Regular Session organizers and Section paper session organizers may construct sessions in the traditional paper-reading style or opt for a more interactive format. Please read the material below and give those ideas serious consideration. A short sentence or two can be added to your session listing to outline the presentation format being used.

Organizers who select an interactive format option should communicate carefully with authors so that all presenters are appropriately prepared to facilitate interaction. If the session presider is someone other than the organizer, the organizer must give the presider a clear outline of the session format and each participant's responsibilities.

Overview. The traditional, “standard” format for the many regular, special, and thematic sessions as well as the paper sessions organized by ASA Sections, is to have four presented papers followed by a discussant, with each allocated approximately 15-20 minutes. Often there is little time remaining at the end for questions, comments, or other forms of audience participation. Over the years, meeting attendees have expressed dissatisfaction when presenters closely adhere to lengthy written texts (papers that are read are often difficult to follow), when they use few visual aids, and when what is potentially the most interesting part of the session¯authors responding directly to questions posed by the discussant or by the audience¯is cut short or eliminated altogether. Members of the audience generally have no opportunity to exchange views with one another.

Seeking to be innovative in recent years, Program Committees have endorsed new ways to enliven sessions and make them more interesting, engaging, and interactive. As part of this continuing effort, the Program Committee encourages organizers to experiment with new and more interactive session formats which will be more stimulating to attendees.

Alternative Session Formats. Following are some examples of alternative session formats that may be appropriate for formal paper sessions. In each case, the goal is to create exchange, departing from the more typical three or four serially-presented papers.

·  The “Brookings” model – The discussant begins the session by summarizing and evaluating the papers in a 10-15 minute presentation; the authors then respond to the discussant's presentation. Audience members are encouraged to challenge the authors throughout.

·  The “Digest” model – Each presenter is given no more than 5-7 minutes to present the issues addressed in their papers; the remaining time is spent in discussion.

·  The “Partner” model – Presenters, in pairs, summarize their partners' papers and discuss their strengths and weaknesses. After each partner is given a chance to respond, members of the audience join in.