How to write successfully for IATEFL Conference Selections Tania Pattison Conference Selections Editor IATEFL, Harrogate 2014

What is Conference Selections?  IATEFL publication containing papers based on conference presentations: plenaries, signature events, individual talks.  Refereed by Editorial Committee (3 members).  Print publication, sent to IATEFL members in 100+ countries.

From presentation to publication  April 2014: IATEFL Conference.  June 13, 2014: submission deadline.  Summer 2014: papers sent ‘blind’ to Editorial Committee.  Autumn 2014: decisions made and authors informed (usually November); minor queries to authors; editorial/design process.  January 2015: Selections printed and shipped.

Your role as writer  Change your information from bullet points (your slides) to coherent text (an article).  Create an effective organisational structure; think about sections, subheadings, use of lists, etc.  Stay within the word limit (750 words for individual reports).  Check grammar, spelling, etc. (esp. names).  Make sure your references are accurate (dates, page numbers, publication details).  Submit on time.

What are we looking for?  Papers that describe your talk in <750 words.  Papers that are interesting and/or relevant to readers outside your immediate context.  Papers that are clear and well written.  The sample paper was given at IATEFL 2013 in Liverpool and was well received by the Editorial Committee. Thanks to Simon Williams for permission to use this paper.

Why was this paper successful?  Mobile learning is a hot topic; many people are interested in it and want practical ideas.  The writer combines theory and practice quite nicely. He outlines the broader context, then he shows what his own students did.  The writer describes what happened in his own context, but his ideas are applicable elsewhere.  Readers can take something away; they may be encouraged to try these ideas themselves.

Cont. …  The writing is clear and easy to follow. Subheadings are used effectively. The paper is more than a series of lists.  Nothing is obscure; readers who did not attend this talk can grasp what happened.  The writer follows the guidelines (word count, references, etc.).

On the other hand... Your paper will not be accepted if any of the following apply:  Your paper is essentially an advertisement for a book, product, organisation, etc.  Your paper is excessively long. A few extra words can be edited down; 500 extra words cannot.  Your paper is submitted late without checking in advance.

Other potential problems  Your paper is simply a summary of well-known information.  You tried to cover too much ground for the word limit; some presentations are best written as longer articles for other journals.  Your paper relies on visual material not available to Selections readers.  Your paper is inaccessible to readers who did not attend your talk (e.g. obscure terminology).  Your paper is little more than a copy-and-paste version of your slides (too many bullet points).

Two things that make NO difference  This is your first submission. Selections always contains papers by first-time writers/presenters, as well as by well-known writers. First-time authors are very welcome!  You got the font slightly wrong, or the margins were too wide, etc. This won’t disqualify you!

To improve your chances...  Read Selections 2013 to get a sense of what we’re looking for.  Start with a strong, clear intro.  Make sure you explain your context and any context-specific terminology.  Have someone read your paper who has not seen your talk. Can your reader follow it?  Check the guidelines, especially the word limit and the deadline.  Make sure references are full and accurate.  Submit on time.

Please…  Don’t use tracking (or if you do, please ‘accept all changes’). Tracked comments tend to reappear.  Don’t add page numbers, your school’s logo, or anything else at the top or bottom of your paper.  Make sure the version you send is the final one. It gets confusing if people send revised submissions.

If your paper is turned down...  In many cases, there were simply too many papers submitted (and too many on the same topic).  Maybe your article is best suited to a more specialised publication.  Consider a SIG publication, IATEFL Voices, or another journal.  Don’t be put off next year!

FAQs I couldn’t make it to the conference; can I still submit?  No; only those papers actually presented can be published. My talk was in the Interactive Language Fair, or I had a poster. Can I still write it up?  Yes. Every issue has papers that started out as poster presentations or ILF contributions.

Cont. … I presented my paper alone, but I would like my colleague / thesis supervisor / friend to write up the paper with me. Is that acceptable?  Unfortunately, only speakers at the conference can be included as authors. Sometimes people say the research was carried out with a colleague, etc.

Cont. … Can I include charts, diagrams, etc.?  Yes, as long as they don’t take up too much space. Photos are unlikely to be published. What is included in the word count?  Just the main text; not your title, name, affiliation or references.

Thank you!  I am looking forward to receiving your paper.  Good luck with your writing! Feel free to me if you have any questions. Tania