Conference Presentations: Thoughts on Writing Proposals

It's the end of the conference season for me and I've had a little time for some reflection. Over the past few years I've been very fortunate to sit in all three seats when it comes to conferences: attendee, presenter, and conference organizer, specifically program committee member. I'd like to share a few things I've been thinking about from the program committee perspective.

First let me say I love conferences. I always leave with new ideas, a renewed energy for the profession I am passionate about, and an expanded list of people whose work I admire.

There are three distinct phases to a conference presentation: the proposal, the preparation, and the presentation itself. Obviously, the preparation phase is the most work intensive. The presentation phase is the shortest, but can be the most nerve wracking. Megan's post, More Feared than Death, is well worth reading. Standing up in front of a room of your peers is no easy thing to do.

The proposal is often seen as being the lesser of the three phases, but I would like to dispute this perception. A well considered, carefully crafted proposal can serve many purposes. It allows you to explore whether or not you are really interested in the topic you want to present. This is an important thing to consider because you will spend a lot of time with this topic as you prepare for your presentation. If you're just not that into it, come up with another topic that excites you. Writing the proposal can help crystalize your thinking on the topic.

Take the time to look at recent past conference programs – both the conference you are submitting the proposal to and others. Has the topic been covered? If someone has presented on a similar topic, ask yourself if your perspective is unique or if you are really adding something new to the coverage of the topic. Maybe there is an opportunity for you to partner with someone who has substantial experience on the topic.

Make sure you read the instructions for the proposal and note any themes of the particular conference. Look are your idea through this lens. You would be surprised how many proposals come in to conferences and it appears that the author has not read the guidelines nor thought about relating the topic to the theme. Not all presentations at any given conference will directly relate to the theme, however, the conference organizers have given a great deal of thought to the theme. You increase you chances of being selected to present if you show you've given equal consideration to the stated theme.

This leads me to my next point: shopping a proposal around. By this I am talking about submitting the same proposal to several different conferences simultaneously. I have some distinctly mixed feelings about this practice. I am not opposed to this if it is done very judiciously. Are the conferences in different parts of the country (or in different countries altogether)? You can reach different groups of people and this can be a good thing. Are they different types of conferences, say a specialized, on-topic conference vs. a broadly based regional or national conference? Be very cautious about shopping your proposal around. Canada's library community is small and you can run the risk of not having your proposal selected for any of the conferences.

I mentioned earlier that I have presented at conferences. I can say, from experience, that it is well worth the effort. I strongly encourage you to consider contributing a presentation at a conference that interests you.