This library provides resources for all aspects of the NCA Convention from the submission process to presenting.

Reviewing the General Convention Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and the Professional Standards for Convention Participants are two great places to start for general information about the NCA Convention. Other resources are organized below.

If you have any suggestions on additional resources you would like to see, please contact convention@natcom.org.

Resources

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: March 31, 2025, 11:59 PM PT

Below is important and helpful information as you consider your convention submission. The first step for anyone considering making a submission should be to review the Professional Standards for Convention Participants. This guide will answer many questions about the commitment that comes with making a submission to the NCA convention as well as guidelines on determining whether or not to submit.

All convention submissions are made via NCA Convention Central. NCA Convention Central also houses all of the calls for submissions that NCA Interest Groups and affiliation organizations issue. NCA Convention Central opens for submissions in mid-late January. The calls will also be available for viewing on that date.

Once you have decided to submit, please familiarize yourself with the convention submission system before you submit by reviewing the step-by-step How to Submit resources. Be sure to keep the resources close by for reference during the submission process. We strongly encourage all potential submitters to review the resources in advance so that the submission process is smooth and enjoyable.

Below are other resources that you may find useful before and during the submission process:

REVIEW DEADLINE: MAY 7, 11:59 P.M. PACIFIC

Thank you for serving as a reviewer for NCA convention submissions. Your thoughtful evaluations maintain our scholarly standards and provide valuable feedback to communication scholars. This page provides resources to guide your review process.

Quick Links

Purpose of Peer Review

Reviewing NCA convention submissions is critical for ensuring the conference features rigorous, innovative scholarship. Your evaluations help shape the discipline and provide valuable feedback to scholars at all career stages.

Before You Begin Reviewing

Preparation Checklist

  • Confirm you have expertise in the submission’s topic area
  • Check for conflicts of interest (abstain from reviewing scholars with whom you might have ideological or personal conflicts; notify the Planner immediately so the submission can be reassigned)
  • Allocate sufficient time to provide thoughtful feedback
  • Familiarize yourself with your division/unit’s specific evaluation criteria
  • Review the convention theme: “Communicate to Elevate”

Review Components and Evaluation Criteria

Essential Rating Categories

The NCA review system uses a 1-10 scale (1 = very low, 10 = very high) to evaluate:

  1. Relevance and Innovation
    • Topic relevance to division/interest group
    • Introduction of new and innovative ideas
    • Contribution to understanding of communication
  2. Research Quality
    • Theoretical rigor
    • Methodological rigor
    • Analytical rigor
  3. Presentation Quality
    • Writing quality and clarity
  4. Panel-Specific Criteria (if applicable)
    • Distinctiveness of papers/topics within panel theme
    • Institutional diversity (multiple institutions, educational levels/roles, theoretical/methodological approaches)
    • Presenter expertise and qualifications
  5. Overall Assessment
    • Strongly Recommend Accepting
    • Recommend Accepting
    • Undecided
    • Recommend Rejecting
    • Strongly Recommend Rejecting

Required Feedback Components

  • Comments to Planner: Provide rationale for your recommendation
  • Constructive Feedback to Submitter: Anonymous unless you choose to identify yourself

 

Best Practices for Effective Reviews

  1. Start with the Positive
  • Be mindful that this review is different from a journal review. Be constructive and hopeful.
  • Emphasize the proposal’s unique contributions
  • Acknowledge the scholarly effort
  • Effective example: “This proposal offers a timely examination of social media’s impact on political discourse, with particularly strong theoretical grounding.”
  • Avoid: “This work fails to impress and has numerous problems.”
  1. Evaluate the Work as Presented
  • Assess the work within its chosen theoretical framework
  • Evaluate according to the method that was used
  • Consider the appropriateness of methods for stated goals
  • Effective example: “While I appreciate the qualitative approach taken, the methods section would benefit from more detail about the interview protocol.”
  • Avoid: “You should have used a quantitative approach instead of interviews.”
  1. Provide Specific, Actionable Feedback
  • Offer concrete suggestions for improvement
  • Point to specific sections needing revision
  • Effective example: “Consider strengthening the literature review by incorporating recent work on digital activism, particularly studies from 2022-2024.”
  • Avoid: “The literature review needs work.”
  1. Maintain Professional Tone
  • Use collegial language
  • Frame critiques constructively
  • Write as if speaking to a colleague face-to-face
  • Effective example: “The analysis would be more compelling with a clearer connection between your theoretical framework and findings.”
  • Avoid: “Your analysis is confusing and doesn’t make sense.”
  1. Address Methodology Appropriately
  • Evaluate methods based on research goals
  • Consider sample size in context
  • Address the demographic diversity of participants
  • Effective example: “The sample size of 12 participants aligns well with your phenomenological approach. Consider discussing how saturation was determined.”
  • Avoid: “12 participants isn’t enough to prove anything.”
  1. Focus on Scholarly Merit
  • Evaluate intellectual contribution
  • Consider advancement of knowledge
  • Effective example: “This research contributes to our understanding of crisis communication by identifying new patterns in social media response strategies.”
  • Avoid: “This topic isn’t interesting or relevant to the conference theme.”
  1. Suggest Clear Improvements
  • Provide specific revision strategies
  • Effective example: “The discussion section could be strengthened by explicitly addressing the practical implications for communication practitioners and including examples of how findings might be applied.”
  • Avoid: “The discussion needs to be better.”

