposals Eligible for Submission

All members of MSERA and others are invited to submit proposals for the following sessions:

• Paper- presentation of completed research via discussion or roundtable

• Poster- may showcase completed research or other educational topics 

• Symposia – open forums or panel discussions on educational topics

• Training - instructive sessions on relevant and popular topics in education

• Research in Progress (RiP) - presentation opportunity for students only

 

Only proposals submitted online via the proposal system by June 30, 2023, will be considered. Proposals are to be submitted as abstracts. The word count limit is 500 (excluding RiP). Proposals exceeding 500 words may be rejected. Submitting a proposal acknowledges that you have read and understand all details of the Call for Proposals.

Each year, MSERA recognizes up to one thesis or dissertation with the Herbert M. Handley Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Award and up to one other scholarly paper with the James E. McLean Distinguished Paper Award. All submissions for the James E. McLean Outstanding Distinguished Paper Award and the Herbert M. Handley Outstanding Thesis/Dissertation Award must be submitted as a proposal for the Annual Meeting and also must follow specific instructions for subsequent full-paper submissions for each award as indicated on the MSERA website. Direct all questions regarding these awards to the Distinguished Papers Committee chair, George Noflin.
 

Descriptions of Eligible Proposals

Paper

Paper sessions are for sharing completed educational research, program evaluation, position papers, or literature reviews. Presentations will be grouped by topic and assigned to a lecture-style or roundtable format. Each presenter has 10-13 minutes to present, followed by a general discussion.

An abstract for a paper presenting research, evaluation, or program results should include:

• Problem Statement

• Brief description of the research that provides the theoretical grounding for the problem

• Summary of the methodology, including a description of data collection, instrumentation, analysis, and sampling

• Results

• Conclusions/implications of the study

Evaluation criteria will include those five areas. Abstracts not including this information in sufficient detail to enable reviewers to evaluate the study adequately are likely to be rejected.

Poster

Posters can showcase completed research, program evaluation, position papers, or literature reviews. They may also address current educational topics of interest to the audience. Abstracts should describe the topic, methods used (if applicable), and the topic's significance. Presenters will receive a 36" x 48" tri-fold board and clips, with no additional equipment or electrical access. The display is a 50-minute session during which attendees can engage with presenters to discuss their research. Plan for short presentations every 10 to 15 minutes.

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Symposia

Symposia are 50-minute sessions that offer flexible opportunities to explore key issues in education and research. Proposals need not necessarily report research results but should be grounded in current research or address current educational topics of interest to the audience. Symposia may take the form of panel discussions or open forums that involve the audience in problem-solving around complex educational issues. Abstracts should include the topic, an overview of the session (which may include summaries of papers/presentations), and the topic's significance. The symposium organizer should be listed as the primary author, with other authors/presenters included as co-authors. If the organizer presents a paper, they should be listed among the co-authors as the primary author.

 

Training

Training is offered in either 50-minute or 110-minute formats on relevant and popular topics in education, such as research methods, academic scholarship goals, publication, recruitment, mentoring, leadership, collaboration, dissemination, and professional development. Abstracts for training should include the topic, an overview of the session, the topic's significance, and the desired session length.

Research-in-Progress (RiP) Presentations - Students Only

Research-In-Progress (RiP) allows students participating in ongoing research or research near completion to present research projects at various stages of development in an environment conducive to constructive feedback, suggestions for improvement, and ideas for the continuation and completion of research projects. The Mid-South Educational Research Foundation (MSERF) selects presenters to receive a monetary stipend. For more information about RiP, visit the University Students website and the Research-in-Progress Awards website. Direct all questions regarding RiP to University Student Director, Mindy Waldrop, and include “MSERA RiP” in the subject line.
 

Participation Requirements

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• To participate in the Annual Meeting, all presenters (including co-authors in attendance) must be paid registrants and check in at the registration desk prior to their presentation(s). Consistent listing of author/presenter names is requested to avoid confusion.

• An individual may be the primary author/presenter of up to two discussion papers, posters, symposia, or trainings, but can be a co-author/presenter in as many proposals as desired.

• Notification of acceptance will be emailed by September 1, 2023, and presentation times will be communicated by October 1, 2023. Scheduled presentation times will not be changed. By submitting a proposal, you agree to present at your assigned time, Wednesday - Friday.

• For the paper category, presenters are expected to make their papers available to attendees by uploading completed manuscripts to the proposal system. Instructions will be provided to the primary authors of accepted proposals. Visual aids for a presentation or slides do not constitute a "paper" submission and will not be considered appropriate submissions. Completed manuscripts will be available online after the Annual Meeting and are not considered publications.

 

Electronic Presentation Equipment

A screen and data projector will be available in each meeting room. All other equipment--including laptop computers or tablets--must be provided by each presenter. Laptop computers will not be provided. Data projectors will be accompanied with VGA cables (possibly HDMI cables); presenters must provide their own Mac adapters or HDMI cables.

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Proposal Timeline (Tentative Dates)

     

April 1, 2023 - Proposal system opens

June 30, 2023 - Proposal system closes

September 1, 2023 - Proposal acceptance decisions sent out

October 1, 2023 - Presentation date/time notifications sent out

October 15, 2023 - Annual Meeting early registration ends

November 8-10, 2023 - Annual Meeting held; on-site registration available

November 9, 2023 - Presentation of paper awards at Annual Meeting business meeting

November 30, 2023 - Completed manuscripts of presented papers due

When you click on the ‘Submit Your Proposal’ button, you will be asked to create an account with Oxford Abstracts, our conference platform. We look forward to reading your submissions!