Submission formats

ISME 2024 World Conference accepts four submission formats:

• papers (individual and roundtable)
• posters
• symposia
• workshops.

Instructions for each submission format are provided below.

1. Papers (Individual and Roundtable)

Paper presentations involve one or more co-authors and will take place in two formats:

• individual papers
• roundtable papers.

Each paper submission must be submitted to a review panel. If you are submitting more than one paper/poster/workshop/symposium you may choose the same or a different review panel for each submission. During the submission process, you will be asked to select your preferred presentation format for that paper—individual or roundtable (see format descriptions below).

Although you will be able to indicate your preferred presentation format, we cannot guarantee that all accepted papers will be allocated to preferred formats. Papers that are accepted will be grouped and allocated to presentation formats by the Scientific Committee. It is therefore recommended that you anticipate that your paper may be accepted to either of the presentation formats— individual or roundtable—when making your submission.

There are two types of submission for papers: Abstract only or a Full Paper with an Abstract.

Abstract. Abstracts must be in English. Submissions will be removed from consideration if the paper exceeds the word limit or includes author identification.

Abstract word limits:
• 15 words or fewer for paper title
• 400 words or fewer for abstract (excluding title)
• References, tables, and figures should be added to the end of the document in JPG format and are not included in the word count. No more than a total of two (2) tables and/or figures may be included.

Abstracts must address and will be reviewed on the following five items:
1. Theoretical/pedagogical background of the paper
2. Aim/focus of the work/research reported
3. Method/approach/modes of inquiry
4. Results and/or summary of the main ideas
5. Conclusions and implications for music education

Abstract submission format and revisions:
• No specific format, such as APA, is required.
• Submitters can review and make changes to a submission DRAFT prior to the deadline, including uploading a revised abstract. After the submission has been completed, submitters can still review their submission but can no longer make any changes to it.

Full Paper. Full papers must be in English. Full papers are for presenters who wish to have a fully refereed paper considered for publication in the Conference Proceedings. Submissions will be removed from consideration if the paper exceeds the word limit or includes author identification. Full papers must be uploaded to the online submission website as a PDF attachment to Abstract submission by October 13^th, 2023, at 11:59 PM Pacific Time. Full papers submitted after this deadline will not be included in the conference proceedings.

All full papers must be in the format of the Guidelines for Authors. Submissions that are not presented in the required format will not be included in the conference proceedings.

Full paper word limits:
• 15 words or fewer for paper title
• 400 words or fewer for abstract (excluding title)
• 1500 - 3000 words in length for full paper (excluding title and abstract)
• References, tables, and figures should be added to the end of the document and are not included in the word count.

All Paper submissions must conform to the Guidelines for Authors provided on the submission website and should develop further the items 1–5 as indicated above under "Abstract".

Presenters should note that Full Paper submissions will be refereed according to a two-stage process:

1. Abstracts will be refereed for inclusion as a presentation in the Conference Program. Abstracts must address and will be reviewed on the following five items:

1. Theoretical/pedagogical background of the paper
2. Aim/focus of the work/research reported
3. Method/approach/modes of inquiry
4. Results and/or summary of the main ideas
5. Conclusions and implications for music education

2. Full Papers will be refereed for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings. It is possible, therefore, that some Full Paper submissions will be accepted for presentation but will not appear in the Conference Proceedings. Authors should expect to be notified separately of presentation and Full Paper publication decisions.

Copyright (Full Paper submissions only)

At the time of a Full Paper submission, presenters must indicate agreement with the following copyright conditions:

Copyright Agreement:
I hereby assign to the International Society for Music Education (ISME), copyright of the Full Paper I am now submitting for use by the Society in all formats and through any medium of communication if it is accepted for Publication in the refereed Conference Proceedings.
• I understand that the Full Paper I am submitting will be refereed for possible inclusion in the Conference Proceedings and that it may also appear on the ISME website.
• I confirm that the Full Paper is original and has not been published previously nor is currently under consideration elsewhere, that I have obtained all necessary permissions for the reproduction of content not owned by me (e.g., illustrations, photographs, charts, and other visual material, etc.), and that the Contribution contains no unlawful statements and does not infringe any rights of others.
• I understand that I will retain copyright of the original submission for purposes of duplicating the article, placing it on my personal and institutional websites, etc. but will give ISME the first and exclusive rights to publish the ISME-formatted and edited version in print or online in ISME Conference Proceedings and/or journals.
• I understand that if my Full Paper is not selected for publication in the Conference Proceedings, then upon such notification the copyright will revert back me (the author).

