Dear Debra.

This is interesting.

First of all, I should expect a good choice / selection of speakers, from the scientific and communication standards, with careful organisation of communications, according to different topics.

Comfortable premisses with good audio-visual technology.

Acceptable catering and a big lounge that may promote meetings with other participants. ( I personally prefer to take my coffee breaks with a different rhythm than the majority of conference participants, even if I have to pay for my coffee, so a vending machine would be most welcome ! )

I wish you the best of lucks !

Dear Debra.

This is interesting.

First of all, I should expect a good choice / selection of speakers, from the scientific and communication standards, with careful organisation of communications, according to different topics.

Comfortable premisses with good audio-visual technology.

Acceptable catering and a big lounge that may promote meetings with other participants. ( I personally prefer to take my coffee breaks with a different rhythm than the majority of conference participants, even if I have to pay for my coffee, so a vending machine would be most welcome ! )

I wish you the best of lucks !

I am with opinion of Maria Bettencourt Pires

Estimada Debra, le puedo enviar algunos adj enlace Donde Aparece Aportes muy Importantes del Dr. Juan Miguel Campanario.

Importante es un select La hora de la ONU Comité Científico Que Tiene La Responsabilidad de evaluar v previamente minimo 6 meses de Anticipación, los Trabajos por Diferentes Categorías. también es Importante Que En El Comite personajes existan con Experiencias en Investigaciones de corte Cuantitativas y cualitativas Para Que Exista un saldo no La hora de select.

Porque EXISTEN ponencias Que se Presentan Avances de investigaciones sin haberse culminado la investigacion, también EXISTEN ponencias donde son los expositores Presentan los Hallazgos de Sus Investigaciones, tambien EXISTEN Ponencias De un libro de la ONU reconocido experto en el área de la ONU determinada.también ponencias EXISTEN Y TALLERES donde son los Presentan expositores Innovaciones de Trabajos académicos en la Mejora de las Competencias disciplinares y Competencias Pedagógicas de any Ciencia del Comportamiento Humano y de Propuestas Innovadoras para la Formación de Investigadores en los Centros Universitarios, Mas y heno.

Saludos, y suerte. Prof. Arturo Rivera

Dear Debra! I also fully support the view of Maria Pires. Vladimir

My expectations for a research conference are:

a)        A very topical research problem.

b)       Interesting issue or topic, which may generate debate.

c)        Top well-known researcher.

d)       Clear argumentation of the conference paper with a conversational tone effective for getting a message across the audience and  inviting people participation.

In a conference I expect to meet and discuss with people who are working in my field at different organizations. This can be done during lunch and / or tea break. Therefore time allotted for such activities should never be reduced because such reduction I believe will defeat the purpose of the conference.

Hi Debra!

For me the best conferences have an informal workshop flavour -- in a small crowded room, a good maybe international-level speaker gives latest results and/or ideas for 20-30 mins, then there are questions from the audience, then audience start arguing between themselves, then finally chairperson calls a halt and everyone piles out into the corridor for coffee and biscuits STILL arguing, AND EVERYBODY LEARNS SOMETHING and is ENTHUSED!

Best

Jim

My expectation will be to listen for the updates and to have a chance to discuss different topics in the area of my interest with other researchers and to come with new ideas

Conference should serve beyond the event, converging expectations into modest and meaningful outcomes through shared information, resources and opportunities through newly formed networks.

In addition to what others said, and depending on the nature of the conference, pre-conference (or during the conference) ''Early Career Event'' (where PhD students and early career researchers are trained) is important. ''Researchers/Authors meet the Editors'' section is good too.

Make a place for new researchers. Agree with @Emeka but would add the opportunity to present posters as well. 

Thanks for one another of many invitations, Dear Debra. I hope that I can correspond once more to your expectations. If you disagree with any aspect of my answer you can say it openly that I will not be offended. In any Scientific Conference there is frequently a great risk in degenerating in a vanity market. The diversity of the areas of knowledge and of the background of the participants is a giant drawback, but may be also a challenge great and positive. The role of the scientific committee that select, accept and revise the communications and also the role of the moderators is fundamental for keeping the scientific quality at a good level. Is assumed that they are all experts in the respective area of the Conference. In the subsequent discussions after the presentations, some participants have not the scientific background that would allow them to understand the subjects under discussion but they tend genuinely to show themselves and participate. So the moderators may have sometimes a very difficult role that must be used with intelligence in order to not decrease to much the scientific level of the debate, explaining agreeably sometimes basic or elementary concepts that everybody present should know, and being always kind …

By the way, I also agree with Maria … that is also always kind …

I can expect that some good research area as well as idea will come as the outcome of a research conference. Also, there will be some quality interactions with the experts of the conference topic.

May I have the different answer, in my opinion, the conference is a good way to hear different aspects and ideas from junior and experts. This will encourage researchers to present their idea bravely..They will learn from experts the right way to work.

