PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Due Date: July 3, 2006
Topics and Categories for Proposals:
We invite proposals for paper presentations on any topics related to enhancing the quality and effectiveness of college teaching and student learning. Proposals may be interdisciplinary or specific to one or a group of disciplines, but must demonstrate excellence in at least one of the following categories:
- Research: Reports important results from own experience or research; describes problem clearly; gives context and references; provides baseline data; explains what researcher has done and why; and provides results.
- Integration: Integrates research of others in a meaningful way; compares or contrasts theories; critiques results; and provides context for future exploration.
- Application: Describes and assesses exemplary practice, informed by theory and the literature.
- Innovation: Proposes innovation of theory, approach, or process of teaching and learning; provides original and creative ideas based on results of research by self or others; and outlines proposed strategy for testing effectiveness of ideas.
- Inspiration: Provides inspiration for teaching excellence; combines personal values, insight, and experience to communicate enthusiasm and dedication to outstanding teaching.
At this time, you need submit only a proposal and an abstract, not a completed paper. After the conference, you are invited to develop your proposal into a full manuscript for submission to the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, an international, refereed journal (see the call for manuscripts). You need not submit your paper until you have received feedback on your session at or after the conference.
How to Write a Good Proposal
In order to be accepted, your proposal should contain the following information:
- Describe your project clearly and put it in context, for example, types of students involved, place in the curriculum.
- Include results of your project or innovation if available. If outcomes are not yet available, indicate when they will be (by the time of the session?).
- Include references for background information. Use APA format for in-text citations and the reference list.
- Describe how the session will be conducted. Indicate how it will be organized and how participants will be involved
Presentation Formats for Sessions at the Conference:
You will be assigned one of four formats for the presentation of your paper:
- A 40-minute individual session, in which you briefly summarize your paper and follow up with discussion.
- A panel discussion of approximately one hour, in which two or three papers submitted by different authors are grouped by topic, with each author having 10 minutes or so to summarize his or her work and relate it to the other papers. Discussion follows. If you are assigned to a panel, we will give you the names and e-mail addresses of the panelists with whom you are teamed, and you should read their proposals on the Web site before the session.
- Entire conference interactive (poster) session in which you will have table space and audiovisual equipment as you requested on your proposal cover sheet to display your paper, handouts, overheads, videos, etc., in a large room with other presenters. During this one-hour session, conference participants can discuss your ideas and results with you.
- An idea swap session. This format is the same as for the interactive session (see above), but it is for those who have an interesting idea for a teaching and learning project that they want to discuss with colleagues but who have not yet carried out the actual study.
Proposal Formatting Information:
Format your paper proposal according to the instructions below, as this enables us to format all proposals uniformly for publication on the Web site.
Your proposal must be double-spaced and prepared in 12 pt. Arial font, and may not exceed 1000 words, including references and appendixes, with 1-inch (or 2.5 cm) margins. Use APA style for citations and references, please.
At the top of the first page of your proposal, type the title of your paper in Lower Case with Initial Capitals and your name, department, institution, and location in Lower Case with Initial Capitals, as in the example below. If there is more than one author, list each person separately using the format below:
Computer-Assisted Instruction in Music Theory Jane Doe Music
Miami University Oxford, OH John Doe Art Kent State University Kent, OH OR: Jane Doe John Doe History Miami University Oxford, OH
In addition to your proposal, IN A SEPARATE FILE, you must include an abstract of NO MORE THAN 100 WORDS set in 12 pt. Arial font. Format requirements for your abstract are the same as for your proposal (i.e., your proposal title, your name, etc., must also appear at the top of the abstract).
Notification of Acceptance:
Within a week after submitting, you (or the primary contact of your presentation group) will receive an email stating that you proposal is being reviewed. We will notify you by August 30, 2006, via e-mail or fax as to whether your proposal has been accepted, and if so, the presentation format you have been assigned.
NOTE: We will make every effort to assign you the presentation format you indicate on the submission form. Because of time and space constraints, however, it may be necessary to assign you a different format. We will send you specific information about your presentation format later. All presenters (including copresenters) whose proposals are accepted should plan to be available to present at any session time during the conference from Friday morning through Sunday noon.
If contact information changes for you or any other members of your presentation group, please notify us as soon as possible.
Important Reminders:
- If your proposal does not meet the submission requirements stated above, we cannot accept it. Please follow the instructions carefully!
- Do not submit a completed paper, only a proposal and an abstract.
- Design your session to encourage dialogue: Do not just read your paper aloud.
- Your paper proposal will be posted on the Conference Web site. Thus, you should assume that the participants at your session have read it.
- Presenters are encouraged to join in the Conference spirit by interacting with other presenters and attendees during the entire weekend.
Note: Submitting a proposal does not register you for the conference. All presenters (including co-presenters) must register for the conference. Unfortunately, there are no funds to cover registration, travel, or lodging expenses for paper presenters. The registration due date is October 2, 2006, but early registration is recommended because of limited space.
Thank you for your interest in the Lilly Conference. If you have any questions or problems about idea swap or proposal submission, contact Gregg Wentzell at wentzegw@muohio.edu

