Presentation Formats
Oral Paper Presentations
These will entail 20-minute presentations of the research study, findings, and implications. Overhead and PowerPoint projectors as well as other multi-media facilities will be provided by the university at no charge for presenters' use.
Poster Session
This involves 30-minute visual presentations of the research study, findings, and implications. Presenters will accompany the poster, with conference participants having opportunities for dialogue and personal interaction with the presenter(s) regarding the study. Poster boards will be provided by the university at no charge for presenters' use.
Organizational Strands
Accepted symposia will comprise a blocked-group of coherent and coordinated 20-minute paper presentations.
Other single-papers will be grouped together into time blocks so that topics align logically where possible.
Conference peer-reviewers will consider proposals within three strands. One is the results of empirical research studies. These typically comprise the majority of conference papers at EQRC. Ethnographic and traditional qualitative methods are accepted for presentation. Mixed designs are accepted, although purely quantitative studies are not appropriate for submission at this particular conference.
A second strand addresses qualitative methods. Papers addressing theoretical or methodological approaches to traditional qualitative research will be considered. Such papers obviously must show some relative value to the conference participants who are qualitative researchers.
A third strand addresses pedagogy in qualitative research. These papers address classroom and other teaching considerations for university professors who serve as instructors in qualitative courses. Peer reviewers expect theoretical and empirical underpinnings for the papers, rather than merely presenting teaching "tips."
Proposal Submission
Submit a 3- to 5-page proposal of your paper for our reviewers. Proposals must be double-spaced (12 point font) and can not exceed 1200 words or they will be rejected — in order to show fairness to all persons submitting proposals. Indicate the total number of words your proposal contains. Empirical research studies, critiques, conceptual, and theoretical papers will be considered. The proposal needs to include the following items, clearly marked with headings:
- Title.
- Name, affiliations of all authors, and contact person (including address, e-mail, and telephone numbers). Indicate the highest earned degrees of each author and professional positions (e.g., Associate Professor of Education, Doctoral Student, etc.).
- Identification of which author(s) will be attending the conference in order to present the paper. Note that only authors paying registration fees will be listed in the conference program. Registration is due no later than April 30.
- An abstract of approximately 120 words. (Indicate the number of words.) Note that if the proposal is accepted, this abstract will be printed in the conference program. Therefore, the abstract must summarize the research sample, method, and findings. The abstract should not contain unanswered questions.
- The conference committee will assign the presentation to either an oral or poster format. If you have preferences, you are free to indicate — understanding that the committee will make assignments based on conference planning assessment.
- Provide a very brief literature summary of previous, similar studies.
- Describe the sample with rationale. Pure convenience samples seldom justify a publishable study. Peer reviewers will pay particular attention to the rationale provided for the participants selected and the sample size. In the last few years, failure to provide an apt rationale for the sample and sample size has been a salient reason for proposals not being accepted for presentation at EQRC. Samples of five individuals or less should be identified as case studies or pilot studies.
- Describe the methods used in the study (if the study is empirical). Peer reviewers are well versed in qualitative methods, so focus on rationale rather than describing the basics of a particular qualitative method. That is, explain why a particular method was utilized for the study, compared to alternatives.
- Indicate the results of the study. Enumerate clearly the findings of the study. Numbering the results helps the reviewers clearly understand this section of the proposal.
- Relate interpretations and significance of the study. If theory was used in interpreting the findings, then explain (in non-jargon terms) a clear rationale for why this theory was applied, compared to alternatives. For example, it is insufficient to state that, say, constructivist (or feminist, or postmodern, or etc.) qualitative theory was utilized. A convincing rationale for using this theory needs plain explanation-beyond it simply is one's own bias. When using classical qualitative methodology, atheoretical reports of the research findings are appropriate.
E-mail your proposal by March 24 as an attachment, using Word or WordPerfect software, to eqrc@cedarville.edu.
After submitting your proposal, you will receive an e-mail confirmation within one week. You will be informed regarding the status (acceptance or not) of your proposal within three weeks of the submission, but no later than April 14.