Conference proceedings or journal article?
December 6, 2014 10:14 AM Subscribe
I completed a paper for my second year review last spring, and I have a strong study that I've been re-writing as a journal article. However, I recently realized that a major conference in my field has a call for papers that very closely matches the content of the study. I don't think I could differentiate the paper enough to make two distinct submissions. Which is better given the details below?
I work in games studies, and specifically the study of game cultures. The journal is Games and Culture. The conference would be DiGRA. I don't have a first author publication in a journal yet (this is my third year, and I'll be proposing at the end of the Spring semester). However, I do have a first author publication in another games studies proceedings. You're not my adviser (who's left the decision up to me, since he's not directly involved in games studies himself), but which of these seems like a better option at this stage in my career? I'm having a hard time deciding.
Being a first author on a journal article seems like something I should have as soon as possible. DiGRA represents an opportunity to network and speak about my work in front of people who will be in hiring positions in academia as well as industry. I'm having a hard time comparing the relative merits of each since I'm still relatively new to academia. Any general advice about weighing where to submit or specific advice about games studies would be greatly appreciated.
I work in games studies, and specifically the study of game cultures. The journal is Games and Culture. The conference would be DiGRA. I don't have a first author publication in a journal yet (this is my third year, and I'll be proposing at the end of the Spring semester). However, I do have a first author publication in another games studies proceedings. You're not my adviser (who's left the decision up to me, since he's not directly involved in games studies himself), but which of these seems like a better option at this stage in my career? I'm having a hard time deciding.
Being a first author on a journal article seems like something I should have as soon as possible. DiGRA represents an opportunity to network and speak about my work in front of people who will be in hiring positions in academia as well as industry. I'm having a hard time comparing the relative merits of each since I'm still relatively new to academia. Any general advice about weighing where to submit or specific advice about games studies would be greatly appreciated.
Seconding metasarah. In the fields I've worked in it's totally standard to present something that had recently been or about to be submitted as a paper at a conference. Are you sure it's either/or?
posted by brainmouse at 10:32 AM on December 6, 2014
posted by brainmouse at 10:32 AM on December 6, 2014
Yeah, unless you need to submit a proceedings paper for the conference, you're good. In my field, and a lot of others, the general lifeline of a paper includes presenting the work at a conference (or two), as a way to get feedback from others in your field.
If the conference *does* require a proceedings paper, you can always see if there's a smaller section of your planned paper that could stand alone, submit that as the proceedings paper, and then use the rest for the journal article.
posted by damayanti at 10:32 AM on December 6, 2014
If the conference *does* require a proceedings paper, you can always see if there's a smaller section of your planned paper that could stand alone, submit that as the proceedings paper, and then use the rest for the journal article.
posted by damayanti at 10:32 AM on December 6, 2014
Like the others mention, we publish and present the same material separately in my field (education). However, from what I gather from the call for papers, the papers are actually published and archived by the conference organizers.
I would say go for the journal article, but that's because articles are more highly regarded in my field and university. When it comes time to look for a job in academia, I have a feeling that a journal article will be viewed more favorably than conference proceedings. You can still network and meet people in your field at the conference.
posted by puritycontrol at 10:36 AM on December 6, 2014
I would say go for the journal article, but that's because articles are more highly regarded in my field and university. When it comes time to look for a job in academia, I have a feeling that a journal article will be viewed more favorably than conference proceedings. You can still network and meet people in your field at the conference.
posted by puritycontrol at 10:36 AM on December 6, 2014
Perhaps your advisor would know the answer to this question? And her/his response would be field-specific too.
posted by redwaterman at 10:52 AM on December 6, 2014
posted by redwaterman at 10:52 AM on December 6, 2014
This is entirely field-dependent and only people working in your field can give you accurate and useful answers. People from other fields can only give you information about their own fields or allied fields they're familiar with. I mean, in political science, which you'd think might be similar since it's also a social science/study, the obvious answer would be to go for the article... because we don't have conference proceedings in any meaningful sense.
Ask your DGS or advisor.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:54 AM on December 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Ask your DGS or advisor.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:54 AM on December 6, 2014 [2 favorites]
Indeed. In my field this would be a huge problem as substantial similarity with proceedings often precludes later journal publication. The reverse is also true, work from a recent publication will not be accepted for presentation at some conferences. However, I also know that in many other journals, this is nowhere near as big an issue.
posted by bonehead at 11:01 AM on December 6, 2014
posted by bonehead at 11:01 AM on December 6, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by metasarah at 10:21 AM on December 6, 2014 [1 favorite]