How to Write a Conference Paper Proposal
Devoney Looser, Arizona State University
In advance of a conference, you will be asked to submit a brief document describing
research that you plan to do but may not yet have even started. This document is
generally called a “proposal” (It differs from an “abstract,” which usually involves
summarizing finished research.)
How do you go about writing about research you haven’t yet completed?
Proposals are drafts. They are versions of what you think you will be arguing. In
that sense, they are like road maps for your future scholarly journey. Even so,
proposals do not include a lot of language of doubt, just as any driving directions
would not tell the traveler, “You could turn either left or right here, depending.”
In a proposal, you can certainly say, “In this paper, I argue” or “I will argue,” but you
do not say, “I think I’ll argue” or “It’s possible that I’ll end up concluding.” Make a
solid guess about what you will end up concluding, in authoritative language. (It is
okay if your paper changes its argument between the proposal stage and its coming
to fruition! That happens a lot.)
In some cases, you might not know enough yet to make a good guess about what you
will argue—or, perhaps, what you will conclude. In that case, it’s fine to present
your work in the form of a sophisticated question, such as “In this paper [or project],
I ask [or seek to explain] [something intelligent here]?” This approach may be
especially useful if you can show that you are very familiar with the central debates
and questions in your specific topic of study.
What makes an effective proposal?
What you are trying to demonstrate in the brief space of a proposal is 1) that you
are engaged in original research, 2) that you are contributing to an ongoing critical
conversation that will be of interest to your peers, and 3) that you can write lively,
complete, authoritative-sounding sentences and submit a document with an
appropriate beginning, middle, and end.
TIPS
• Keep it short.
o You are aiming to complete a one- to two-page double-spaced typed
document (250-500 words). Follow their directions as to length!
• Include a title
o The best titles are those that suggest not just a topic but an argument.
• Start right away with your claims or questions.
o No room for introductory flourishes or anecdotes. Just begin!
