Conference Presentations

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi all. I'm a first year M.A. student in the social sciences. I'll be sending in applications to Ph.D. programs around this time next year. I've been selected to present two papers at regional conferences this spring. I'd like to attend and present at some more in the spring, as I feel it will bolster my chances of acceptance to programs in the future. Would writing conference-quality papers for about 5 conferences in the span of 4-5 months be unfeasible? I have about 5 days out of the week to devote to them, and travel cost is covered.</p>

<p>Do any of you think this is a wise course or could hurt me?</p>

2

<p>It's not unheard of to take on such loads. Go do it.</p>

3

<p>Thanks for the motivation! Anyone else want to weigh in? Prof X? WillC?</p>

4

<p>Sure, present at a couple of conferences. But five? Why?</p>

<p>It would be wiser to spend your "extra time" polishing those one or two presentations and turning them into articles, which you would then submit for publication. The experience you would get researching potential outlets for publication would itself be worth your time.</p>

5

<p>do making conference presentation help you in getting to a grad school? I mean, does it help you as much as a journal publication?</p>

6

<p>Clearly a publication is better but a presentation offers a good opportunity to get face to face experience with people in your field and defend you ideas right in front of them. It's always good to get experience with that kind of stuff.</p>