 

Reviewer Feedback Templates

To help you craft effective feedback for different types of submissions, we’ve developed several templates you can adapt for your reviews. These templates include structures for strong accept recommendations, panel submission feedback, and constructive decline feedback.

Access the complete Feedback Templates for NCA Reviewers document for ready-to-use templates that will help you provide valuable feedback to submitters.

 

Additional Considerations

Award Nominations

  • Consider if the submission merits a top competitive paper award
  • Note if eligible for student competitive paper consideration

 

Co-Sponsorship Opportunities

  • Identify relevant divisions/interest groups for potential co-sponsorship
  • Provide rationale for co-sponsorship recommendations

 

Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about the review process, please contact your Unit Planner or visit the NCA Convention FAQs page.

If your submission, or a submission on which you are a participant, is accepted for presentation congratulations and below you will find useful information to make your convention experience as successful as possible.

Coming Soon

Below are the policies that govern a variety of aspects at the NCA convention.

STANDARD REFUND POLICY

 

Refund Eligibility Deadline: October 20, 2025 

All cancellation requests must be submitted in writing via email to convention@natcom.org by 11:59 PM EST on October 20, 2025. Refunds will be processed in the form of the original payment method. 

 

Processing Fees: 

  • Student Registration: $25 processing fee deducted from refund 
  • All Other Registration Types: $50 processing fee deducted from refund 

 

No Refunds After Deadline: Registration fees are non-refundable after October 20, 2025, with no exceptions. All transactions completed after this deadline and no-shows to the Annual Convention are ineligible for refunds, except under the special circumstances outlined below. 

 

CANCELLATION REQUEST PROCESS 

To request a standard cancellation, email convention@natcom.org and include: 

  • Your full name and registration confirmation number 
  • Reason for cancellation (optional) 
  • Any relevant supporting documentation 

Processing Timeline: NCA Membership Staff will contact you via email to confirm when your refund has been initiated. Refunds typically appear on your original payment method within 3-5 business days of initiation. 

 

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES 

 

Medical Conditions and Emergencies:
Cancellations due to medical reasons will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be eligible for a full refund at the discretion of NCA. A written physician’s note documenting the medical condition or emergency may be required. Medical-related cancellations are exempt from the October 20, 2025 deadline but must be submitted with appropriate medical documentation. 

 

Visa-Related Issues:
International attendees facing visa complications are eligible for full refunds under the following conditions: 

  1. Visa Denial: Applicants whose visa applications are denied by the appropriate consular authority 
  1. Late Visa Approval: Applicants who receive visa approval letters dated after the convention start date 

 

Visa Refund Requirements:

  • Submit refund request within 30 days of the visa decision letter date 
  • Upload a copy of your official visa decision letter (either denial letter OR acceptance letter dated after November 20, 2025) 
  • Complete the designated refund request form 
  • Refunds will be granted in full without processing fees 


All visa-related documentation must be official correspondence from the appropriate governmental or consular authority. 

 

CONTACT INFORMATION 

For all cancellation inquiries, contact: convention@natcom.org 

Please allow 24-48 hours for initial response during regular business hours. 

Need help finding specific information? Contact convention@natcom.org 

NCA convention sites are selected five to seven years in advance. To learn more about the convention site selection process, visit the links below.