Welcome to the 2026 PAMLA Conference in Seattle! Whether this is your very first academic conference or your first time joining us, we are thrilled to have you. Academic conferences have their own unique rhythms, unspoken rules, and etiquette.
To help you navigate the experience with confidence, make great connections, and avoid feeling overwhelmed, we’ve put together this useful guide to conferencing, presenting, and connecting!
Top 10 Rules for a Great Conference Experience
1. Quality Over Quantity (Presenting 101)
While PAMLA rules allow scholars to participate in more than one session (e.g., one traditional paper panel plus one roundtable, creative session, or seminar), less is often more. It is fine to be in more than one session (if the rules allow you to do so and you wish to, as long as your papers or presentations are fundamentally different from one another). But:
Executive Director’s Advice: Most experienced scholars find presenting just once per conference to be ideal. Giving a single presentation allows you to focus on polishing your work without becoming overwhelmed. It frees up your schedule so you can attend other panels, discover new research, and network—which is often the most valuable part of the entire conference!
2. Time Limits Are Sacred
Panel presentations at PAMLA are strictly timed—usually 15 to 16 minutes for a 4-panelist session (or 20 minutes for a 3-person panel). Ask your Presiding Officer for your exact time limit well in advance.
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Factor in AV Setup Time: If you have 17 minutes and it takes 3 minutes to set up a video clip, you only have 14 minutes left for your talk! AV setup and media clips count as part of your total allotted time.
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Respect your fellow panelists by sticking strictly to your time limit so everyone gets an equal turn.
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Protect the discussion: Going long can negatively impact your fellow presenters and limit discussion. Time your paper out, practice it, and keep to your agreed time limit.
3. Presenting is a Performance (Not Just Reading)
Remember: “Sing out, Louise!” Be sure those all the way in the back of the room can hear you clearly. Presenting your research is an oral performance—simply reading as fast as you can from a dense essay for 15 minutes is not an engaging strategy.
- Look up from your paper to make eye contact and modulate your voice.
- Avoid overly long plot summaries or dense theoretical passages left un-explicated.
- Give your audience a reason to stay engaged—inform them, intrigue them, move them, or make them think!
4. Audience Size Doesn’t Matter (Focus on the Interlocutors)
Don’t worry if your session room isn’t packed. As Stanislavski supposedly said, “There are no small parts, only small actors.” The main purpose of presenting a conference paper is to test out a draft of your research before revising it for publication. Even one knowledgeable, engaged listener offering thoughtful feedback makes your talk a resounding success.
5. Generate Good Conference Karma
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As a Presenter: You are expected to stay for the entire 90-minute session in which you present—from start to finish. Arrive 10 minutes early to check in with your Presiding Officer and fellow panelists. While others are speaking, stay engaged: take notes, listen actively, and prepare thoughtful questions for the Q&A.
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As an Audience Member: While it is always best to stay for a session’s full 90 minutes, we know schedule conflicts happen. If you must leave early to catch another talk or a meeting, sit near the back and slip out quietly between presentations without drawing attention to yourself. (And as a presenter, don’t take it personally if an audience member has to slip out!).
6. Ask Real Questions (Not Speeches Disguised as Questions)
During Q&A sessions, ask real, thoughtful, and supportive questions. Avoid making long speeches disguised as questions (“more of a comment than a question”). Focus on the speaker and what you’d like to learn from them. Or perhaps share a brief, polite suggestion. Good listeners and polite questioners make a conference vibrant for everyone!
7. The Q&A is a Conversation, Not a Dissertation Defense
The Q&A period is an opportunity to expand on your topic with colleagues, not a high-stakes exam!
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You don’t need to know everything: If you don’t know the answer, say so immediately and pivot: “That’s a fascinating angle I haven’t considered yet, but in the context of my project…”
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Always acknowledge the questioner: “Thank you for that thoughtful question” gives your brain a few extra seconds to think!
8. Download the Whova App & Read Your Emails!
We use the Whova app for our interactive conference schedule, real-time updates, and messaging. In a few months, you’ll be able to sign in with the exact email address you used for your PAMLA account. Whova is the best way to connect with other attendees, coordinate shared rides or dinners, and keep track of your schedule.
And please read your PAMLA emails! They contain essential updates and are guaranteed to be more fun than reading Hegel (unless you love Hegel, in which case they are equally fun).
9. Turn Your Stay Into an “Intellectual Vacation”
Staying at our official conference venue (the Hyatt Regency Seattle) keeps you right in the center of the action. It gives you a seamless “home base” just an elevator ride away where you can rest, drop off your bag, or prep before your panel. Don’t forget to attend our featured keynotes, receptions, and special events where spontaneous friendships and future collaborations happen.
