Conference FAQs
When and where will the conference be held?
The conference will be held on Friday, March 28, 2008. The opening session
will be in Shanks 370. Individual panels will be held in nearby seminar rooms.
Who is eligible to participate?
Any undergraduate student (regardless of major) may submit work composed for
an English class to this conference.
Who may attend?
Any student, faculty, staff member, or administrator at Virginia Tech is welcome
to attend. Outside guests are also welcome—especially parents and family
members. All who attend (including presenters) will be asked to fill out a
registration form in advance of the conference, so that enough programs
and food can be ordered.
Why should I participate?
Conference participation helps you hone your writing, research, and presentation
skills, build your resume for graduate or professional school, and get the
mentoring you need as you make the transition from student to professional.
In addition, participating in a small, supportive conference like this one
can build your confidence, motivating you to participate in university-wide,
regional, or national research conferences. In the College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences substantial grants are now available for undergraduate research
under the sponsorship of the Undergraduate Research Institute (http://www.uri.clahs.vt.edu/);
your participation in this conference may make you more competitive for one
of these awards. Finally, conference participants each receive a t-shirt
designed by one of our own students as an advertisement and a souvenir of
the event.
What kinds of material can be submitted for the conference?
Anything that falls under the category of “English Studies” can
be submitted for the conference—including critical papers, poems, reports,
research papers, stories, posters, projects, performances, seminar papers,
non-fiction, design projects, and grant proposals.
What are the guidelines for submission?
- The author’s last name and page number should appear on every page of the printed copy.
- Submission copies should be free of grades and teacher commentary.
- Design projects and posters should be submitted on 8 ½ by 11 paper from PowerPoint or pdf files.
- All submissions should be accompanied by a submission form.
- Submission forms are available in hard copy outside the Undergraduate Office (329 Shanks).
- Except for creative projects (see below), all submissions should be turned in both as hard copy (to mailbox 49 outside Shanks 323) and electronically as email attachments in Word, PowerPoint, or pdf format sent to dhezel@vt.edu. Use the subject line: UG Conference submission.
- Creative projects, together with accompanying explanatory text and submission form, should be delivered to Nancy Metz in 308 Shanks. Performances (such as student stagings of scenes from a play) should be submitted in DVD format.
Where can I get help with my paper or project?
If the project you would like to submit to the conference grows out of an assignment
for a course you are presently taking, talk to your teacher about
how to shape the material for conference presentation. The English Department
also maintains a directory of Undergraduate Conference Faculty Mentors;
these faculty have volunteered to help any student with a conference submission,
regardless of whether he or she is presently enrolled in one of their courses.
Contact Nancy Metz (nancy.metz@vt.edu)
for a copy of this directory. The Writing Center (1-5436)
is committed to helping students prepare for the conference as well. Our Newman
Library representative Connie Stovall (cjstova@vt.edu)
will assist you with research questions and direct you to workshops and tutorials
that will help you learn the techniques of database searching. A little closer
to the conference date, the Undergraduate Conference planning team will be
offering several workshops to develop your presentation skills.
What is the deadline for submission?
The deadline for submission is January 25, 2008.
When will I hear whether my submission has been accepted for the conference?
Acceptance letters will go out by the end of February.
How should I dress for the conference?
The dress code is Business Casual. You should look professional for your conference
presentation.
How early before my presentation do I need to arrive?
You need to arrive at the room assigned to your presentation at least fifteen
minutes before the start time to meet your session chair and other panel
members. You will also need time to set up any special equipment you will
need for your presentation.
Will people ask me questions about my presentation?
There is a question and answer session at the end of each panel. Questions
will be reserved for the end of the panel after all presenters have presented
their work. The audience may direct questions to you about your work, but
the question and answer period is never hostile or adversarial. Don’t
worry about the questions. People want to know more about how you came up
with these great ideas! Look at the question and answer period as a time
to share your ideas with others.
Do I have to stay for the entire conference on Friday?
No, we recognize that you may have class or job commitments. We do ask that
as many students as possible attend the opening session so that you can register
and get a layout of the day. We very much hope you will attend all or most
of the sessions. It’s important for each presenter to have a good audience
and for all of us to have a chance to interact and share ideas. Keep in mind
that at professional conferences it is considered rude for presenters to
fly in, do the prima donna bit or capture the line on the resume, and then
leave without listening to others.
Who do I contact if I need special equipment for my presentation?
If you plan to use PowerPoint, need an overhead, a CD player, or any other
technological equipment during your presentation, please let Nancy Metz know
(nancy.metz@vt.edu). You should also
set up a time to test your equipment before the conference day.