Session Formats for Paper Submissions

Meeting rooms for individual paper sessions will be set up theater-style; roundtable sessions will be set up with roundtables. The following session formats are used by the Scientific Committee to group accepted papers.

Individual. During individual paper sessions, authors present their papers, followed by audience discussion. Individual papers may be single authored or co-authored. Individual paper submissions are allocated to topic area sessions by the Scientific Committee and a chair is identified. A typical structure for a 90-minute individual paper session with three papers allows approximately 20 minutes per paper and 10 minutes of discussion. Session chairs may adjust the timing based on the number of papers scheduled for the session. Individuals must be attentive to the time allocation for presenting their work in individual paper sessions. All individual paper sessions will have a screen, LCD projector, audio player and speakers available in the room.

Roundtable. Roundtable sessions allow maximum interaction and discussion among presenters and attendees. Papers accepted for a roundtable session will be grouped by the Scientific Committee into tables with up to six papers per table, clustered around shared interests. At a roundtable session, each roundtable will have a designated chair, who is knowledgeable about the research area, to facilitate discussion and participation. Each roundtable will be scheduled for a 90-minute session. Each presenter will have approximately 10-12 minutes to present their paper followed by an extended period for discussion. Because of the physical configuration of this type of session, no additional audiovisual equipment, such as a screen or LCD projector, is provided. Authors wishing to display information may do so from their own laptop computer screens. If you plan to use a laptop, please be sure the battery is charged, as no power source will be provided.

2. Posters

Poster sessions combine graphic display of materials with the opportunity for individualized, informal discussion of the research throughout a 90-minute session. Individual presenters set up displays representing their papers in a large area with other presenters. Because of the physical configuration of this type of session, no additional audiovisual equipment, such as a screen or LCD projector, is provided'. Abstracts for Poster submissions must follow the same rules given for Papers, above. Authors of accepted Posters are invited to bring with them a Poster to display during the Conference. Poster specifications (size, format, etc.) will be provided upon acceptance. Titles of Abstracts for the Poster Session will appear in the Conference program and the Abstracts will appear in the Conference App book.

3. Symposia

Symposia are fully planned sessions related to a specific topic area involving multiple presentations or participants and a chair. Organized symposia sessions are encouraged and expected to make a distinctive and creative contribution to the Conference. Symposia will normally be allocated to 90-minute sessions, consisting of presentations and discussions according to the decisions of the convenor. The symposium convenor (chair) must supply all information required by the online submission system.

All symposium presenters are expected to prepare a paper or commentary paper. Symposium submissions must have a minimum of three (3) participants and are limited to six (6) participants for 90-minute sessions. The number of participants includes presenters and discussants. These limits are in addition to the chair. The presentation limits are to allow for meaningful presentation, discussion, and audience participation.

Symposia word limits:
• 15 words or fewer for symposium title

• 300 words or fewer for overall symposium session summary without any author/participant identification. The summary will be published in the Conference App and must address the following elements:
1. Objectives of the symposium
2. Overview of the presentation format
3. Scholarly or scientific significance
4. Structure for the session

• 300 words or fewer for each participant’s paper/presentation summary to be included in the symposium. These summaries will be published in the Conference App and must not include the name of the participant. Abstracts must address and will be reviewed on the following five items:
1. Theoretical/pedagogical background of the paper
2. Aim/focus of the work/research reported
3. Method/approach/modes of inquiry
4. Results and/or summary of the main ideas

• Conclusions and implications for music education

Symposia submission format and revisions:

• Symposium summary upload with no author identification consists of a Symposium abstract (300 words or fewer) and a Symposium summary PDF document containing a paper/presentation summary for each presenter in the session (300 words or fewer). The Symposium summary should only include the Symposium title (max 15 words), the 300 word Symposium abstract and the abstracts from each of the 3 to 6 presenters. References, tables, and figures should be added to the end of the document and are not included in the word count. No more than a total of two (2) tables and/or figures may be included. The submission will be removed from consideration if the upload exceeds the word limit or contains author identification.

