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BEA Moderator's Guidelines

TIME
· Wear or have a watch and use it. When you begin the session indicate how much
time each panelist will have for remarks, how much time will be allocated for
discussion by panelists and how long Q & A will be.
· Summarize at the end of the session.
· Start and end your session on time.
· If the format allows for, allow up to 10 minutes for Questions/Answers after the
end of the panelists' presentation.

SPACE
· If the room is standing room only, encourage those in the back to fill in empty
seats, move up front or sit on the floor.
· If there are audience members taking up more than one seat, suggest that they
make space for others.
· If the audience is sparse, invite people to move down front to fill in empty seats.
· Introduce yourself, your name and institutional affiliation. Then review the topic of
the session and set the platform for the session by updating panel and audience on
the state of the topic.
· Housekeeping announcements should be made at the front of the
session--changes such as composition of panel or program changes.
· Use humor, if it can be natural.

BEFORE THE SESSION
Make certain:
· panelists are miked
· have water and glasses
· all necessary AV is in place and working
· meet with panelists and review how you will conduct session

DURING THE SESSION
· Make panelists aware of time left in their presentation
· During Q & A make certain questions are really questions
· Make certain audience has heard question if no mike is available for Q & A,
repeat question for audience
· Do not allow panelists to cross talk.
· Do not allow one panelist to take control and "hog" time.. Stop him or her and
move on to next presenter.
· Do not allow audience members to make a speech--interrupt them and ask them
to pose their question.

AT THE END OF THE SESSION
Summarize
Thank panelists