Paper/presentation proposals?
This is going to sound completely newb-ish, so do excuse me.
There was a call for proposals that went out (on one of the list-servs that I subscribe to) for an academic Tolkien conference in Wales. The language (to me) was rather general:
"Papers and presentations that focus on Welsh influences in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien are encouraged, although all proposals related to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien will be considered.
Please email your proposal (keep under 500 words) and your contact information to eden@festivalintheshire.com before May 1st, 2010."
I am planning to submit a paper I've been working on for a long time now, but am unsure of how to construct a proposal. I've never actually been to a conference, but I really want to start attending them. (I am an MA student.) What exactly should go into the proposal beyond the abstract? Should I be concerned with AV issues? Should I even consider doing a Power Point presentation?
Also! How does one present a paper? And how is this different from a regular presentation? Of course I have given presentations on my papers in class before, but is this different?
I know these must be incredibly, painfully basic questions, but I'm not sure of the answers and I don't want to submit a proposal that is completely out of left field. I would like to do it right.
Thoughts? Thanks to all of you in advance!!
edit: Thanks to everyone for all of the advice. You guys are giving me a lot of things to think about in terms of getting a new advisor, conferences, and how to plan my proposal. I appreciate all of it!
There was a call for proposals that went out (on one of the list-servs that I subscribe to) for an academic Tolkien conference in Wales. The language (to me) was rather general:
"Papers and presentations that focus on Welsh influences in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien are encouraged, although all proposals related to the works of J.R.R. Tolkien will be considered.
Please email your proposal (keep under 500 words) and your contact information to eden@festivalintheshire.com before May 1st, 2010."
I am planning to submit a paper I've been working on for a long time now, but am unsure of how to construct a proposal. I've never actually been to a conference, but I really want to start attending them. (I am an MA student.) What exactly should go into the proposal beyond the abstract? Should I be concerned with AV issues? Should I even consider doing a Power Point presentation?
Also! How does one present a paper? And how is this different from a regular presentation? Of course I have given presentations on my papers in class before, but is this different?
I know these must be incredibly, painfully basic questions, but I'm not sure of the answers and I don't want to submit a proposal that is completely out of left field. I would like to do it right.
Thoughts? Thanks to all of you in advance!!
edit: Thanks to everyone for all of the advice. You guys are giving me a lot of things to think about in terms of getting a new advisor, conferences, and how to plan my proposal. I appreciate all of it!