Conferencing

27 · III · 19 | t.reifenstein@mmu.ac.uk
Interesting sources

 Patter: patthomson.net
 The Thesis Whisperer: thesiswhisperer.com
Performance aspect

“The conference presentation is the opportunity

to perform as an expert scholar. You have to
embody a researcher identity – even if you don’t
feel like one. You get to say some of those words
which before you’ve only written. You have to
speak authoritatively about own your research
question and its findings.”

Pat Thomson
“Set goals” (?)
“Set goals. My supervisor gave me this advice before
my first conference and it is something I have stuck to
ever since – the conference will pass by in a flash of
stress, information overload and probably beer, so
make sure you have 3-4 goals picked out that you
need to achieve during the week. For example: 1)
give talk, 2) meet Prof X, and 3) participate in PhD
student committee. This will ensure you really get
something out of the conference and it will help satisfy
whoever funds you that you took the opportunity
seriously.”

Kirsty Nash on The Thesis Whisperer

“Set goals” (?)
“Stalking is a good thing. Who do you want to listen to,
meet, talk to or get advice from? […] Do some
research on them. Chances are when you introduce
yourself to people at a conference their time will be
limited so prepare and practice a 4 point intro about
yourself: who you are, your institution, what you study,
and why it is important. If possible, tailor the
importance statement to each person so they
immediately know why they should be interested in
meeting you.”

Kirsty Nash on The Thesis Whisperer

Where are CfPs posted?
H-Net ArtHist
(https://arthist.net/; email, rss)
UPennCfP
(https://call-for-papers.sas.upenn.edu; rss)
JISCmail
(https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/; email)
Association for Art History News
(https://www.forarthistory.org.uk/news/events-
search/)
Conal
(http://conferencealerts.com/; email, rss)
…
Regular conferences
Association for Art History
AAH (3 annual confs) (CfS, CfP; PGR confs only CfP)
College Art Association
CAA (annual) (CfS, CfP)
South-Eastern College Art Conference
SECAC (annual) (CfS, CfP)
International Association of Word and Image Studies
IAWIS/AIERTI (triennial) (CfS, CfP)
International Association of Art Critics (UK)
AICA(UK) (annual)
Drawing Research Network
DRN (depends)
…
 The paper

- 2,400–3,000 words (20min)

- ‘secondary orality’ (writing fit for reading out loud):
- shorter sentences, shorter paras
- fewer qualifiers
- introduce sources/quotes (don’t bury in fns, citations)
- single-sided
- double spaced
- printed at larger size
- avoid paras continuing across a page break
- flag up slide changes, ad-lib bits &c.
© Jorge Cham
Typical Conference Questions

 The Courtesy Question

 The Tell-Us-What-You-Want Question

 The Talk-To-Me-Personally Question

 The Wandering Statement

 The Obstinate Question

 The Display of Superior Knowledge

Allan Johnson in Times Higher Education, 29.08.2013