2022 Conference Proceedings

CLEMENTS FOYSTER LECTURE

The Practice of Mathematics Education – Peter Grootenboer

KEYNOTE ADDRESSES

Appreciating the Intra-/Extra-mathematical Importance of Mathematics: Added Pedagogical Value Through Rapprochement and Synergy of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Mathematics Teachers – Elana Nardi

Teaching to Learning and Research to Practice: Bridging the Fractal Divides – Peter Liljedahl

RESEARCH SYMPOSIA

Mathematical Sequences of Connected, Cumulative and Challenging Tasks in the Early Years – Janette Bobis, Ellen Corovic, Ann Downton, Maggie Feng, Jane Hubbard, Sharyn Livy, Melody McCormick, James Russo, Peter Sullivan

Supporting the Leadership of Mathematics in Schools – Jill Cheeseman, Ann Gervasoni, Aylie Davidson, Ann Downton, Sharyn Livy, James Russo Colleen Vale, Carmel Delahunty, Penelope Kalogeropoulos, Marj Horne, Michele Klooger

Key Shifts in Thinking in the Development of Mathematical Reasoning – Dianne Siemon, Max Stephens, Lorraine Day, Marj Horne, Rebecca Seah, Rosemary Callingham, Jane Watson, Greg Oates

RESEARCH PAPERS

Comparative Effectiveness of Example-based Instruction and van Hiele Teaching Phases on Mathematics Learning – Saidat Morenike Adeniji, Penelope Baker

Senior High School Students’ Perceptions of Mathematics Teachers’ Assessment Practices in Ghana – Fred Adusei Nsowah, Robyn Reaburn

Pre-service Teachers’ Re-Constructed Geometry Disposition Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study in the Ghanaian Context – Stephen Rowland Baidoo, Robyn Reaburn, Greg Oates

Developing Pre-service Teachers’ Understanding of Numeracy – Anne Bennison

Exploring Visual Representations of Multiplication and Division in Early Years South African Mathematics Textbooks – Tammy Booysen, Lise Westaway

Mathematics and Coding: How Did Coding Facilitate Thinking? – Nigel Calder

Understanding the Relationship Between Cognitive Activation and Academic Emotions: A Comparison Between Students with Different Mathematics Achievements – Xin Chen

Reflection Model to Facilitate Teachers’ Adoption of the Constructivist Learning Design – Lu Pien Cheng, Gayatri Balakrishnan, Zi Yang Wong, Ngan Hoe Lee

Considerations for Teaching with Multiple Methods: A Case Study of Missing value Problems in Proportionality – Sze Looi Chin, Ban Heng Choy, Yew Hoong Leong

Procedural Flowcharts Can Enhance Senior Secondary Mathematics – Musarurwa David Chinofunga, Philemon Chigeza, Subhashni Taylor

Making Visible a Teacher’s Pedagogical Reasoning and Actions Through the Use of Pedagogical Documentation – Ban Heng Choy, Jaguthsing Dindyal, Joseph B. W. Yeo

Perceptions of the Role of Primary Mathematics Leaders – Kate Copping

Resource Materials as Structured Guidance in Practice Change – Ellen Corovic, Ann Downton

Designing an Early Number Sequence for Teaching – José Luis Cortina, Jana Višňovská, Jesica Peña, Claudia Zúñiga

Teacher Agency and Professionalism in the Context of Online Mathematics Instructional Platforms – Lisa Darragh

Primary School Mathematics Leaders’ Actions that Facilitate Effective Mathematics Planning and Support Teachers’ Professional Learning – Kerryn Driscoll

School Mathematics Leaders’ Support of Primary Teachers’ Professional Learning in Meetings – Kerryn Driscoll, Jill Cheeseman

Methodological Choices Made When Using Design Based Research to Explore Mathematics Education: An Updated Analysis – Samuel Fowler, Chelsea Cutting, Deborah Devis, Simon Leonard

One Teacher’s Pedagogical Actions in Eliciting and Developing Mathematical Reasoning Through a Contextually Relevant Task – Lauren Frazerhurst, Generosa Leach

How Big is a Leaf? Using Cognitive Tuning to Explore a Teacher’s Communication Processes to Elicit Children’s Emerging Ideas About Data – Kym Fry, Lyn English, Katie Makar

Designing Specific Tools to Enhance the Numeracy of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities – Lorraine Gaunt

