How to attend an academic conference

Going to a conference can be interesting since you can get quite some feedback on your (preliminary) research. How to get started?

1) Find Call for papers: check http://www.wikicfp.com/cfp/ and http://www.conferencealerts.com/ You can either choose to get alerts or check them from time to time. Try to find a conference with a track dedicated to your topic. Check also if the conference already has a long tradition and if it is a big conference or not. There is a big difference between small conferences (very focused) and big ones (very diverse topics). Networking is easier if you go to small conferences but you can meet more people on larger ones.

2) Deadline! Once you found your Call for Papers, it is time to submit your paper or abstract. The rejection rate for conferences is often lower than for journals.

3) Got accepted? Congrats! It is time to prepare your presentation. Download the program and select the most interesting presentations. Check who will be present and do a back-ground check. Talk to the chair and ask for feedback.

4) Try to connect with interesting people and solicit honest feedback. The social events are great for networking so be sure to be there and try to be open.

5) Follow up! If you met an interesting fellow researcher, connect on academia.edu, LinkedIn or send him/her a mail.

Good luck, you will do a great job!