Time limits | 45 minutes for papers (~20 pages) and 15 minutes (~5 pages) for respondents.
Copies | Please bring enough copies for all members present to the meeting in November. We will give you a count of how many people will be in attendance as the ORG date approaches. In addition, please submit your paper electronically to our Historian. The electronic copies will be sent to ORG members who are not present at the meeting as well as to several Divinity Schools (Harvard, Meadville, Starr King) for their archives.
Style | No specific style (MLA, APA, Chicago) is required for font choice, notation style, etc.—any will suffice, as long as it is clear and legible, and preferably consistent.
There are no specific binding requirements (stapling is quite common).
Deadlines | Please get your papers in at least draft form to your respondents by August 30, and a final version no later than a month before the meeting date.
If you fall behind deadlines, it is most important that you maintain contact with your respondent. For example, if you can tell them the books you are working from, share an outline, or share other information earlier than that, it is always appreciated. Respondents are encouraged to share a copy of their response with the paper’s author before the meeting, if desired by the paper’s author.
Presentation Format |
1. The President assigns a time keeper and recorder of those who wish to speak to the topic at hand.
2. The paper is read and the response is read.
3. Break.
4. Responses, usually for one hour, are offered. The paper presenter has the first opportunity to respond to the response paper.
5. The recorder then takes names of those wishing to respond. Only after every participant as had an opportunity to speak will the recorder invite second responses.
Additional Resources |
Prairie Group Guidelines
Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Harvard College Writing Center
UNC Writing Center