Thank you for presenting at the RGS-IBG Annual International Conference 2023! Below is some guidance to help you make the most of the conference. This is organised by guidance specific to this conference, and then by more general guidance for those new to presenting.
Planning your attendance at the conference? Please see our guidance for attending in-person, and attending online. You can now register for the conference. If you have any questions, please contact ac2023@rgs.org.
Frequently asked questions
Conduct at the conference
By submitting a proposal for the conference programme, you agree to abide by the conference code of conduct.
Before the conference
How to find your session details in the programme
Navigate to the online programme. We recommend having the Schedule view open in one tab on your browser, and the Presentations view open in another tab, so you can easily move between them.
Navigate to the Presentations view and use the search function to find your paper (searching by your name is easiest). Click through to your paper details. Scroll down to find the details of the session your paper is scheduled for. This will include the date and time.
Go back to the Schedule view, and use the search function to find your session (searching on all or part of the session name). Click through to your session details. This will show you the date and time of your session, as well as the location and format. Sessions are tagged with their format (In-person only, Hybrid, or Online-only). This information is also included in the room details.
If you notice any errors for your session or paper please contact us at ac2023@rgs.org as soon as possible.
As we make our final preparations for the conference, from Monday 7 August you will need to log in to view the conference programme. Access is via the email you used to register. If you are having any difficulties logging into the online platform, please contact us to resolve these.
You can access a downloadable grid view conference programme here, which lists sessions by date, time and room. Click through to access full session details (you will need to be logged in to view).
DOWNLOAD A GRID VIEW OF THE PROGRAMME
Set up your online profile in Fourwaves
Log in to your account in Fourwaves and hover over the button with your initials in the top right corner. From the drop down menu that appears, select ‘Account’. This will take you to the ‘Your profile’ page where you can add your social media and website, a photograph, and a short biography. Please be aware that any information entered here (except your email address) will be visible to other logged in registered delegates.
Uploading additional content to your presentation
We’re really excited that this year session organisers and presenters can upload additional content to presentations in the online programme.
This means you can share your research with colleagues who are not able to join your session in real time, whether that's because they're on different time zones, in other sessions at the same time, or not attending the whole conference. They can view and comment on the material you upload outside of live sessions, and you can keep the conversation going beyond the session itself. You can also use this in the run up to the conference to share content with others in your session ahead of time and make connections ahead of the event.
You can upload:
We warmly encourage you to make the most of this capacity.
How to add content
Log into Fourwaves and navigate to your original submission. New questions have been added which allow you to upload additional material. For further guidance please see here.
Uploaded material will be visible to registered delegates when they are logged into the conference programme, and available for up to three months after the conference. If you have any questions please contact us at ac2023@rgs.org
Preparing your presentation
Your session organiser or session Chair will confirm how much time you have to present. For most presentations, expect this to be a 15 minute slot plus time for questions. We recommend preparing a presentation of about 10-12 minutes. For more advice, please see below under New to presenting.
Preparing your slides
Think carefully about the software you will use to prepare your slides, and whether the file will be compatible with the conference AV and computers.
Session room computers will be running Microsoft Windows, with an internet connection. You WILL NOT be able to connect your own device to the room AV.
The ‘safe’ option is to use Microsoft Powerpoint to create your slides, or ensure you have converted your slides to a file type playable in Microsoft Powerpoint if you design them in a different programme. You can also save them as a PDF to show.
For software such as Canva or Prezi, you may be able to open your presentation within the online version and play it from there. However, we cannot guarantee that this will work, so do plan a back-up option (such as saving your presentation as a PDF or in a version compatible with Powerpoint). You will not be able to install any additional software on the session room computers.
Making your presentation accessible
When you are planning your presentation, it is important to consider an audience with a diverse range of needs. We have put together a full set of guidance for improving accessibility, from designing a clear and readable format to technical advice for setting up closed captions online.
Read our guidance for making an accessible presentation here.
At the conference
Presenting in an in-person session (or hybrid session in-person)
If you are presenting in-person at the conference, we recommend arriving at your allocated room 20 minutes in advance of the session to get set up. Room details are listed on your session details in the online programme. Please see our guide to finding rooms at the conference venue to help you locate your session room.
Please bring a copy of your presentation on a USB stick with you to upload to the session room computer. We encourage you to send a back-up copy of your presentation files to your session Chair ahead of the event, to minimise the risk of technical problems on the day. AV support will be on hand; there will be information in your session room about how to contact them.
