conference or journal research paper

Journal vs conference papers: Key differences & advice

Journal and conference papers are not the same, and both formats have advantages and disadvantages. A good understanding of the key differences between journal and conference papers avoid s pitfalls, such as copyright issues when wanting to turn a conference into a journal paper at a later stage.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at no additional cost to you . I only recommend products or services that I truly believe can benefit my audience. As always, my opinions are my own.

What is a journal paper?

What is a conference paper, advantages of journal papers, disadvantages of journal papers, advantages of conference papers, disadvantages of conference papers, differences between journal and conference papers, questions to ask yourself before submitting a conference paper, is conference paper better than journal paper, can you use a conference paper in a journal, are all conference papers automatically published in conference proceedings, do conference papers count as publications.

A journal paper is a written piece of academic work – presenting empirical research, a theoretical discussion, or both – published in an academic journal. Most journal papers or articles are peer-reviewed , meaning they undergo a rigorous review process involving several stages and rounds of revisions before they are published.

Most academic journals have an impact factor, which is an index calculated based on the number of citations of articles published within a specific journal. The higher the impact factor of a journal, the wider the (potential) reach of journal papers that it publishes. And the better the reputation of the journal.

Therefore, authors of journal papers tend to target journals with a high impact factor to publish their work. There are other criteria that play a role when selecting a journal to publish research . However, the impact factor remains a crucial one, as publications in high-impact factor journals strongly influence academic promotions.

A conference paper is a piece of academic work that is specifically written for an academic conference, and mostly accompanies a conference presentation. While there are some exceptions, most conference papers are not peer-reviewed.

Conference papers are usually submitted several weeks before the actual conference, and circulated among conference participants in preparation for the actual presentations. However, not all conferences require conference papers. And some conferences make the submission of a conference paper optional.

Many conferences that require or allow the submission of a conference paper have ‘best conference paper’ awards, rewarding outstanding submissions. Furthermore, some conferences publish a collection of conference papers after the event, in the so-called conference proceedings. Many conference proceedings do not have an impact factor.

If you are looking to elevate your writing and editing skills, I highly recommend enrolling in the course “ Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization “, which is a 4 course series offered by the University of Michigan. This comprehensive program is conveniently available as an online course on Coursera, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Plus, upon successful completion, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a valuable certificate to showcase your newfound expertise!

Advantages and disadvantages of journal and conference papers

The choice between a journal or a conference paper should be a careful one. Both formats fulfill important but different roles in academia. Therefore, a good understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of both formats can help to make an informed decision.

Please notice that the following points are developed from a social sciences perspective. Other fields and specific disciplines may have different standards.

• Journal papers are more prestigious in academia. Especially if you strive for an academic career , publishing peer-reviewed journal papers in high-impact journals should be your priority.
• Journal papers are more frequently cited than conference papers. Journal impact factors are not the only metric that strongly influences academic promotions: The so-called h-index is a metric that measures your ‘impact’ in terms of how often your publications have been cited. And journal papers are cited more often than conference papers, as they are considered more reputable.
• Journal papers undergo revisions, which often means they are of higher quality. Due to the rigorous peer-review process that most journal papers are subjected to, the quality of journal papers tends to be better than that of conference papers. During peer review, experts on a topic point out flaws in the draft paper, challenge your thinking and provide suggestions for improvement. While dealing with peer review comments can be a tedious process, the final result is often a much better paper compared to the initial manuscript.
• Publishing a journal paper takes time. The whole process from manuscript to published paper can be lengthy, and take from anywhere between several months to several years.
• Most journals do not publish preliminary results. Even if you make a groundbreaking discovery in your preliminary analysis, most journals will not consider it worthy of a publication before more final conclusions can be drawn.
• There is a risk of outdated data in journal papers. For instance, if you want to publish your academic work to contribute to a current societal discussion, a journal paper may not be the best option. In the worst case, the publishing process takes more than a year and by the time of publication, your data may be outdated. Furthermore, your conclusions may be irrelevant for practice as a lot can change in a year.
• Journal papers have to follow strict rules set by journals. Journals set, for example, rules in terms of length, structure, or reference style that have to be followed. Conference papers, on the other hand, are often more flexible.
• Conference papers tend to have a lower threshold of acceptance than journal papers. It is much easier to publish a conference paper in conference proceedings than publish academic work in a high-impact journal. Therefore, conference papers can be a valuable option to learn about paper writing and publishing, and an easier way for early career researchers to get their name on a publication.
• Conference papers are published relatively fast. Some conference papers undergo peer review before being published in conference proceedings, but many don’t. In general, conference proceedings are published relatively soon after the actual conference takes places. Thus, a conference paper can be a good way to publish fast.
• Conference papers can discuss ongoing research and preliminary results. Contrary to journal papers, conference papers often address ongoing research and tentative conclusions. Furthermore, the format tends to be more open than in journal papers, providing authors of conference papers more freedom in terms of content and structure.
• Conference papers can often compete for ‘best conference paper’ aw ards . And having such an award to your name certainly looks good on your academic CV !
• Conference papers do not count as much as journal publications for career advancement. This is because many conference papers are not peer-reviewed and because many conference proceedings do not have an impact factor. Thus, in terms of career promotion or trajectories, conference papers are less relevant than journal papers.
• Conference papers can create copyright issues. It is a very common scenario: an author writes a conference paper first, then makes some edits and submits it to an academic journal for publication. If the conference paper has been published in conference proceedings, it will likely be flagged as plagiarised by the journal. Journals do not like to publish articles which have been published elsewhere in a similar fashion, and some use any indication of plagiarism (even if it is self-plagiarism) as a reason to desk-reject a manuscript.
• Sharing great ideas prematurely in a conference paper can make you vulnerable. Unfortunately, there is a lot of competition in academia, and not everyone plays by the rules. Therefore, you should always carefully consider how much of your work you share, without linking it to a publication of your own. Sharing an excellent idea that is sent around to hundreds of conference participants creates a risk that someone copies or steals your idea or approach, and tries to publish it faster in a journal article than you do.

