Learners and Learning Environments

Rules for Proposals

You are invited to propose one or more of the above activities according to the rules and guidelines described below. The following rules apply to all types of proposals:

• Proposals should conform to the aims of PME. Contributions need not be limited to completed research. Ongoing studies may be submitted, provided that the theoretical framework and preliminary results appear in the text submitted. Papers should be concise, but should nevertheless contain all information necessary to inform both reviewers and other researchers. Proposals merely stating that results will be presented at the conference cannot be accepted.
• Authors are requested to refer to related papers that have been presented at previous PME conferences. The authors should state what is new in the research and how it builds on past research, or goes in new directions. Proposals too similar to papers previously presented cannot be accepted. Proposals that represent new and significant contributions to research in the Psychology of Mathematics Education are especially encouraged.
• Each participant (including co-ordinators and presenters of Research Forums, Working Sessions and Discussion Groups) may propose as a First Author, one of each of the following three different types of personal presentations: Research Report (RR), Short Oral communication (SO), Poster Presentation (PP). However, the Program Committee will accept at the most one of the first two types (RR or SO) and one Poster presentation (PP). A participant or group of participants is allowed to propose a Poster Presentation as an alternative for, or in addition to, another personal presentation.
• In order to have a proposal for personal presentation considered by the Program Committee and sent to reviewers the presenting author(s) of a Research Report must pay the required Conference Deposit.
• An individual cannot be the presenting author of two personal presentations, with the exception of a Poster Presentation, as stated in item 3 above.
• Only the author(s) of the paper can do a presentation.
• The names and addresses of all co-authors or assistant co-ordinators will be included in an appendix in the proceedings, provided they fill in the Author/Coordinator Details Form from the forms page.
• Your submission should enclose a fully completed proposal form for the category, including information regarding the Research Categories and the proposed presentation as a file in RTF format. This can be done from the forms page or from http://igpme.org/forms/forms_conference.html. If this is difficult, follow the instructions to send the proposal by post.

Formatting Papers and Files

We endeavour to work towards a uniform appearance for all papers in the PME29 conference proceedings. An electronic template for the document is available to download. Please use the template with the styles given to format your document, and do not change the styles or margins given in the template. The filename of template is PME29Template.rtf. If you have problems downloading the template, you can receive the template as an attachment by emailing h.chick@unimelb.edu.au . Give information about your version of WORD.

When you start writing your document using the template, save a backup copy and then you can just delete the text in the template and save your document under a different name. The template includes further description of the styles. If you have already written your document you can attach the template to your documents so that the styles will be available. In MS Word use the Tools menu. Choose Templates and Add-ins. A description of how to connect a template to an active document can be found in the help menu. Search for the keyword Template, and the look for Attaching different template. More information is available on the webpage.

• Restrict the total text to the maximum number of pages for the kind of proposal, including references, figures, and appendices. You may bring multiple copies of a longer version for distribution at the conference.
• Write the papers in English, although for Research Reports and Research Forums you may provide a second abstract in a language other than English.
• Type and centre the title in capitals, author(s) name(s), and affiliation(s) of the author(s), in this order. Underline the name of the presenting author(s).
• Give references in one of the accepted standard forms, for example APA style.
• Files should be saved in RTF-format (Rich Text Format) and filenames should indicate the kind of proposal and name of first author; e.g. for a Research Report by Dufus the file should be named: RR_dufus.rtf ( _ is an underscore not a space). Use SO, PP, DG, RF, WS for Short Oral Communication, Poster Presentation, Discussion Group, Research Forum, and Working Session respectively.

Please use the A4 paper format, not the Letter format, as A4 is needed for the proceedings. This is important especially if your submission includes figures. Please make sure that you keep the suggested set-up and font templates. The formatting of the paper is to use a 14-point type, Times recommended, a 16-point line space, and 6 points between paragraphs, occupying a frame of 170 by 247 mm. Please use exact dimensions, and fill the entire frame. The template provides the exact format and a description for this. Remember that the original text will appear in the proceedings reduced to 70%, and changes in style will incur difficulties in printing of the proceedings. Proposed papers that do not meet the required format will not be considered.

What to do if you cannot submit your proposal via the web

We prefer that you use the provided web forms on the PME29 website, or directly from http://igpme.org/forms/forms_conference.html . It is possible both to fill in all the required forms and to submit the file of the paper or proposal together with the form. If you have problems using the web but can use e-mail, you can submit your proposal and the requested forms as attachments to e-mail, to the address: h.chick@unimelb.edu.au

If you need to send your proposal by post please note the following:

• Send three final copies of the full papers plus a disk with the file to the Conference Secretariat. Files should be saved in RTF-format (Rich Text Format). See above for naming the file.
• If it is a Research Report: Send six copies of the paper to the Conference Secretariat
  including a disk with the file. Three of these copies should have the name(s) and affiliation(s) of the author(s) removed for purpose of blind review.
• Be sure that at least one of the copies with the name(s) and affiliation(s) of the author(s) is camera ready (please identify it). Fax copies will not be accepted.
• Use an inkjet or laser printer. Avoid dot matrix print, since it is not satisfactory for copying.
• Do not number the pages (please pencil page numbers lightly on the back of each page).
• Do not staple the copies of the paper.
• Send a PC formatted disk with your proposal file in RTF format.
• Enclose the appropriate forms with your proposal
• Use the guidelines given above for your file.
• Ensure that the proposals are posted in time to arrive by the relevant deadline.

Maintained by: Dr Helen Chick.
Email: h.chick@unimelb.edu.au
Last modified:  May 20, 2005