Session & Abstract Submission

To register, complete the ADVANCED REGISTRATION FORM and submit payment for the appropriate amount.  Registration payment must be received before abstracts will be considered. If you wish to send a hard copy instead of an online submission, please download the printed version of the forms HERE, fill out the information, and and mail to: SfAA, P.O. Box 2436, Oklahoma City, OK 73101-2436.

Abstracts and registrations will be accepted through online submissions, email or by hard copy forms accompanied by a CD. Students, if requested, must submit proof of student status to receive the student rate. (e.g. photocopy of photo i.d. card, official course registration, tuition bill/payment).

Attendees from co-sponsoring organizations must indicate their organization.

Incomplete Registrations will not be processed and will be returned to the sender. No exceptions.

The registration fee (minus $15 processing fee) will be returned upon request up to December 31.

All abstracts must be received by October 15.

Type and save your abstract on your computer. All abstracts have a limit of 100 words. This does not include author or title. Then, copy and paste your abstract in the online form.

You must register before submitting an abstract. After registration, click on the Abstract Submission blue button above. Make sure you are logged into the website to be able to view the abstract page.

Each presenter must register and submit their own abstract and are responsible for listing all co-authors. Co-authors who will co-present (i.e. attend the meeting) must each register individually.

If a paper or video is proposed as part of an organized session, the title of the session and name of session organizer must be included.

Discussants and Panelists are required to register for the meeting but do not need submit an abstract.

The Board has stated that an individual may not participate in more than one part of the scientific program of an SfAA annual meeting.  This includes all types of participation – primary author of a session, paper, or poster, co-authorship, discussant, panelist, or roundtable participant. A session organizer may also present a paper or be a discussant in their own session.  The limitation is intended to reduce the scheduling difficulties caused by presenting at multiple time periods.

A limited number of exceptions may be permitted to this rule and they will be considered on a case-by-case basis. These requests for exception should be submitted with an explanation to the SfAA office.  They will be reviewed and decided by three individuals--the Program Chair, the Annual Meetings Coordinator, and the staff member responsible for organizing the scientific sessions. No more than two presentations will be permitted. A "Double Session" (click sessions tab for explanation of Multiple-Part Sessions) is considered two presentations.

The traditional, and still most common, form of conference presentation at the SfAA Annual Meeting consists of formal presentations or papers, usually 15-20 minutes in length, that are organized around a common theme or topic.  The organizer submits a session abstract along with the list of participants and titles for each presentation in the session. A typical session is composed of five papers, each allotted 18 minutes. The remaining 20 minutes are available for introductions, commentary by a discussant, and questions/answers. But this can differ based on how many participants are in the session and how the chair would like the session organized.

The  chair must register and submit the session abstract along with a list of the names of all session participants and paper titles on the form.

The SfAA office requests that each participant submit their own abstract. This will cut down on errors when submitting the form.

Multiple-Part Sessions

Session organizers occasionally request approval for a "double session" on the same topic. Such sessions are difficult to slot into the program if they are scheduled in sequence.  However, they can be arranged when a large group of closely organized papers are coordinated (7-10 papers for a double session). 

For a multiple-part session, the organizer registers and submits the session abstract and list of participants using more than one submission form.  The session abstracts submitted can be the same or different, but should be titled part one, part two.  The list of participants and individual paper titles included on each form should correspond to the correct session “part.”  The participants register and submit individual paper abstracts.

Sessions of timed formal papers are only one way to present research results or discuss timely topics. Increasingly, our members choose alternative formats for communication and discussion. Below are the more popular alternative formats, and how organizers should register them. 

Panel Sessions (No Papers)

Panels of several speakers, who make brief statements and then respond to questions and comments from the organizer and the audience are increasingly popular. The organizer registers and submits the panel abstract and list of participants.  The panelists register, but do not submit abstracts.

Roundtable Sessions (No Papers)

Roundtables are similar to panels, except that the exchanges tend to be between the participants. The organizer registers and submits the roundtable abstract and list of participants.  The roundtable participants register, but do not submit abstracts.

Open Discussions (No Papers)

Open discussions may have panelists, or they may only have a facilitator who leads a freewheeling discussion of a specific topic. The organizer registers and submits the discussion abstract and list of participants, if any.  If there are discussion participants to be listed, use the Panel form. The participants register, but do not submit abstracts.

Workshops differ from sessions in two important ways:

1. A fee is charged to attend workshops.  SfAA will base the fee on the organizer’s reimbursement request, room rental, publicity, and any other costs incurred by the SfAA Office.

2. A workshop is usually more structured and didactic in format.  The workshop organizer is a specialist; participants attend to learn the specialty.

Organizers must contact the SfAA Office to discuss any type of exhibit (photos, art, etc.) or performance so that proper arrangements can be made for space, room setup, easels, length of time, and any other necessities.