Instructions

Submission and Review Timeline

Abstracts cannot exceed ONE page, single-spaced (see detailed instructions below). 

Abstracts can be submitted until October 1, 2025, please click: SUBMIT ABSTRACT

IMPORTANT NOTE: You will need to register first (prior to submitting the abstract, Oxford Abstracts will ask you to create a profile/register first).

Abstracts are to be submitted electronically no later than October 1, 2025. Note that this deadline is two weeks later than last year’s. Abstracts submitted after this deadline will be returned without review.

Abstracts will undergo blind peer review by at least two reviewers. The Conference Planing Committee will make final decisions about abstracts’ acceptance.

During the submission process, the authors will be asked to indicate the abstract authors, their institutional affiliation, contact information, and preferred presentation format(s).

Please indicate who will present the paper if accepted when submitting the form. Presenters are expected to register for the conference at the applicable rate (e.g., student/retiree, TALS member, etc.)

Abstract Preparation

• An individual may be the first author on one research submission and one teaching submission, and may also be a second or later author on an unlimited number of submissions.

• Abstracts should follow the following format:

  • One-page maximum for the abstract (additional page for table/figure and references are allowed, see below). Abstracts exceeding this page limit or using a condensed font will be returned without a review. The text of the abstract may not run over onto a second page.

  • Abstracts should not have a cover page.

  • Tables and figures may be included on additional pages.

  • References should be included on an additional page and formatted according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th edition).

  • An abstract should be submitted as one file including the main body of the abstract, tables/figures (if needed), and references.

  • Abstracts must include a title and appropriate subheadings (e.g., Introduction, Methods, Findings, Discussion/Conclusions). Abstracts reporting conceptual and theoretical discussions should also have an effective set of subheadings.

  • Single space the text and use 12-point font Times Roman and one-inch margins on sides, top and bottom.

  • Track changes must not be visible.

  • Abstracts should be anonymous. No information that would identify the authors of the abstract should be included in the body of the abstract, file properties, or the file name.

  • Author identification should be removed from file properties (in Word, go to File, then properties, summary and remove author name).

  • Abstracts that do not meet all specifications will not be reviewed.

  • Authors requesting 1-hour presentations (research or teaching) should provide an outline of the session. This can be included on an additional page.

• Abstracts will undergo blind peer review by at least two reviewers. The Conference Planning Committee will make final decisions about abstracts’ acceptance.

• Example teaching and research abstracts can be found here and here, respectively.

Presentation Format

Options for submitting research or teaching abstracts include the following:

• Workshop or Extended Presentation (60 minutes): This is a 60-minute session with one presentation. The presenter(s) are responsible for planning the entire 60-minute session for a research or teaching presentation or workshop. Presentations selecting this length of time should plan significant time for audience engagement and discussion. Successful abstract submissions in this category will make it clear that the topic being presented will create substantial discussion, develop a skill (e.g., teaching method or pedagogy), and/or otherwise requires this time for effectiveness.

• Traditional presentation (20-minute presentation; 60-minute session): This is a 60-minute session with two 20-minute presentations. We will pair the presentations based on similar or contrasting topics. Presenters should allocate no more than 20 minutes for the presentation, with 10 minutes for Q&A. We encourage presenters to conclude their presentation with discussion questions for the audience participants, in addition to taking questions from the audience.

• Panel Presentation (90 minutes): This is a 90-minute session with one panel discussion. The panel session organizers need to submit a 1-page abstract written in accordance with the general abstract submission guidelines. The abstract should provide an introduction to the panel topic/ theme, summarize each panelist’s main points and experience/ expertise related to the topic, and identify questions/ goals of the panel talk. At least 3 panelists and 1 moderator are required for a panel session. The session organizer may be a moderator. All panelists are required to register and attend the conference.

• TALS Talk (5-minute presentations; 120-minute session): This is a 120-minute session with a series of 5-minute presentations that will occur concurrently with the traditional poster session (crossover attendance will be possible and encouraged). This category of presentation is inspired by the TED Talk delivery where presentations should focus on making strong, concise, focused points in a personable way. This creative category can include different media types (e.g., PowerPoint presentation, video, audio), performative methods (e.g., poetry, storytelling), or a combination of the two (e.g., Pecha Kucha format), but is limited to only 5 minutes. Presenters will be responsible for all aspects of their talk (e.g., presentation slide transition, audio/ visual aids) and will be assigned a specific time during the 120-minute session and will be able to float between the talks and the posters. Examples of TED Talks for inspiring presenters:

https://www.ted.com/talks/damon_horowitz_philosophy_in_prison?language=en (using storytelling)

https://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_williams_why_i_turned_chicago_s_abandoned_homes_into_art?language=en (supported with still images)

https://www.ted.com/talks/laura_schulz_the_surprisingly_logical_minds_of_babies?language=en (supported with video clips)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwpi1Lm6dFo (supported with PowerPoint)

• Traditional Poster (120-minute session): This is a 120-minute session with multiple posters displayed that will occur concurrently with the TALS Talk session (crossover attendance will be possible and encouraged). This is the traditional poster session that encourages presenters to be prepared to explain the study in one-on-one settings with attendees at the session. Poster dimensions should be 36” x 48” with a horizontal orientation.

Correspondence regarding abstract submission or questions about abstract structure/content should be directed to the Abstract Review Committee: Ms. Xue Yan (xueyan3@illinois.edu), Dr. Brian Kumm-Schaley (bkumm-schaley@uwlax.edu), Dr. Sammie Powers (spower5@gmu.edu), or Dr. Justin Harmon (jtharmo3@uncg.edu).