Nicked this one from culturecat: "The Conference Paper, Reconsidered." Given that I've taken this year off conferencing entirely (and also because chatter about the upcoming Learneds in May has already begun among my colleagues) I figured it's a good time to mention it too. I've had my share of conference ups and downs (and last year was one of so many ups!), but William Major really nails the sensation of being prepared, exhausted, and forced to speak to a room where no one really cares - or cares to show up. While I do think that these kinds of academic gatherings are important and necessary, dude's got a lot of tips that would make the experience that much more - especially the larger yearly ones where this kind of behaviour (as well as the tendency to have too many bodies in the rooms of a particular year's superstar's talk) has become commonplace. I'm hoping that the forced break will lead to a new perspective for when I return, and in the interim, I've been tutoring my own students on how to present an effective and engaging talk in the alotted time requirement (and on how to ask good questions that aren't glossed in righteous criticism) in hopes that the future will be a little better...

A late addition (as I haven't kept up on my blog reading): White Bear subbing for Bitch Phd takes a much more happy stance on Academic Matters - and sheds some more light on what makes a great talk - and a whole panel of talks - great. The bear asks some really pertinent questions worthy of asking (to the presenter preparing as well as for the audience, listening):

What are the attributes that make a good presentation in your field? How do you make distinctions between a merely "good" talk and a fantastic one? How often do you hear a talk worth repeating in some form to your colleagues? What about a talk worth repeating to your non-academic family and friends?

...does this talk have conceptual, social, or even entertainment value for people who do not automatically assume the importance of academic study?

Good reading...and food for thought...