A Typology for Instructional Enablers of Mathematical Modelling – Vince Geiger, Peter Galbraith, Mogens Niss, Ben Holland-Twining

George Preferred Learning Fraction Concepts with Physical Rather than Virtual Manipulatives – Seyum Getenet

The Role of Technologies to Enhance Pre-service Teachers’ Engagement in an Online Mathematics Education Course –  Seyum Getenet, Sue Worsley, Eseta Tualaulelei, Yosheen Pillay

Developing Proficiency with Teaching Algebra in Teacher Working Groups: Understanding the Needs – Vesife Hatisaru, Helen Chick, Greg Oates

Regarding STEM: Perceptions of Academics Revealed in Their Drawings and Text – Vesife Hatisaru, Andrew Seen, Sharon Fraser

Development of the Self-Efficacy-Effort in Mathematics Scale and its Relationship to Gender, Achievement, and Self-Concept – Ian Hay, Yvonne Stevenson, Stephen Winn

Teacher STEM Capability Sets that Support the Implementation of Mathematics Active STEM Tasks – Ben Holland-Twining, Vince Geiger, Kim Beswick, Sharon Fraser

Assessing Mathematical Competence Through Challenging Tasks – Jane Hubbard, James Russo, Sharyn Livy

Developing Equitable Participation Structures – Roberta Hunter, Jodie Hunter

“It has the same numbers, just in a different order”: Middle School Students Noticing Algebraic Structures Within Equivalent Equations – Jodie Hunter, Jodie Miller, Alexandra Bowmar, Ian Jones

Using Waiata in Mathematics Teaching: Te Whakamahia o te Waiata I roto I te Pākarau – Naomi Ingram, Amie Curtis

Influence of the COVID-19 Lockdown on High School Mathematics Teachers’ Beliefs About Using Digital Resources – Mairaj Jafri

Playing the “Research Game” in Marginalised Fields – Robyn Jorgensen, Mellony Graven

Are Learners Referring to the General or the Particular? Discursive Markers of Generic Versus Empirical Example-Use – Jo Knox, Igor’ Kontorovich

Impact of Listening Pedagogy on Mathematics Teacher Thinking During Lesson Study – Aneesah Latife

Preparing Job-embedded Primary Mathematics Specialists to Lead in Australian Schools – Laurinda Lomas

Aligning Mathematical and Musical Linear Representations to Support Fractional Reasoning – Tarryn Lovemore, Sally-Anne Robertson, Mellony Graven

Linguistic Influences on Mathematics Learning: The Relations between Spacing/Spatial Relationship in Handwriting Legibility, Visual-Motor Integration (VMI), and Number Line Estimation – Hong Lu, Xin Chen

The Role of Mathematics Anxiety and Attitudes in Adolescents’ Intentions to Study Senior Science – Erin Mackenzie, Kathryn Holmes, Nathan Berger

Identities of Mathematics Teacher Educators in a “Hybrid” Mathematics and Mathematics Education Department – Margaret Marshman, Anne Bennison, Merrilyn Goos

Diagrams in Mathematics: What Do They Represent and What Are They Used For? – Manju Manoharan, Berinderjeet Kaur

A Comparison of Classroom Pedagogical Practice Named by Middle School Mathematics Teachers in Australia and Chile – Carmel Mesiti, Valeska Grau, David D. Preiss, Amaya Lorca

Teacher Questioning to Support Young Students to Interpret and Explain Their Critical Mathematical Thinking – Chrissy Monteleone

The Role of Mathematics Learning in the Interdisciplinary Mathematics and Science (IMS) Project – Joanne Mulligan, Russell Tytler, Vaughan Prain, Peta White, Lihua Xu, Melinda Kirk

Exploring the Alignment Between Pre-service Mathematics Teachers’ Beliefs and Espoused Practice – Monica Mwakifuna, Carol Murphy

A Snapshot of Gender and Mathematics Anxiety in Years 5 to 8 – Lisa O’Keeffe, Bruce White, Amie Albrecht, Melanie O’Leary

Numeracy Across the Curriculum in Initial Teacher Education – Kathy O’Sullivan, Merrilyn Goos

Teacher Actions to Progress Mathematical Reasoning of Five-year-old Students – Emily Pearce, Roberta Hunter

Wicked Problems as a Context for Probability Education – Theodosia Prodromou, Chronis Kynigos

