Contributions

The Forum is an opportunity to explore the changes that are being made to higher education evaluation processes, and to find evidence that they are indeed making a difference to students' learning experiences. Contributions to the Forum are invited to address the theme and related areas

• Evaluating to improve the student experience
• Data gathering and reporting systems; quality instruments
• Staff and student involvement; response rates
• Institutional issues; what's public, what's not
• Effectiveness of process - do evaluation tools produce better student experiences; meaningful strategies for improvement; change management
• Evaluating graduate attributes

Contributors may submit either an abstract for a presentation/poster or a full paper for publication in the refereed forum proceedings.

Submission of abstracts

Presenters may submit an abstract for either a presentation or a poster. All abstracts must be 200-250 words. Abstracts are to be submitted by 22 August 2006 to allow time for reviewers to provide feedback to presenters.

Criteria for acceptance of abstracts

• Is 200-250 words and clearly sets out the content of the proposed presentation/poster, suitable for inclusion in the forum program.
• Addresses topics related to the forum themes listed above.
• Presents an idea, innovation or report that clearly focuses on evaluation as well as describing the implications for practice.

Participants will be advised no later than 1 September 2006 whether the abstract has been accepted for the forum. Presenters must have registered and paid the forum fee in advance, before publication of the forum proceedings.

Submission of full papers

Presenters may choose to submit a full paper. Papers submitted for publication in the refereed forum proceedings will go through a double blind peer review process that is in accordance with the Australian Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) referring standards. Referees will review papers against suitability criteria for the Evaluation Forum, and make recommendations for changes and improvements where appropriate.

Papers are to be submitted by 22 August 2006 to allow time for reviewers to provide feedback to authors.

Criteria for acceptance of full papers

Papers should be:

• no more than 3000 words in length, excluding references.
• satisfy forum guidelines for publishing

Author Responsibilities and Copyright
Authors are to ensure:

• the accuracy of their papers;
• they are the copyright holders of the paper;
• the contents have been cleared for publication by any organisation having the capacity to preclude publication of the paper;
• they accept full responsibility for statements made both in written papers and in presentations; and
• they undertake that at least one of the authors will attend the session for which the paper is scheduled, will present the paper and will be available to answer questions and discuss the paper with other delegates.

The forum organisers accept no responsibility for statements made by authors either in written papers or presentations. Authors retain the copyright of their paper/s.

• All peer reviewed papers will be included in the forum proceedings.
• All peer reviewed papers will be published on the forum web site.
• Authors of all peer reviewed papers must have registered and paid the forum fee in advance, before publication of the forum proceedings.

Presentations
All paper presentations at the forum will be thirty (30) minutes.

Presenters will be contacted about equipment requirements before the forum.