Based on the discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of journal and conference papers above, the following key differences come to light:

• Content and requirements : Conference papers are more open to include preliminary results and are more flexible in terms of requirements than journal papers. The target audience of conference papers are conference participants, while journal papers target the wider academic community.
• Submission and peer review process : Journal papers tend to be submitted via an online system and undergo a structured peer review process. Conference papers are often simply sent to the conference organisers by email and are not peer-reviewed.
• Time to publication: Conference papers are often published more quickly in conference proceedings than journal papers are published in academic journals.
• Career relevance: Journal papers are much more relevant for academic careers than conference papers. Most journals have impact factors, while most conference proceedings do not have impact factors.

Even though journal papers are more important for academic promotions, submitting a conference paper is not per se the wrong choice. A ‘best conference paper’ award, for instance, can make you stand out when applying for academic jobs.

When embarking on writing a conference paper, it is better to be safe than sorry: At times, it may require reaching out to conference organisers or target journals to make sure that you will not run into copyright or plagiarism issues at a later point.

Oftentimes, conferences still allow you to present even without submitting a conference paper. Or you can ask the conference organisers not to include your paper in the conference proceedings. Furthermore, some journals are okay with publishing a paper that has been published in a conference proceeding earlier. Just make sure to ask in advance to prevent bad surprises!

Thus, when considering a conference paper, first answer the following questions:

• What are the benefits of submitting a conference paper to the specific conference, and do they outweigh the drawbacks?
• How can I mitigate the drawbacks? (Would my conference paper be published in the conference proceedings and can I opt out? Can I participate in the conference without a conference paper?)
• Do I share too many original ideas in my conference paper, which someone could copy without referring to my work as I haven’t published on the topic yet?
• Could I face copyright issues if I want to turn my conference paper into a journal paper at a later point?

Frequently Asked Questions

In academia, journal papers are considered ‘better’ than conference papers because they have a stronger positive impact on academic careers. Reasons for this are the more rigorous peer-review process that journal papers tend to undergo before publication, the higher standards of journals compared to conference proceedings, and the impact factor of journals.

You should never simply submit a conference paper to a journal without making substantial edits beforehand. That said, it is okay to use similar data or arguments. If your conference paper has been published in conference proceedings, it is best to inform the journal about it in your letter to the editor , which accompanies your journal paper submission. Otherwise, it may be flagged as plagiarised and immediately desk-rejected by the journal editors before it even has the chance to enter the peer-review process.

Not all conference papers are automatically published in conference proceedings. Different conferences have different rules when it comes to publishing papers in conference proceedings. Therefore, you should check the rules and procedures of a specific conference in advance. If you cannot find the information online, you can send an email to the conference organisers. You can also always ask if it is possible to present without submitting a conference paper or to not have your conference paper published in the conference proceedings.

Conference papers often do not count as academic publications. Therefore, on academic CVs, conference papers tend to be listed under ‘Conferences’ instead of ‘Publications’. Alternatively, they are listed as a separate sub-category under ‘Publications’, but in a way that they are clearly differentiated from other (peer-reviewed) publications.

Master Academia

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.

Subscribe and receive Master Academia's quarterly newsletter.

The best answers to "What are your plans after graduation?"

How many people have a phd data from oecd countries, related articles.

The best online courses for PhD researchers in 2024

How to address data privacy and confidentiality concerns of AI in research

The 11 best AI tools for academic writing

ChatGPT for academics? Ethical considerations of AI in research

Conference Paper vs. Journal Paper: Learn the difference

Discover conference papers and how to tell them from journal papers. Check out tips for writing a high-quality conference paper.

A major dilemma frequently arises for an academic subject: should it be a conference paper or a journal paper? That is why, in order to do and refer to the right framework, you must first comprehend the essential distinction concerning the smallest things in papers.

This article will explain more about conference papers , the differences between them and journal papers, and how to write a high-quality one.

What is a conference paper?

To begin, a conference is a place where academics, researchers, experts, and professionals deliver and present information after doing thorough research. As a result, a conference paper is essentially a mixture of a written document and an oral presentation. 

Conference papers are brief and precise documents with a limited number of pages in which academics present the findings of their research investigations. In certain cases, conference papers are published in the conference proceedings, and in others, only chosen papers are published in the conference proceedings.

Conference Paper vs. Journal Paper

The primary distinction between a journal paper and a conference paper is that, while both require writing, journal papers are intended for publication in journals, whereas conference papers are intended for presentation at conferences and may be published in conference proceedings. 

There are also significant distinctions in the reviewing process, with journal papers requiring a considerably more thorough and strict review. Furthermore, conference papers have fewer pages than journal papers, often limited to four to ten pages.

Types of conference paper

Each presentation may necessitate a different sort of conference paper since there are many. Learn about a few of them below.

• Respondent: A speaker provides a thirty-minute paper in this sort of presentation. A respondent then replies to the article for fifteen minutes. The speaker thereafter provides a fifteen-minute response to the response.
• Panel: This sort of presentation has three to four presenters, each of whom speaks for 15-20 minutes. Panels may additionally include a discussant who provides both individual and group feedback on the papers.
• Poster: This form of presentation is designed to graphically express information. Some presenters display a three to eight-page document outlining their research, providing their ideas and an explanation of their findings. Charts, graphs, illustrations or artwork are among the most visually attractive posters. 
• Roundtable: Consists of five or more presenters, each of whom speaks for 5-10 minutes.
• Workshops: Workshops might last anything from 90 minutes to a whole day. Before engaging the audience in some form of action, workshop speakers make brief comments. 

Conference paper format

In terms of formatting, the best method is to check with the conference to which your work is being submitted, since they may have specific formatting standards for the paper and abstract, such as margin size, page number usage, page limitation, and other aspects. Just remember that your conference paper should proceed logically from abstract to conclusions. 

Tips on writing a high-quality conference paper

• Start with a strong abstract, as you might need to present it before it’s accepted for the conference. 
• Get to know your audience in order to make it appealing.
• Create an outline of your work to assist you in organizing your ideas and material.
• Create an introduction that will pique the reader’s curiosity.
• Find easy methods to communicate complicated concepts. Use simple metaphors and analogies. 
• Use your ear to write. When you’ve finished a draft, read it aloud. Remove any uncomfortable parts.
• Long quotations should be avoided. They shorten listeners’ attention spans and break the flow of your statement.
• Use proper punctuation. The audience will not see dashes, semicolons, or parentheses.
• Take your time with results and conclusions, and include facts to back up your statements.
• Remember to include any references you might have used. The more thorough the references are, the better.
• Prepare for questions. Attend conferences the day before your own to see what kinds of questions people ask and to get a sense of it.

