The proposal is written, the deadline is close, and you're ready to press submit. Then you notice that the call asks for a different structure from the one you used. It's a small discovery with potentially a lot of rewriting behind it.
The handbook emphasizes preparation and fit when submitting conference work. Keep the scientific substance and the submission requirements in the same plan from the beginning.
1. Is this the right audience for the question?
Read the call and review criteria. Explain the real connection between your work and the event or track. Borrowing a few theme words won't create a fit that the question and contribution don't support.
Think about who could offer useful discussion as well as who might accept the proposal.
2. Does the submission match the requested format?
Check the session type, required headings, length, references, identification rules, and any other instructions. Use the actual call. Don't assume last year's successful submission follows this year's requirements.
Make a checklist while reading so these details don't depend on memory.
3. Can a reviewer find the question, approach, and contribution?
Explain the work in a clear sequence and use enough detail to support its assessment. If the project is incomplete, state its stage accurately and follow the event's requirements for work in progress.
A polished abstract shouldn't conceal missing evidence or imply results you don't have.
4. Have the authors agreed on the submission?
Confirm the author list, roles, proposed presentation, and any commitments attached to acceptance. Check the rules on prior dissemination, overlapping submissions, and presenter limits. Resolve uncertainties before submission rather than assuming a coauthor will handle them.
5. Can you fulfill the commitment if accepted?
Consider attendance requirements, preparation, scheduling, and available support. Check what must be uploaded or completed later. A proposal isn't only a request to be selected; it can create work and costs you need to plan for.
Ask a colleague to read the final version against the actual criteria, then inspect the files and information entered into the submission system. Save a copy of what you submitted. Whatever the decision, you'll have an accurate record and a clearer basis for the next step.
Adapted from The New Faculty Handbook by Zafer Unal, pp. 99-100.
