You can find all requirements and deadlines for your submissions online.

For your poster session to succeed, you must follow all of the specified guidelines. We cannot be responsible for the quality of your session or its presentation if you fail to meet these requirements.

All papers must be received by April 30, 2006.

Early submissions are greatly appreciated.

It is not necessary to attend the conference to submit a paper. However, attendees will receive preference in the judging process.

If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact:

Seth Maislin, ASI President-Elect

seth@maislin.com

781-641-1834

We look forward to receiving your submissions!

In addition to our requirements for acceptance, there are many guidelines that can help to improve the quality of your papers and posters. Please read and consider these items when writing and proofreading your submissions:

• Content and audience
• Formatting and appearance

Content and Audience

To be effective, every poster must answer several essential questions (known as the Heilmeier Catechism, created by George H. Heilmeier, President and CEO of Bellcore):

• What are you trying to do? Articulate your objectives using absolutely no jargon.
• How is it done today, and what are the limits of current practice?
• What’s new in your approach and why do you think it will be successful?
• Who cares? If you’re successful, what difference will it make?
• What are the risks and the payoffs?
• How much will it cost? How long will it take?
• What are the midterm and final tests to check for success?

An additional and truly excellent resource on writing poster session content is available at http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/speaking/poster/index.cfm, the website for Writing@CSU, the online Writing Studio of Colorado State University.

Formatting and Appearance

To make your paper stand out, we recommend you attempt to accomplish all of the following:

• The first words on your paper should be the paper title. We recommend using a font size of at least 24 points for readability. Make sure that your title stands out, so that people will know what your paper is about from a distance.
• Under the title, write the names of all authors in a font size of at least 18 points.
• Unless your paper is particularly long, use a font size of at least 14 points for the body of the paper and your figure captions.
• Number your pages, starting with page 1. Number any figures, tables, and other elements clearly.
• Copyright information should be included only once, either at the bottom of the first page or at the bottom of the last page.
• Bibliographic references and websites should be listed at the end of the paper. If necessary, use a smaller font to save space.
• Remember that ultimately you are responsible for the spelling, grammar, formatting, and content of your work. We urge you to find colleagues who are willing to review your sessions for accuracy of appearance and meaning.