Embodied Task to Promote Spatial Reasoning and Early Understanding of Multiplication – Susilahuddin Putrawangsa, Sitti Patahuddin

Evaluating Factors that Influence Young Children’s Attitudes Towards Mathematics: The Use of Mathematical Manipulatives – Kate Quane

Problem-solving Proficiency: Prioritising the Development of Strategic Competence – Bronwyn Reid O’Connor

Using Enabling and Extending Prompts in the Early Primary Years When Teaching with Sequences of Challenging Mathematical Tasks – James Russo, Janette Bobis, Anne Downton, Sharyn Livy, Peter Sullivan

Solving Multistep Problems: What Will It Take? – Rebecca Seah, Marj Horne

Building Understanding of Algebraic Symbols with an Online Card Game – Jiqing Sun

Primary Teachers’ Mathematical Self-concept and its Relationship with Classroom Practice – Matt Thompson, Catherine Attard, Kathryn Holmes

Teacher Views of Parent Roles in Continued Mathematics Home Learning – Pamela Vale, Mellony Graven

Supporting Pāsifika Students in Mathematics Learning – Mepa Vuni, Generosa Leach

Exploring the Potential for Student Development of the Big Ideas of Statistics with Random Trials: The Case of the Mystery Spinner – Jane Watson, Noleine Fitzallen

A Call for Translational Research in Embodied Learning in Early Mathematics and Science Education: The ELEMS Project – Jennifer Way, Paul Ginns

The Nature of Research on Pre-service Teachers’ Mental Mathematics: A Brief Systematic Review – Lise Westaway, Pam Vale

The Role of Mathematics Education in Developing Students’ 21st Century Skills, Competencies and STEM Capabilities – Racheal Whitney-Smith, Derek Hurrell

Using Mathematics Curriculum Materials When Planning on Practicum: A Case Study of One Primary Year Three Pre-service Teacher – Susanna Wilson

Student Perspectives of Engagement in Mathematics – Kristin Zorn, Kevin Larkin, Peter Grootenboer

ROUND TABLES

A Multifaceted Project Design to Understand and Build the Strengths of Out-of-field Secondary Mathematics Teachers – Judy Anderson, Jannette Bobis, Kathryn Holmes, Helen Watts

Numeracy ≠ Mathematics: Numeracy and the General Public – Helen Forgasz

Intended Versus Enacted Curriculum: Teacher Knowledge and Curriculum Change at the Senior Secondary Level – Michael Jennings, Merrilyn Goos

What Makes Effective Leadership When Implementing Research-based, Equity driven Professional Learning and Development? – Jodie Hunter, Roberta Hunter, Viliami Latu, Robin Staples, Bridget Wadham

SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

Teacher Practices in the Mathematics Classroom Following Professional Learning and Development: Association with Student Outcomes – Alexandra Bowmar, Roberta Hunter

Raising Teacher Expectations of Students’ Capabilities by Examining Student Work Samples – Geraldine Caleta, Tammy Roosen

Concept Maps as a Resource for Teaching and Learning of Mathematics – David Chinofunga, Philemon Chigeza, Subhashni Taylor

Use and Development of Mathematical Processes During an Online Escape Game – Megan Clune

Repurposing Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory to Focus on Very Young Preverbal Children’s Mathematical Engagement – Audrey Cooke

Challenges to Inclusive Teaching of Mathematicsin Aotearoa New Zealand – Lisa Darragh, Fiona Ell, Missy Morton, Jude MacArthur

Investigating High School Students’ Understanding of Decomposition Techniques in Mathematics – Michael Dennis

Co-teaching Mathematics in Flexible Learning Spaces: What is the Effect on Pedagogy and Achievement? – Peter Dennis

A Comparison of Rational Number Word Problem Types Across Three Grade 4to 6 South African Textbook Series – Demi Edwards

Senior Secondary Probability Assessment Task Support for Development of Thinking Skills – Heather Ernst Finding

Effective Methods for Mathematics Learning: Concept Mapping as an Assessment Task – Tanya Evans, Inae Jeong

Pedagogical Factors Predicting Mathematics Achievement: Analysis of the TIMSS 2019 Large-Scale Data – Tanya Evans, Timothy Bickers, Josephine Greenwood