10. Be Friendly, Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously, and Have Fun!
If you are naturally shy or introverted, push yourself just a little bit to say hello to the person sitting next to you or ask what sessions they’ve enjoyed. Everyone at PAMLA is here because they love language, literature, culture, media, and the arts. If you make a small mistake during your talk, don’t worry! Keep moving forward with a good sense of humor and a desire to learn.
Featured Events & Speakers for PAMLA 2026
Be sure to build time into your schedule to join us for our stellar 2026 lineup!
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Wednesday Evening Welcome Event — The Pop-Poetry Music Project: Kick off the conference with an interactive evening exploring the intersection of popular music and literary craft! Singer-songwriter Erica Cefalo and composer-pianist Billy Larkin will analyze and perform original songs based on modern poetry. In the second half, they will lead attendees in a dynamic songwriting workshop.
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Presidential Address: PAMLA president John Schwetman’s address: “Everything I’ve Done in My Life, I’ve Done for My Children”: Succession and Class Satire in Gilded Age 2.0
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Plenary Speaker: Renowned scholar and past MLA president Michael Bérubé (Penn State).
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Arts Keynotes: Rae Armantrout (Pulitzer Prize-winning poet), Marilyn Chin (Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize-winning poet), and Sonora Jha (Acclaimed novelist).
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Theme Keynotes: James Hynes (author of Sparrow), interviewed by Roman sexuality expert Sarah Levin-Richardson (University of Washington), and Jeffrey Gray (travel-poetry scholar).
Quick Primer on How to Prepare & Deliver Your Talk
A. Preparing the Oral Presentation
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Written vs. Spoken: An essay written for publication will not work when read aloud. Written prose is dense; spoken prose needs clear forecasting, recapping, and simpler sentence structures.
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The 3–5 Rule: In 15–20 minutes, you cannot explain more than 3 to 5 key ideas. Often, one main assertion supported by two key points and two well-explained examples is plenty for a memorable talk.
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Print Large & Number Pages: Print your presentation double-spaced in a large font (or use large text on your laptop) so you can look up easily without losing your spot. Number your pages!
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Handouts Are Your Friend: A physical handout with an outline, key quotations, or complex diagrams gives your audience something to follow. Include your name and email at the top!
B. Delivering the Paper & Handling Tech
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Stand Up to Speak: Sitting hunched over a laptop restricts your diaphragm and makes it hard to project. Stand at the lectern whenever possible so you can breathe and command the room.
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Pace & Pauses: Practice reading your paper out loud with a timer. Build in intentional pauses to breathe, look at your audience, and let key points sink in. Aim for roughly 2 minutes per double-spaced page (a 15-minute talk is usually about 7–8 pages).
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Tech Checks: Arrive at your session room 10 minutes early to test slides and audio with your Presiding Officer. Always bring slides on a USB drive AND email a copy to yourself. Have a low-tech backup plan ready just in case.
Essential Info for Graduate Students & First-Timers
If you are a graduate student or attending PAMLA for the first time, we have structured support just for you!
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Graduate Student Caucus & Special Panels: Look for dedicated roundtables and workshops on the schedule focused on navigating graduate school, pedagogical training, publishing, and entering the academic job market.
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Graduate Student Mixer: Join fellow graduate students for an evening mixer to relax, enjoy drinks and food, network under low-pressure circumstances, and build lasting peer connections.
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Undergraduate & Graduate Support: PAMLA prides itself on being one of the most welcoming, supportive conferences in North America. Senior scholars and officers are eager to meet early-career researchers—don’t hesitate to introduce yourself at receptions!
Logistics, Health, & Safety
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Arrive Early for Registration: Before attending your first panel, head to the PAMLA Registration Desk at the Hyatt Regency Seattle to pick up your name badge and materials. Registration lines can take 15–30 minutes during peak times, so plan ahead.
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Know the Layout: Check the hotel map on Whova or the PAMLA website ahead of time so you know where your panels and events are located.
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Code of Conduct: PAMLA is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and harassment-free environment for everyone. Please review our Code of Conduct Policy. If you experience or witness unsafe or harassing behavior, please contact Executive Director Craig Svonkin or hotel security immediately.
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Health & Wellness: If you are sick or experiencing a communicable virus (COVID, flu, etc.), please stay resting in your room and do not attend sessions. Notify Executive Director Craig Svonkin and your Presiding Officer so we can update your panel.
Need Help or Have Questions? If you run into any snags before or during the conference, please reach out to Dr. Craig Svonkin, PAMLA Executive Director, at director@pamla.org or 626-354-7526 (text or call is fastest!).
We can’t wait to see you in Seattle this November!