Submitting a Proposal

How do I create an account?
All applicants (including co-presenters) must create an individual account in ourConference Portal to submit proposals and register for the conference. Click on “Create Account” on the upper right corner of your screen, and you will be prompted to provide your name, email, and a password.

If you already have an account, click on “Log in” on the upper right corner and you will be prompted for your email and password.

How do I submit a proposal?

After you create or log in to your account, you will be able to submit a proposal. On your account dashboard, click on “Proposal Management” on the menu on the left side of the screen. This will prompt a dropdown menu; click on “Submit Proposal.” At the top of the next screen, click on “Create New,” and you will be prompted to designate the area to which you are submitting, the type of presentation you are proposing (“Paper” or “Roundtable”), and the title and abstract of your proposal. You will also be prompted to include a brief summary of your paper in addition to the proposal; this is for use in the app during the conference. (NOTE: You are limited to 50 words for the title, 100 words for the brief summary, and 500 words for the abstract.) You will then be prompted to add additional presenters, if applicable. If there are no co-presenters, click submit.

You will get a “success!” screen and a confirmation email that your proposal has been submitted.

Can I submit a paper that I already published or presented?

A proposal should be for original work that has not been published or presented elsewhere.

Can undergraduates apply to present at SWPACA?

Yes! However, unless you are applying to co-present a paper with a professor, you will need to submit your proposal to our Undergraduate Presentations area. After an initial review, your paper will be moved to an appropriate area.

How do I submit a panel proposal?

If you have a pre-formed panel that includes 3-4 individual papers/presentations, each member of the panel must create an account and submit an individual proposal for their paper. In addition, within the abstract, each member should make clear that their paper is part of a pre-formed panel, and include the following: a) the proposed title of the panel; b) the other presenters on the panel; and 3) the proposed panel chair. After all proposals have been submitted, the proposed panel chair should email the appropriate Area Chair to confirm receipt of panel information. (Find Area Chairs’ contact information at https://swpaca.org/subject-areas/.)

Note that panels must include 3-4 papers/presentations. Panel proposals with less or more presentations will be integrated or split up into other panels.

How do I submit a proposal for a roundtable?

A roundtable is a session made of 3-6 speakers who come together to discuss a predetermined topic (5 panelists maximum, plus the session moderator). The moderator’s responsibility is typically to facilitate discussion among the speakers and with the audience.

To submit a roundtable, click on “Submit Proposal,” and designate “Type” as “Roundtable.”

In the abstract, note that that your proposal is for a roundtable. When prompted to add users, add the additional members of the roundtable discussion. (NOTE: To add presenters, they must have an account within the database.)

Can I propose a workshop or screening?

If you have an idea for a workshop or a screening, please email Kathleen Lacey (klacey@southwestpca.org) to discuss further.

Useful Links

Submitting a Proposal

Registering & Paying

Attending the Conference

Code of Conduct

Presenting Your Paper

Serving as a Moderator

Becoming an Area Chair

Contact Us