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Announcing the 2006 TESOL Doctoral Forum

The 5th Doctoral Forum (formerly the PhD Forum) will be held in Tampa, Florida, in the United States, as part of the 40th Annual TESOL Convention. TESOL invites doctoral students to participate in this informative event. The Doctoral Forum is an informal meeting that brings together doctoral students and experienced ESL professionals who are interested in similar research topics and/or research approaches. The forum enables doctoral students to get feedback about current issues pertaining to their dissertation research from their peers as well as from the seasoned ESL professionals (mentors). It is also an opportunity for doctoral students to network with one another. While this may sound formal, the event is actually a relaxed, informal gathering where the students can talk casually about their research.

The following FAQ is intended to provide answers for some of the most common questions that have been asked about this event. Additional questions should be directed to John Butcher by e-mail (john.butcher@ccmail.nevada.edu) or by telephone (702-302-8812). Please verify first that your question is not covered in this list of frequently asked questions.

For whom is the Doctoral Forum intended?
When and where will the forum be held?
How do I register for the Doctoral Forum?
Why is submission of an abstract required?
Are abstracts reviewed?
Where should abstracts be sent?
What happens once the abstract has been submitted?
Is there an opportunity for "walk-ins" to join the forum on the day of the event?
What is the format of the forum?
How do participants need to prepare for the event?
What assistance will TESOL provide to forum participants?

Q: For whom is the Doctoral Forum intended?

A: The forum is open to doctoral students from around the globe. While the forum is open to all doctoral students, it is probably most beneficial to those students who have begun their dissertation research or are on the verge of doing so. TESOL membership is not required for participation in the forum, although TESOL members receive substantial discounts (more than the cost of TESOL membership!) on registration fees for the TESOL convention. Convention registration is required for individuals interested in attending the forum.

Q: When and where will the forum be held?

A: The forum is part of the 40th Annual TESOL Convention. It will be held Wednesday, March 15, 2005, 6-8 pm, in Room 22 of the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida in the United States. Please note that the forum will start at precisely 6 pm.

Q: How do I register for the Doctoral Forum?

A: You must be registered to attend the TESOL 2005 annual convention. There is no additional fee to attend the Doctoral Forum, but there is a separate registration process for it and you must register in advance.

Individuals interested in participating in the forum are required to submit an abstract (250 words or less) describing their research topic. Abstracts can be submitted electronically (by e-mail) or by surface mail or airmail. Electronic submissions must be submitted as a Microsoft Word document, which needs to be attached to the e-mail message. Abstracts written or pasted in the e-mail message itself will be returned with a request to submit them as a Word document.

Abstracts must contain all of the following: the individual's first and last names, e-mail or postal address, telephone number, and area of research (e.g., adult education, bilingual education, computer-assisted language learning, international teaching assistants, material design, sociopolitical concerns, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar). No more than one (1) entry per person, please.

Q: Why is submission of an abstract required?

A: Abstracts facilitate the formation of groups of individuals who are conducting research on the same or similar topic and the pairing of a given group with a mentor specialized or interested in that research topic. Requiring submission of abstracts allows mentors to preview papers so they can prepare for and respond more thoroughly to queries that might be posed during the forum.

Q: Are abstracts reviewed?

A: Abstracts are not reviewed. Abstracts received prior to the deadline are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 45 individuals who submit abstracts are unconditionally granted the opportunity to participate in the event. Please note, however, that there is a restriction on the maximum number of individuals (45) that can participate in this event. Therefore, after the first 45 abstracts, no more will be accepted.

Q: What is the deadline for abstract submission?

A: The deadline for submissions is Thursday, December 15, 2005. Only those submissions postmarked on or prior to this date will be accepted. Again, attendance is restricted to 45 participants, who will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Q: Where should abstracts be sent?

A: Electronic submissions should be e-mailed to rhsummer@mail.usf.edu. To fax, send to Robert Summers at 813-974-3736. Abstracts sent by surface mail or airmail should be sent to

Robert Summers
University of South Florida
Department of Secondary Education
EDU 162
4202 E. Flower Avenue
Tampa, Florida 33620
USA

Please do not send abstracts to TESOL, because this may delay your submission. TESOL is not responsible for delays resulting from misdirecting your submission. Please direct any questions you may have about the forum to Robert Summers at the address above. In addition to e-mail, surface mail, and airmail, he can also be reached by telephone at 813-974-7576. Before contacting him with your question, however, please verify that it is not covered in this list of frequently asked questions.

Q: What happens once the abstract has been submitted?

A: Generally, participants will receive confirmation of receipt of their abstract within 24 hours. Once the deadline for submission has expired, students will be organized into groups of three based on their area of research. Should there be insufficient submissions of a given research area, making the formation of a group impossible, the person(s) will be assigned to a group whose research area closely matches theirs. Next, each group will be assigned a mentor (which means that each group will generally consist of four people). In addition, each group will have assigned seating. Finally, students and mentors will be informed of their group and seat assignment no later than Wednesday, February 1, 2005.

Q: Is there an opportunity for "walk-ins" to join the forum on the day of the event?

A: Because mentors must be identified and contacted in advance, the forum can only be attended by those who have registered for this event through submission of their abstracts. On-site registration is not available for this event, and walk-ins cannot be accommodated.

Q: What is the format of the forum?

A: Seat assignments will be posted at the room's entrance, and each table will have a sign listing the participants assigned to it. Upon entering, participants should locate their assigned seat. At precisely 6 pm, the organizer will welcome attendees and give each participant about 1 minute to introduce himself/herself to the other participants in his or her group. Then, each student will have about 15 minutes to talk about his or her research, focusing specifically on issues that are perceived as challenging in conducting the investigation. Please note that each individual will address his or her group only, not the entire gathering. Finally, each presentation is followed by a 20-minute discussion session during which the other members of the group are expected to provide suggestions and ideas about how the presenter might respond to the challenges faced. Although the discussion session is specifically intended to provide the presenter with advice, group members may raise questions about or ask for clarifications of one or more aspects of the research.

Q: How do participants need to prepare for the event?

A: The forum is the opportunity to get constructive and valuable feedback from one's peers as well as from the mentor about challenges faced in conducting dissertation research. It is imperativeto focus primarily on the problems and pitfalls pertaining to the investigation. That should be the extent of one's preparation for the forum; no other kind of preparation is required.

Q: What assistance will TESOL provide to forum participants?

A: In general, TESOL does not provide any assistance to individuals, domestic or foreign, who wish to participate in the forum. This pertains especially to requests for funding, letters of support to request funding or reimbursements from third parties, support for visa applications, and other matters generally handled by immigration officials. These and similar matters are the sole responsibility of prospective participants.