Investigating Students’ Engagement with Teach-first and Task-first Lesson Structures Incorporating Challenging Mathematical Tasks – Maggie Feng, Jannette Bobis, Jennifer Way

Making the Invisible, Visible: Supporting Numeracy in the Arts – Elizabeth Ferme

Enabling Students’ Critical Mathematical Thinking – Vince Geiger, Kim Beswick, Jill Fielding, Thorsten Scheiner, Gabriele Kaiser, Merrilyn Goos

Difficult Progressions in Multiplicative Thinking for Primary Students – Ann Gervasoni, Kerry Giumelli, Barbara McHugh, Paul Stenning

Mathematics Teacher Noticing: Adapting Practices in the Online Environment – Anita Green

Application of the Legitimation Code Theory to the Draw a Mathematician and Draw a Mathematics Classroom Research – Vesife Hatisaru

Exploring the Incentive to Study a Higher-level Mathematics Course at Secondary School: A Western Australian Perspective – Gregory Hine

Understanding Mathematical Identities of Learners Who Chose Mathematical Literacy in High School After Participating in After-school Mathematics Clubs in Primary School Wellington – Munetsi Hokonya

Teaching Demands for Mathematical Explorations – S. Jaysaree

Enhancing Mathematics Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Communities of Practice – Osman Kasimu, Carol Murphy, Vesife Hatisaru, Robyn Reaburn

Spatialising the Pedagogy: Directions for Future Research – Tracy Logan, Tom Lowrie, Ilyse Resnick, Danielle Harris

Towards Increasing Interest in Teaching School Mathematics as a Career – Houry Melkonian, Katie Makar

Addressing the Learning Gap Through Talk in Mathematics Classrooms – Carol Murphy, Tracey Muir, Damon Thomas

Mathematics Homework and Intergenerational Reproduction of Confidence – Lisa O’Keeffe, Carolyn Clarke, Sarah McDonald, Barbara Comber

Learners’ Affective Field During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Predicting Perceptions of Impact on Learning – Kaitlin Riegel

Working On and With Verbal, Visual and Gestured Confluences in Mathematical Meaning-making – Sally-Ann Robertson, Mellony Graven

The Use of iPads in the Early Years: Investigating the Effectiveness of Apps in Mathematics Learning – Rebekah Strang

Beyond the Arithmetic Operation: How an Equal Sign is Introduced in the Chinese Classroom – Jiqing Sun

Is it “off-task”? Non-game Interaction During Game-based Mathematics Learning – Jiqing Sun

Action Learning as a Tool for Teachers: A Case of Promoting Self-regulated Learning Pedagogy to Secondary Mathematics and Science Teachers – Tamsyn Terry, Sitti Patahuddin

Designing Inquiry Tasks in Primary Mathematics – Kristen Tripet, Ruqiyah Patel, Olive Chapman

Developing Primary Teachers’ Teaching Practices Through Communities of Inquiry – Kristen Tripet, Jannette Bobis, Olive Chapman

Learning Mathematics as a Child of a So-called “Tiger Mother” – Daya Weerasinghe

The Influence of Traditional Mathematics Teaching and Assessment on the Pedagogical Use of Technology – Benjamin Zunica

Short Communications & Round Tables

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a short communication or round table to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

  • MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the abstracts which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
  • MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the abstract submission

Short communications are suitable for reports that do not fully meet the requirements for published papers. These might include works in preliminary stages, reports of pilot projects, initial reviews of literature, ideas or suggestions for future study, and briefer discussions of particular issues. Short communications allow new researchers to obtain feedback on projects in a constructive and supportive environment, and foster the building of links between researchers with similar interests.

Abstracts are required for short communications and round tables. They must be prepared using the conference template. The abstracts will be reviewed by the Editorial Team and, if accepted, will be published in the conference proceedings. Presenters are invited to prepare a paper for distribution at the conference, but these papers will not be included in the proceedings.

Presentation of short communications – Short communications are presented by author(s) only. At least 5 minutes is to be allocated for audience questions and open discussion.

Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award

The Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award (BSPIA) recognises high-quality mathematics education that produces insights for the teaching profession and/or student learning.

The award consists of $500 and a plaque to be presented at the Conference.

Nomination process 

There are two ways a paper can be nominated for the BSPIA:

  • Self-nomination: When you submit your conference paper, check the box that asks if you would like to apply for the BSPIA.
  • Nomination via peer-review: Anyone who submits a Conference paper for peer-review will be considered for nomination by the reviewers. 