Integrate information and illustrations into beautiful and impactful slides

Remember to include graphic materials in your slides while creating a conference paper. Graphs, illustrations, and infographics can help you offer comprehension of the data you’re presenting. To improve your work, use the Mind The Graph tool.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Exclusive high quality content about effective visual communication in science.

Unlock Your Creativity

Create infographics, presentations and other scientifically-accurate designs without hassle — absolutely free for 7 days!

About Jessica Abbadia

Jessica Abbadia is a lawyer that has been working in Digital Marketing since 2020, improving organic performance for apps and websites in various regions through ASO and SEO. Currently developing scientific and intellectual knowledge for the community's benefit. Jessica is an animal rights activist who enjoys reading and drinking strong coffee.

Content tags

Journal Paper vs. Conference Paper: What's the Difference?

Key Differences

Comparison chart, review process, publication timeframe, content detail, target audience, formality and citability, journal paper and conference paper definitions, journal paper, conference paper, can conference papers lead to journal publications, do journal papers have a strict format, what is the main purpose of a journal paper, are journal papers more credible than conference papers, can anyone attend presentations of conference papers, can a journal paper be based on a conference presentation, how long is a typical conference paper, are conference papers considered official publications, are conference papers peer-reviewed, do conference papers have an impact factor, is peer review mandatory for all journal papers, can journal papers be retracted, do journal papers require extensive citations, can journal papers have multiple authors, are journal papers accessible to the general public, is original research a requirement for journal papers, do conference papers contribute to academic advancement, what is the typical audience for a conference paper, how quickly are conference papers published, is presenting a conference paper beneficial for researchers.

Trending Comparisons

Popular Comparisons

New Comparisons

Conference Papers

What this handout is about.

This handout outlines strategies for writing and presenting papers for academic conferences.

What’s special about conference papers?

Conference papers can be an effective way to try out new ideas, introduce your work to colleagues, and hone your research questions. Presenting at a conference is a great opportunity for gaining valuable feedback from a community of scholars and for increasing your professional stature in your field.

A conference paper is often both a written document and an oral presentation. You may be asked to submit a copy of your paper to a commentator before you present at the conference. Thus, your paper should follow the conventions for academic papers and oral presentations.

Preparing to write your conference paper

There are several factors to consider as you get started on your conference paper.

Determine the structure and style

How will you structure your presentation? This is an important question, because your presentation format will shape your written document. Some possibilities for your session include:

• A visual presentation, including software such as PowerPoint or Prezi
• A paper that you read aloud
• A roundtable discussion

Presentations can be a combination of these styles. For example, you might read a paper aloud while displaying images. Following your paper, you might participate in an informal conversation with your fellow presenters.

You will also need to know how long your paper should be. Presentations are usually 15-20 minutes. A general rule of thumb is that one double-spaced page takes 2-2.5 minutes to read out loud. Thus an 8-10 page, double-spaced paper is often a good fit for a 15-20 minute presentation. Adhere to the time limit.  Make sure that your written paper conforms to the presentation constraints.

Consider the conventions of the conference and the structure of your session

It is important to meet the expectations of your conference audience. Have you been to an academic conference previously?  How were presentations structured? What kinds of presentations did you find most effective? What do you know about the particular conference you are planning to attend? Some professional organizations have their own rules and suggestions for writing and presenting for their conferences. Make sure to find out what they are and stick to them.

If you proposed a panel with other scholars, then you should already have a good idea of your panel’s expectations. However, if you submitted your paper individually and the conference organizers placed it on a panel with other papers, you will need additional information.

Will there be a commentator? Commentators, also called respondents or discussants, can be great additions to panels, since their job is to pull the papers together and pose questions. If there will be a commentator, be sure to know when they would like to have a copy of your paper. Observe this deadline.

You may also want to find out what your fellow presenters will be talking about. Will you circulate your papers among the other panelists prior to the conference? Will your papers address common themes? Will you discuss intersections with each other’s work after your individual presentations? How collaborative do you want your panel to be?

Analyze your audience

Knowing your audience is critical for any writing assignment, but conference papers are special because you will be physically interacting with them. Take a look at our handout on audience . Anticipating the needs of your listeners will help you write a conference paper that connects your specific research to their broader concerns in a compelling way.

What are the concerns of the conference?

You can identify these by revisiting the call for proposals and reviewing the mission statement or theme of the conference. What key words or concepts are repeated? How does your work relate to these larger research questions? If you choose to orient your paper toward one of these themes, make sure there is a genuine relationship. Superficial use of key terms can weaken your paper.

What are the primary concerns of the field?

How do you bridge the gap between your research and your field’s broader concerns? Finding these linkages is part of the brainstorming process. See our handout on brainstorming . If you are presenting at a conference that is within your primary field, you should be familiar with leading concerns and questions. If you will be attending an interdisciplinary conference or a conference outside of your field, or if you simply need to refresh your knowledge of what’s current in your discipline, you can:

• Read recently published journals and books, including recent publications by the conference’s featured speakers
• Talk to people who have been to the conference
• Pay attention to questions about theory and method. What questions come up in the literature? What foundational texts should you be familiar with?
• Review the initial research questions that inspired your project. Think about the big questions in the secondary literature of your field.
• Try a free-writing exercise. Imagine that you are explaining your project to someone who is in your department, but is unfamiliar with your specific topic. What can you assume they already know? Where will you need to start in your explanation? How will you establish common ground?

Contextualizing your narrow research question within larger trends in the field will help you connect with your audience.  You might be really excited about a previously unknown nineteenth-century poet. But will your topic engage others?  You don’t want people to leave your presentation, thinking, “What was the point of that?” By carefully analyzing your audience and considering the concerns of the conference and the field, you can present a paper that will have your listeners thinking, “Wow! Why haven’t I heard about that obscure poet before? She is really important for understanding developments in Romantic poetry in the 1800s!”

Writing your conference paper

I have a really great research paper/manuscript/dissertation chapter on this same topic. Should I cut and paste?

Be careful here. Time constraints and the needs of your audience may require a tightly focused and limited message. To create a paper tailored to the conference, you might want to set everything aside and create a brand new document.  Don’t worry—you will still have that paper, manuscript, or chapter if you need it. But you will also benefit from taking a fresh look at your research.

