Guidelines for the Chairmen of Paper Sessions at the
International Conferences on the History of Cartography
International Conferences on the History of Cartography (ICHC) | 'Map History' HOME (main menu)
[NB. This text needs to be updated by each organiser. Much of what is given
below is no longer relevant (2005)]
Action to be taken beforehand
Please arrange to meet your speakers beforehand. Explain to them that they
will not be allowed to go beyond their 20 minutes. If you have seen their
paper, and it looks likely to be too long, please ask them to cut it down.
It may be appropriate to suggest which sections could be cut.
Check that they have made arrangements with the projectionist about
their slides and, if they have any other special requirements, e.g. overhead
projectors, that they have someone else to change these for them
- otherwise they will probably overrun their 20 minutes.
Responsibilities as Chairman of the session
-
To keep to the scheduled timetable. This allows 20 minutes
for each
talk - with no exceptions - and five minutes for discussion.
- Chairmen should not spend valuable time repeating the CV details that are available to
everybody in the printed Programme.
- Assuming that all future presentations will be via Powerpoint, with the paper's title on
the first slide, do not read that out [this and the point above would need to be amended if
there was a blind audience member].
-
To lead the discussion. As this can be slow to start, it is wise to have
a question ready yourself. We do not ask Chairmen to sum up a paper or
a session at the end.
-
To take responsibility for starting the session at the advertised time.
This means, for example, ensuring that people leave the coffee area a few
minutes beforehand.
The success of the conference depends on strict time-keeping
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