Presenter Registration

If you are selected as a presenter, you will be required to register for the conference by the advance registration deadline of November 15, 2024.  Although we wish would could help defray the costs of presenters, NCSS cannot reimburse conference presenters for travel or hotel expenses.

Creating Presentation Materials and Choosing Audio-Visual Equipment

Presentation materials are welcome! As a selected presenter, you will be responsible for providing any materials for use or distribution in your presentation and the costs of any A/V equipment needed. You will find A/V costs listed on the proposal form during the live submittal process. If your proposal is accepted, NCSS will confirm your audiovisual needs submitted in the proposal form and you will be billed for the options you choose. Please plan to include the costs when planning and submitting your proposal. 

Commercial Solicitation

Commercial solicitation is prohibited at all presentations. If you are representing a commercial interest, your presentation must be educational in nature. If the essential purpose of a proposal is to promote books, materials, or services for sale, it will not be accepted. It will be considered as an informational session. Proposals of a sales nature can be submitted as an exhibitor session.

Receiving Notification You Have Been Selected to Present

Acceptance/rejection notification will be sent via email to the primary presenters in the late spring. It is the primary presenter's responsibility to relay that information to all co-presenters. If you do not receive notice by the end of May, please contact conference@ncss.org.

Scheduling information will be sent to all participants during the summer.

Proposal Reviews

The current acceptance rate for sessions and power sessions is approximately 40-60 percent. For workshops, the rate has been lower, and for poster presentations and Teacher Takes higher.

Please keep in mind that presentation slots are limited. For this reason, presenters may not appear on the program in more than two presentations in different formats (e.g., session, poster, Teacher Take).

Multiple reviewers score each proposal using a blind review process. Reviewers use the following questions when scoring proposals. Keep these in mind while drafting your proposal. 

• How well do the title and abstract match the presentation description? 
• How well does the primary focus designation correlate with the abstract and presentation descriptions? 
• Are the objectives experience description, and purpose statements clearly stated? 
• Are the content and/or skills highlighted in the presentation relevant to the intended audience? 
• Can the objectives be met and participant experience described be accomplished in the type of presentation selected? 
• Do the presentation strategies include opportunities for audience interaction? 
• Does the proposal present an instructional method or strategy that you would like to learn more about? 
• Does the proposal address an under served area of social studies? 
• Does the proposal present a new topic or instructional practice? 
• Is the proposal relevant and of interest to social studies educators? 
• Is this a session that you would want to attend? 

The Program Planning Committee will then make its selection from the top-ranked proposals.

Proposal Information

Here are some tips and additional information to help you when planning your NCSS Annual Conference presentation proposal. 

Presentation Types

The following presentation types are planned for the 104th Annual Conference.  Choose the format that fits your content and presentation style. 

• Session. A 60-minute traditional session.
• Poster Session. Poster sessions involve a poster display and possibly technology. Presenters engage with attendees in small groups over a 60-minute time block.
• Power Session. A 30-minute session that is a short presentation over a topic, resource or tool.
• Workshop. Workshops take place on the Sunday morning of the conference and are two hours in length. Workshops should include in-depth learning and exploration.
• Teacher Take. Short individual TED-style presentations—no more than 18 minutes. 
• Clinic. Clinics take place the Thursday before the conference begins. Clinics can be a half-day or full-day, but should include in-depth learning and exploration.
• Off-Site Clinic. These clinics should take place at a local site, but can be a half or full day. There should be a significant rationale for holding the clinic off-site and each clinic should include in-depth learning and exploration.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I submit my proposal?

All proposals must be submitted via our online submission form.

Do I have to be an NCSS member to present?

No, you do not. However, all presenters must register to attend the conference. A discounted registration rate is given to NCSS members who register before the advance registration period ends.

Is there a fee to submit a proposal?

No. However, if your proposal is accepted you must register to attend the conference.

Can I submit more than one proposal?

Yes. However, it is unlikely that multiple proposals will be accepted.

When do I need to complete my submission?

The deadline for submitting proposals is February 29, 2024.