(8/11) I need an official acceptance letter. When will I get it?

• Final acceptance letters will be sent very soon
• When exactly? Answer: today or tomorrow.
• Reason:
  • The deadline for at least one author to register to COLING has been shifted to 8/11 midnight (Indian time, GMT+5.5),
  • there are still problematic papers (1 without authors, 1 without title!, some with titles differing from titles put in the metadata): if they are not corrected very soon, they will be retracted from the program (as announced many times).
    The Final Submission Page of START has been kept open (until 9/11 11:59h GMT-7 at this time) so that authors can update their metadata and/or upload a corrected version if they have been told by the PC that something is amiss.
  • the info about registration is not in START, so that the PC cannot select already registered and "conform" authors and send them an acceptance letter now.
    When not-conform papers will have got the "Reject" status, the letters will be sent to all authors of the "Accept-xxx" papers.

(4/11) I have been asked to revise my New Demo Paper, but the deadline has passed. What to do?

• The deadline for New Demo Paper has been further shifted to 05/11 09:59h GMT-7 (17:59h in Paris or Prague)
• Reason: quite a few submissions have a bad format (page 1!), or are too long, or don't describe a demo!
• Other deadlines stay the same:
  • 05/11 23:59h GMT-7: FINAL SUBMISSIONS (camera-ready) of all submissions (including New Demo Papers).
  • 07/11 00:01h GMT-7: REGISTRATION OF AT LEAST 1 AUTHOR PER ACCEPTED SUBMISSION (Long / Poster / Demo).

(3/11) While submitting the final submission, how should we specify which author has registered?
OR Will such a thing be automatically determined by the Chairs?

• Short answer: automatically.
• Longer answer:
  Seen from the authors, it will be automatic.
  The organizers have been asked to provide that info to the PC because they are those who have it.
  They are expected to tell the PC on 7/11 morning which accepted papers have no author registered before 7/11.

  On 7/11, the PC will reject these papers, as well as remaining papers not conforming to the requirements (see on the FAQ). Then it will be able to start composing the program.

(2/11) Can you tell us when our paper #xyz will be presented?

• If it is a poster, in one of the 3 sessions planned on 11, 13 and 14 December (after the invited talk of the day). We can't be more precise now.
• If it is a long paper, presented orally, we don't know now.

The official final program will be fixed only a few days before the start of the conference, around 5/12, and put in the USB keys. It will take into account first scientific constraints, and second very serious constraints (cas de force majeure), as opposed to matters of convenience. In particular, we have to avoid putting in parallel sessions with common authors, or concerning related topics.

There are and will be so many constraints that the provisional program the PC will prepare by 15/11 and send to the organizers is sure to undergo some changes before 5/12. Hence, even if it is published, it will have to be considered as provisional and non-binding.

Just before and during the conference, there will be further changes due to unexpected events (such as illness, transport problem, visa delay...) and we will be obliged to organize some permutations (even on the first day). Unavoidably, for example, there will also be cases where only 1 co-author of 2 papers comes instead of 2, and we learn about it very late: hence, we have to keep as many degrees of liberty as possible to move papers to time-compatible slots.

IMPORTANT: if a paper has no author on site to present it, it will not be presented and another paper will fill its slot.

(31/10) Will some submission deadlines be shifted as some authors have been unable to work because of hurricane Sandy?

• YES
  5/11 23:59h GMT-7 for FINAL SUBMISSIONS (camera-ready) of all submissions (including New Demo Papers).
  3/11 23:59h GMT-7 for INITIAL SUBMISSIONS of New Demo Papers.
  
  There will however be checks on the correctness of final submissions with respect to the format (templates, length limits) and to the corrections/conditions of the reviewers.
• BEWARE: the deadline for registrations of authors is then maintained as before, and is BEFORE 7/11:
  7/1/11 00:01h GMT-7: REGISTRATION OF AT LEAST 1 AUTHOR PER ACCEPTED SUBMISSION (Long / Poster / Demo ).

No further shift can be envisaged because of deadlines to compose the program and prepare the pdf and html files for electronic and paper publication.

(31/10) I have not kept a copy of the reviews on my submission, or not received it. Haw can I access them?

• Reviews have been accessible during the "rebuttal" period, and since 16 October. Just go to your START account. If you have forgotten you passcode, START will send it to you if you mention the e-mail you used when creating your account.

(31/10)My submission as a Long Paper has been accepted as a Poster Paper. As this implies important changes on the paper, in particular shortening, could you please tell me if the title page counts as one of the 8 pages allowed for short papers? 

You may use the 2 additional pages in another language (L_2) to put there some text in L_2 and illustrations to which you can also refer from your main text in English, starting then on page 4. This way, you have 10 and not 8 pages (not counting references).

