1999 VISITOR STUDIES CONFERENCE--Call for Papers

This is the call for proposals for all conference programs (not including
workshops) for the 1999 VSA Conference to be held in Chicago, August
3-7,1999.  This is an opportunity for VSA members and friends to share
information and ideas in the form of posters, individual paper
presentations, and panel discussions.  Would you like to be on the program?

Proposals are welcomed on all aspects of visitor studies.  Topics can
include methods and results of surveys of audiences and museum
characteristics; front-end studies for marketing and exhibition planning;
formative, summative and remedial evaluations of exhibit components, whole
exhibitions, and programs.  Studies from related fields are also welcome,
e.g., leisure studies, psychology, cognitive science, architecture, and
industrial design.  Presentations that focus on theoretical issues and the
foundations of research approaches are encouraged, as well as practical
issues and famous failures.

Presenters can be museum staff, consultants, museum studies faculty and
students, or professionals from other fields, such as marketing,
educational research, and educational technology.

If you would like to participate, please submit a narrative description of
your presentation and the preferred format (e.g., poster, panel, forum).
Include a summary of your objectives, procedures, findings, or issues and
explain how you are using this information.  To facilitate the proposal
review process, the proposal description should adequately convey its
content using between 250 and 500 words.  Include the name of the
person(s) who will be presenting at the meeting, the institution(s)
involved, and addresses.

This year, all contacts for the VSA program planning will be done by
e-mail. If you do not have e-mail, please partner with someone who does.
(Last year, most communications were handled electronically, and this made
the process go more quickly and smoothly than paper.)  Send the summary of
your proposed presentation to Beverly Serrell, VSA 99 Program at
[log in to unmask] before the deadline of January 29, 1999.

1999 VISITOR STUDIES CONFERENCE--Call for Workshops
Chicago, IL
August 3-7, 1999 (first two days are workshops)

Proposals for workshops are being solicited for the 1999 Visitor Studies
Conference, sponsored by the Visitor Studies Association, in Chicago,
Illinois.  Workshops should be lively, interactive sessions in which
participants have the opportunity to broaden their knowledge and skills in
studying or enhancing the experiences of visitors.  Suitable topics could
include various techniques in exhibit and program evaluation, statistical
analysis, front-end studies, questionnaire design, label writing, market
research, designing for visitor conversations, etc.

Please send the following information:
Title of workshop:
Workshop duration:      ___Half day     ___Full day
Number of participants required:                ___Maximum      ___Minimum
Experience level desired of
participants:           ___Novice       ___Intermediate ___Advanced
Site requirements:      ___Classroom    ___Museum setting (e.g., for visitor
interviews)
If this workshop has been presented before, list where and when:


An overhead projector is supplied free of charge.
Additional equipment/supplies needed from VSA (costs to be borne by
workshop leader):
Name of person submitting proposal:
Title:                                          Institution:
City:                                           State/Province:         Postal code:
Country:                                        Phone:                  Fax:
Email:
Please include a page description of the workshop and its goals.
(Attach description on a separate sheet.)

*VSA receives reimbursement for any incurred expenses, and 1/2 of all
proceeds. Workshop leaders receive remainder of proceeds and free
conference registration.

Submit workshop proposals by mail or fax to:
Minda Borun, The Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th Street,
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Fax: 215-448-1364.  Email: [log in to unmask]

For general information about the conference:
Brenda Ward, VSA, Dept. of Psychology,
Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, CO  80523-1876
Email: [log in to unmask]
Or visit the VSA Website at http://museum.cl.msu.edu/vsa
Deadline for workshop proposals: Friday January 29, 1999
Acceptance decisions will be made by the VSA Program Committee in February.