Conference papers are a great way to test out ideas and research you have been working on, in front of a scholarly audience interested in the topic. You can introduce your work to new readers and get useful feedback from fellow scholars. Often, you’ll find peers and younger students, young academics and even seasoned scholars in your audience. Here is a guide to help you navigate writing and presenting your first conference paper!

A conference paper is simultaneously a written, oral, and visual presentation.  Some conferences—though not all—may ask you to submit a copy of your paper. Remember to follow academic conventions as you write it. This includes proper intellectual vocabulary and a critical voice. You’re speaking to a professional audience, not your friends (though they may be friends in another setting)

Consider your structure. How long do you have to present? A 20-minute paper looks very different from a 40-minute one. How much can you cover? Don’t try and do too much. A paper with proper structure is easier to follow than an ex-tempore talk. Not everything needs to be read out/said either. What can you put on a slide? What essential context do you need to include for the benefit of the scholarly audience? Don’t overwhelm your audience with ideas that you can’t address. Focus on clarity, concision and cohesion. Include verbal cues (“firstly,” “as I have argued earlier,” “as you see on this slide”)

Don’t overcrowd the slides. Your audience needs to navigate swiftly and efficiently from the slides to your verbal presentation. The visual material should help, not hinder. Follow academic conventions with regards to referencing and citation here too. A final works cited slide helps

Keep your omitted material in a separate notes section, in case it comes up in the discussion.

Send your presentation to the organizers in advance. Ask if there are any technological constraints that you may need to adjust for. If so, try handouts instead of slides.

Rehearse your presentation with a friend. Read it and time yourself. If you’re nervous, you’ll probably speak slightly faster on the day. Be attentive to this. [my trick is to note time markers on my document, for my own reference, based on my calmer rehearsal reading]

On the day, consider the room layout. Don’t block your slides as you present. Make eye contact with your audience from time to time. Don’t worry about the size of your audience. Some of my most productive presentations have been to a very small audience.

Expect questions. Note them down when they are asked so you don’t go off on tangents with your responses. If a question is unclear, politely ask the person to rephrase or clarify what they asked. Answer as best you can, but if you don’t have an answer, that is fine too! If there are no questions, don’t be disheartened. Sometimes people need to work through ideas or will just approach you during the break to have a more personal chat about the paper.

This is your opportunity to grab the attention of an audience of peers, future teachers or supervisors and mentors and even colleagues. Make the most of it. Listen to the papers by other panelists carefully too—interesting connections come up when you’re not looking. Everyone attending your panel is there because they are interested in the work and in helping you make it better, and in making you a better scholar. Build community and enjoy yourself!