All the best to your conferenc

Thank you Debra Sharon Ferdinand for this interesting question. I would like to suggest from a student's perspective. First, I would like to see a poster session for students and other basic level presentations. However, I would suggest you to arrange poster presentation for at least one day long, or even more by planning more than one poster sessions on different topics. I have found in some conference that time for poster session was very short, which was very unpleasant to most participants. Believe me, posters area/lounge is good place to wander if you find a presenter boring or not relevant to you. Second, I would love to have a panel discussion at the end of conference where researchers and experts can interact and share their views. Most participants come in conferences with handful of questions in their mind but don't get their answers during presentations. I agree with James Doran comment in this regards.

My expectations for conferences vary a lot depending on the size. If there are 300 or fewer people attending, then I would like to have as much social contact as possible so I can get to know people. That means things like break times with shared refreshments, lunch together, and creating explicit opportunities to get together for dinner (e.g., sign-up sheets).

I expect exchange of ideas, interesting presentations and discussions, new contacts and possibilities for cooperation, getting comments on my research from reviewers and participants during the conference, and finally to visit new places and learn about them.

Hi Debra

I agree that you need some good quality at the top end of things, because that's what attracts people to the conference. But don;t forget that your delegates will include people just starting out on the research journey, so providing avenues for novices to present and ask question without feeling overwhelmed will be really important.

Good luck with it!

David

Invite the best possible speakers. They will attract delegates

I agree with  all  of you and I have to  add  the topic which  should  be attractive and up  to  date 

I just came back from a Conference organized by an American research association (about 2000 people and 30 publishing houses and NGO's with exhibitions). I cannot but compare it with my last year's Conference in Sao Paulo (40 people).

I think:

1) Mass conferences might be better recognized but one can only attend a few sessions. I feel like I seclude myself into my own specialist area. Coffee break talks, cocktails and exchange of name cards--I am too veteran to treasure those ephemerals. In my own presentation in the American one, I had about 15 people attending it (and this is not a bad number, I can tell, because some conferences you get one digit number).

2)  In the Brazilian one, I attended all 39 presentations and everybody around attended my own presentation. Interaction was great; we ended up with Brill book project. I still keep in contact with them and we together are already organizing one in Asia.

Dear @Debra, first goal is to present a paper. But, before Conference takes place, I contact my colleagues to see if they attend, we make plans on, not only conference sessions, but also about some tourist tour, hedonistic socializing, national restaurants, local customs ...! The important issue is collaboration in future, finding possible coauthors.

Let me bring some good related research questions where I have took part. Good to read.

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Do_you_like_attending_conferences_or_speaking_at_conferences_What_do_you_normally_do_before_during_and_after_a_conference

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Why_are_you_attending_academic_conferences

https://www.researchgate.net/post/What_is_the_role_of_scientific_conferences

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Should_we_question_the_credibility_of_international_conferences

I completely concur with Dr. Ljubomir Jacić. I think that his answer is comprehensive.

Regards,

Mehdi

A research conference must be the venue for presenting innovative research findings in the subject area concerned. It must be a venue for discussions and debates on these research developments in such a way that the research scholars get enough exposure to improve their research experiences. The conferences must also pave paths to notable collaborative works.

 A conference must be a meeting point for researchers where one can learn new things, exchange ideas, gets motivation and get new direction. I feel having all good speakers is not a conference , it must be good and learners in the conference who can get ideas. There must be sincerity in having lectures and presentations in time.Yes there must also be entertainment and informality to share ideas.

A conference may include diverse topics but the sessions need to be well focused to achieve meaningful outcome from the presentations.

Dear Dr. Debra Sharon Ferdinand,

Conference is one of the best platform to exchange and debate about research findings, ideas. Further, it provides an opportunity to interact and know about the professional activities of each other and feasible opportunities of utilizing capabilities of each others,  

To add on to Maria and Harshvardhan, from a delegate's point of view, I consider a conference as a way of meeting new people and new places. 

Most times I do look forward to talk to the organizers (although most are busy n on their toes during the conference) to know about their organizing the conference their planning executions e.t.c.. And most times I learn something new in organizing a conference in addition to the subject/theme based discussions, I consider knowing the ways of organizing equally important as an academician as the same will not be available in literature! Talking with the organizers also gives you an opportunity for few words of appreciation and gratitude to the organizers. Been on the organizing side, I very well understand how much it means to them!!

regards

Rathish

Good luck to the conference! My general expectations are: 1) participants composition into separate sessions helps to receive good feedback on presentations.  2) I also count on social networking - so you need to ensure breaks - long enough.

So you need carefully to plan the conference program (balanced and focused), breaks/lunch for social networking. You need to invite really good key speakers, and also pay attention on moderators!

