Submit Abstracts for 2005 NSS Convention in Huntsville, Alabama: Restoration Forum and Conservation/Management Session

NSS conservation activities will be scheduled throughout the week of Convention. The Conservation & Management Section of the NSS and the NSS Conservation Division are accepting abstracts for papers to be presented at the 2005 NSS Convention, to be held in Huntsville, Alabama, July 4-8, 2005.

Send abstracts for the NSS Restoration Forum and the NSS Conservation/Management Session to

Jim Werker & Val Hildreth-Werker werks@zianet.com In addition, the 2004 recipients of the NSS Group Conservation Award will be hosting three in-cave workshops during the Huntsville Convention × Speleothem Repair Workshop × Graffiti Removal Workshop × Sinkhole Haul-out System Workshop.

The Southeastern Regional Association of the NSS is hosting the workshops and Jim Wilbanks jimgail69@earthlink.net is coordinating these events.

We encourage early submissions. Equipment will be available for PowerPoint presentations. For online details, visit the Convention website http://www.nss2005.com/. Deadline for submission of session and forum abstracts will be May 1, 2005. Please email us now and indicate your intent to submit an abstract werks@zianet.com.

Conservation abstracts are usually submitted for oral presentation, but if you have a poster presentation, contact Jim & Val to make special arrangements.

Send any questions and submit your abstracts by mail or e-mail to: Jim C. Werker & Val Hildreth-Werker, NSS Conservation Division Co-Chairs, PO Box 207, Cuna Cueva Hwy 27, Hillsboro, NM 88042-0207.

Phone: (505) 895-5050. Email submissions are preferred werks@zianet.com.

As you prepare your paper, there are several comments from the editor of the Journal of Cave and Karst Studies concerning convention abstracts:

"Each year the Journal of Cave and Karst Studies publishes abstracts from the annual National Convention..."
"Cavers preparing abstracts for the convention (and unfortunately, the session chairs) sometimes forget that the abstract is more than an invitation, or "teaser" to entice an audience. It is also a permanent record, a summary of all the substantial information one plans to present." Abstracts are informative summaries that include conclusions, not merely a list of topics that will be discussed.
"The Journal has to limit the number of pages devoted to abstracts..."
"Calls for papers for conventions require that abstracts be limited to 250 words."
"We must limit the abstracts to 250 words. Thus, some abstracts are eliminated as too lengthy and others are edited down. Unfortunately, the people most qualified to cut out words are the author and the session chair. When they fail to do so, we are forced to make changes, often in fields where we have no expertise."
"Too often an abstract will say, 'Discussion will be on how to...' instead of actually summarizing the technique. A promise is nearly worthless but a summary has value to future readers." Abstracts are informative summaries that include conclusions, not merely a list of topics that will be discussed.
"While preparing an abstract for the convention, we ask you to consider some other requirements of the Journal. Like nearly all scholarly publications, we use metric. Please use, or at least include, metric in each abstract."
"A scholarly abstract should always include a mailing address. Professional affiliation and internet address are also commonly included."
"Avoid abbreviations" and do not include references in convention abstracts.