1. Do I have to be an ACCUTE member to submit a paper or proposal? Can I join later on?
The annual ACCUTE conference is a conference of association members; all presenters must have paid-up memberships to ACCUTE at the time the conference program is finalized: usually in the February before the conference. If you are not a member, or if your membership has lapsed, you will not be included in the conference program. Please visit the membership page to learn how to join.
2. Is the conference restricted to academics and graduate students in Canada?
We welcome submissions from international academics and graduate students. However, you do need to join the organization in order to participate (see above).
3. Are there conference travel funds?
Depending on the number of applications, ACCUTE may cover up to 50% of presenter travel expenses for graduate students, contract academic faculty, and other under-waged members. Note that organizers and chairs of sessions are not eligible for these funds, unless they are presenting a paper on another panel. If you are planning to apply for funding, please keep all receipts related to travel (airfare, ferry, train, bus, car rental, gas, etc.). Members will be asked to submit copies of receipts to ACCUTE along with a travel funding application form, which will be circulated after Congress.
4. Can I submit more than one paper/proposal to the General CFP?
No, you are restricted to one submission.
5. Can I submit to the General CFP as well as to another sort of session?
Yes, but restrictions apply. Remember that for conferences (just as with journal submissions) each submission must be a unique piece of work. You cannot send the same paper/proposal to the General CFP and to a member-organized or joint session. For submission purposes, the General CFP, the Member-Organized CFPs, and the Joint-Association CFPs are considered to be separate, and you are free to send different papers/proposals to individual CFPs.
You may be selected to present more than one paper at the conference, but please be aware that scheduling constraints may require us to limit the number of acceptances any one presenter receives. Exceptions are made for Creative Writing Collective panels, Board-Organized panels (such as the CPC panels) and roundtables. Another exception is the Christianity and Literature Study Group: you may appear on their program and on the larger ACCUTE program as well.
6. What sorts of topics are permitted?
ACCUTE is a “generalist” conference, and we aim to cover the widest possible range of fields and topics currently falling within “English studies.” If you have not previously attended an ACCUTE conference, check last year’s conference program to see the range of papers and sessions.
7. What makes a good paper or proposal?
First of all, a good submission is professional in quality. It adheres to all of the guidelines for submission, and stays within word limits for the paper/proposal and for attachments (abstract, biographical statement). It is lucidly written and error-free.
Second, it has a point or an argument to make, and does this clearly and strongly. The scholarly interest or importance of the presentation should be easily discernible by the vettors.
Third, it presents its argument in a way that would be intelligible to someone outside the specialty field. Remember that ACCUTE is a generalist conference, and that the audience for your session could be equally general.
Fourth, it is achievable within a tight time period. ACCUTE conference presentations are strictly timed for 20 minutes (and sometimes 15). A twenty-minute paper is 8 or 9 double-spaced pages in length. Simplify and streamline.
Finally, it fulfills the ambitions and values that the ACCUTE Equity Statement seeks to uphold.
8. This is my first conference submission. Help!
ACCUTE welcomes papers from graduate student members. Here are some hints for novice submitters:
First, a good graduate paper does not necessarily make a good conference paper (even if it got an A+). How significant is its scholarly contribution, as judged by the wider academic world?
Second, ask yourself: is this my strongest and best work? Is it ready for presentation and is the research complete? (Don’t present a dissertation “proposal.”) Would I want to be remembered for this paper several years from now?
Third, get a second opinion on whether it is suitable for a conference presentation and the best way to revise for submission.
Remember that many of the people who attend the annual ACCUTE conference are not giving papers. It can be a good plan to attend one conference first, to see how things are done.
Feel free to contact the ACCUTE office at info.accute@gmail.com with questions or for assistance with your submission.
9. Will I be able to use AV equipment or have access to computer use?
Yes. Please indicate your audio-visual and computer set-up requirements on the submitter information form.
10. How do I submit my proposal?
All proposals should be submitted using the ACCUTE Online Submission Form.
