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How to Comment on a Session of Papers You have been assigned to comment on a session of papers at a historical conference. Now what? Here’s how to fill your role in a way that serves the profession and reflects creditably on you. General Role of the Commentator The commentator (sometimes called the discussant) is a role player. The moderator (or chair) of the session is the convener, facilitator, and genial host. The presenters (or readers) are the focus. As commentator, you have a limited but valuable part to play, which comprises three elements. 1. Appraising each of the papers 2. Relating them to one another 3. Making sense of the session as a whole The second two elements may be more or less attainable, depending on the coherence of the session. Some sessions are nicely wrapped, comprising papers that fit together easily. Others are combinations of convenience; in such cases, don’t reach too far for connections. Specifications and Tips The following specs and tips are the product of long experience. These things work, and result in a better experience for all participants.
1. Be respectfully persistent about securing papers from the authors. Well before the conference, perhaps six weeks, write an e-mail to each author (with copy to the moderator). In this message just greet the author genially, say you look forward to participating in the session, and provide current contact information for yourself. Providing current e-mail and postal address should be the point of the message. See sample text at right. 2. If you haven’t received a paper by two weeks before the conference, then write the moderator a calm note saying you haven’t received the paper. At about that time, too, you should send the moderator enough information, abstracted from your vita, to use in introducing you at the session. This might be a paragraph biography, or a half-page or so of items from your vita.
3. If you don’t receive a paper in time to review it, don’t sweat it. This happens. Work with what you have. When you deliver your commentary, you can wing it enough to fill the gap. You can comment on how the late paper fits with the others or adds value to the session. See sample construction at right. 4. Read the papers carefully and mark them up preparatory to writing your commentary. Don’t worry about matters of style or minor problems. Stay in the realm of ideas. 5. Write out your comments verbatim. The paper presenters have prepared polished texts, and you should do the same. Plus, a prepared text keeps you honest as to time constraints. Your commentary should be no longer than ten minutes, preferably eight. 6. Write to the audience, not to the authors. A common mistake is for a commentator to present the authors with questions or challenges. This results in a two-way exchange that eats up the available time and leaves out the audience. Your comments should help the audience digest the papers and pique interest in them, so that the audience will want to talk about them. 7. Assume a posture and tone that encourage scholarship and collegiality. Don’t try to score points, play politics, or elevate yourself. Constructive criticism is always appropriate; rhetorical indirections help keep things from getting personal. 8. An anecdote or a touch of humor can be good for the tenor of the session. Don’t get carried away. One such morsel is enough. There is a useful formula that will help jumpstart your composition of comments and ensure you do what is needed. The table below outlines the formula.
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