NOTE: If you use the L_2 possibility, it means you have to put your title, abstract and keywords also in L_2 on page 1.

(30/10) Is it possible to upload supplementary material for the final COLING-2012 submissions?

• No (and there is no item on the final submission page to do it).
  This supplementary material was intended as a possible help for the reviewers of the initial submissions. There are now no further reviews concerning the content itself.
  There will however be checks on the correctness of final submissions with respect to the format (templates, length limits) and to the corrections/conditions of the reviewers.

(28/10) I am using the L_2 possibility. What should I write after the first part (English title, abstract and keywords)?

• The template and another item on the FAQ say:
  Title and abstract in another language, L_2 (optional, and on the same page)
  

  Suppose L_2 is Chinese, you should then write (left justified):
  "Title and abstract in Chinese"
  or
  "Title and abstract in another language (Chinese)"
  and then you write the title (centered), abstract and keywords in Chinese

(28/10) I am using the L_2 possibility. Where should I put the keywords in English?

That is a matter of taste:
• either after the English abstract, between 2 horizontal lines,
  and then the keywords in L_2 are after the abstract in L_2, again between 2 horizontal lines;
• or near the bottom of the page, just before the keywords in L_2,
  and then the lines of keywords in English and L_2 are put between 2 horizontal lines.

(28/10) I don't use the L_2 possibility. May I start the main text on page 1?

• No. That is a cause of rejection. Page 1 must contain ONLY title, abstract and keywords, in English, or in English and another language L_2. The organizers plan to distribute a paper volume of abstracts, made from all first pages.

(26/10) What is the deadline for New Demo Papers?

• 1) The deadline for the initial submission is 1 November 2012 at 23:59h (GMT-7).
  ==> 31/10: changed to 3/11 23:59h (GMT-7)
  A New Demo submission should be accepted systematically, unless the PC sees a major flaw in it. You will be notified of acceptance, and then you will have to enter the final version of your Demo Paper as a final submission.
• 2) The deadline for all final submissions is 3 November 2012 at 23:59h (GMT-7).
  ==> 31/10: changed to 5/11 23:59h (GMT-7)
  

(25/10) I want to submit a new demo paper, should I create a new submission or use the current paper ID?

• You should create a new submission. There is a page "New Demo Paper" in START for that. The deadline for this submission is 1 November 2012 at 23:59h (GMT-7)
  ==> 31/10: changed to 3/11 23:59h (GMT-7)

Should a New Demo Paper be anonymous or not?

• No. You should NOT anonymize it as it will be reviewed by the PC chairs. Note that, as for the initial submission, a New Demo Paper should present a demo (and not be a shrunked shortened long paper...), and follow the template for demos, including length limit.

(25/10) What is the maximum number of New Demos?

• About 55, but we might extend it. Our target was 50 and we got only 28 submissions, all good. We think it is possible to have up to 80 demos (and not 50 as we initially thought and put on the web site), or even 100.

(23/10) How will the Demo Papers be presented?

• Demo Papers describe demos and are not presented as such. The demos are presented.
  
  There will be no proper "demo session", but several places (in the large hall of the conference center, and possibly in spare lecture rooms), where it will be possible to show demos. These places will be quite near to the conference rooms and the areas for coffee breaks in the VMCC (Victor Menezes Conference Center).
  
  Demo presenters will indicate themselves where and when they are presenting their demo on a board pre-filled with the number, title and authors of all demos.

(19/10): why is there un updated list of results? Was there a new meeting of the selection committee?

• No. The table published on the web has been prepared from 26 files corresponding to the 26 COLING areas, and a column number was mistyped in the global file for 1 area. That led to produce "Accept" instead of "Reject" for about 28 long papers and some short papers.

ALL RESULTS HAVE BEEN UPLOADED IN THE START SYSTEM AND FUTURE NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE BASED ON THE CONTENT OF START.

(20/10): is that list on the web final?

• no, a few errors have been caught since, but they concern only the reason for rejection. For example, some "Reject-BadFormat-or-NoPaper" are in fact "Reject-non-anonymous".

THE OFFICIAL NOTIFICATIONS WILL BE SENT SHORTLY THROUGH E-MAIL MESSAGES COMING FROM THE START SYSTEM.

(20/10) I did not receive my reviews, is that normal?

• yes. Reviews are accessible to authors from their START account.
  They have been attached to some acceptance letters, but that was never an obligation.

(20/10) Is it still possible to do a "rebuttal" (response to the reviewers)

• No, whatever the acceptance category of your paper.

(19/10) What is the "final submission"?

• When a paper has been accepted, or accepted as "waiting", the authors should prepare it according to
  
  • the same guidelines as for the initial submission, but without anonymization of names, projects, etc.
    
  • the remarks and advice of the reviewers.
    
