Board Meeting: where section planning takes place, these are only open to section board members
Business Meeting: where a section takes care of its public business, these are open to anyone interested, and it is a good idea to visit a section's business meeting if that section interests you so you can learn about its activities
Film session: screenings of films by anthropologists and of interest to anthropologists; there is no charge for attendance
Innovent: an event which does not fit the normal categories, for example on which involves a 'field trip' into the surrounding areas
Interest group: usually smaller than a section or opting not to become a full section, and less formal than a section; a group of anthropologists with a particular set of interests, professional or academic
Invited Session: panels that are sponsored by sections of the AAA to participate in the meeting; anyone can attend these sessions
Paper: a formal, spoken 15-minute presentation, often accompanied by a slide show; questions are held until the end of the session
Poster : large, graphic presentations with no formal discussion; visit any posters of interest; dialogue with presenters is encouraged
Reception : sponsored events generally open to anyone, often with free refreshments
Roundtable: forums to discuss critical social issues affecting anthropology; very participatory with dialogue between the panel and audience
Salon: focuses on a classic text which a group of anthropologists have decided to re-visit in more detail
Section: an organization within the AAA, usually centered on an area of anthropological interest or identity, which has a significant membership, a budget, conducts activities throughout the year, hosts events at the Annual Meeting; many publish an academic journal; some hold smaller meetings in the spring
Social (cash bar): sponsored by sections, focused on networking and socializing; individuals pay for their own drinks
Volunteered Panel Session: either organized by presenters or assembled from individual proposals; these sessions are subjected to a peer review process; anyone can attend these sessions
Workshop : hands-on presentations on a given topic; usually require advance registration
