2023 INSTRUCTIONS FOR SESSION CHAIRS

Planning Sessions

1. Rules for Participation: Session chairs should review the Rules for Participation carefully. Please note especially the participation policy (1 paper presentation maximum, and 3 total appearances on the program); session chairs who solicit papers for their sessions should inquire whether the invitee has already submitted a paper to another session, and if so, should withdraw their invitation to prevent a conflict since a single person may not present or be the first author on more than one paper. A workshop presentation does not count as an academic paper presentation, but it does count as an appearance on the program.
2. Session/Workshop Length (in-person/Chicago): Sessions and workshops are scheduled in time slots of 125 minutes in length. Please plan for no more than two hours and five minutes per session. Each session can accommodate 4-6 papers and chairs should allow at least 5 min. for discussion and transition after each paper. Workshops can accommodate a maximum of ten 10-minute presentations. Please note that any session with papers that exceed this time limit or that does not allow time for discussion will be sent back to the session chair for reduction and revision. If a session receives more than six high-quality papers that a chair wants to accept, it will be automatically considered for an additional section/time-slot. Workshops, as well as sessions in honor of an individual or book, are limited to one time-slot. Sometimes the Program Committee will need to manage the size of the program by asking chairs to accept no more than 6 papers. If a quality paper is not accepted due to space limitations, it will be vetted to the author’s second choice. Please remember also that four high-quality presentations are better than five medium-quality presentations. If you do not think you will have enough papers (4) after the Call for Papers, please contact ASOR’s director of meetings (meetings@asor.org) and the chair(s) of the program committee by March 25, 2023.
3. Session/Workshop Length (virtual component): In 2023 virtual sessions and workshops will be assigned to 2-hour time-slots on the virtual schedule. Sessions can accommodate a maximum of 5 paper presentations (20 minutes maximum) to be given synchronously during the online session. If a presenter has concerns about reliable internet connection or other circumstances that may interfere with their presentation, chairs may collect a recorded version and play it as a backup during the session if necessary. Sometimes the Program Committee will need to manage the size of the program by asking chairs to accept no more than 5 papers. Workshops are limited to a single time-slot on the program and can accommodate a maximum of 10 brief presentations (10 minutes maximum).
   
4. Peer Review: Session chairs are responsible for assessing the quality of submissions. Chairs may want to consult with others in the field while reviewing some submissions. Please read ASOR’s Policy on Professional Conduct and keep this in mind when reviewing paper submissions. Section E(5-7) is particularly relevant regarding the presentation of unprovenanced materials and the presentation of research from occupied territories. If a paper raises concerns in terms of compliance with ASOR’s Policy on Professional Conduct, please e-mail the Co-Chairs of ASOR’s Program Committee and do not accept the paper in the online system.
5. Acceptance/Rejection of Papers: Please submit your assessment of each abstract via ASOR’s online abstract submission system. You will be given access to the abstract submissions for both the in-person and virtual components soon after the first submission period ends on March 15. The official deadline for completion of your review of submissions is April 10, but earlier notice is appreciated. You may be asked to review additional paper proposals that were not accepted/placed during the first round of reviews. The ASOR office will notify proposers of whether their papers have been accepted or rejected by May 15. Please do NOT share your decisions directly with participants, as it is possible late changes may be necessary. All decisions will be issued from the ASOR Office in an official e-mail notification sent on (or before) May 15.
6. Timeline and Deadlines: Session chairs should read the 2023 Important Dates and Deadlines for the ASOR Annual Meeting carefully.

Schedule and Abstract files:

ASOR will assemble the schedule in an online format.  In order to do this we ask each session and workshop to submit the order of presentations (schedule) and session assignment for each presenter (if holding more than one section) to ASOR’s Director of Meetings and Events by May 1.  The ASOR Office will format the program listing and assign times, but you are responsible for indicating the order of the presentations and, if there are 8 or more papers, which speakers will be presenting in each session/time-slot.

Abstract Changes: All accepted abstracts will be lightly copy-edited for grammar, format, and consistency. You can use this form to notify ASOR of changes to names, affiliations, or other important corrections.

Audio-Visual Format: All rooms in Chicago will be equipped with an LCD projector, screen, and podium with microphone. ASOR does NOT provide computers for sessions. Session chairs are responsible for arranging to have a laptop that can be used for the duration of the session with pre-loaded presentation materials from each speaker.

If you need any other audiovisual equipment beyond that listed above, it is the session chair’s responsibility to email Arlene Press with your request by May 1, 2023. Requests cannot always be met and may add an expense to the session. Live streaming and remote presentations are not permitted.

The Program Committee reserves the right to reject any session that is substantially different from the proposal originally approved.

Note: If a session chair needs to cancel a session due to a dearth of submissions or other reasons, he/she must notify the Program Committee Chair(s) by March 25, 2023.

Etiquette for Session Chairs

All session chairs should be aware of the following rules of etiquette:

1. Discussants: If someone is invited to participate as a discussant or respondent in your session, they must be a current ASOR academic member and register for ASOR’s Annual Meeting. While discussants do not have an official peer-reviewed paper on the program, they should complete an abstract submission form with the title “Discussant,” to ensure that they have an official listing on the academic program. It is essential for the success of a session involving a discussant that the discussant receives a draft of the papers at least one week before the Annual Meeting. It is the responsibility of session chairs to facilitate this exchange.

2. Session Schedule: The schedule will be followed strictly. Let presenters, discussants/respondents, and panelists know of this practice. If a participant in the session does not attend and does not submit a paper to be read or finishes early, do not begin the next presentation until the printed time. Fill “gaps” with discussion or a break; the session should not be rearranged or otherwise modified. It is essential for the success of the papers and the ensuing discussion that presentations not be allowed to run beyond the time allotted for them.

3. Changes to Schedule: Announce any changes to the schedule at the beginning of the session and at the time of the change.

4. Troubleshooting: Ask if there is a TFBA Fellow in the room to assist, use the Audio-Visual Support number listed at or near the podium, or contact the ASOR registration desk while at the meeting if you have problems, such as:

– The room is not set up according to special requests that the chair may have arranged in advance of the meeting.
– You require technical support to connect the laptop
– There are not enough chairs
– Another group is in your room at the time you are scheduled

ASOR Program Committee: You can always contact ASOR’s Program Committee (PC) with questions or concerns as you plan for the meeting. E-mail the PC Co-Chairs, Allison Thomason and Kiersten Neumann.