What Is a Conference Paper and How Is It Written?
What is a conference paper? Learn why and how to write a conference paper. Earn your doctoral degree online at GCU.
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02/13/2025
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Earning a doctoral degree is one of the most impactful steps you can take to position yourself as an authority in your field and elevate your career potential. The process of completing your doctorate can be challenging, but also highly meaningful and rewarding. Before you dive in and apply to a program, you’ll want to learn about the steps involved for degree completion.
One of those steps might entail writing a conference paper. What is a conference paper? Learn more here and get some valuable tips for success.
It’s quite common for graduate students to attend academic conferences that are relevant to their discipline. Learners studying pedagogy, for example, might attend the International Conference on Research in Teaching and Education. Those studying to become psychologists might attend the International Conference on Research in Psychology.
At these academic and professional conferences, doctoral learners often give presentations of conference papers. A conference paper is a written document that forms the basis for an oral presentation. It’s an academic exploration of the learner’s area of research and their research findings.
A conference paper presentation could take one of several forms. One common format is for the learner to read their paper aloud, and then participate in a question-and-answer session with other academicians in the audience. Other formats include the following:
It’s perhaps most common for doctoral learners to read their papers aloud and then answer questions from audience members, although panel discussions are also quite common. A conference paper presentation can also feature a blend of elements, such as a visual presentation that complements the conference paper being read aloud.
The requirements for the completion of a doctoral degree are established by each college and degree program. Some programs may indeed require their doctoral learners to write and present a conference paper, whereas others might only recommend it. Even if your program doesn’t require a conference paper, taking this additional step can prove invaluable for your development as an academician and for your career.
Here’s a look at a few of the benefits of participating in academic conferences:
Now that you know the answer to the question, “What is a conference paper?” it’s time to take a look at the process of writing one. Before you can begin writing your conference paper, you’ll need to identify the academic conference you plan to participate in.
When an academic conference is in the planning stages, the organizers will put out a call for papers, also known as a “conference announcement” or a “call for abstracts.” The announcement will specify the conference topics for that particular year. You’ll need to shape your conference paper to suit the conference topics.
In short, your first step is to identify the most appropriate and relevant conference for your research and ensure that your work will fit the scope of the conference topics. If there is plenty of time leading up to that particular conference, it can be helpful to attend a different academic conference as an audience member. You’ll be able to get a sense of how conferences typically proceed, how presenters keep the audience’s attention and how presentations are structured.
Another step to take for your initial preparation is to research your fellow presenters at your chosen conference. What specific topics will they be discussing, and do they overlap with your own? If there is considerable overlap, you may want to explore the idea of collaborating with those presenters to hold a panel discussion.
Next, you’ll need to write your abstract for submission to the conference. Your abstract provides an overview of the topic you plan to discuss, your relevant research on the subject and your findings. Be sure to include these major points:
Once your abstract is accepted by the conference, it’s time to get to work writing the paper itself. First, know that conference papers are typically not lengthy. Double-check the amount of time you’ve been allotted to present your work.
It generally takes someone two to three minutes to read one double-spaced page of an academic paper aloud (double spacing is helpful for ease of reading the paper aloud). If you’ve been allotted 15 to 20 minutes, plan on writing eight to 10 double-spaced pages.
Next, as you’re writing, remind yourself that you will be reading the paper aloud. It should flow in a logical manner, first discussing the problem or question you’re addressing, then your approach, followed by your research design and, finally, your results and conclusions. A basic paper format might look like this:
This is a lot of information to pack into a paper that should generally be no more than 10 double-spaced pages in length. You’ll need to write concisely, without any fluff. Here are a few tips for success to follow:
Lastly, after writing your paper, set it aside for a few days before reviewing and editing with fresh eyes. Read your paper aloud multiple times and revise as needed to create a better flow.
At Grand Canyon University, the College of Doctoral Studies offers robust resources and support services for our doctoral learners, who can choose from a wide array of terminal degree programs. If you have doctoral credits from another school, you can easily transfer your credits using our Progressive Transfer Policy. Credits can be generously transferred from the same type of degree (e.g., PhD, EdD) and subject area (e.g., organizational leadership).
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1Retrieved from Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures in November 2022.
Approved by the dean of the College of Doctoral Studies on Feb. 13, 2023.