Single and co-authored papers are eligible for consideration.

When you write your paper, please ensure that you observe all general paper submission requirements including the maximum page length.

Judging process

Submissions must be deemed eligible for publication in the Conference proceedings by the initial reviewing panel. Submissions accepted for presentation only will be excluded from consideration.

The judging panel will consist of two MERGA members and two AAMT nominees and will be chaired by the VP Development.

The judging criteria are:

  • Identification of a persistent and significant research problem
  • Synthesis of recent research literature and relevant policy initiatives
  • Robust methodology producing valid, reliable findings
  • Insightful discussion of practical implications for the teaching profession and/or student learning
  • Clear, succinct style of academic writing

Winners are notified four weeks prior to the Conference and are invited to present a keynote at the annual conference.

The Beth Southwell Practical Implications Award page on this website provides further information, including the history of the award and recent winners.  

Research Papers

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a research paper to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

  • MERGA Paper Template – to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website
  • MERGA Publication Agreement – to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission

Research papers can take two major forms: 

1. Reports of empirical investigations 

When empirical investigations are reported (such as in an experimental intervention, confirmatory study, or action research, etc.), the paper should also include

  • a statement of rationale for methodologies used in collecting and analysing data;
  • a critical discussion of data findings in the light of the research literature; and
  • in the literature review, prior work in the area should be acknowledged and an explanation of how the work reported in the paper builds on that earlier work should be included.

2. Reports that are not based on empirical research including:

  • a theoretical discussion;
  • a position paper;
  • a report of scholarly enquiry in progress;
  • a literature review, a meta-study;
  • an account of a new initiative;
  • a reflective critique of practice; or
  • any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms.

When the work is a theoretical discussion, a position paper, a report of scholarly inquiry in progress, a review of literature, a theoretical study, a meta-study, an account of a new initiative, a reflective critique of practice or any mixture of these or other recognised scholarly forms, the material presented must be discussed critically, and alternative points of view relating to themes presented should be appropriately argued.
It is expected that presenting authors will have 40 minutes to present their work at the conference. At least 10 minutes must be allowed to field questions and comments from the audience.

Structure of research papers – All papers for publication in the conference proceedings should contain the following:

  • a statement of the problem/issue and a discussion of its significance;
  • a critical analysis of the research literature as it relates to the topic of the paper; and
  • conclusions and implications for mathematics education derived from the study.

All papers must respect MERGA’s ethical guidelines relating to research work. Papers should not be more than the set length. (Formatting details and WORD template are available from the submissions). In addition, papers must be: readable; free of grammatical, spelling and typographical errors; and adhere strictly to style requirements advertised by the conference proceedings Editorial Team.

Originality – Only research papers that are substantially different from work that has been published previously will be considered for publication in the conference proceedings and/or presentation at the conference.

Reviewing of research papers – Research papers will be blind reviewed by a panel of peers approved by the conference committee. The main purpose of the refereeing process is to contribute to the growth and development of quality practice in mathematics education research. Thus reviewers are asked to assist authors by providing helpful feedback and to comment on the suitability of papers for presentation at the conference. Accordingly, it will not be assumed that published papers presented at the conference will be as polished as articles in scholarly journals. Referees will be asked to assess papers being reviewed against the accepted norms for scholarly works presented at MERGA conferences, as set out above.

Each conference proceedings’ Editorial Team will exercise discretion over the reviewing process.

Reviewers’ comments will be returned to the authors. Authors whose papers are not accepted for publication may be invited by the editorial panel to present their paper at the conference, with an abstract (only) being published in the proceedings. Papers may be rejected outright, with no opportunity for presentation at the conference in an alternative form.

The MERGA website has detailed advice about criteria for reviewing of MERGA papers, review forms, and examples of strong and poor reviews of different types.

Presentation of research papers – Research papers are presented by author(s) only. A maximum of 30 minutes may be used for presenting the paper, and at least 10 minutes is then used for audience questions and open discussion.

Research Symposia

The following documents are essential to read and complete when considering submitting a research symposium to the MERGA conference (available in the Submission section of this website).