  • the length limits corresponding to the presentation formats: in particular, some papers originally submitted as "long papers" have been accepted as "poster papers". Some poster submissions have been accepted as demos. In these cases, the authors must reduce the length of their paper.
  Final papers will be checked for conformity with these requirements.
  IMPORTANT:
  The title page must contain at least:
  
  • The title, abstract, and keywords in English
  • The title pages should contain a version of the title, abstract, and keywords in a language (L_2) other than English wherever possible. If the native language of one or more of the authors is not English, then a special effort should be made to include these L_2 versions and they can extend to a second page if necessary. These should be introduced by the phrases
    Title in <L_2>
    Abstract in <L_2>
    <L_2 Keywords>
    
  See also USAGE OF A SECOND LANGUAGE L_2 IN A SUBMISSION? below.

(17/10) Why a "waiting list"? That seems new in COLING.

• Yes. There are two reasons: (1) possible administrative problems preventing some authors to come to India (the PC Chair could not get his visa in California, using the official invitation received from the organizers) and (2) some authors may not be able to make the necessary modifications, and then will not actually submit their (improved) paper.
  IMPORTANT: no submission will be finally accepted, and will therefore not appear in the program and proceedings, unless at least one author has registered (not just preregistered) and paid the fees.
  If no author of a final submission has registered by 7th November, that submission will be rejected and the next on the waiting list will replace it in the program.

(16/10) Suppose I have a paper on the "Waiting" list and I must really be sure to have something published to be funded by my organization to attend the conference. What can I do?

• You may also submit a demo paper related to your main paper. All conforming and properly presented demo papers will be accepted until we attain the limit of possible demos (only 25 out of 50 possible slots are filled). A demo paper is, needless to say, the presentation of a demonstration, and will have to be presented as such.

When is the deadline for final submission?

• 3 November 23:59 GMT-7. That is midnight in California, and about noon (of 2/11) in India (GMT+5:30).
• (31/10) ==> shifted to 5 November 23:59 GMT-7 because of hurricane Sandy.

Am I sure to present at COLING if my paper is in "Waiting" condition?

• Unfortunately not. But we know that authors of COLING submissions have also often submitted several papers (as coauthors), and/or have submitted papers to COLING workshops. You might also propose a demo and submit the associated demo paper to be sure to present something if you are too far down the waiting list.

(16/10) Am I sure to present at COLING if my paper got an "Accept" after the selection (without "Waiting") condition?

• Yes... if your final submission strictly follows the presentation guidelines and the advices/conditions/requests of the reviewers. Also, registration of at least one author is necessary.

(16/10) How many long papers and demos will be included in the final program?

• if possible, exactly the number of papers and posters accepted by the selection committee (PC chairs and area chairs), that is, 170 papers and 110 posters. There will be 4 or 5 parallel sessions for long papers, and 3 sessions for posters (on day 2, 3, 4, after the invited talk, in the lobby of the immense Convocation Hall).

(16/10) When will I know whether my final submission has been accepted?

• Around 9-11 November. There will be about a week before to check all final submissions for conformity, and possibly to discuss unclear points with area chairs. The program will be built in 3-4 days from 7 to 10 November. On 8th November, the PC should know exactly which final submissions have been accepted. Authors of final submissions will be notified before 10th November (according to our COLING folklore, this means before 10th November 23:59 GMT-7).

(16/10) My paper has been rejected, what should I do?

• first, you have to understand that your paper may be quite good, but was ranked behind other papers, and the number of possible presentation and poster slots is limited. It may also be not so good. The reviews should be a good indicator. Come to COLING anyway, if you can, to discuss your research with others. On the publication front, there are other conferences ahead. For example, you can submit a corrected / extended version of your paper to CICLing 2013, (www.CICLing.org), which has now an open CFP.

USAGE OF A SECOND LANGUAGE L_2 IN A SUBMISSION?

The CfP and the instructions to authors offer the possibility to include a translation in a language L_2 of the (English) title, abstract and keywords, and also to include extra 2 pages (pp.2-3) in L_2.

Is the usage of a second language (called L_2 in the CfP) encouraged, and what can be its benefits?

• YES, and quite strongly if at least one author is not a native anglophone, but a native speaker of one of the languages listed in the pull-down menu in the submission form.

• If your L_2 is not in the list, please append '(in English_language_name)' to the title in L_2. We will update the list of languages later. (==> Done)

• COLING stresses the importance of multilinguality, and of handling not a few well-endowed languages, but as many languages as possible, including under-resourced languages (there is a special area for that). This aspect is very important in India, where COLING is now happening for the first time. Almost everybody in the subcontinent is a least trilingual. It is quite common in Mumbai to meet people of every social status who speak 4 languages including Marathi, Hindi, English, Bengali, Gujrati, etc.
Does the paper show "multilingual awareness" ?

