5th Postgraduate Research Conference
Staffordshire University
Wednesday 24th May 2017, 10.00 - 5.00
CALL FOR PAPERS, POSTERS, DISPLAY TABLES AND ENTRIES
FOR A THREE-MINUTE THESIS COMPETITION
#staffsPgR
General Guidelines






Regardless of what type of presentation you plan, we need a proposal,
submitted on the proforma below, and sent to: [email protected]
Please ensure that you have consulted your Principal Supervisor / Director of
Studies before submitting your abstract
For display table proposals, we will need to be in touch with you about the
exact nature of your display, so please send your ideas as soon as possible.
Abstracts will be published in the Conference Guide.
All presenters will be given a certificate of attendance.
At the end of the day, the results will be announced for best posters and for
best three-minute thesis.
The deadline for submission of abstracts is Wednesday 26th April
Name
Faculty
Year of study
Name of Principal
Supervisor
Title/description
Poster, paper, slideshow +
audio, display table or
three-minute thesis?
Abstract (300 words max)
Guidance for various types of presentations
Posters
A poster should be no more than A1 size portrait (594mm x 841mm 23 3⁄8in x 33
1⁄8in). Your poster should be self-contained: that is, say and illustrate something
meaningful about your work, in a manner that would be intelligible to a reader even
without speaking to you, or knowing the subject area. We suggest that, depending
upon where you are in your PhD work, you might consider focusing the theme of
your poster as follows:
If you are in your first year or two of study: the poster should address the rationale of
your research and the method (why and how).
Middle phase of your research: The poster should address the significance,
originality, novelty or importance of your research.
Nearing the end of your studies: The poster should focus on the impact of your
research on the public, user communities, society or the academic community. Why
is it important?
Note: You should bring your poster on the day of the conference where a
display board will be allocated. Please see the attached guidance on poster
size, layout and printing possibilities.
Short Papers
The presentation will be strictly held to no more than 15 minutes to allow some time
for questioning. Use of powerpoint, video or similar is recommended. We do not
require a completed paper, and papers will not be published following the
conference, however we do require any presentation materials (such as powerpoint)
in advance, so they can be on the system ready for you.
First Year Students: the presentation should address the rationale of your research
and the method (why and how).
Second year/mid-point students: The presentation should address the significance,
originality, novelty or importance of your research.
Final/writing up students: The presentation should detail the impact of your research
on the public, user communities, society or the academic community.
Submission of completed powerpoint presentations, for abstracts that have already
been accepted, should be by email attachment by 28th April 2017 to:
[email protected]
Slideshows with audio narration
For those of you wanting to present a paper based on an aspect of your research at
the conference, but who are unable to attend the event in person, we would welcome
submissions of slideshows with audio narration. This means that you can submit a
PowerPoint or Prezi slideshow with a pre-recorded voiceover to explain each slide.
Tutorials on producing slideshows with audio narration are widely available through
YouTube - e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsyYRvnedrQ – or you can
contact the University’s Information Services for support at [email protected]. If you
choose this method of presentation, please use a maximum of 12 slides (this
includes your title slide) and limit the total presentation timing to 15 minutes. When
submitting your abstract, please make it clear that you would be submitting a
slideshow + narration rather than presenting in person.
Please submit your audio enhanced powerpoint by email attachment by 28th April
2017 to: [email protected]
Three-minute Thesis
We have room for a maximum of seven presenters for this fun and challenging
competition. Each participant will have a single powerpoint slide, and no other visual
aids. You must speak for no more than three minutes, and this will be rigorously
enforced. Please see attachment for further information about the three-minute
thesis competition. Your single powerpoint slide should be sent by email attachment
by 28th April 2017 to: [email protected]
Display Table
We will have room for a maximum of five display tables. The aim is to permit a series
of very brief, interactive, demonstrations of some aspect of your research. You might
want to demonstrate a particular physical effect; show a particular piece of
equipment or software; have interactive quizzes for conference goers; exhibit
specimens; and etc. The exact nature of what will be demonstrated must be made
clear, and for health and safety reasons will request that you cooperate with us in a
timely manner concerning the arrangements.