Citing sources

Since your conference paper will be part of an oral presentation, there are special considerations for citations. You should observe the conventions of your discipline with regard to including citations in your written paper. However, you will also need to incorporate verbal cues to set your evidence and quotations off from your text when presenting. For example, you can say: “As Nietzsche said, quote, ‘And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you,’ end quote.” If you use multiple quotations in your paper, think about omitting the terms “quote” and “end quote,” as these can become repetitive. Instead, signal quotations through the inflection of your voice or with strategic pauses.

Organizing the paper

There are numerous ways to effectively organize your conference paper, but remember to have a focused message that fits the time constraints and meets the needs of your audience. You can begin by connecting your research to the audience’s concerns, then share a few examples/case studies from your research, and then, in conclusion, broaden the discussion back out to general issues in the field.

Don’t overwhelm or confuse your audience

You should limit the information that you present. Don’t attempt to summarize your entire dissertation in 10 pages. Instead, try selecting main points and provide examples to support those points. Alternatively, you might focus on one main idea or case study and use 2-4 examples to explain it.

Check for clarity in the text

One way to anticipate how your ideas will sound is to read your paper out loud. Reading out loud is an excellent proofreading technique and is a great way to check the clarity of your ideas; you are likely to hear problems that you didn’t notice in just scanning your draft.  Help listeners understand your ideas by making sure that subjects and verbs are clear and by avoiding unnecessarily complex sentences.

Include verbal cues in the text

Make liberal use of transitional phrases like however, therefore, and thus, as well as signpost words like first, next, etc.

If you have 5 main points, say so at the beginning and list those 5 ideas. Refer back to this structure frequently as you transition between sections (“Now, I will discuss my fourth point, the importance of plasma”).

Use a phrase like “I argue” to announce your thesis statement. Be sure that there is only one of these phrases—otherwise your audience will be confused about your central message.

Refer back to the structure, and signal moments where you are transitioning to a new topic: “I just talked about x, now I’m going to talk about y.”

I’ve written my conference paper, now what?

Now that you’ve drafted your conference paper, it’s time for the most important part—delivering it before an audience of scholars in your field!  Remember that writing the paper is only one half of what a conference paper entails. It is both a written text and a presentation.

With preparation, your presentation will be a success. Here are a few tips for an effective presentation. You can also see our handout on speeches .

Cues to yourself

Include helpful hints in your personal copy of the paper. You can remind yourself to pause, look up and make eye contact with your audience, or employ body language to enhance your message. If you are using a slideshow, you can indicate when to change slides. Increasing the font size to 14-16 pt. can make your paper easier to read.

Practice, practice, practice

When you practice, time yourself. Are you reading too fast? Are you enunciating clearly? Do you know how to pronounce all of the words in your paper? Record your talk and critically listen to yourself. Practice in front of friends and colleagues.

If you are using technology, familiarize yourself with it. Check and double-check your images. Remember, they are part of your presentation and should be proofread just like your paper.  Print a backup copy of your images and paper, and bring copies of your materials in multiple formats, just in case.  Be sure to check with the conference organizers about available technology.

Professionalism

The written text is only one aspect of the overall conference paper. The other is your presentation. This means that your audience will evaluate both your work and you! So remember to convey the appropriate level of professionalism.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Adler, Abby. 2010. “Talking the Talk: Tips on Giving a Successful Conference Presentation.” Psychological Science Agenda 24 (4).

Kerber, Linda K. 2008. “Conference Rules: How to Present a Scholarly Paper.” The Chronicle of Higher Education , March 21, 2008. https://www.chronicle.com/article/Conference-Rules-How-to/45734 .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

Choosing a venue: conference or journal?

By michael ernst ([email protected]) december, 2006, why to prefer a conference, why to prefer a journal, other resources.

(Also see my advice on writing a technical paper , and a letter to USCIS making the point that in computer science, papers in peer-reviewed conferences are accepted as high-quality scholarly articles .)

(Note: This webpage is oriented toward computer scientists. The information is not necessarily accurate for other scientific fields.)

Should you publish your work in a conference or in a journal? Each is appropriate in certain circumstances. This webpage lays out some of the tradeoffs.

This information is accurate to the best of my knowledge, and it agrees with what all top researchers say. However, it is not intended to impugn any particular conference or journal — there are always exceptions to a rule.

In computer science, your preference should be for conference publication. Here are some reasons.

• Conferences have higher status. In part this is a historical artifact of the field of computer science, but it is self-perpetuating since that makes the best researchers want to send their papers to conferences rather than journals.
• Conferences provide higher visibility and greater impact. Many people will attend your talk, you will have the opportunity to answer questions, and people will talk to both you and to one another in the hallways. Even disregarding the event itself, more non-attendees read conference proceedings than read journals.
• Conferences have higher quality. Acceptance rates to good conferences are often around 10% (at least in software engineering, which is my field), whereas even the best journals are less selective. Naturally, there exist low-quality conferences (and journals), but if your c.v. is cluttered with them, then you will appear to be incapable of good work (even if the work you published in those venues really is good!), and your good publications will not stand out. A good rule of thumb is that the best conferences are sponsored by ACM .
• Conferences are more timely. It can take years for a journal publication to appear (or even for reviews to come back), whereas the turnaround time for conference reviews is a few months, and the proceedings also appear quickly.
• Conferences have higher standards of novelty. Journals often only require 20-30% of the material to be new, compared to an earlier conference version.

There are situations in which journal publication is desirable.

