Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about the Conference:

Questions about the Journal:

My question is not listed in FAQs. Who do I contact?

How can I get involved in the Conference?
If you wish to present at the Conference, you may participate by submitting a proposal and a registration or if you do not wish to present, simply register for the Conference. If you are unable to attend the Conference, you may still submit a paper to the Journal as a virtual participant.

Common Ground also has a Conference YouTube Channel that you may submit to whether you are an in-person presenter or a virtual participant.

Common Ground Publishing offers a number of opportunities for organisations or groups who might want to offer sponsorship to our conferences and journals. We ask that interested organisations are linked with the themes of the conference and are willing to connect with the conference and journal community.

Where can I find updated information about the Conference online?
Please visit the Common Ground Community News Blog. It offers up-to-date information on both the Conference and the Journal.
Do you provide invitation or visa letters?
Yes. We do provide invitation or visa letters to anyone with a paid registration. Please send your request to support@booksandpublishing.com.

Any specific questions regarding visas should be directed to your local government, embassy or immigration office. Regulations vary from country to country, and often times from year to year. As a result, Common Ground is not in a position to be an authority and advise in this area.

Would my paper on Caterpillars of the Laotian Rainforest be a suitable contribution to the Conference and the Journal?
Yes, of course it is – providing you use this topic to address the Conference themes. If you think the caterpillars paper could fit within the Conference themes, we ask you to go through the full presentation proposal process.
What do I need to submit at the proposal stage?
The online submission form requests information on the author and a brief summary of the presentation in a step-by-step, or screen-by-screen, format. The most we request is a 150 to 200 word abstract. This material is used for our initial review purposes and, if accepted for presentation, for publication on the Conference website. To submit your proposal, please see the Call for Papers.
What does a virtual presentation mean? Will I present in a scheduled session at the Conference? Can I watch or listen to the Conference online?
No, this is not an internet hoax. Nor does it mean that you will be virtually there, live and online. A virtual proposal/presentation and virtual registration allow you to submit a paper to the Journal without attending the Conference, and provides you access to the electronic version of the Journal. However, whether you are a virtual or in-person presenter at this Conference, we encourage you to present on the Conference YouTube Channel.
Can I change my proposal from presenting to virtual or vice versa?
Yes. You can change your proposal type at any time prior to the conference. Please send your request to support@booksandpublishing.com.
Can I change my proposal after it has been submitted?
Once your proposal has been submitted, we do not allow return access to the proposal submission form. This is so we can maintain control over the papers submitted, and so people cannot decide to present on a completely different subject once their original proposal has been accepted. However, if people do want to make minor changes, they can do so by emailing our support team at support@booksandpublishing.com.
Why can’t I present three brilliant papers at the Conference?
As a matter of fairness and to maximise people’s capacity to speak within the constraints of the program schedule, at least one author of each paper must be registered to attend the Conference. The maximum number of papers accepted is one paper per registered author – which means, for instance, that two registered authors may submit and present two jointly authored papers. In other words, there must be at least one, paid, in-person registration per paper presented at the Conference. For further details, please see the Call for Papers.
I’m having trouble with the forms on the Conference website. What should I do?
You need to submit a proposal through the online submission system. This process will gather all the initial information we need in a format suitable for publication on the Conference website and in the Conference program book. However, if you are having difficulties, please contact support@booksandpublishing.com.
How long will it take me to find out whether my proposal has been accepted?
We try to review proposals within two weeks of submission.
When will the Conference program be available?
The Conference program draft will be available online about a month prior to the Conference. We will be accepting proposals until the close of the call for papers – which is about 2 weeks prior to the Conference. Please continue to visit the Program page for updates.
Can I request the date/time of my session in advance of the Conference?
Yes, we try to accommodate all schedule requests. Once you submit a paid registration you will have the option to nominate which day you wish to present.
I can’t come to the Conference this year. How can I be kept informed of future conferences?
Enter your name and contact details in the Newsletter subscription area of the ‘News’ tab of the Community website to receive regular mailings. In addition, all previous conference attendees are notified of future conferences through regular mailings.
How did you get my name and email address?
We collected your name from a publicly advertised place, such as your institution or organisation’s website. We did this as part of a general search for people who work in areas related to the Conference themes. If this Conference doesn’t connect with your interests, please accept our apologies. If you inform us, by replying to the email with remove in the subject field, we will immediately remove you from the list. We are well aware that spam is one of the curses of the internet. However, our lists have been carefully and laboriously created by hand on the basis of areas of professional knowledge or academic expertise. In terms of recent anti-spam legislation, our email messages go to too few people at any one time to be defined as spam. They are certainly not the huge and indiscriminate automatically harvested lists that are used to try to encourage you to participate in investment schemes. In the past, we have sent out large regular mailouts of printed brochures. However, using a large amount of printed paper has increasingly become an environmental concern. This is why we have decided that email Conference notices are the lesser of promotional evils.
What costs does the registration fee cover?
Unfortunately, there can be substantial costs involved in organising a conference. The registration fee covers areas such as venue related costs, audio-visual hire, a full time Conference secretariat including accommodation and travel bookings, morning and afternoon coffee breaks, and lunches for the duration of the Conference. The registration fee also allows delegates the opportunity to be published in our fully peer reviewed Journal.
How do I get a copy of my registration invoice?
Please contact support@booksandpublishing.com to request a copy of your registration invoice.
If I am unable to attend, will you refund my fees? What is the cancellation policy?
If you are unable to attend the Conference, and are unable to transfer your registration to another person, you may request a refund of your Conference registration fee. You need to send us a written request via email. The amount you are refunded will depend upon the date we receive your request.
Can I transfer my Conference fees to my colleague, as I cannot attend the Conference?
Attendee substitutions are allowed, but notification must be made in writing via email. Registrants who fail to attend the Conference and do not notify Common Ground Publishing are responsible for full payment.

