Rules on participation
Please note that an individual cannot present more than one paper at the conference.
Panel convenors and paper presenters need not be Fellows of the RAI. However, the RAI welcomes new Fellows (see joining page). Fellows and Members of the RAI or the RGS can register for the conference at a discounted fee.
Shindig
The conference will be run on a Shindig platform. This replicates many of the experiences of a face to face conference in a virtual environment. Participants are all visible in the room and can ask questions either in person or through text. Participants can also chat with each other privately, either via video or text. There will also be a virtual coffee room where you can meet up with other conference attendees and publishers’ stalls. If you want to have a look at the system please see the NomadIT resources website here https://nomadit.co.uk/resources/.
Accessibility
When registering for the conference, whether face-to-face (F2F) or virtual, please state any accessibility needs/requests in the registration form, so we can follow-up and work toward making conferences more welcoming to scholars with disabilities.
If you need assistance during the conference, please contact info@therai.org.uk in advance. We will do our best to assist delegates, however we may not be able to provide all services or equipment due to availability or the time required to obtain them.
Best practice
We have set out best practice guidlines for delegates, convenors and presenters. Please see each page for further details.
Recording policy
The conference operates an opt out system of recroding. All panels and plenaries will be recorded as standard. Please see further details here. If any presenter would like to opt out of being featured in the recordings please contact us on info@therai.org.uk, either before or after the conference.
Acceptance letters
Formal acceptance letters (signed pdfs on headed paper) can be downloaded from the login environment (the login link is the head icon on the upper navigation bar). Log in, proceed past your contact details with the “Proceed” button (located under the contact fields) and then scroll through to your panel/paper. There will be an encircled A at the end of the panel/paper title line. Click on this, download the pdf and print your letter. Please note that we do not send such letters by post.
Editing your name and institution in the system (Cocoa)
You can access your data (paper or panel information, personal data details) by logging into Cocoa from the login link above. Make sure your contact details are the way you’d like them to be presented as these are visible on panel pages:
- Your title
- Name
- Institution
Controlling/editing your panel
Panel convenors can use the login link in the menu above to edit their proposals. Convenors are requested to administer their panels via this login environment. Convenors should login to state any specific timing requests for their panel (when directed to so by the conference administrator), to add the names of chairs/discussants, and to manage the paper proposals. Co-convenors cannot be added/removed nor can panels be withdrawn through this environment – please email us to do this info@therai.org.uk.
Chairs and discussants
The names of any chairs or discussants can be added through the login environment. Please use the convention of Firstname Lastname (Institution). If these roles are to be taken by convenors, then please do not enter your own names there as it is implicit that this will be the case where other names are not listed.
Pre-circulation of papers
The RAI has no rule about this; many convenors are keen, however, to pre-circulate completed papers. To facilitate this, an author can upload a PDF of their paper within the login environment, which will then show as a downloadable file beneath their abstract on the public page on this site. It is a convenor’s decision whether they instruct their presenters to make use of this.
Timing of presentations
Convenors are free to allocate the time in their sessions as they like. Each session slot will be 90 minutes long, accommodating a maximum of five presenters. The RAI norm is to allocate each presenter a maximum of 15 minutes (for presentation and questions/discussion), but convenors should let you know about this nearer the time of the conference.
Communication between authors/convenors
Convenor/author email addresses are not shown on the panel pages for anti-spam reasons. However, there is an inbuilt secure email messaging system. If you cannot work that, please email info@therai.org.uk to obtain relevant email addresses.
Convenor responsibilities
It is the convenors’ responsibility to ensure that all panel participants are well briefed and that the panel continues to meet requirements. To that end, convenors should not only communicate their decisions over proposals to paper proposers, but also later in the process, email the panelists to:
- inform them of the speaking order (albeit this is displayed on the public panel page)
- inform them as to how much time they have been allocated
- remind them to register (the registration status can be seen in the login environment)
- inform them of any late changes or additional chairs/discussants, and give any other information related to the panel.
- if panelists withdraw, convenors should inform the organisers.
Any queries with the above please email info@therai.org.uk.