• Journals may have longer page limits. If you have too many experimental results to fit in a conference publication, then a journal affords an opportunity to include them. You can also include proofs that are too long (or boring) for a shorter publication. A journal paper could recap or given an overview of an entire research area.
• Journal reviews may be more detailed. Ideally, a journal reviewer will spend days on a paper, whereas a conference reviewer cannot afford to do so for each of the many papers he or she is assigned. Conference reviewers may believe the authors' claims (regarding a proof, for example), whereas journal reviewers are expected to verify them. Especially in certain fields, reviewers may expect that a paper will be submitted (or re-submitted) to a journal. In any event, if you get a longer review, that can help you to improve your work or to understand its shortcomings.
• Journals give the opportunity to revise your work and re-submit it for review. Actually, conferences give this too: if a paper is rejected from one conference, then you can revise based on the reviewers' comments and submit to a different conference, or the same one the next year.
• Journals have higher acceptance rates, giving the opportunity to get your research published. The same is true of workshops. These are particularly good venues for people who are just starting their research careers.
• Some lesser-ranked universities evaluate faculty on the basis of journal publications, because the Dean of Engineering is unable or unwilling to understand computer science. In most scientific fields, journals have higher standards than conferences; computer science is a rare exception. A top-ranked CS department can convince the dean to use the proper evaluation metric. A lower-ranked CS department cannot (the dean may think the department is trying to fool him or her). If you are at one of these universities, you will need to publish in journals, probably by submitting slightly revised versions of your conference papers to journals. The rush for people at lower-ranked universities (some of whom are excellent researchers, and some of whom are not) to submit even marginal results to journals is another regrettable factor that tends to lower the overall quality of journals.

The best papers at a conference are often solicited for expedited journal publication. I sometimes decline these opportunities, but your circumstances may be different. Whether you accept this invitation should be based on the factors above, such as whether there is value to the community of an expanded version of the paper, and how much more work it is to prepare the journal version. (For example, is there a thesis, technical report, or other document with additional material beyond the conference paper? Even better, are there additions that were suggested by reviewers or during discussions at the conference?)

The journal version of a publication will be cited more than the conference version, because the journal version has a later date and thus seems more authoritative. This is a good thing if the journal version adds real value (or corrects problems!). However, if you have cluttered the paper with a lot of details that aren't crucial (like extra tables of results, experiments that support your point slightly less strongly than the main ones, or discussions of tangential issues), then your paper may actually have less impact because readers will get mired in the irrelevant details. Good writing can avoid such problems.

Regarding the impact of conferences vs. journals, see the CRA Best Practices Memo, Evaluating Computer Scientists and Engineers For Promotion and Tenure and Bertrand Meyer et al.'s CACM article Research Evaluation for Computer Science .

My biography indicates my qualifications to have an opinion on publication venues.

A Chinese translation of this webpage is available, thanks to Hao-Chuan Wang .

Back to Advice compiled by Michael Ernst .

Journal or Conference Paper: Planning Your Paper

Writing a technical paper can feel overwhelming, no matter what stage of your academic career you are in. It can be difficult to decide what content to include in your paper, what experiments are left to do, or even which section to start writing. Fortunately, starting the writing process by creating a plan can help you to stay focused and write your paper with intention. A plan is a detailed method or a series of actionable steps that will allow you to achieve your paper-writing goals.

Why does planning matter?

Developing a plan can help keep you focused so that you write to achieve your desired goals. Most importantly, planning–that is, thinking about the important steps surrounding the paper writing process–will lead to a well-focused paper. The planning process helps you think carefully about your audience, your goal(s), your paper’s purpose(s), and your personal objective(s). Planning helps break the daunting task of writing a paper into smaller, manageable chunks. If the process is started early enough, it can even help with planning the research – for example, by designing specific experiments to achieve your objective. All in all, planning is essential for writing your paper with intention.

Creating your own plan

There is no standard format or structure to a plan, and it will likely be an iterative process to develop one that works for you. One effective format is to have a running document with a list of planning questions and answers, and a to-do list for each subsection of your paper. Here, we break down a generic plan into its essential components:

Step 1: Identify your audience Every section of your paper should be written with your target audience in mind. Carefully identifying your audience is necessary to determine the level of background material needed to frame your problem and to focus your paper with a specific set of take-home messages. It is your job as the author to make your audience care about the problem you are addressing. Here are a few questions to help you identify your audience: 

• Who reads the papers in the conference or journal you plan to submit to?
• What will the audience know about your field?
• Does your paper have more than one audience (for example, theoreticians and practitioners)?

Step 2: Define your purpose The purpose is what you want your audience to learn and/or do after reading your paper. Clearly determining the purpose of your paper before starting the writing process helps to effectively shape your paper by writing with the intention of achieving that purpose. Defining your purpose is closely related to identifying your audience, and you may have multiple purposes, each targeting a specific sub-group within your audience. For example, if you are developing a new algorithm with medical applications, you may want to convey the algorithmic novelty to a computer science audience, and the clinical applicability to a medical audience. To help define your purpose, think about what messages you want to convey and what you want your audience to do after reading your paper. Here are some example purposes:

• Form new collaborations with other researchers in or outside of your discipline
• Inspire applications of your work in the natural sciences and medicine
• Popularize a new technique that you developed

Step 3: Answer the big picture questions The previous two steps should help to identify the main take-away messages of your paper. To effectively convey those messages, there are several big picture questions that your paper should clearly answer. Throughout the planning and writing processes, you should explicitly answer the following questions:

• What is the motivation for your work?
• What problem did you solve? OR What question did you answer?
• How did you improve on the existing state of the art?
• What should the audience remember about your solutions or results?
• What evidence or data shows that your work solves the problem or answers the question?

You do not need to answer these questions in order, and you should continue to revisit and revise your answers to them during the planning and writing phases.

Steps 4 through n: break writing into small tasks the rest of the plan is up to you, and what remains is creating a systematic way to break the writing process down into smaller chunks. to help you get started, we’ve provided a paper-writing checklist (in the resources section below) that contains actionable items to help with planning and writing subsections of your paper. you do not need to complete every task on this checklist. rather, choose relevant tasks from this list, add your own, and order them in a way that makes sense to you., it is most important is to pick the tasks that are easiest for you to get started with. building momentum early on in the writing process can help you overcome writer’s block. here, we expand on a few of the tasks that are especially helpful with planning and getting started:.