Please submit your requests to:
Email: info@commongroundpublishing.com
Subject line: SUBSTITUTION REQUEST

Are there any scholarships available?
Yes. A limited number of Graduate Scholar Awards will be granted for research students to attend the Conference. In return, they will be asked to be a chairperson in parallel sessions during the entire length of the Conference (except the session in which they are presenting). Applicants are required to have an accepted proposal for a Conference presentation. Chairing guidelines will be provided, including the format of session introductions, managing time, and question and answer. A reference letter will be provided to each Graduate Scholar at the end of the Conference upon request. Please download and complete the Graduate Scholar Award Application Form. Attach the completed form to an email, and send it to the email address at the top of the form.
Is there a Group discount available?
Yes. The Group Registration Rate of $US400 per person is available for five (5) or more participants from the same institution/organization, registering at the same time. This discount cannot be combined with any other discounted rate. Please download and complete the Group Registration Form. Attach the completed form to an email, and send it to the email address at the top of the form.
Will I get an Attendance Certificate?
Attendance letters are provided onsite upon request or emailed to attendees upon request within 1-2 weeks post-Conference. If you would like an attendance letter for a conference that you previously attended, please email us at support@booksandpublishing.com.
What opportunity exists for networking?
The Conference affords many opportunities for delegates to mix and mingle. With the Conference program, delegates can discuss the day’s events and make plans for the rest of the Conference. There is also a Conference Dinner and Tours hosted by the Conference organizers. This, coupled with refreshment breaks and lunches, ensures our delegates have ample opportunity to make and maintain connections.
Are there any sponsorships or exhibit spaces available?
Common Ground Publishing offers a number of opportunities for organisations or groups who might want to offer sponsorship to our conferences. We ask that interested organisations are linked with the themes of the Conference and are willing to connect with the Conference community. Allow us to help you increase exposure of your organization or group within our community of engaged and enthusiastic academics, undergraduate and graduate students, teachers, practitioners and professionals. To review available opportunities, please see our Sponsorship information.
Who are the organizers of the Conference?
Common Ground Publishing is the organiser of the Conference. For more information please visit the following link http://www.commongroundpublishing.com/.
How could we host the Conference?
We are always looking for future venues and collaborations. If you would like to consider hosting a future conference, please read the Community area of this website, and email us at support@booksandpublishing.com.
May I invite my aunt and her grandchild – who are coming with me on holidays, but not attending the Conference – to the Conference dinner?
Yes, of course you may. Accommodation, dinner, tours and other extras for non-participants may also be ordered through the registration process. If you have already registered and wish to add these on at a later date, please email our support team at support@booksandpublishing.com.
How long will it take for my paper to get published in the Journal?
The length of time varies. As soon as registration has been finalised, papers can be submitted for refereeing. Once received and verified against submission guidelines, your paper is matched to two appropriate referees and sent for review (maximum two week turnaround requested). Once the referee reports have been submitted, they are made available to you (with the referee identities removed) and you are requested to return the final version of your paper for publication within two weeks. Papers are published on a continuous basis, so your final paper will be published once the publication process is completed, before or after the Conference. This means that, if desired and submitted early enough, the paper can be fully refereed and published before the Conference. This is of particular value to participants who require double-blind refereeing and confirmed publication before the Conference (and in this case, we request submission at least three months before the commencement of the Conference). Further details on the publication timeline may be found under the Publish Your Paper section of the Journal webpage.

I can’t attend the Conference. How can I publish into the Journal?
A virtual proposal/presentation and registration allow you to submit a paper to the Journal without attending the Conference, and provides you access to the electronic version of the Journal (more information may be found under the Call for Papers). In addition, whether you are a virtual or in-person presenter at this Conference, we encourage you to present on the Conference YouTube Channel.
My question is not listed in FAQs. Who do I contact?
Please e-mail us at support@booksandpublishing.com. Make sure that commongroundpublishing.com is on your allowed senders list. If you don’t hear from us within a week, please check your spam filter.