07/04/2026

CSCA 2027 ... Basic Course Interest Group Call for Papers

BASIC COURSE INTEREST GROUP
Call for Papers and Panels

Central States Communication Association (CSCA) Annual Convention
Madison, WI
April 7th -11th, 2027

Navigate–Finding Inspiration in Uncharted Terrain

The Basic Course Interest Group invites the submission of competitive papers, panels, roundtable discussions, and innovative programming for the 2027 CSCA Convention in Madison, WI. The purpose of the Basic Course Interest Group is to promote and highlight the most promising research and pedagogy related to the foundational communication course. A range of topics encompassing foundational communication course teaching, administration, and research are welcome, and we especially encourage members to address issues related to the convention theme: Navigate. Submissions that reflect the convention theme are especially welcomed. Regarding panels, preference will be given to those with panelists representing multiple institutions rather than representing a single institution.

The conference theme, “Navigate,” offers many interesting possibilities for submissions this year. Foundational communication courses are often among the first spaces where students learn to navigate complex communicative situations. We encourage submissions that explore how communication instruction equips students, teachers, and programs to navigate changing educational landscapes, institutional expectations, and the practical demands beyond the classroom. We welcome submissions around a variety of topics. Ideas from the last business meeting include navigating:

• Advocating for the foundational communication course to administrators and stakeholders.
• The emotional labor required from foundational course directors.
• International student/instructor status in uncharted waters or uncertain times.
• Uncertainty around artificial intelligence.
• Advocating for resources in/for the foundational course.

You are welcome to run with these ideas, or submit something completely different based on your insights, research, and experiences. We especially encourage inclusive scholarship submissions! We would love to see the important work being done for students, instructors, and communities alike! We also welcome novel approaches, such as debates about topics, various visual/auditory techniques, interactive media/technologies, communicative/artistic processes, dialogic/co-constructed praxis, critical engagement methods, etc. If you are proposing a creative or uniquely presented session, please indicate this during the submission process. All proposed sessions should meet typical, rigorous standards for high quality communication scholarship.

Completed papers, discussion panels, and paper panels shall be considered for conference planning. If you have a new approach for a submission, feel free to run it past Evan Kirksey (interest group chair—email address at the end of this call) to see if it would be appropriate for the conference. We hope to see your submissions!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

COMPLETED PAPERS:

• Only completed papers will be considered for the conference.
• Papers must conform to the most current APA standards and include a title, a brief abstract, and be at a limit of 30 pages (double-spaced, not including reference pages).
• The same paper may not be submitted to more than one Submissions should be original work, by the authors named, not previously presented at this conference or other conferences, and not previously published.
• Please make sure to remove all personal identification information (author name(s), affiliations, etc.) from the manuscript and from the document properties prior to submission.
• Include a title and a brief abstract (required).
  • Abstracts should be no longer than 250 words.
• If you would like your paper to be considered for the Inclusive Scholarship Award, type “INCLUSIVE SCHOLARSHIP” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page.
• To be considered as an exemplar of inclusive scholarship, the paper must demonstrate academic rigor in the examination of communication and centralize historically marginalized communities/populations.
• Please clearly articulate, in at least one paragraph in your abstract, how the respective scholarship explicitly addresses equity and inclusion.
• The paper receiving the interest group award for Inclusive Scholarship shall be forwarded for consideration for the CSCA Inclusive Scholarship Award.
• Graduate students should type “STUDENT” on the upper right-hand corner of the title page. These papers will be considered for Top Student Paper for the Interest Group.
  • If this is the first submitted paper by a graduate student to CSCA, please type “DEBUT STUDENT” in the upper right-hand corner of the title page. These papers will be considered in the pool of papers for the Top Student Paper for the Interest Group and the Top Debut Student Paper will be forwarded for consideration in the CSCA Past Officers Debut Paper Award. To be considered a graduate student debut paper:
• the author must be a graduate student,
• the paper must have single authorship, and
• the paper must be the author’s first paper to be presented at CSCA
• All competitive paper submissions shall be eligible for the Top Paper Award of the Basic Course Interest Group.

DISCUSSION AND PAPER PANEL PROPOSALS:

• A title, description, and rationale are required for discussion and paper panel proposals.
  • Descriptions should be no longer than 100 words.
  • A rationale should be no longer than 500 words (not inclusive of references).
• Paper panel proposals should include a chair, 3-5 presenters, a proposed respondent (separate from the chair), and an abstract for each paper being presented in the proposed paper panel.
  • Make sure to list all participants, their affiliations, and contact information
  • Abstracts for papers included in paper panel proposals should be limited to no more than 250 words per abstract.
• Discussion panel proposals should include a chair and 3-5 presenters.
• Discussion panel proposals should include central questions posed for discussion and an explanation of how they will foster audience participation.
  • Make sure to list all participants, their affiliations, and contact information
  • A description/rationale of each presenter’s contribution should be included and be no longer than 150 words for each presenter’s contribution.
• Preference will be given to those panel proposals with panelists representing multiple and diverse institutions rather than representing a single institution.
• All discussion and paper panel proposals will be considered for the Melissa Beall Top Panel Award of the Basic Course Interest Group.

To submit, presenters should create a profile in the CSCA online submissions system (https://ww4.aievolution.com/csc2701/). Membership is not required to submit, but use of the online submission system is.

TECHNOLOGY: All technology requests must be made at the time of submission. CSCA’s Technology Policy may be found here (https://www.csca-net.org/aws/CSCA/pt/sp/avpolicy). All technology requests must be made at the time of submission. Please only request technology if it is absolutely essential to your presentation (and you are unable to provide it yourself) as technology requests will be closely examined before approval. Laptop computers will not be made available for presentations. Your submission implies that you agree to follow appropriate presentation guidelines if your paper/panel is accepted (i.e., it is generally unprofessional to read your paper to those in attendance or take more time than what is allotted to you by the session’s designated chair).

VOLUNTEERING: If you are interested in being added to the Chair, Respondent, or Reviewer lists please contact Evan Kirksey (email at the bottom of this call) with which positions you would like to be considered for, your university affiliation, and your email address.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 9th, 2026 by 11:59 p.m. (Central Time). Send submissions electronically through our CSCA online submission system site.

Questions about conference submissions for the Basic Course Interest Group or upcoming interest group business should be directed to Evan Kirksey, the 2027 interest group chair and program planner, at evankirksey@missouri.edu.