NEW YORK STATE POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION

RULES AND GUIDELINES FOR PANEL PARTICIPANTS AT OUR CONFERENCE[1]

Time Management

Of the 90 minutes scheduled for a panel, the presentation of papers should take no more than 65 minutes. Discussants and responses from authors should take no more than a total of 10 minutes.  A minimum of 15 minutes (more if possible) should be allotted for audience participation.

The Paper Author

The authors should prepare complete, written papers, but during the panel they should only present findings and their significance. Please do not read the papers.

Paper authors, as courteous and responsible professionals, are expected to complete their papers and send copies by the deadlines set by the Section or Panel Chair. Copies should be sent to all members of the panel (Chair, Discussant and other authors) and to the Section Chair. 

Paper authors are encouraged to bring additional copies of their papers for distribution to members of the audience and to other participants in the meeting.

The Discussant

The Discussant addresses the significance of the papers and any substantive problems found in them. They should try to limit their remarks to no more than three to four major points per paper. Stylistic critique is useful and generally appreciated by authors, but should be communicated outside of the panel by way of marginal or separate notes and conversation. 

The Chair

The Panel Chair introduces the presenters, manages time, and should be firm in limiting excessively talkative participants (see Henry J. Abraham, “Limiting Talkative Panelists,”' in Political Science 47, Spring 1984, pp. 191-192).

The Panel Chair states a deadline to panelists or makes other arrangements to coordinate the circulation of papers.  If the Panel Chair does not receive a copy of a paper within a reasonable time before the meeting, they will contact the author.  

The Panel Chairs informs the Section chair of all changes in order for the final printed program to be as accurate as possible.