• Write a top-down outline down to bullet points: Write out the sections and subsection headers. List the work that is completed and remaining. Outline as deeply as possible, and update this outline throughout the writing process.
• Write a TODO list for each section: Using your outline, create a TODO list for each section or subsection. Add deadlines and timelines for the items left to complete. This can help you plan your writing from start to finish. Having a TODO list created before you start each writing session may also eliminate the feelings of having too much to do or not knowing where to start.
• Come up with a 30-second elevator pitch: Creating an elevator pitch is an effective exercise to concisely convey the purpose and takeaways of your paper. Succinctly describe your problem and its motivation, outline your method, and summarize your results. This will help in the writing process with structuring the key components of your paper, and will be useful when talking about your work with other researchers. 
• Make hand-drawn figures: Drawing sketches of your figures can help you decide how you want sections of your paper to look and think carefully about your deliverables. For example, you can sketch graphs illustrating your results or didactic illustrations explaining your method.
• Start with the paper section that is easiest for you to write : You do not need to write your paper from beginning to end. Starting with the section that is most familiar to you is an effective strategy for getting started. A common technique is to write the introduction and abstract last.
• Dump your thoughts into a text file or onto a piece of paper : As you start to write, you may have thoughts that should go in the paper but not be sure where they belong. Write these at the bottom of your planning document, and come back to them later. You don’t want to forget these insights, but you also don’t want them to distract you.

After planning, start writing

After planning, you must eventually start writing. As you write each section of your paper, you may find the following articles helpful:

Abstract Paper: Introduction Paper: Methods (EE) Paper: Methods (CS) Paper: Results Paper: Discussion/Conclusion

Overcoming challenges

While writing each individual section or subsection, you may find yourself getting distracted or struggling with writer’s block. There are a myriad of possible ways to overcome writing struggles. Here are a few that we find particularly helpful:

Overcoming writer’s block:  Writer’s block is often caused by perfectionism. You may find yourself stuck thinking about the right words to use. Try setting a timer for 30 minutes and dumping all of your thoughts on paper. Do not stop, and do not edit. It is much easier to trim your text down than to get the perfect first paragraph.

Make a digital file cabinet: As you start writing your paper, you will inevitably read background material, including other papers or blog posts. Rather than trying to incorporate this information into your paper immediately, store them in your “digital file cabinet” and add a note about why this paper or information is useful.

Avoid context switching and distractions: Write for set amounts of time (for example, 2 hours per day). During these blocks, avoid checking email, Slack, or any other distractions. Try moving to a different location (for example, a library or coffee shop) and writing without internet access.

Resources and Annotated Examples

Paper-writing checklist.

Worksheet for helping to create your own paper-writing plan 66 KB

• Subscribers

The Difference between a Conference Paper and a Journal Paper

Almost all researchers have been there. The amount of confusion between the two has only been increasing in this Internet age where access to journals and conferences alike is readily available online. Let us just begin by saying that whether you are writing a conference paper or a journal paper, you are on the right track. You are not only learning from the academic community, but you are also positively and actively contributing to it and you may well be the reason why an advancement in a certain field could be accomplished.

First thing’s first, we must understand what a journal is and what a conference is. A journal is a periodical publication that focuses on a certain discipline. It contains a number of peer-reviewed papers that are generally considered credible and are very good sources to cite from.  A conference, on the other hand, is a place where scholars, researchers, professors, and academics gather to discuss research and developments in a certain field. In most academic conferences, people gather to present their newest research while others attend to observe these milestones. Research is often presented orally with visualization.

The papers submitted to a conference are usually reviewed during a specific period and authors receive their acceptance or rejection letters at the same time. Conference papers are usually short and concise with a limit on the number of pages allowed. For journal papers, on the other hand, the amount of time needed for publishing is very flexible. If your paper is promising but there are edits required, there could be a lot of back and forth between you and your editor until your paper is ready to be published. The revision process for a journal paper undergoes a very meticulous peer-review process, far more detailed than conference revisions, that takes a very long period of time. For some journals, the revision period may not even be fixed, but open until the paper is ready. This usually depends on the publication frequency of the journal whereas a journal that publishes an issue twice a year will probably have a less flexible revision period than a journal that publishes an issue a year. Other journals have ‘open issues’ where an issue remains open and new papers are published in that same issue when they’re ready. If you ever find an issue containing just 1 or 2 papers, it’s most probably an open issue and if you go back and take another look a few weeks later, chances are you’ll find a couple more papers added to the issue.

So there you have it, you now know the difference between the two but all of this raises the question of where each type of paper could be published. Generally speaking, a journal paper will only be published in an open or closed access journal and will not be included in a conference proceedings book or online proceedings repository. However, a conference paper, though usually published in a conference proceedings book or online proceedings repository, could possibly be published in a journal. This usually depends on the conference organizers as well. If your conference organizer offers you the opportunity to be published, chances are you will be published in a proceedings online repository or a proceedings book. However, if your paper is truly above average and is regarded as very high quality work, you may be offered the opportunity to be published in a journal.

The last question that you probably need answered is “is it bad that my paper wasn’t selected to be published in a journal?” The answer is No. The fact that you conducted your own research for months, maybe even years, were accepted to present in a conference, presented in front of fellow scholars and professors, and got your work published for the masses to read is something that you should be proud of. If you absolutely want to be published in a journal, you could just target a journal directly without submitting to a conference.

List of top 5 smart cities in the world

What is sustainability and why is it important?

Biomimetic Approach in the Design of the Indonesian Red Cross Memorial for COVID-19…

Urban Unity: Green Evolution for Sustainable Future

Sustaining Urban Harmony: Green Decisions for Future Prosperity

A Review of IEREK’s Successful Publications & their Upcoming Editions

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

How to Write a High-Quality Conference Paper

Presenting and submitting conference papers at seminars and academic conferences is a crucial part of academic life, especially for early-career researchers. These events offer attending scholars and researchers a great opportunity to meet and exchange ideas and perspectives on their work. Therefore, when organizers issue a call for submission of conference papers, researchers must try to participate by submitting their papers. When published, these conference proceedings go on to serve as essential academic and research resources for students and early-career researchers.   

Table of Contents

• Why are conference papers important?  
• Difference between conference papers and journal papers  

Research methodology

Findings/ results.

• Writing a high-quality conference paper  

Why are conference papers important?

Conferences offer an excellent opportunity for researchers to share their work with wider audiences through conference papers, receive feedback, and network with other researchers. They also serve as a stepping stone to publishing in peer-reviewed journals, as they allow researchers to refine their ideas and receive insights from peers and mentors before submitting a manuscript for publication. Additionally, presenting research at conferences can not only help establish one’s credibility and reputation as a thought leader in a particular field. Still, it can also lead to new collaborations, exciting research opportunities, and even job offers or promotions.  

