Media Studies

The Media Studies Interest Group (MSIG) invites submissions to the 2018 Western States Communication Association annual conference in Santa Clara, California. Authors of competitive papers and program proposals for panels seeking to advance the understanding of communication issues in media—especially those that intersect with our conference theme, “Mindfulness and Communication”—are welcome to submit as per the guidelines below. In keeping with this year’s theme, we are seeking submissions of innovative digital media (i.e., art, design work, photos, marketing/PR material, video, animation, etc.) that illustrate, advance, or express aspects of mindfulness and presence, particularly the communication of these capacities. More information about the conference theme and interest groups can be found at the WSCA website.

Deadline: Friday, September 1, 2016.

Please submit competitive papers, competitive innovative digital media, and program proposals via e-mail to:

Samuel M. Jay

Program Planner

Be certain to put “WSCA 2018 Submission” in the subject line.

COMPETITIVE PAPERS

  1. Authors are encouraged to submit papers to the interest group for competitive selection. Papers may employ any humanistic and/or scientific methodology and may address theoretical developments, critical analyses, disciplinary issues, pedagogical issues, research advancements, and innovation of digital media.
  2. Each paper may be submitted to only one interest group.
  3. Competitive Papers should not have been presented at another conference or convention, have been published, or have been accepted for publication.
  1. Submitted papers should include the following:
  2. A separate title page that includes the paper’s title, names of all authors, affiliation(s), email address(es), phone number(s), and audio-visual requests. This information should be included for each author. Equipment availability is extremely limited.
  3. A 100-200 word abstract of the paper
  4. A maximum of 30 pages of text
  5. If this is a student paper, please put ‘STUDENT’ in the top left of your document header.
  6. Please remove information identifying the authors from any pages other than title page
  7. For specific information about submitting to other interest groups, please see here:
  8. Research in Progress: Some interest groups sponsor programs of “Research in Progress.” Papers submitted to these programs should be labeled on the cover page and should not exceed ten pages in length.
  9. Debut Award: The WSCA Executives Club Debut Award is made to the author or co-authors of a paper presented at the convention “who have not presented a paper at a state, regional, national or internationalconvention, or published in any academic journal.”
  10. Papers presented at student-only conferences are exempt from this requirement. All authors of a co-authored paper must meet these eligibility requirements for a paper to be considered a Debut Paper.
  11. Papers eligible for the Debut Award should be marked “DEBUT” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page.
  12. Please also indicate whether each author is a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral student.
  13. Papers need not be presented on a debut panel to be eligible for the Executives Club Debut Award.
  14. Competitive paper submissions must be RECEIVED by the interest group planner at by Friday, September 1, 2017. Be certain to put “WSCA 2018 Submission” in the subject line.The Media Studies Interest Group requires papers to be submitted electronically.

PROGRAM PROPOSALS

  1. Program proposals should focus on a unifying theme relevant to research, theory, or instruction inMedia Studies. Programs may consist of a chair, individual presenters, and a critic respondent in a format traditionally presented at conferences. However, debates, round table discussions, performance activities, or other unique formats are encouraged. Innovative program proposals, especially those that provide opportunities for interaction among participants and attendees, are encouraged. Programs co-sponsored with other interest groups are also welcome. Programs that relate to the convention theme are encouraged.
  2. Program proposals must contain the following:
  3. Thematic title of the program;
  4. Names, e-mail addresses, phone numbers, and affiliations of all participants;
  5. Title and brief description of each presentation;
  6. Equipment needed for the program. Equipment availability is extremely limited.
  7. Program proposals must be RECEIVED by the interest group planner by Friday, September 1, 2017. The Media Studies Interest Group requires papers to be submitted electronically.

COMPETITIVE INNOVATIVE DIGITAL MEDIA

  1. To further this year’s conference theme authors/creators/producers are encouraged to submit innovative digital media to the MSIG for competitive selection: art, design work, photos, marketing/PR material, Website, video, animation, etc. The media will be evaluated on the degree of innovation, ability to communicate a message(s) to a defined public, aesthetics, and function of design.
  2. Submit to the MSIG only
  3. Competitive innovative digital media should not have been presented at another conference, festival, or convention or have been marketed for profit
  4. Must be presentable in the standard 12 minute or less presentation window used in our panels. Clips from longer media productions edited together to fit within the time frame are acceptable.
  5. Innovative digital media submissions should include the following:
  6. A separate title page that includes the submission’s title, names of all authors/creators, email address(es), phone number(s), and affiliation(s). In addition, identify whether each author/creator is a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral student or is an instructor, professor, or media professional. This information should be included for each author/creator. The title page should also indicate audio-visual needs. Equipment availability is limited but provided if feasible.
  7. A separate 400-800 word abstract with submission title that explains what is innovative about the digital media submission, describes the public/target market of the digital media, explicates why the media is effective at appealing or communicating a message to its public or market, and discusses its significance to the field of communication and media studies.
  8. A link to an example of the digital media or color pictures of the digital media may be submitted at the end of the abstract.
  9. In lieu of a link to the digital media, a separate 1-8 slide PowerPoint presentation with photos, illustrations, or screen caps of the digital media may be submitted.
  10. Authors/creators/artists should make every effort to blind their submission for the review process.
  11. Competitive innovative digital media submissions must be RECEIVED by the interest group planner by Friday, September 1, 2017. The Media Studies Interest Group will only accept electronic submissions.
  12. D. Program/panel proposals on innovative digital media should be submitted per the PROGRAM PROPOSALS section above.