... Dear Debra, you may see the links bellow: “Mixed Methods International Research Association (MMIRA)” Conferences, “Qualitative and Mixed Methods Workshop”, and “Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research - Educational Resources”. What is exactly the Title of your Conference, and what is exactly your role in the Conference? Coordinator? Have you an Internet homepage for your conference? By the way, thanks for agreeing with me.

Perhaps you can get some good information in the following links:

http://mmira.wildapricot.org/page-1859601

http://mmira.wildapricot.org/page-1665517

https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/family-medicine/events/201511/qualitative-mixed-methods-workshop

https://ictr.wisc.edu/QMMResources

Dear Debra

I think the most important things have been mentioned. Maria Bettencourt Pires have captured the most essential. However I miss a very important aspect and that is sticking to the schedule, and for this skilled moderators are needed.

There is nothing worse than missing the presentation you wanted to hear because it started ahead of time and also as annoying when presenters do not respect the time they have been given and taking someone else’s time, so moderators who keep track on time is a key.

Good luck and best regards

Åsa

Good quality research presentations and discussion!

Venue of the conference is important. It should be the institution campus, not a hotel. Selection of the campus benefits the organizing department more.

hi my view about of conference i s as follows

1.Selection of speakers on the conference domain .

2. Good feedback on presentations for a paper presenter.

3. Should be well  schedule and sticking on to it.

4. good review related to the submitted paper.

5. Publication and indexing of the paper.

Dear Debra,

I'm a follower of Donald Norman's conception about "the huge Research-Practice gap" ( http://www.jnd.org/dn.mss/the_research-practic.html ). Therefore, I will discuss your topic from the point of view of this conception. Currently there are more than 50,000 journals worldwide. In my view, numerous papers, books, monographs, proceedings, conferences, simposiums, workshops, and so on, only increase this gap. I see an unlimited stream: papers, papers, papers, ... books, books, books, ... conferences, conferences, conferences ... , and so on endlessly. But still what is the ultimate purpose of this endless sequence of events? Maybe, it's a demonstration of skills to be recognized? In my view, the ultimate purpose of RESEARCH must be DEVELOPMENT, e.g. in Computer Science & Information Technologies, a development can be presented as an Online Tool (Functional Site) in the Internet in order to be used by all people from a server. Inside this site, there are can be Menu with Submenus as Comfortable "Live Chat" and "Video Conference" like Researchgate discussions. In addition, you should keep in mind that not everyone has the opportunity to come to the conference because of the impossibility of financing and lack of English. In my understanding, in the 21st century, Online Tools will replace (and possibly replace soon) the traditional ".pdf" papers and conferences. I want to remind you once again that at present we are living in the 21st century, the century of powerful Internet Technologies. Nevertheless, we still use the old methods of representation and exchange of information. In my view, today's traditional papers and conferences are "yesterday's day".

In addition to the points noted above, I would like to add that opportunities for networking (such as breaks and social events in the evenings) should be built into the programme of a good conference. Often I find that the most tangible outcomes I get from conferences are new contacts and the first steps in person to person or institution to institution collaboration of various kinds.

I would like to add that a conference can be an integration of many things such as who the presenters are, who the participants are and how well and where it is organized to name but a few. However, it seems that the most important thing in a conference is the extent to which it helps to bridge the theory-practice gap.

Colleagues:

I thank you for sharing your valuable insights into your expectations for a conference. You have given me a wealth of information to improve our current conference planning in making it more interesting and engaging for participants.

Many, many, thanks,

Debra

Expectations from research conference conducted by an university 

In addition to the scientific contents and the expert well-known speakers in the conference, I would like the social interaction between attendees during the conference by using mobile application to the conference and provide prizes to attendees. You can find the ways that enable attendees to interact with each other and exchange experiences and business cards.  

Basically, the essence of conferences is to create a platform for researchers and professionals to disseminate research achievements, ideas and knowledge to an international community. Conferences also enables networking and collaboration among participants to transfer knowledge and discuss novel ideas.

For me, I expect the term or word "international'' to be felt in such a conference, hence there should be enough publicity so as to attract professionals and researchers from different part of the world. Renowned experts and professionals in conference main track should be invited for keynotes addresses. It is usually exhilarating when you meet renowned professionals in your field, hitherto you have only "seen" in paper publications.

In addition to the availability of a cozy conference venue, good sounds and lighting for the seminar/workshop room, continental food to cover all categories of people, sights and sounds of the city should be incorporated so as to leave a lasting impression on participants. This can be achieved by organizing tours to key areas of the city like ancient and monumental structures.

Regards,

Jay

I do prefer classic research conferences much more than virtual research conferences. Good chances for learn, get new friends, to socialize,... You may influence the path of research!

Technology has opened wide the contact space for researchers. As there is no limit, to leverage on this opportunity, conferences may be a good ground to still broaden the network.

Yes it is Ali Daud 

I think the conference help researchers put forward their point of view in front of experts, this will improve their research. Also, to gain skills throughout the conference sessions via discussions, as well as, the exchange between researchers.