Research in the Round (RITR) offers Convention attendees two ways to be involved – as a Table Host or as a participant.
To serve as a Table Host, student members are invited to submit a topic and two questions for brief, engaging conversations about literary, theoretical, pedagogical, or writing topics. Those whose proposals are accepted for RITR will host a table at the event. Participants will circulate from table to table in a timed, speed-style format, where (after a brief introduction from the Table Hosts) they discuss the topic, answering the two questions or formulating one of their own about the same subjects.
Each conversation round will be limited to ten minutes of discussion. Table Hosts will engage in five or six rounds of conversation with several participants per round. Hosts should not talk the whole (or even most of the) time! Instead, your role is to encourage discussion among the participants, including yourself.
Topics and corresponding questions should be broad enough to allow discussion as these examples indicate. Avoid focusing on a single piece of literature but instead use your understanding of that work as an entry point into one of the major themes or issues you find there.
Upon acceptance, RITR Table Hosts go through a brief follow-up process, working with Student Leadership to curate a single-page PDF (typically created in Canva or a similar application) containing visual elements and/or additional resources for their topic. These will be available to participants at your table via a QR code.
RITR Table Host submissions will include the following components:
- Your name, chapter name, email address (choose an email address you monitor regularly and will still use through March 2025), and cell phone number;
- Your proposed Research in the Round topic (no more than 10 words);
- Two proposed questions that would spark discussion on the topic (no more than 50 words total); and
- A longer explanation (no more than 250 words) that gives information on your topic and questions, persuading evaluators that this topic and these questions will spark discussion and reach a broad audience.
Students and alumni who would like to engage in the conversations as participants (not Table Hosts) will indicate their interest in RITR during convention registration, or they may register at the convention as space permits.
Submissions
If you wish to submit a proposal to participate as a host, please complete the
Questions
If, after reviewing the description of this event, you still have questions, email Convention Co-Chair Leigh G. Dillard with the subject line: RESEARCH IN THE ROUND.