During the session, please keep an eye on your session Chair who will be sitting at the front, and who will indicate to you how long you have left to present. It is really, really important that you stick to time, to be respectful of your colleagues and allow everyone time to present. If you have any questions about timings, please ask the session Chair before the session begins. Please note that the session Chair will stop your presentation if it overruns.
The session Chair will keep track of time and will let you know how they plan to run the Q&A, and whether the session is being recorded.
Additional notes for those presenting in hybrid sessions
You will be presenting through Zoom so that those online can hear your presentation.
You MUST NOT disconnect the session room laptop from the room AV at any point, as this will disconnect the Zoom meeting.
Presenters MUST bring their presentations in a format that can be played on a PC. If you are using a Mac, contact us at ac2023@rgs.org before the event.
Each hybrid room is equipped with a good camera and microphone, separate to the session room laptop. You may need to stand in a particular location to be visible on the camera for those watching/participating online.
While presenting, you will use the ‘Share my screen’ feature.
If you would like to play a video as part of your presentation, please bring this as a separate file on your USB stick. To play the video during your presentation, please stop sharing your slides, and follow these instructions to share and play your video as part of the Zoom meeting:
Further information
Joining an online session (or hybrid session remotely)
If you are presenting online, you will be able to access your session through our virtual platform, Fourwaves. Click on your session, and select ‘Join meeting’.
From here, a Zoom window will pop-out and open your session. If you would like to familiarise yourself with Zoom ahead of the event, we recommend attending one of our drop-in sessions in August. Dates and times will be confirmed shortly.
Please join the session at least 10 minutes before the scheduled start-time to get set up. Each session will have a virtual stage-manager, who will be on-hand to help and answer any queries you might have. We strongly advise you to send a back-up copy of your presentation files to your session Chair and stage manager a day ahead of the event, to minimise the risk of technical problems on the day.
Please bear in mind that everything on the screen you share is visible to those watching. This includes but is not limited to bookmark bars, open tabs, and notifications that pop up/slide in. These notifications could include social media, WhatsApp, personal email and other DMs like Slack. Consider turning off notifications and removing any personal or private information ahead of the start of your live session.
We strongly recommend that you keep the Chat box on display during your presentation. The Chair will post messages to you in this box to let you know how long you have left to present, and this will not be visible to others in the session. Please note that if you run over time your session Chair will stop your presentation. This is because it is really important to stick to time out of respect to colleagues, to allow everyone their chance to present.
Further information
New to presenting?
If you are participating in the conference for the first time it can be a little daunting, so we have put together some of our top tips to help you get ready and feel confident delivering your presentation.
Preparing your presentation
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Don’t try to cram your whole project into a 15-minute presentation or paper. Better presentations have a clear focus, whether that’s your key findings, a particular case study which illuminates the project, or a methodological problem you’d like some input on. Less is more!
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Don’t be afraid to keep the focus on what is new and exciting about your work. While a bit of context is important to set the scene, don’t spend your whole presentation rehashing others’ work – unless your paper is deliberately a literature review.
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Decide at the outset whether you want to write a paper that you will read aloud (which you can then repurpose or extend for submission to a journal, or a thesis chapter), or deliver a presentation. Both approaches can work well but will require you to prepare differently.
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If you are writing a paper, we recommend writing your structure first, and then filling it in. What key point do you want the audience to take away with them?
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It’s important to fit the amount of content to the time you will have. For 15 minutes, this will be about 1,200 words.
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If you are reading from a script, make sure you are still engaging with the audience. Remember it’s a performance, and a conversation.
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If reading aloud, avoid also using lots of visual aids e.g. slides, other than perhaps one very striking image or graphic. It’s likely distracting for you (having to juggle two things at once) and for the audience.
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If you are delivering a presentation from notes, with slides, you’ll similarly want to be clear on the story you want to tell, and the key points you want to land with the audience.
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For a 12-15 minute presentation, you probably want about 10 slides.
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Slides are visual – make the most of this! Use striking images, key graphics and even short video clips – though test these out in advance where you can, have a back up ready, and make sure to factor it into your timings.
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DON’T have lots of text on the slides that you just read out. If you want the audience to read a quotation from a slide, for example, make sure to pause for them to do this, and build this into your timings.
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Use the slides as prompts for the key beats of your presentation.
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Practice, practice, practice. Make sure you’ve read/said your paper/presentation aloud at least once, and more if possible, ideally using a timer or stopwatch to see how long this actually takes you to do. This will help build your confidence and remind you of how well you know your material!