• If one of the authors is not a native anglophone, did s/he contribute title, abstract and keywords in her/his native tongue?
• Do the models and techniques reported in the paper apply to only one language, or are they applicable and applied to multiple languages?

• As explained in the instructions to authors, inclusion of title, abstract and keywords in L_2 is hoped to give a "seed" for a multilingual parallel corpus in the CL domain.
• Note that the possibility to add 2 pages in L2 may in fact give authors more space for their English text, as these 2 pages in L_2 may contain figures and tables (with bilingual captions) to which the main English text can refer.

LINGUISTIC ORIENTATION AS ONE ACCEPTANCE CRITERION

How important is it that our paper has a strong linguistic orientation?

• Here are the questions which will be asked to reviewers about "linguistic orientation". COLING stresses the importance of "linguistics" in "computational linguistics". There are several areas in this COLING that relate to these aspects. Does the paper show a "linguistic orientation"?
  • Does it show enough real examples and not only tables of numbers?
  • Does it rely on sound linguistic models and representations?

NUMBER OF PAGES

The COLING call for papers states that submissions for long papers should be 14 pages + references. Is the title page to be counted in the 14-page limit?

• The instructions in the templates say that the text begins on page 2, page 1 being used for
  • the title, abstract and keywords in English,
  • and possibly the same elements translated in some other language L2.
• Hence,
  
  • without 2 pages in L2, the last page of text (before additional pages for references) ends on page 14.
  • with 2 pages in L2, the last page of text (before additional pages for references) ends on page 16.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS

When exactly is the deadline for submissions?

• On 25 August 2012 at 23h59 Pacific Time (GMT-7).
  =>
  It has been extended to 31 August 2012 at 23h59 Pacific Time (GMT-7).
  Due to time constraints, no further extensions will be possible.

OBLIGATORY AND OPTIONAL PAGE BREAKS IN SUBMISSIONS

The LaTeX templates for Coling 2012-submissions (coling2012.tex) has many "\newpage" commands. Are these commands obligatory? 
For my LaTeX-version of my submission, this would leave much free space, for example, page 1 (between Abstract and first section "Introduction") is half empty.

• Some \newpage are mandatory, like the one after the first page, and the one after the "short version in L_2" part (if any).
• The \newpage before the Reference part is for you to judge. We could say something like:
  • don't jump to a new page if you have filled less than half a page before it begins, or if your reference list will not spill over to the next page.
  • jump to a new page if you have filled more than half a page before it begins, and if your reference list will spill over to the next page anyway.
• The other \newpage commands in the template are there only for esthetic reasons.

• The first page is for title, abstract and keywords ONLY.
• That is because we want as many submitters as possible to also include these 3 elements in another language (called L_2 in tthe text).
• Hence, YES, the text proper begins on page 2.
• Don't hesitate to fill that empty space on page 1 with a title, abstract and keywords, which are exact translations in some language L_2.
• We hope to get the seed for a "CL multilingual parallel corpus".
• You also have the possibility to write a very short version of the paper in language L_2, on exactly 2 pages, before the English text begins (with the introduction).

COLING-2012 POLICY ON "SHORTENING" LONG PAPERS

I intend to submit a full-length paper in COLING 2012 and need to know that if it is not accepted in that format, will there be a possibility that it is considered as a short paper by the reviewers.

• If you submit an article as a "long paper", the possible decision of reviewers and area Chair will be one of:
  - "yes as a long paper"
  - "no as a long paper, but yes as a short paper (hence poster presentation)"
  - "no as a long paper, but yes as a demo paper (hence demo presentation)"
• with the possible addition (in the 3 cases above) of some conditions, like improve the language, or include more examples of this or that kind, or add some references, etc.
  - "no".
• Area chairs are asked to avoid accepting more than 10% of the accepted papers in "shortening" mode.
• If your paper is accepted (as "long", "short", or "demo"), your final submission should conform to the corresponding format and length specifications as laid out in the guidelines for final submission.
• There will be a final review of final submissions, to check whether they conform to the conditions of the call and to the recommendations of the reviewers and area chairs. If they don't, they will be rejected. The PC will try its best, but will most probably not be able to give a "last chance to conform" to non-conformant final submissions, because of time constraints. Hence, please make sure your final submissions are correct and corrected in all respects.

Since ACL accepts survey papers, I am curious to know if COLING will accept them as well.

• The CfP is clear:
  COLING 2012 solicits papers, posters and demonstrations on original and unpublished research on the following topics, including, but not limited to:
  <list of areas>
• If a survey paper is at the same time a (good) research paper, it may be accepted, otherwise not.
• Surveys are more appropriate for tutorials and sometimes for workshops.
• The policy of workshops may vary, however, please ask their PCs directly.