AAO - HNSF Presenter Policy
Presenters are required to pay the appropriate registration fee (full conference or one-day). All presenters are encouraged to take advantage of the discounted early registration fees and register by June 22, 2012. The advanced registration deadline ends on Saturday, August 4, 2012.

Note: Scientific Program speakers who fail to show up for their scheduled presentations without previously notifying the AAO-HNSF of cancellation will not be permitted to submit or present abstracts at any AAO-HNSF-annual meeting for two years following the "no-show."

Audio/Visual Equipment

Each session room will include a computer stationed at the audio visual technician table, a data projector with remote control, one projection screen, one microphone, and one laser pointer.

Speaker Ready Room

Speakers must check-in at the Speaker Ready Room 24-hours before their scheduled presentation. This will allow time to prepare, rehearse, and finalize your presentation before submitting it. The computers in the Speaker Ready Rooms will be configured with hardware and software exactly like the computer in the meeting rooms. It is imperative that you review your presentation in the Speaker Ready Room if it contains video files.

Speaker Ready Room Hours

Saturday, September 8, 2012 – 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Sunday, September 9, 2012 – 7:30 am – 6:30 pm

Monday, September 10, 2012 – 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 – 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

Wednesday, September 12, 2012 – 7:00 am – 3:00 pm

Note: The Speaker Ready Room is located the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Room 102.

Uploading Presentations

Presenters are required to upload their presentations in advance of the meeting to the 2012 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO Slide Presentation submission website. If you are using materials in your presentation (pictures, charts, graphs, etc.) that are not original work, it is important to seek permission from the original source to use the material. Presentations will be pre-loaded onto the computers located in each session room.

Note: The 2012 AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO Slide Presentation submission website will be available on August 1, 2012.

Instruction Course Session Handouts

Instruction course handouts will be available pre and post conference to the registered attendees.  It is important to note that paper handouts will not be given onsite. This is your only option for sharing your instruction course handouts with attendees. Should you elect not to participate in the online delivery method of providing supporting documentation of the course, you are welcome to bring and distribute your copies to your course attendees.

Handout Guidelines

All Instruction Course presenters are encouraged to submit an electronic copy of session handouts. Handouts must be uploaded as a PDF (.pdf) file and limited to 6 single sided pages per course hour (i.e. 6 pages per one-hour course and 12-pages per two-hour course). Additional pages will not be approved. Instructors may only submit one file per presentation. Handouts must be free of commercial or promotional material; however you may include personal contact information.

Registered attendees will have access to handouts prior to the annual meeting and will also have the opportunity to print handouts onsite in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. If you choose not to use the online handout site, you may bring copies of your material. It is the instructors responsibility to produce, ship and distribute materials on site. There is a feature that allows you to download the list of attendees registered for your course.

Submission Deadline

Handout submissions are due on or before, Friday, August 31, 2012 for attendees to access prior to the Annual Meeting.  Presenters may continue to amend, modify, or upload handouts until September 30, 20112.

Note: The instruction course handout upload site will be available on August 1, 2012

Interactive Sessions (Audience Response Systems)

Interactive Sessions will use an audience response system.  Specific instructions for creating your ARS session have been communicated directly to those presenters who were accepted as interactive sessions.

Manuscript Submission Instructions

All oral presentations at the Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO become property of the AAO-HNS. Once accepted for presentation, papers may not be published elsewhere. Papers may be presented elsewhere after the annual meeting provided that Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is cited.

Oral presentations (basic/translational and clinical) must be submitted to the journal, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Submissions must comply with author guidelines ( http://otojournal.org)  for peer review, and the journal has the right of first refusal. Lead authors whose last names fall in the ranges listed below must submit their manuscripts by the following deadlines:

A– G          Friday, August 24

H – M        Friday, September 21

N – Z         Friday, October 26

Those requesting a waiver must e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the editor’s approval and waivers will not necessarily be granted. Submit manuscripts online at   http://otohns.edmgr.com.

Oral Presentation Session Guidelines

Oral presentations are formatted as a panel consisting of several abstracts.  All oral presentations are allocated 8-minutes. Be sure to limit the presentation to the time allotted. Using PowerPoint or Keynote is recommended for all oral presentations.

Presentation Tips

  • Detailed instructions on how to use PowerPoint can be found at  www.microsoft.com  or Keynote presentations
  • Give an opening statement to acquaint the audience with the nature and purpose of the abstact.
  • Discuss the same material as reported in the abstract.
  • Rehearse your presentation beforehand.
  • Stay within your allotted time to assure that all presenters have equal time on the program and allow the audience the opportunity to ask questions.
  • Know what to omit if you start to go over your time allotted. Session moderators will hold you to the allotted time.

Poster Presentation Guidelines

Poster Requirements
The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation requires all posters to be posted by 10:00 AM on Sunday in Hall C of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. All posters will be available for viewing during the Annual Meeting Registration Hours. Posters are to be taken down on Wednesday, September 12, 2012 by 12:00 PM. If you are unable to take down your poster at that time, it will be discarded.

ePoster Submissions, PowerPoint Poster Templates and Printing
All posters must be electronically submitted to ResearchPosters.com by 1pm Central Time on Thursday, September 6th, 2012 (Note: This date is prior to the start of the annual meeting). Electronic submission is required for an online ePoster session which begins Sunday, September 9, 2012. There is no charge for submitting your file to ResearchPosters.com and the process takes only a few minutes.

Poster File Electronic Submission

1. Go to www.ResearchPosters.com/AAO      

2. Follow the remaining instructions for submission.

Poster Display and Schedule

  • Poster setup begins on Saturday, September 8th at 8:00 am and must be completed no later than Sunday, September 9th at 10:00 am.
  • All posters must be removed on Wednesday, September 12th between 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm, or they will be discarded.
  • All poster display panels will be numbered by AAO-HNSF. Please match your poster number before you display it, to ensure proper placement of your poster.
  • Fasteners (push pins) are provided onsite for each poster.

Poster Format Specifications

  • Posters should be no larger than 42” tall by 90” wide (106cm x 228cm).
  • PowerPoint templates and design guidelines are available at www.ResearchPosters.com/AAO
  • A copy of the abstract (in large type) must be incorporated into the poster, or may be attached to the upper left-hand corner of the panel.
  • A title section at the top of the poster must contain:
  • title of the poster
  • all authors
  • authors’ affiliations
  • Files submitted for the ePoster session must be in PowerPoint (.ppt) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) file format.
  • Fonts other than standard Windows TrueType must be embedded in the file.
  • Graphics and digital photos should be at least 150 dpi in their final printed size. For example, a digital photo that will be printed at 4” x 6” on your poster should be at least 600 x 900 pixels in its original format.

When submitting your file for the ePoster session you will also have an option to order a printed poster. As our designated poster production partner, Genigraphics offers an easy and cost-effective solution that will ensure your printed poster meets AAO-HNS/F specifications. Posters printed through Genigraphics can be shipped anywhere in the USA or Canada, or shipped directly to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center for on-site pickup. Genigraphics can also hang your poster on the display board for a $24.95 service fee.

Please contact Genigraphics at 1-800-790-4001 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. should you have any questions regarding poster file submissions, design, or printing.

Poster Presentation Reception

AAO-HNSF is offering a Poster Presentation Reception on Tuesday, September 11, 2012 from

4:00 PM - 5:30 PM in Hall C of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center to provide poster presenters an opportunity to engage with the 2012 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO attendees.