Conference Papers

Checklist for Presenting Papers:

Find out how long you have to speak -- this can be anywhere from 12 to 20 minutes. When in doubt, assume 15 minutes.

Practice your presentation in advance, including overhead slides

Have 20 to 50 copies for the "paper room". Hold out some to give away at the panel

* Overhead slides

== Introductory slide with title, name and address

== Can these be read at a distance? -- use at least 18-point type

== Each slide should contain no more than three or four points

== Can you give the presentation without them?

Use a watch or stopwatch when giving your presentation!! Have timing points in your notes and be ready to skip material if the presentation is going too long

Respond briefly to the discussant; don't try to do a point-by-point rebuttal

Checklist for Submitting Papers:

* Have someone else read through the paper for basic typos and content.

* Spellcheck!!

* Be sure all figures and tables are correctly referenced in the text

* Use a standard bibliographic format (e.g. APA or APSR)

* Double-space, 12-point type, 1-inch margins. Do not attempt to make the paper look shorter than it actually is.

* Produce a version with all identifying information removed

* Follow all of the journal's instructions on submissions

On a "Revise and Resubmit"

* "Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel and paper by the ton."

* Provide the editor with a point-by-point list of how the revision answers the original criticisms.

Publication pecking order for articles:

0. Discipline-wide journals (APSR, AJPS)
1. Sub-discipline journals (ISQ, World Politics)
2. Specialized refereed journals
3. Specialized edited books (preferably from university presses and refereed)
4. Published conference proceedings
5. Small regional journals

Places usually not worth publishing in before tenure:

0. Journals edited for and by graduate students
1. Highly specialized journals by commercial presses (e.g. Sage) that have minimal refereeing
2. Any journal with a low rejection rate
3. The value of electronic publication is still unclear

Strategy:

0. Submit to the highest quality journal where you think you have a chance for publication.
1. If you are rejected, make reasonable revisions before submitting to the next journal -- the article may go to the same referees.
2. If a consensus emerges that the article has major problems, abandon it rather than publishing. Once published, you are stuck with it on your record
3. Never submit to two journals simultaneously

Components of a Paper

Title Page

Abstract

Introduction

What is the primary research question? Why is this question important?

Literature Review

What is the article going to do that hasn't been done before?

Hypotheses

1. What type of relationships is being studied

2. Identification of the independent, dependent and control variables.

3. Unit of analysis, if this is not already clear;

4. What type of processes that might be involved (i.e. "the story")

5. Alternative explanations that are going to be considered

Data and Design

1. Justify the sample or cases being studied.

2. How were the concepts operationalized?

3. Identify any unusual problems that might affect the analysis

Analysis and Interpretation of the Statistical Results

Conclusion

1. Which hypotheses were confirmed and which disconfirmed?

2. Do we believe the results? -- were they due to the world or to the data set?

3. What changes should be made in the existing literature on the basis of these results;

4. What additional questions have been suggested?

Bibliography

Electronic guide to various citation formats,