6th Annual AALA Conference
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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
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We are now welcoming abstracts for the 6th International Conference of the Asian Association for Language Assessment (AALA), Hanoi, October 17-18, 2019 and invite contributions from academics, researchers, teachers, students, and assessment agencies.
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Conference Dates: October 16-18, 2019
Pre-Conference Workshops: October 16
Conference: October 17-18
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Deadline for submission: extended to April 20, 2019
Notification of selection: June 30, 2019​
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Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
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Host:
University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi
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Associate hosts:
National Foreign Language Project
University of Foreign Languages, Hue University
University of Foreign Language Studies, the University of Da Nang
Co-Chairs: Jessica Wu & Jin Yan
Local Chair: Nguyen Thi Ngoc Quynh
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Theme: Language Assessment: Principles, Policies, and Practices
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We welcome all areas of language assessment research, including, but not limited to:
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Principles in language testing and assessment (such as new approaches, theories, hypotheses, or perspectives in language testing and assessment);
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Language assessment policies (such as the policy-making processes, impact of language policies and language assessment policies, contrastive review of policies across different contexts, etc.); and
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Assessment practices (such as localized/glocalized assessment, capacity building, learning-oriented assessment, standardization, computer-based assessment, new technologies in assessment, etc.)
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Presentation formats
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We invite abstracts for the presentation formats listed below.
Paper presentations
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Paper presentations are 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for questions and comments from the audience. Research papers may be either empirical or conceptual. Presentations of empirical studies should provide a rationale for the study, an appropriately detailed description of the methodology, research results, conclusions, and implications. Presentations of conceptual research should discuss an approach or a critical issue, or compare and contrast alternative approaches or issues, and provide significant or innovative perspectives. Abstracts should be no more than 400 words. Those not accepted for paper presentations may be considered for poster presentations.
Poster presentations
Posters will be displayed during a timetabled session at the Conference. Presenters will be asked to stand with their posters during the scheduled sessions to present their work and answer questions. Poster presentations provide an opportunity for independent researchers, students, faculty members or professional assessment agencies to show their recently completed or work-in-progress assessment projects or research. Poster abstracts should be no more than 400 words.
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Symposia
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Symposia involve the presentation of three or four research papers on a single, coherent theme related to principles, policies, or practices in language assessment that can stimulate wider discussion by the presenters and audience. Each symposium should include a moderator and/or an independent discussant. The total time for one symposium is 100 minutes including at least 15 minutes for discussion of the issues raised. Symposium proposals should not exceed 800 words, with each individual abstract no more than 150 words.
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Abstract Submission Guidelines
​For paper and poster presentations, please provide the following details:
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If you are a single-authored/individual student, write “The sole author of this abstract is a graduate student currently enrolled in a Master’s/doctoral program in [your major] at [your university]” at the top of the page. (Refer to the Information on AALA Student Awards below for more details.)
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Sub-theme
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Preferred presentation format
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Title – max. 20 words
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Abstract – max. 400 words, clearly highlighting the relevance and quality of your research
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Presenter details – including name(s), affiliation(s), country(ies), and email address(es)
Submit your abstracts at http://ocs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/aala/aala2019/author/submit by the deadline. Please be noted that you will need to create an account with the site before you submit your proposals.
For symposia, please provide a summary of the topic and overarching goal, the titles and abstracts of individual papers, information of the moderator and/or discussant, and a plan of time allocation to fit the time limit. Symposium proposals should be submitted to aala2019@vnu.edu.vn or aala2019conf@gmail.com by the deadline.
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Note: An individual may be a first author on only one proposal. However, that individual may be a co-author/presenter on another proposal.
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Information on AALA Student Awards
The AALA Best Student Paper Award and AALA Best Student Poster Award are merit-based awards that support the attendance of two graduate students at an AALA annual conference. All single-authored/individual student submissions will be automatically considered for the awards. To qualify for the student awards, contributors must be graduate students currently enrolled in a university Master’s or doctoral program in applied linguistics or a related field. The authors need to indicate their graduate student status in their abstracts by writing “The sole author of this abstract is a graduate student currently enrolled in a Master’s/doctoral program in [your major] at [your university]” at the top of the abstract page. A letter of matriculation/active student status must be shown upon request.
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Winners MUST present their works at the AALA annual conference to receive the awards. Winners for the Best Student Paper Award and Best Student Poster Award will each receive a certificate, have their conference and pre-conference workshop registration fees waived, and be invited to the banquet.
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For more information on past winners, please check Conference Awards page.
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Evaluation Criteria
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Proposals for presentations will be evaluated by a team of reviewers. For individual papers and posters, the reviewers’ decision is final. Symposium proposals will be further reviewed by the organising committee. A maximum of three symposia (ideally one for each sub-theme of the conference) will be accepted.
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The evaluation criteria include:
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Significance of the research topic/Contribution to the field
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Relevance to conference theme
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Rigor of study (e.g., rationale for the research, contextualization within the literature, design of research question(s), choice and use of methodology, interpretation and conclusion etc.)