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Think about potential questions that might come up. If you practice your presentation with colleagues or friends, see what questions they have for you.
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If you’re attending in person, bring your presentation slides in two formats in case a computer can’t read your file – Powerpoint and a PDF is a good backup option in most cases. Bring a printout of your notes you can read from too if you find that helpful (and just in case of serious technical difficulties!).
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You may also find these resources on storytelling in science and how to present your research helpful.
At the conference
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A good conference is 1) giving a good paper and 2) asking a good question. If you come back having done both of those things, then you've done well.
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Try to attend sessions before your presentation (online or in person) and, if you can, ask questions. Get used to hearing your voice in the room, in front of colleagues, collaborators, and potential future friends.
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If you're presenting in person, check out the room ahead of time, if you can, so you know where you’re going and are confident you can find it again. At the RGS-IBG Conference, rooms are open from 08:00-19:00 on each conference day. You can go in during coffee breaks and at the start and end of lunch too.
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Consider taking a break immediately before your session to read over your notes one last time and to steady your nerves. Breathe – you’ve prepared for this.
In the session
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Technical problems happen – if they do, everyone else will be so thoroughly relieved it's not happening to them that they’ll almost certainly be really, really nice to you in the Q&A. The session Chair should be able to help, but if you’re having problems, call the conference helpdesk on +44 (0)20 7591 3027 (details will be in the room on the day) and we’ll send someone to assist.
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Remember to engage with your audience – it’s a conversation, not a broadcast. This is particularly important if you are presenting online, where it can be harder to engage with people. Be more present, have your visuals be really engaging and sharp.
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Stick to the time limits. Your session Chair will contact you in advance of the session to let you know how long to present, and it is a good idea to confirm this with them at the start of the session. Please make sure you stick to time out of respect to other presenters. However, if someone else has seriously overrun their time, do not panic as your session Chair should still give you your full slot to present so that you don’t lose out.
Questions
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Take the time at the end of the sessions to receive questions and speak to other presenters.
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During Q&A, take notes of questions while they’re being asked if that helps, and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if you’re not sure what the question was. Pause to think for a moment if you need to before launching into an answer. Remember that the question often reflects more on the asker than on you or your research.
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If you can, ask questions of other presenters too. Think about the types of questions you appreciate and how they are framed – try to model that.
Read our full Newcomers' guide
Other information
Contribution limits
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Delegates will be limited to ONE paper presentation and ONE panel/workshop contribution, OR, TWO panel/workshop contributions. The role of discussant is included as a panel/workshop contribution.
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We cannot guarantee to resolve all timetable clashes for non-presenting co-authors where they are involved in multiple sessions.
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Sessions can be in-person, hybrid or online. For organised sessions, the session organiser(s) will decide on the session format, consulting with the session contributors, and by final agreement with the conference organisers.
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We reserve the right to move individual papers submitted via the open call to an online format to ensure the best sessions.
Registration requirements
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All programme contributors, except non-attending co-authors, must register to attend the conference by the early bird registration deadline of Friday 16 June 2023, and pay the appropriate registration fee.
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Some delegates, particularly those from low-income countries, may be eligible to be invited by a Society Research Group to receive waived registration fees as a Research Group Guest. Please contact the Research Group sponsoring your session, or the conference organisers, for more information. Applications must be submitted by the Chair of the Research Group in question. The scheme is now open for applications.
Eligibility to contribute
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We welcome attendance and participation from all members of the geographical and related communities/disciplines and other interested parties.
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Anyone can participate in the annual conference, and you do not need to be an RGS-IBG Fellow or Member to attend (though discounted registration is available for Society members).
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You do not need to be a member of a Research Group to propose a contribution to a Research Group sponsored session.
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International delegates are especially welcome to propose a contribution to an organised session, or to organise a session.
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Given the content and nature of the annual conference, most student attendees are ordinarily at postgraduate level. If you are a student who is under 18 and are interested in participating in the conference, please contact the conference organisers at ac2023@rgs.org to discuss this before submitting a proposal or registering.
Other information
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The Society does not publish a proceedings of conference, either online or in print. The conference organisers therefore do not require authors to submit their full paper to us before or after the conference. Session chairs or convenors may request a copy of the paper/presentation from authors to help with discussion in the session, but this is at their discretion.
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Successful proposals, including the names and affiliations of session contributors, will be made public via the Society’s website and will be kept on record as part of the Society's historical archive.
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If authors require confirmation of paper acceptance, for example for funding applications, please contact ac2023@rgs.org for assistance.