German and International Research on Oman:
Conference - Bonn (Germany), 2-3 July 1999


Guidelines for the presentation of papers

A. Conference philosophy:

Because of the diversity of research and scholarly interests of Oman Studies Centre members and others attending our conferences, the conferences do not have a central theme. Instead, sessions may feature invited keynote speakers who will address issues of contemporary or historical significance for Oman or in the field of research on Oman. In addition, subject specialists may be chairing panels (in the plenary session) or workshops (outside the plenary session) where speakers will discuss aspects of a single theme or related themes. Panel sessions should be interactive forums, with panelists speaking for a maximum of 5-10 minutes each, and with a strong emphasis on discussion. Speakers are invited to make copies or abstracts of their written papers available as handouts, preferably before the panel session, so as to encourage interaction during it. Speakers will be actively discouraged from simply reading aloud a written text.

Panels and workshops will be arranged by the convenors of the conference or may be proposed by participants in andvance, preferably from groups of participants instead of single attendants. The Steering Committee will select presentations on the basis of their relevance to Oman and to the general objectives of the conference. It may not be possible to accommodate every proposal. However, every effort is made to give presenters who are not allocated the traditional 30 minutes presentation slot the chance to present a shorter summary of their research in a plenary session panel or in a workshop. An oral presentation is not a prerequisite for the publication of a paper in the conference proceedings - the form and extent of a published paper has to be decided separately by the Committee on the basis of the paper's subject and quality.

B. Your paper:

The Oman Conference is an inter-disciplinary event, not an event devoted to your specific academic discipline. Your oral presentation should not go to deeply into details which only experts in a specific field can understand and appreciate. The focus should be on the Oman-related aspects of your research, not on general ideas and theories. The Conference as a whole should give participants an overview over what interesting research and other projects are being undertaken relative to Oman. It should give them a chance to exchange views and ideas across different disciplines, and to find ways to work more closely together.

At least one quarter (or more) of your presentation should be devoted to topics such as
It is not appropriate or necessary to read a long and very academic paper to the audience. If you can convey the essentials of your research to the audience in 10 minutes, don't stretch your presentation to the maximum of 20 minutes. The organisers would also be glad to combine 2 to 5 short contributions on similar subjects in one panel. One of the important objectives of the conference is to foster networking, and your presentation should help others to find out who you are and what your particular interest in Oman is.
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Last updated on 15 March 1999.
Copyright © Steering Committee, Oman Conference