Presenting at an Academic Conference

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• Presenting at an Academic Conference
• Graduate Program in Social Anthropology

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Conference PresentationsGraduate Program in
Social Anthropology
Overview

• The role of Graduate education
• Why participate in conferences
• How to get involved in conferences
• How to write a good abstract
• Content
• Presentation
• TIPS

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
The Role of Graduate Education

• To train for an advanced academic degree
• To learn a set of skills which are to be applied
  in research and eventually in professional
  careers that may include teaching, consulting,
  advocacy, etc.
• Training comprised of coursework, developing
  complex research proposals and projects,
  research and teaching skills, presentation and
  communication skills
• Being part of an academic (and other related)
  communit(ies)
• Learning how to share/disseminate the results of
  ongoing research

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
Why participate in a conference?

• To make the transition from student to
  professional (whether or not you give a paper)
• To make contact with other people (students and
  others) working on topics related to your own
  interests. Especially good for preparing for
  fieldwork.
• To disseminate your own work, especially research
  results but, in some circumstances, research in
  progress
• (To travel to interesting places and have a good
  time)

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
How to get involved in a conference?

• Calls. Look for calls for papers in
  organizations websites, in umbrella
  newsletters, our graduate announcements and on
  email.
• Contacts. Let faculty and senior grad students
  know you would like to gain conference
  experience.
• Volunteered labour. Many conferences accept
  volunteered papers and posters. Submit the
  registration forms and abstract by the deadline.
• Organize your own session. If you have a topic
  you are keen on, cant find a session to join, and
  dont want to volunteer a paper or poster,
  organize a session (more info below).

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
How to write a good abstract

• Does your topic/ paper fit the conference theme?
  For your topic, choose a major theme or question
  that represents a "thin slice" of the field's
  current debates. 
• What is required?
• Follow the rules (Word length, theme, etc.)
• Contents of the abstract.

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
The Conference Paper General Principles

• Know your audience
• Know your medium (K.I.S.S.)
• Structure the paper carefully
• Cut the material ruthlessly
• Make One Point (hierarchically)

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology

• Transitions make the talk
• Locate the question in a body of
  knowledge/literature.
• Make the theoretical significance of your ideas
  clear.
• Have a strong research design. 
• Use clear terminology, but use as little
  specialized terminology as possible
• Consider the paper like a brief that makes a
  persuasive case and fits it into an ongoing
  dialogue
• Use a "bullet" conclusion. In the final part
  of the paper, repeat the question posed, then
  explain how you addressed the question, and why
  the question is relevant. End with a statement of
  the larger implications

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
Presentation Tips

• Because you have limited time, avoid complicated
  arguments. Make only a few points and make them
  clearly.
• Write/speak with the active voice.
• Use signal words as you speak (thus, therefore,
  first, second, finally).
• Use metaphors and analogies to help the audience
  better understand your concepts.
• Don't show the entire thought process, just the
  end points.

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
More tips

• Introduce yourself to the session chair before
  the session begins
• Spend about 30 minutes before your talk in a
  quiet place thinking about the talk, practicing,
  chlling
• Practice in public and prepare

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
continued

• Prepare the right talk
• Appropriate to theme.
• Easily understood
• Coherent
• With a beginning, middle and end
• High concept maximum 3 points
• The right length (3 pp per 5 min, less if there
  are slides. 9 pp for 15 min talk, 12 pp MAXIMUM
  for 20 min)
• Consider whether to use visuals (are there
  facilities, do visuals help?)

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
Public Speaking Tricks

• Poise and energy
• Answering questions

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
How to organize a conference session

• Select a theme that is broad enough to attract
  4-6 participants and narrow enough that you dont
  end up with more than one (or two if you want)
  sessions of tow hours.
• Contact potential participants individually by
  letter if you dont know them personally.
  Telephone calls can be an effective way to
  negotiate a session theme with people you already
  know. Clearly describe the session write an
  abstract of the session for distribution to all
  potential participants. Follow up with fax or
  email.
• Go beyond your own university to involve other
  participants. You dont need to go to a
  conference to talk to colleagues from home.
• Use discussants well. Be sure to block time for
  them into the schedule. Encourage them to address
  the papers, not their own agenda. This requires
  that they receive the papers in term to prepare
  for the conference, be sure this happens.

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
How to Organize a Conference Session contd

• Dont be afraid to contact big names. They can
  always say no and many surprise you by saying
  yes. A mix of big names, more junior profs and
  grad students can be excellent.
• Be very well organized. Submit material on time.
  Keep participants informed about what is
  happening.
• Consider innovation. Some conferences allow for
  working sessions, informal sessions or
  intensives. Consider having each person briefly
  present someone elses paper, followed by a
  response from the author.

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
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• The role of Grad School

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Anthropology
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• The role of Grad School

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
Organize your own session

• The role of Grad School

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
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• The role of Grad School

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology
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• The role of Grad School

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Conference PresentationsDepartment of
Anthropology