Instructions for using the online panel/paper submission system

Please go to the left hand side of the webpage and scroll down to the General Menu where you should find the link to the paper submission screen, please click on Call for papers and panels and follow these instructions.

For single papers - please select the correct drop down for single papers and then click 'continue', complete all the information requested on the online form. Paper title, the abstract (200 words max) and your contact details.

For Panels and Roundtables - please select the correct dropdown for either a panel or round table and click 'continue', complete the first screen which details the panel subject area, contact details for the Convenor, Chair and Discussant (optional). Then click 'continue' at the bottom of this screen which takes you to the pages where you can insert individual papers or roundtable participant details. To add each paper/participant click the 'add more' button, bottom right. Once you have inserted all the papers/participants click 'complete'. PLEASE NOTE you will need all the information to hand before completing the forms. For working group panels please ensure you make a note of the rank of the panel in the panel details area on the front page if submitting more than one.

Acknowledgement of paper, panel and roundtable Submissions

Please note for each single paper, panel and roundtable a receipt email will be sent to the single paper author or the panel/roundtable convenor only, if you do not recieve the email within a few days of submission please contact BISA on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . as BISA may not have recieved your submission.

Guidelines and Regulations for Participants at BISA Annual Conferences

1. Frequency of Appearances

The number of panels and papers submitted to the annual conference increases every year and it is therefore increasingly difficult to provide maximum opportunity for participation in the conference by all BISA members. In order to ensure the maximum number of participants in the annual conference, BISA members can present only ONE paper at the annual conference, including co-authored papers. BISA members can also appear as Discussant or Chair on two further panels. These limits should better ensure increased opportunities for participation by all BISA members.

2. Participation of Graduate Students

Graduate student participation in the BISA annual conference is encouraged, but panels comprising only Graduate Students will not be permitted. In taking this decision, the BISA Executive (which includes Graduate Student reps) felt that Graduate Student participation is most effective when students interact with full members on panels and that all Graduate Student panels tend to attract smaller audiences. At least one paper-giver must be full-time academic staff. BISA also encourages a range of institutions being represented on a panel.

3. Paper Submission

All participants presenting a paper will be required to submit an electronic copy of their paper in advance of the conference via the BISA web site paper upload facility. The deadline for submission is December 11th, 2009. BISA will be able to make papers not for public view if there is a subsequent copyright issue but ask for all papers to be uploaded for our conference archive completeness.

4. Costs of Attendance

We are sending out approximate details of the costs to attend the annual conference with the Call for Papers. This is to ensure that all members can make an informed judgement about whether they can afford to attend the conference prior to submitting a paper/panel proposal. This advanced notice of costs should also ensure that members have more time to apply for funding from their departments or elsewhere to attend the conference. Please note: you need to be a member of BISA to participate in the conference and must have paid for a relevant package within the deadlines stated. If not, you may find your paper is withdrawn by the Conference Committee.

At Manchester we expect the conference packages to be the following prices

Day Packages with no accommodation
Package D1 Monday 15 December only
Package D2 Tuesday 16 December
Package D3 Wednesday 17 December
Package D4 All Three days

There will be no conference dinner this year.

5. Registration

It is contractually and financially crucial to BISA that registration for the conference is completed 5 weeks prior to the start of the conference. Otherwise, BISA will end up paying significant fees for accommodation, meals, etc., contracted for but not taken up. Early Bird Registration/Booking for the conference will therefore open no later than July 1st and continue until 25th September 2009, after which date the packages will increase £50.00 in price. From 25th September 2009, no cancellations or refunds can be given, again due to venue contract terms and conditions. No bookings will be taken after November 6th 2009 for accommodation packages and November 20th 2009 for day delegate packages.

6. No –Shows

Where panellists have not notified BISA before the start of the conference, we will prevent non-attendees from appearing on the conference programme for a period of two years. BISA have been forced to apply this new regulation due to the large and increasing number of no-shows at past conferences. At Cambridge 2007, 128 panellists (42%) did not turn up to their panels. Four panels were cancelled ahead of the conference so that we had a total of 108 rather than 112 panels at Cambridge.

7. Working Group Panels

Working Groups are guaranteed 1 panel on the programme which they will identify. All subsequent submissions are requested to be ranked in order to aid the BISA conference committee allocate slots (the panel ranked number ‘1’ will receive the automatic slot.) Working groups can make upto a maximum of 5 panel submissions.

8. Other Misc

• The use of discussants is optional. Convenors can include them at their discretion.
• Panel Convenors are also responsible for informing the conference programme co-ordinator of any changes to the original panel, roundtable or paper submissions.