Proposal Reviewing Process

To ensure fair evaluation of conference proposals and high quality presentations, the Conference Committee (CC) has a robust reviewing process.

Round 1: Initial reviews

Once the deadline for proposal has passed, your proposal is assigned to two reviewers (Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2) to blind review. 

  • Your name, email address, institution, and the names and details of any co-presenters are hidden from the reviewers.

Prior to being sent to Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2, the CC checks to ensure neither reviewer is associated with the proposal as a presenter, a proposal mentor, or an institutional colleague.

  • This avoids any potential conflict of interest.
  • If Reviewer 1 or Reviewer 2 become aware of any other conflict of interest (e.g., informal mentoring, personal relationship), they raise this to the CC and another reviewer is assigned in their place.

Once Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2 receive your proposal, they review it independently and make one of the following recommendations:

  1. Accept the proposal as it is (A).
  2. Accept with minor modifications (A/M). This usually includes: providing a reference list; clarifying the link to LD; correcting typos or grammatical mistakes.
  3. Revise and resubmit (R/R). This includes more substantial changes that usually involve: providing greater detail; clarifying specific aspects; revising the structure; etc.
  4. Decline (D). Proposals are usually declined on the grounds that they are not related to LD.

When a proposal is accepted, the presenter(s) will receive an email confirming the acceptance and no other action is needed for the proposal.

All A/M, R/R and D proposals are assigned a third reviewer (Reviewer 3) who is:

  • A member of the CC.
  • Not Reviewer 1 or Reviewer 2 for that proposal.

The role of Reviewer 3 is to:

  1. Determine if they agree with the recommendation from Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2.
  2. In the case that Reviewer 3 does agree, Reviewer 3 collates Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2’s recommendations into a response for the presenter.
    1. If Reviewer 3 agrees with the recommendation for A/M, the presenter(s) will receive an email with the requested changes, details on how to submit these, and the deadline.
    2. All R/R and D recommendations are flagged by Reviewer 3 to the CC by for discussion at the CC Review Meeting, regardless of whether Reviewer 3 agrees with the recommendation.
  3. In the case that Reviewer 3 does not agree with the recommendation from Reviewer 1 and Reviewer 2, Reviewer 3 flags the proposal for discussion at the CC Review Meeting, and will need to collate the response to the presenter after decisions are made in that meeting.

CC Review Meeting:

The CC meets to review all R/R and D proposals, and A/M proposals which were flagged by their Reviewer 3.

The purpose of this is to ensure that the recommendations for these proposals are sound, that the requested changes for A/M and R/R proposals are clear and well-defined so the presenter(s) can respond to them, and that the reasons for D are clearly explained.

Once the Review Meeting is complete, each Reviewer 3 will collate the recommendations from Reviewer 1, Reviewer 2, and the CC into a response for the presenter.

Presenters then receive an email with: 

  • The requested changes, details on how to submit these, and the deadline (for A/M and R/R); or
  • The reasons that the proposal has been declined (for D only).

Round 2: Second reviews

If you receive an A/M or R/R decision, you have the opportunity to amend or to revise and resubmit your proposal.

Please note: amending or revising your proposal does not guarantee it will be accepted.

In order to ensure the reviewer and CC recommendations have been met, your proposal will be submitted for a second review.

  • For A/M proposals: Your amended proposal will go back to Reviewer 3, who will review it against the requested amendments and make a final decision about accepting or declining.
  • For R/R proposals: Your revised proposal will go to the Conference Chair and Conference Deputy Chair, who will review it against the requested revisions and make a final decision about accepting or declining.

If your A/M or R/R proposal is accepted, you will receive confirmation of the acceptance and no other action is needed on the proposal.

If your A/M or R/R proposal is declined, you will receive an email outlining the reasons for this decision.

Because of the robust reviewing process, all Round 2 decisions are final and we do not allow for appeals.

Skip to content