Conferences

[somethinbruin]

Kayrabbit--

 

I don't know what conference you've been accepted to, so I can't speak about specifics/value/legitimacy there, but that's OK. You mention that this is your first acceptance and that it's to an emerging scholars seminar. Those seem a like a good fit--you being a rookie and the seminar set up for relative newbies. For that reason alone, I think it's a good idea to go. If you want to be a professor, presenting at conferences is a necessary part of the profession, so you may as well get started. What better place than at a session designed to be gentler on presenters?

 

Your statement "conferences have little to lose by accepting proposals as it gains them both attendance and membership dues" is a little perplexing. Yes, most conferences require you to join their organization, but depending on the conference getting a proposal accepted can be quite difficult, so it's not like a proposal equals an automatic acceptance. It varies. I know the PCA/ACA admits a lot of papers, while other conferences like the national MLA are more selective. It's hard to say, not knowing which conference you've gotten into, how preeminent/selective the organization. Conferences accept papers they think will be interesting, through provoking, etc, and they will accept the proposals that fit their sessions and time slots. There are a lot of variables, but I don't think very many just admit and admit and admit until their time slots are full. They take care to group topics together to develop sessions and themes. 

 

Conferences are important for your CV, and as a way for you to test new ideas that you may consider developing into journal articles, dissertations, books, etc. I've gotten some great advice and direction from the conference I've presented at. That said, they are an investment in your professional development, so they will cost some money. See if your university offers any funding for membership fees or travel (many do--my school, for instance, will pay for your entire conference registration and membership fees, but no travel expenses). Also, check with the conference organizers and see what sort of grants/awards they may have for graduate students. You may get some travel money from them, and their conference hotel may offer a rate that lets you share a room with another grad student to help defray your costs.

 

So I wouldn't relate this to paying to have your poem published. As long as the conference is a national or regional branch of an established literary organization, I think that should be enough to assuage your legitimacy fears. I would look at it like you will have the chance to run your ideas through a proving ground of your peers, who will then have the chance to challenge you and ask questions. It's good for you as a scholar. Plus, when you go to the conference, you will have the opportunity to see other sessions and learn from others in the field.

 

As far as conferences go, my one word of caution is about conferences that are specifically graduate conferences. I have found them to be insufferable, mostly because the audience members are usually other graduate students who haven't figured out how to behave at conferences. Their questions are sometimes "look at how smart I am" statements masquerading as questions to make themselves look good as they play stump the presenter. I haven't found this to be the case at professional conferences, where my Q&A sessions have always been productive. Only graduate conferences. Maybe it's academic insecurity or whatever. I don't know. But I'm not proposing to graduate conferences anymore.

 

So congratulations on your conference acceptance! Let us know what you choose to do...

[kayrabbit]

Thank you, somethinbruin. I appreciate the response. I think I'm experiencing a sudden case of skepticism as a result of having my first proposal accepted. I've been accepted to present in the Scholars Seminar at the annual meeting of the T.S. Eliot Society, so it isn't a particularly large conference, but considering that the society is full of people who are well versed in Eliot, I am pleased to have been accepted. I have the (perhaps incorrect) impression that the society is probably not receiving a massive amount of submissions so I'm not sure what level of selectivity is in place, but I agree with you that interacting with other scholars and attending conference sessions will be an excellent learning experience if nothing else. I believe my school will pay for travel but not membership dues, though I'll certainly have to check whether those can be covered as well, so there is little reason not to attend. Thank you for the insight though, I think you're correct to say that conferences should be viewed as an investment in professional development, and that is the perspective from which I'll evaluate this and any future acceptances.

[ComeBackZinc]

Different conferences have different levels of prestige and competitiveness, it's true, and when you're on the job market no amount of conferences can make up for a lack of publications. But conferences are a huge part of professional and academic development. Presenting at prestigious conferences means a great deal for your career. And more to the point, conferences are fun! They're a chance to meet and interact with people who have the same academic obsessions than you. You get invaluable feedback on your work, and you'll often be inspired in ways that lead to publishable work. Don't sell yourself short, going to your first conference is something to feel proud and happy about.

[kayrabbit]

Thanks for the positive outlook, ComeBackZinc! I do think it will be a lot of fun, regardless of whether it results in any advancement. If nothing else, it's a great way to round off a project that I've been working on for quite awhile.

[Lycidas]

anyone else going to be at the SAMLA conference?

 

I'll be there most likely. Had a paper accepted, working on cobbling together some travel funding at my home institution. But the odds are good I'll get there one way or another

[crazyhappy]

I'll be there most likely. Had a paper accepted, working on cobbling together some travel funding at my home institution. But the odds are good I'll get there one way or another

Cool! I'm working on travel funding myself.  Hope we both get some!

[ProfLorax]

kayrabbit, I have heard, and it makes sense, that smaller, niche conferences are really where it's at. You'll make connections with leading scholars in your field; then, in the future, when you want to ask Dr. EliotExpert to review your proposal, collaborate, or clarify something, you are more than an email address. You are a person! You are an emerging scholar with a face! So, I say definitely go for it.

[erosanddust]

Resurrecting this thread to ask a (probably silly) question -- what's the consensus on presenting at a regional conference in a different region (aside from issues of cost)? I ask mainly because I'm interested in submitting abstracts to panels at two different regional MLA conferences (one in my own region, one not). Earlier this year, I presented at a different regional conference in yet a third region. Not assuming I'll get accepted to the regional MLAs, of course, but if I did, would it look strange to list 3 scattered regional conferences on my CV?

[WildeThing]

I'm wondering the same thing so I'd love to hear from someone more advanced i the process about how they select conferences the possible consequences of these choices.

[sarabethke]

On June 3, 2016 at 4:34 PM, erosanddust said:

Resurrecting this thread to ask a (probably silly) question -- what's the consensus on presenting at a regional conference in a different region (aside from issues of cost)? I ask mainly because I'm interested in submitting abstracts to panels at two different regional MLA conferences (one in my own region, one not). Earlier this year, I presented at a different regional conference in yet a third region. Not assuming I'll get accepted to the regional MLAs, of course, but if I did, would it look strange to list 3 scattered regional conferences on my CV?

I really don't think so lol conferences are there so you can get ideas out there and people can collaborate! Conferences=networking. You never know who you'll meet and how that might help you later! Just like publications, conference presentations can only look good and help, unless maybe you're only presenting at the one tiny conference put on by your school that no one outside of that school has ever heard of! And even that at least gets you practice and experience

[echo449]

Do as many conferences as you like, where "like" means: 1) you are not paying substantial amounts of money (and departments vary on how much they can fund students; my own department gives preference to national rather than regional conferences for funding) and 2) working on conference papers is not detracting from your actually required work. You don't need to do that many conferences per year, so it's up to what you think will benefit your projects.