Difference between conference papers and journal papers

Compared to journal papers, conference papers are usually short and aim to present initial findings and analysis of ongoing research. Journal papers, on the other hand, tend to be longer and more detailed and are screened through a peer-review process. Depending on the type of presentation that you are going to give at the conference or depending on your specific role, conference papers can be customized as respondent (speaker and respondent roll out presentations), panel (a few speakers speak for a designated period with a discussant), poster (visual presentation), roundtable (few speakers speak with time limits) and workshops (scope for a detailed presentation).   

Tips on writing a conference paper

Writing an impactful conference paper requires a careful blend of good research and clarity in writing. To be accepted on submission, researchers must ensure that they follow the specific guidelines laid out by organizers. A typical conference paper usually begins with a title page, followed by the abstract, an examination of the research problem, the methodology followed and the principal conclusions. It must include the following elements:  

This page should provide the title of the conference paper, your name and credentials, the institution you are working with, and the date of submission. It must also succinctly convey the crux of your research study.  

An essential component of the conference paper, this section must provide a brief synopsis that includes the aims and objectives of your study, methodology, research findings and principal conclusions. Ensure that the length of the abstract is in accordance with the guidelines provided by the conference committee.  

This section is important for conference organizers to assess your paper, and therefore, it must be presented clearly, concisely, and accurately.  

The main findings should be clearly stated, drawing on evidence-based conclusions. Tables and figures are recommended as they help convey complex data more effectively.   

Ensure that you accurately list references to the work you have cited. Most conference organizers have specific formats for citations and references, so do check before submitting your conference paper.  

Writing a high-quality conference paper

• Focus on the audience profile: When writing a conference paper, it is essential to keep the audience in mind. This will help you write your paper in a more engaging and impactful way. Experts suggest keeping in mind both the broader research questions that are sought to be addressed in the conference and the fundamental issues in the primary or related field of study – this will go a long way in helping you link your research to these aspects and consequently, enable you to connect more effectively with audiences.  
• Keep your writing structured and organized. It is essential to organize conference papers logically and convincingly. Focus on the key aspects of your study, and provide solid examples and illustrations to strengthen your argument and make it more attractive to those present.  
• Reading aloud : Experts suggest reading your conference paper aloud several times. This technique helps you identify possible errors in language and grammar and brings clarity to your ideas and presentation.  
• Conference guidelines: It is important to ensure that you follow the guidelines, structure, format, and length requested by conference organizers. This helps ensure that your conference paper is accepted upon submission without too many changes and alterations. 

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• What are Journal Guidelines on Using Generative AI Tools
• How Long Should a Chapter Be?
• How to Use Paperpal to Generate Emails & Cover Letters?
• How to Write a Scientific Paper in 10 Steps 

How Paperpal’s Research Feature Helps You Develop and Strengthen Arguments in a Pinch

You may also like, how paperpal’s research feature helps you develop and..., how paperpal is enhancing academic productivity and accelerating..., how to write a successful book chapter for..., academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., 4 ways paperpal encourages responsible writing with ai, what are scholarly sources and where can you..., how to write a hypothesis types and examples , measuring academic success: definition & strategies for excellence, what is academic writing: tips for students, why traditional editorial process needs an upgrade.

• Create Account

Main navigation dropdown

Publications, conference paper versus journal paper.

Recently there has been some confusion from reviewers and editors about whether it is proper for an author to submit a journal paper based on material that had been previously published in one or more conference papers. The point of this editorial is to clarify IEEE Communications Society’s policy on this topic. In the IEEE Publications and Services Products Board Operations Manual , section 8.1.7.E, IEEE policy states that conference papers can “evolve” into journal papers and that publications of material that has been previously published in a conference paper are allowed if there is the standard IEEE-approved peer review and there is sufficient material beyond that presented in the original conference publication(s). In addition, it is up to the governing society or steering committee to determine if a quantitative threshold is required to determine the amount of material beyond the conference paper is sufficient.

IEEE Communications Society encourages authors to submit papers that are extensions of their conference papers. While IEEE Communications Society requires that the submitted manuscript have a significant amount of new material beyond that of the conference paper(s), we do not have a quantitative threshold for determining it. Rather we leave that judgment to the editorial board. IEEE Communications Society does require authors, when submitting a manuscript to a journal that includes material from prior conference papers, to do the following: cite the prior conference papers and inform the editor about these prior publications.

This message is authored by: Vice President - Publications - Sarah Kate Wilson Vice President - Conferences - Hikmet Sari Director - Journals - Len Cimini Director - Magazines - Steve Gorshe Director - Online Content - Sarah Kate Wilson | Len Cimini

Conference vs Journal: Difference and Comparison

The findings and conclusions of the research project are presented in journals and conference papers. Also, journal articles and conference papers go through a review process before being accepted.

It’s important to remember that all of these genres are about recognizing a problem and providing a tailored solution after a sufficient number of research and brainstorming sessions.

Key Takeaways Conferences are professional events where researchers, academics, and professionals present and discuss their work, while journals publish peer-reviewed articles in a specific field. Conferences provide networking opportunities, immediate feedback, and the chance to share ongoing research. At the same time, journals offer a more formal, permanent record of completed research and contribute to an author’s academic reputation. Conference presentations are shorter and more focused on work in progress, while journal articles present in-depth, fully developed research findings.

Conference vs Journal

The difference between conference and journal is that the journal article is a lengthy article published in journals and publications, but a conference paper is a short and accurate written work published at an academic conference. A research study’s findings and conclusions are presented in both journals and conference papers. In addition, journal papers and conference papers go through a review process before a paper is accepted for publication.

A conference is a gathering of scholars, researchers, experts, and professionals to share their findings after conducting research investigations. Conference papers are shorter, more focused, and have fewer pages.

Conference papers are used by researchers to present the results of their research studies.

Similar Reads

• Conference vs Seminar: Difference and Comparison
• Conference vs Webinar: Difference and Comparison
• Workshop Seminar Symposium vs Conference: Difference and Comparison
• Journal vs Diary: Difference and Comparison
• Journal vs Periodical: Difference and Comparison

In some cases, conference papers will be published in Conference Proceedings, while in other cases, only selected papers will be published in Conference Proceedings.

Academic journals are publications that are published on a regular basis and are related to a specific academic topic. They feature a series of articles organized by discipline. Journals are published on a yearly, bi-annual, or quarterly basis.

