Tips for writing a great conference proposal

By Yang Wu, Open Resources Librarian, Clemson University

Writing a presentation proposal for an OER or Open Education conference can be a challenging task. Defined topics, specific session types, and short word limits can force writers to be both concise and creative. As someone who has successfully submitted multiple presentation proposals and served on the programming committee of a major regional OER conference, I would like to offer a few tips on effective proposal writing drawn from my experiences: 

Proposals are more than simply a synopsis of your presentation topic. 

A common pitfall is to spend too much of the permitted word limit describing the novelty and importance of the proposed topic. Remember that reviewers are also interested in the content of your proposed session and what the audience can learn from attending it. Make sure your proposal clearly outlines how you will address the topic, what evidence or data you will use to support your conclusions, and what knolwedge you expect your audience to gain from your event. 

Look carefully at the selection criteria before you start writing

Conference reviewers follow a selection criteria when evaluating your proposal. These criteria can typically be found in the call for proposals, and they outline what contents in your proposal are being evaluated. Depending on the conference, the criteria may give preference to proposed sessions that include reflection and evaluation on the presenter’s work, contribute to scholarly research, or contain discussion on certain topics, such as diversity. Ensuring that your proposal aligns with the criteria outlined by the conference is a great way to make sure it fits with what reviewers will be looking for.   

Keep your proposal focused and well organized

As you work to address the selection criteria and conference topics, be careful not to let the proposal go in too many different directions. This can confuse reviewers and lead them to think that you don’t have a well thought out presentation. While it is important to make your proposal align with the selection criteria, make sure that it is focused on your subject and coherent to read. To do this, develop several key points about your proposed session that are interrelated and connect well to your overall presentation subject. Make sure that these points are presented in a logical sequence.

Clearly define your intended audience

For example, are they people with beginner, intermediate or advanced knowledge of OER and Open Education? What type of institution or organization does your audience work at? (Ex. K-12, community colleges, research institutions) What are their roles or specializations (Ex. faculty, instruction designers, administrators). Clear definition of the audience will further demonstrate that you have a well thought out presentation. 

Avoid mentioning your name, institution or organization in the proposals. 

Some conferences will ask you to redact this information to shield your identity and prevent conflict of interest in reviews. Even for conferences that don’t, it’s best to avoid this since, in most cases, it does not add anything to your proposal and could introduce unnecessary biases. For example, I might say my presentation is about an OER initiative at a mid-sized public institution in the mid-Atlantic, rather than stating Clemson University.

Consider audience engagement

Be specific about what strategies and tools you will use to foster audience participation and keep them engaged throughout the event. Reviewers want to make sure that events are thought provoking, stimulate participant reflection on a subject and can sustain their interest to the end. While some session types may not allow for live engagement, having a strong plan is particularly important for longer events, such as a panel, presentation or discussion.  

Proofread

Clear and polished writing is a major factor in proposal selection and also demonstrates to reviewers that you are a serious presenter. Make sure that your writing is easy to read and remove grammatical and spelling errors. Since OER conferences are designed for a wide audience, consider your wording and avoid discipline or profession specific jargon. Such jargon may confuse reviewers and make them feel that your topic is too narrow to benefit most conference attendees. You might also benefit from having someone else proofread your proposal, who can question the logic and organization of your writing and spot grammatical and other issues you have missed.   

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In summary, reviewers accept or decline proposals using a specific criteria. They want the conference to have the best quality presentations based on this criteria, and to make sure that the people they select are experts on OER and Open Education who have knowledge that conference participants want. Adherence to the tips that I outlined will greatly improve your proposals and demonstrate your authority on your subject. 

There is still time left to submit your proposal to present at the 2021 Open Education Conference! Read the call for proposals and submit your session by June 21st.