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06/26/2025

CSCA 2026 Convention - Basic Course Interest Group Call for Submissions

Greetings CSCA Basic Course Interest Group Members,

Below you will find the Basic Course Interest Group call for submissions for the 2026 CSCA convention. CSCA submissions will be due no later than 11:59 p.m. (central time) on October 10th, 2025. If you are interested in being added to the Chair, Respondent, or Reviewer lists please let me know (kathryn.golsan@uni.edu) which positions you would like to be considered for, your university affiliation, and your email address. All are welcome!

Thanks, Kat

Dr. Kathryn B. Golsan University of Northern Iowa
kathryn.golsan@uni.edu

BASIC COURSE INTEREST GROUP
Call for Submissions: Papers and Panels

Central States Communication Association (CSCA) 2026 Annual Convention-Minneapolis, MN

April 14th -19th, 2026

Translate!

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 10th, 2025 by 11:59pm CDT

The Basic Course Interest Group invites the submission of competitive papers, panels, roundtable discussions, and innovative programming for the 2026 CSCA convention in Minneapolis, MN. 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: ‘Translate!’

The conference theme, ‘Translate!,’ offers many different ways to approach conference submissions this year. As communication scholars and practitioners, we are uniquely positioned to examine how foundational communication instruction acts as a critical site for translation—of knowledge, of skills, of identities, and of academic-to-practical application, as well as practical- to-academic relevance. We encourage submissions that explore how the basic course translates theory into practice, serves diverse student populations, and adapts/navigates cultural, institutional, technological, economic, and political pressures. Whether navigating curriculum redesign, supporting GTAs and adjunct instructors, or negotiating learning objectives across modalities, our work in the basic course is a continuous act of careful interpretation, adaptation, and transformation. Possible topics include but are not limited to:

  • Translating public speaking pedagogy for culturally responsive
  • Challenges and successes in translating course learning outcomes across modalities (online, hybrid, face-to-face).
  • Assessment practices that translate communication competencies into measurable and humane learning outcomes.
  • The basic course as a site of DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) translation amid evolving campus, institution, and political climates.
  • Programmatic translation: aligning the basic course across interest groups, departments, institutions, or community systems.
  • Translating student needs into effective and reflexive pedagogical
  • Theoretical and critical perspectives on the role of translation in communication pedagogy and instructional communication.

Panel proposals should consider including opportunities for collaboration with other interest groups of CSCA within the rationale of their proposal. Completed papers, discussion panels, and paper panels shall be considered for conference planning. Submissions inclusive of multiple paradigmatic and methodological perspectives in the communication discipline are extremely welcomed and strongly embraced. Competitive paper and graduate student submissions are strongly encouraged.

Additionally, to expand on possible submission and session proposal ideas, we wish to allow space for ‘Translate!’ to be represented through the presentation of our communication scholarship, not just within it. For example, consider proposing sessions utilizing 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.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

COMPLETED PAPERS:

  • Only completed papers will be
  • 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)) 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
  • 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
  • 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
    • 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
    • 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
  • 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
    • 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/csc2601/). 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 media/technology requests must be made at the time of submission. Please only request media if it is absolutely essential to your presentation (and you are unable to provide it yourself) as media requests will be closely examined before approval. Laptop computers cannot 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 me with which positions you would like to be considered for, your university affiliation, and your email address.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 10th, 2025 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 Dr. Kathryn B. Golsan, the 2026 Basic Course Interest Group chair/program planner, at kathryn.golsan@uni.edu.

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