Virtual Participant FAQs

Research Group workshops are the core component of the APSA Virtual Research Meeting. These non-traditional sessions bring together small groups of global scholars for sustained, collaborative discussion, feedback, and research development across multiple sessions. Workshops are designed to support ongoing projects, encourage active engagement, and foster meaningful scholarly exchange, with a focus on generating tangible outcomes such as publications, grants, and new research initiatives.

Each Research Group is led by one or more organizers and may include anywhere from 10 to 50 participants, though this varies by group. Workshops meet for eight 90-minute sessions over two days (a total of twelve hours), allowing time for focused discussion, presentations, and in-depth feedback. More information about this year’s Research Group workshops can be found here.

Research Group workshops are invitation-only and limited to confirmed participants. Only those who have been accepted by the organizer(s) and registered for the meeting will be able to access workshop sessions.

Availability varies by workshop. If you would like to inquire about joining, please contact the Research Group organizer(s) directly. Organizer contact information for each workshop is available here.

Yes, all registered attendees are welcome to join both plenary panels each day of the meeting.

Research Group workshops are limited to invited participants and are not open for general attendance. For questions or to inquire about workshop availability, please contact the Research Group organizer(s) directly. Organizer contact information for each workshop is available here.

As a Research Group participant, you have three important responsibilities:

(1) RSVP by Friday, March 20 by emailing your invitation acceptance to meeting@apsanet.org.

(2) Register for the meeting by April 1, 2026. Registration is open and can be found here. You must be registered to access the Zoom session links.

(3) If applicable, upload your research paper or presentation to APSA Preprints at least one (1) week before the virtual meeting. Please contact your workshop organizer(s) directly to share any materials or documents with the group in advance.

Yes. All attendees must be registered for the meeting to access the online program, view session details, and join Zoom sessions.

As part of registration, attendees are asked to review and agree to two APSA policies: (1) the Code of Conduct & Meeting Policies, which outline expectations for professional conduct and include information on meeting policies and procedures, and (2) the Participation & Publicity Agreement. These policies help ensure a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all participants.

If your availability changes, please contact your Research Group organizer(s) as soon as possible and copy meeting@apsanet.org so we’re aware. Organizer contact information for all workshops can be found here.

If you would like to be fully removed from the workshop in the program, please email meeting@apsanet.org directly.

View the 2026 Virtual Research Meeting Schedule at a Glance here »

Please note that all timeslots labeled as Research Group sessions apply to all workshops, as they are scheduled concurrently. Each Research Group will meet during all eight 90-minute sessions across both days, and participants are expected to engage throughout the full workshop series.

APSA is committed to making the conference accessible for all attendees through the use of assistive resources. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) needs are collected through the meeting registration form, but you may also email your requests to meeting@apsanet.org. Please notify us of any needs as soon as possible to ensure appropriate accommodations.

Both plenary sessions will be recorded by default and may be made available on the APSA website following the meeting. Research Group workshops will not be automatically recorded, though recording may be enabled at the discretion of the organizer(s).

Yes, there is a PowerPoint template available for any participants who would like to use it.
Download the PowerPoint Template »

You can also utilize APSA’s Zoom virtual meeting backgrounds during your workshop or presentation.
Download Zoom Backgrounds »

For the 2026 Virtual Research Meeting, papers will not be uploaded through the All Academic submission system, as the format of the Research Group workshops means not all participants will have a paper to share.

Instead, workshop participants should contact their workshop organizer(s) directly to share any papers, presentations, or other materials with their group in advance. Organizers will circulate materials to participants prior to the meeting.

Participants are also encouraged to upload their research paper or presentation to APSA Preprints prior to the meeting to share your work with peers, obtain a DOI, get feedback, track metrics, and prepare for journal submission. APSA Preprints is a free-to-submit and access, pre-publication platform dedicated to early research outputs in political science and related disciplines.

Organizer contact information for all workshops can be found here.

Papers, presentations, and other documents will not be available through the All Academic platform for this meeting. Instead, Research Group organizers will share any materials directly with participants in advance of the workshop sessions.

To best prepare for the virtual meeting, be sure to review our 2026 Virtual Participant Guide and Participation Tips & Guidelines.

Before the meeting, we also recommend reviewing any shared materials, testing your Zoom setup, and planning to join sessions a few minutes early. If you will be presenting, ensure your materials are prepared and accessible. You may also wish to coordinate with your organizer(s) in advance regarding expectations or session formats.

All sessions will take place in Eastern Time (ET). We strongly recommend adjusting the online program to your local time zone.

All sessions will take place through the All Academic online program. Please note that you must log in using your APSA account credentials to view session details and access Zoom links.

If joining internationally, we recommend checking ahead of time whether you’ll need a VPN to access Zoom from your location. Please review all workshop dates and times in advance, particularly if you’ll be participating from outside the U.S. Eastern Time Zone.

Please refer to our Participation Tips & Guidelines page for further information on accessing the virtual platform and joining Zoom sessions.

The Zoom links will only be available in the online program on the day of each session. They will become active roughly 5–10 minutes before the scheduled session start time.

To prevent disruptions during the virtual meeting, please do not share any Zoom links on social media or with others.

Session rooms will open approximately 5–10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Session rooms will automatically close 5 minutes after the scheduled session ends.

If you are having trouble logging in, please contact membership@apsanet.org for assistance.

During meeting hours, the fastest way to get assistance is through the Technical Support Chat, available from the left-side menu of the online program homepage. You must be signed into the program to access this feature.

The Technical Support Chat will be monitored from 8:00am to 6:00pm ET both days. For technical support outside of meeting hours, please contact us at meeting@apsanet.org.

All Research Group workshops will have standard Zoom meeting features available, including a timer, screen sharing, chat, breakout rooms, whiteboards, polling, and live captioning. Only workshop organizers will have Zoom host permissions.

Both plenary panels will include an audience Q&A, though video and audio will be limited to panelists only.

Live captions can be enabled in Zoom by selecting the “Show Captions” option in the meeting toolbar. Captions can also be translated to other languages if needed.

Only Research Group organizer(s) will have screen sharing permissions by default. If you plan to share your screen, please notify your organizer(s) in advance.

For grant screen sharing access, the organizer(s) can open the Participant List from the Zoom toolbar, locate the participant, click the three dots next to their name, and select the option to make them a co-host. The participant will then be able to share their screen. 

Once the participant is finished sharing, the organizer(s) should return to the Participant List, click the three dots again, and select “Remove Co-Host Permissions.”

Yes. The APSA Virtual Ombuds will be available during the meeting to speak confidentially with attendees about concerns related to harassment or potential violations of APSA policies.

For all other questions or general meeting concerns, please email meeting@apsanet.org.

Yes, APSA can provide a letter of participation upon request. Please email meeting@apsanet.org with your request and include your name, affiliation, and workshop title.