  • MERGA Paper Template (to be used to write the papers which are then submitted to the MERGA conference website)
  • MERGA Publication Agreement (to be submitted on the MERGA conference website at the time of the paper submission)

Presentation of groups of published papers related by theme in the form of a research symposium is encouraged. The symposium forum will be particularly suitable for presentations relating to a single large project or presentations that explore topical themes from different and/or related perspectives. Special Interest Groups [SIGs] are encouraged to consider the symposium option as a means for sharing and discussing current research.

A symposium should consist of no more than four presentations of about 15 minutes duration each. The written papers should be half the length of research papers as described for research papers. Both research report types – empirical or non-empirical – are acceptable as published symposium papers.

A brief overview of the symposium (limit one page), including a symposium title, an introduction to the theme/project, and a short introduction to each of the 3-4 contributions, must be submitted with the set of short papers. Please list the symposium convenors as the authors on the first page, and name the paper authors in the text description.

The symposium proposer will also nominate a person to chair the symposium, and a discussant can also be named if desired. This information should accompany the collection of papers submitted for review.

The set of symposium papers (and the overview) will be blind reviewed by a review panel. The main purpose of the reviews is the same as for published papers, and the same criteria are used. The reviewers will be asked to consider the cohesiveness of the set of symposium papers. They will indicate whether the symposium as a whole, and each paper within it, should be “accepted”, “rejected” or if it “requires revision”. If it is deemed that one, some or all of the papers are in need of revision, the reviewers will outline which papers need to be revised and provide suggestions for the required changes. When the revisions are made, the symposium papers will be re-submitted and the set of papers will be sent to the same review panel for further consideration. As with research papers, the final decision about which symposium papers will be published is at the discretion of the Editorial Team.

The date for submission of the collection of symposium papers is the same as for Early Bird papers. This date has been set for the benefit of the group of authors of symposia papers. Should the symposium papers require revision, the authors will have the time to make the corrections and resubmit the set of symposium papers to be re-reviewed by the original reviewers.

Presentation of symposia: Symposia are presented by author(s) only, usually within a 90 min block. At least 10 minutes must be allocated for audience questions and open discussion.

Early Career Research Award

In order to encourage new researchers in mathematics education, MERGA sponsors an award to an author in the early part of her/his career. The award, for excellence in writing and presenting a piece of mathematics education research, consists of a plaque and a prize of $500 and is presented at the annual conference. 

Applying for the award

Entry for the Early Career Research Award is by submission of a written paper for presentation at the conference through the Early Bird process. Conditions of eligibility, information about the judging process, and the criteria judges will observe are indicated below. If you are applying for the Early Career Research Award, please ensure that when you upload your paper on the conference website, you also send an email to the Conference Secretariat indicating that you are an entrant for the Early Career Research Award. Note that at some MERGA conferences there is also a form to complete or a box to tick on the registration form, so check the conference website carefully. Please note that co-authored papers ARE NOT eligible for entry into the Early Career Research Award, nor are Round Table or Symposium papers.

Rules and eligibility for the Early Career Award

The Early Career Research Award page on this website provides further information about this award, including a list of recent winners.

Early Bird Review Process

The Early Bird review process is a form of mentoring, principally for new researchers. However, anyone is eligible to make use of it. Research papers submitted through the Early Bird process must be received by the Early Bird due date (i.e., the closing date in January). They must meet the requirements as set out for MERGA Research Papers. Early Bird papers should be uploaded following a link on the conference website. Authors will be asked to create a login into Oxford Abstracts (our conference management system) and submit the blinded file (anonymised) in the correct template for review.

Early Bird papers undergo a double-blind MERGA reviewing process. There are three possible outcomes of the review, and actions the authors need to follow.

  1. When the paper is accepted (for presentation at the conference and publication in the proceedings), the authors will be asked to provide their full unblinded manuscript and publication agreement.
  2. When small revisions are required, the revised papers will need to be resubmitted by the main submission deadline in March. The changes are considered by the editors, and the papers are not usually sent out for review again. The editors decide whether the paper is accepted for publication as well as presentation at the conference.
  3. When more major revisions are required, the reviewers will provide the author/s with feedback on how to how to strengthen the paper. The paper will need to be resubmitted by the main submission deadline in March, and it will be sent out for a new double-blind review.

Authors are notified of the outcome as soon as possible (usually within a few weeks, and in time for resubmission). Letters are sent to authors to indicate (a) accepted for publication, (b) small revisions required, (c) or major rewriting required.