• Symposia submissions need to include a chair that has substantive expertise and knowledge of the session content. The role of the symposia chair is to facilitate and guide the discussion amongst both presenters and attendees.

• Any discussants involved must also have substantive expertise appropriate to the session.

• No specific format, such as APA, is required.

• Submitters can review and make changes to a submission DRAFT prior to the deadline, including uploading a revised abstract or consolidated document. After the submission has been completed, submitters can still review their submission but can no longer make any changes to it.

Session Formats for Symposia Submissions

Symposia sessions provide opportunities, not afforded by a single paper, to examine a specific education problem or topic from a variety of perspectives, engage in intensive discussion, or draw on a wide range of experiences. Organizers of sessions propose the topic, identify participants, and describe the format to be used. The organizer must obtain the consent of all participants (who must be ISME members at the time of submission and presentation) before advancing a symposium submission. In general, symposium submissions should include presenters from different institutions or from different research groups or regions of the world.

Symposia. A symposium provides an opportunity to examine specific research issues, problems or topics from a variety of perspectives. Symposia may present alternative solutions, interpretations, or contrasting points of view on a specified subject or in relation to a common topic area. Symposia may also use a panel discussion (colloquia) format targeted at a clearly delineated research issue or idea with one or more invited discussants. Symposia may be quite interactive, where a large portion of the session is devoted to discussion among the presenters, discussant(s), and audience (e.g., town hall meetings or panel discussions on a single topic with a group of speakers who propose their points of view and, under the guide of the chair or convenor, discuss these with the audience). Innovative formats are encouraged and can be proposed under this format provided they are submitted with a clear, specific, and coherent rationale. Accordingly, organizers of symposia may use (and are encouraged to use) a range of presentation modes—including brief opening remarks—to convey key points and catalyze discussion among attendees.

4. Workshops

A workshop or demonstration provides an opportunity to exchange information or work on a common problem, project, practice or shared interest. Presentations are brief, allowing adequate time for reflective discussion, ‘hands-on’ activity, and/or interaction. The workshop format is designed for sessions that provide information relevant to the research process or other elements of the work of music education professionals.

Workshop word limits:
• 15 words or fewer for paper title
• 400 words or fewer for abstract
• References, tables, and figures should be added to the end of the document in JPG format and are not included in the word count. No more than a total of two (2) tables and/or figures may be included. Submissions will be removed from consideration if the paper exceeds the word limit or includes author identification.

Workshop abstracts must address and will be reviewed on the following five elements:
1. Background
2. Objectives or purposes
3. Content (including description of workshop activities)
4. Methods, approaches or modes of inquiry (including description of how the audience will be engaged in practical interaction)
5. Applications for music education

Workshop abstract submission formats and revisions:
• No specific format, such as APA, is required.
• Submitters can review and make changes to a submission DRAFT prior to the deadline, including uploading a revised abstract or paper. After the submission has been completed, submitters can still review their submission but can no longer make any changes to it.

Session Formats for Workshop Submissions

Sessions will have designated time slots (normally a maximum of 60 minutes, consisting of no more than 45 minutes for the Workshop and 10 minutes for the discussion/questions, with 5 minutes between sessions). Presentations within Workshop sessions are brief, allowing adequate time for reflective discussion, ‘hands-on’ activity, and/or interaction; do NOT submit an individual paper for a Workshop session.

Demonstration groups of pupils can only be used if all arrangements are organized by the presenter, because the organizing committee cannot provide for this. For demonstrations of software or other equipment, authors will be responsible for ensuring that the necessary equipment is available.

Submissions must therefore include a full description of the equipment and facilities needed.

If you have questions regarding the submission process, please e-mail ISME 2024 Conference Office at isme2024@confedent.fi. For academic questions, please email scientific-chair@isme.org. For queries relating to membership or other general information, please email comms@isme.org.