Call for Papers (CFP) for a graduate student conference

[chalkboardsonata]

Earlier this month, I met with a friend in an English PhD program at my undergraduate alma mater to catch up and discuss grad apps. After reading a part of my senior thesis (which I'm planning on using as a basis for my writing sample), he invited me to participate in a Call for Papers (CFP) for a graduate student conference he's organizing. He wants me to join a panel with him and another grad student, and give a 20 min. presentation of my writing sample.

I was wondering what exactly a CFP is, and what kind of conference I might expect from it. I've been on 2 different panels before, but I don't know if CFP conferences differ from any other standard academic conference. Can anybody help me out?

[comp12]

It IS a standard academic conference. You would be presenting the paper you submitted for the "call." Your friend seems to be suggesting you submit your paper to them for inclusion at the conference.

Typically, committees only ask for submissions of abstracts of the paper for the selection process, but sometimes they want the entire piece.

[Stately Plump]

Yes, a CFP is just the method by which a conference obtains papers. When one organizes a conference, they send out a CFP to attract papers to their conference.

[chalkboardsonata]

Thank you both. Now to format that paper to a presentation.