CSI Communications - Structuring CSI Specific Content
28 January 2008: Request for Comments [Version 1]
Dr. T V Gopal
Honorary Chief Editor- CSI Communications &
Professor
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Anna University
Chennai – 600 025 India
e-mail: gopal@annauniv.edu
1. Discussions with Prof. S V Raghavan on 14th November 2008
The author had detailed discussions on the subject with Prof. S V Raghavan, Chairman, Publications Committee, CSI on 14th November 2008.
Here is a pertinent excerpt from the gist of the above discussions.
It is very important to report the activities of the CSI Chapters and Student Branches. Presently various events are being included in the 'HQ News'. This will be shifted to the Web with an easy interface to upload the photographs and other details by the Secretaries of respective chapters.
Reports which give a 500 word summary of the lecture or address will be included as 'Share & Grow' column.
2. Event Reporting for Publication in the CSIC
Two types of events namely ‘[CSI] Conferences’ and ‘[CSI] Chapter News’ are identified for publication in the CSIC.
2.1 Conference
It is to be noted that the term ‘Conference’ is generically used to indicate Conference, Symposium, Workshop, Seminar and Tutorial.
Writing conference reports is often about translating knowledge-not necessarily from one language to another but from specialized jargon to vernacular. It is the task of articulating the business value of an event.
Conference reporting must capture discussions and debates for all working activities at an event (Plenaries, Invited Talks, Round Tables at Workshops, Conferences, Technical Meetings, For a and Seminars). The report may run into 500 words and can include at most three photographs.
2.1.1 Guidelines for Writing the Conference Reports
• Conference reports should not exceed 500 words.
• The report should not be a detailed minuted account of the proceedings.
• Reporters should concentrate on the most interesting or original presentations. The report should highlight the ‘Prospects and Pitfalls’ in subject of the presentation as mentioned by the Presenter.
• The aim of the report is to stimulate and inform readers and to give them a flavor of the highlights of the conference within the confines of a 500 word limit.
• A maximum of three photographs may be included at appropriately. Each photograph must have a Caption and must be referenced in the text of the report as ‘Picture 1’, ‘Picture 2’ and ‘Picture 3’.
• Reporters should give their personal impressions of the conference, critically reviewing the meeting from the perspective of the readership of CSIC.
• Conference reporters must provide their complete contact details including the e-mail Id.
• The conference reports must be submitted to the CSI Secretariat within three weeks of the meeting.
• The Editorial team of CSIC reserves the right to edit the reports.
The following details (not for publication with the report) may be provided separately.
• What committees ran the conference?
• What was the theme of the conference?
• How many attended the conference?
• Where was it held? (Venue and City)
• Complete Contact Details of the people who participated in the Inaugural Function and Valedictory Function.
• Who were the main speakers? What are their contact details? What were the topics of their papers/speeches?
• Please ensure the spelling of names is correct. Check with the speakers.
• If any of the papers/speeches contain something of major significance, highlight that.
2.2 Chapter News
The Chapter News should not exceed 150 Words.
Writing coaches have identified four key elements that should be present in five paragraphs of any ‘Chapter News’ (not necessarily in any particular order). They are
1. News: The newest information: the basic facts of who, what, when, where, why and how ... the most relevant information
2. Impact: What a situation means and who is affected. Tells readers what the news changes about their lives and, maybe, what they should do.
3. Context: The general perspective that frames the background of the news. It addresses the relationship of things around the news. Context helps readers understand whether something is normal or surprising.
4. Emotion: The human dimension. Takes a story from abstract to reality. Offers personal elements that help readers understand the story. This is not necessarily a quote, but it could be.
2.2.1 Guidelines for ‘Chapter News’
‘Chapter News’ stems from the following events.
• Visits to Other Chapters
o Has any office bearer recently visited another Chapter?
o Have you recently received feedback or corresponded with an office bearer of another chapter?
o What is going on, what is the issue, how is being addressed, and some vivid pictures of the people at work.
• Chapter Activities
o what is your chapter up to? how are you reaching out to the local community, raising funds, discussing development issues? Maybe other chapters can learn from you!
• Guest Speakers [75 words]
o Any interesting people visit your chapter? Journalists, social workers, economists, or others? What did they talk about? Please summarize the key message and perhaps link to a more detailed write up on the Web.
3. Layout rules
• Software: Use Microsoft Word.
• Fonts
o Body text: Use Times New Roman Font ONLY, with font size 12
o Headings: Titles must be Times New Roman, font size of 14 pt. Keep 4-6 pt space between title and first line of the item.
o Photo captions: Picture <Number>: Arial, font size of 9pt
• Text Indenting : Text must fill the line
• Margins : 1/2 inch margin required on all four sides (top, bottom, left, right).
• Columns : Use single column format only.
The ‘Chapter News’ reaching the CSI Secretariat between 01 – 15 of every month will be considered for inclusion in the CSIC of the subsequent month.
The reports reaching the CSI Secretariat, which do not confirm to the above guidelines and format will be rejected without any further communication.