A journal is a collection of the most recent research papers published by experts in the subject. Before being published in journals, these research publications go through a peer-review process.

The most important aspects are provided in the Journal article after the research is completed.

Comparison Table

What is conference.

A conference is a multi-day gathering of researchers with the goal of generating new ideas and concepts for the field of research.

A conference paper is delivered during a conference where many famous scholars working on related subjects of inquiry will be in attendance. You must submit your article in advance, which will be evaluated by a panel of academics.

You will be asked to present your paper once it has been accepted by the panel.

The delivery of your research-based thoughts to these scholars for review and refinement is similar to presenting a conference paper within the conference’s defined timetable. When recording a conference paper, there is a certain format to follow.

Despite the fact that conference papers have a broad framework, the style and manner of a conference paper might vary from one organization to the next.

The duration of the conference paper might also range from four to 10 pages, depending on the organization’s needs and expectations. After the review process, speakers will be notified if their paper is accepted by the conference.

In the majority of cases, the meeting article is evaluated by two or more referees.

The conference is a planned meeting for consultation and information exchange with a specified agenda to follow. The meeting brings together people who have a common interest in the issues to be discussed.

It is a type of participatory assembly that is convened to discuss a topic, gather evidence, or solve a problem. Usually, the meeting lasts for a few days.

What is Journal?

Adventures, activities, sentiments, and thoughts that an individual feels important enough to record are recorded in journals.

This isn’t to say that journals are limited to important events; they can also include casual thoughts and even music lyrics that a person desires to record. The articles of a journal are not in any particular order.

Journals do not follow any formal or predetermined pattern. It is unique to each person. As a result, it is widely used.

Journals can be summarised as a collection of random ideas or experiences encountered by an individual that the person records in his or her journal. A journal is an academic publication that publishes peer-reviewed articles in a field of research.

A journal paper is intended for publication in a specific journal on a monthly, bi-monthly , or annual basis. The peer-reviewed credibility of your study is used by the targeted journal to evaluate the work for publication.

Although the term “journal” is frequently replaced by “diary,” it has been noticed that more people confuse their practice of creating journals with keeping diaries.

Journals are considered delicate and intimate since they contain people’s personal thoughts and opinions. Journalists do not want the contents of their publications to be known to others.

Journaling is a common hobby that can bring many benefits and relief to those who practice it.

Main Differences Between Conference and Journal

• Periodical publications related to a specific academic discipline are known as academic journals, whereas Conference papers are concise publications that are presented at conferences.
• Journal papers have been published whereas Conferred upon and occasionally included in conference proceedings.
• Journals have more pages, whereas conferences have fewer pages.
• Journal requires a firm review, whereas Conferences doesn’t require a firm review.
• The conference has minimal headers and subheadings, whereas Journal has headers and subheadings with explanations, just like a research paper.

• https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673607618352/fulltext
• https://www.osti.gov/biblio/7048185

Last Updated : 15 July, 2023

I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️

Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page .

Share this post!

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Want to save this article for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own articles box!

Covid 19 - Lockdown, let out your PhD indagation with our Expert

• Live Support
• Quick Query
• [email protected]

Difference between Conference Paper and Journal Paper

Conference Paper VS Journal Paper

In most cases, as a researcher, you get confused between conference paper and journal paper . In this article, you will gain a clear distinction between these categorically separated research papers. At the foremost, you will come to know the difference between Conference and Journal and thereby will come to know about the kind of papers that these platforms demand.

Conference vs. Journal

A conference is a formal meeting of scholars for several days that aims to derive innovative ideas and solutions for the research field. A conference paper gets presented in a conference, where you will find the physical presence of many eminent scholars dealing with similar fields of research. You need to make a prior submission of your paper, which will be reviewed by the panel of scholars. Once your paper gets accepted by the panel, you will be invited to present your paper. Presentation of a conference paper within the specified timeline of the conference is like delivering your research-based thoughts to these scholars for reviews and further refinement.

A journal is a printed academic periodical that includes peer-reviewed articles in a determined research field. A journal paper is meant to be published in a particular journal, on a monthly, bi-monthly, or yearly basis. The targeted journal assesses the paper for publication through the peer-reviewed credibility of the research accomplished by you. Once your research paper gains a relevant amount of acceptance from your peers, it gets considered for publication in the periodical. Publication of a research paper in a journal is like getting recognition by scholars for your innovative input in the respective field of knowledge.  

Conference Papers vs. Journal Papers

It is necessary to understand that both these genres are about identifying an issue and offering a personalised solution after an adequate amount of study and brainstorming sessions. Irrespective of this similarity, there are few more things that you need to consider while writing a conference paper, which stand completely different from writing a journal paper. A few of the core differences between a Conference Paper and a Journal Paper are noted below:

When you write a conference paper , you must remain highly engaged in organising every point of your ideas and speculations. As you will present this paper to a group of scholars on a face-to-face basis, the paper must be constructed with room for interaction. You also need to remain calm while facing the criticisms and comments. However, a journal paper is meant for publication. Though like conference paper, this paper too should be highly engaging yet it does not face any session on face-to-face interactions or debates. Being a scholarly write up for a periodical publication, a journal paper aims to reach targeted scholars. Unlike the verbal presentation of a conference paper, the journal paper gets written for publication.

Time and Length

The conference papers follow strict timelines for the selection of the most suitable papers for a conference, whereas the journal papers can consider a longer duration for the approval of a research paper. Since, unlike the written journal papers , the conference papers are liable to get delivered orally, they are subject to remain concrete with very specific points. In this way, the conference papers are comparatively concise and restricted to limited pages than any journal paper. You need to note that the conference paper must be created for a read-out of 20 to 30 minutes, with time for debates and discussions. On the other hand, a journal paper has the liberty to get extended to 20 to 25 pages, or as allowed by the specified journal. It is here that you need to consider the aforementioned differences in the platforms of Conferences and Journals, where these papers are targeted to get presented or published. 

Format and Citation

The format of a conference paper and a journal paper differs in terms of having limited and detailed numbers of headings and subheadings, respectively. The figure below illustrates how the conference paper considers only 3 to 4 headings to express the innovative thought or experiment of the researcher. It also presents the need for more headings and subheadings in a journal paper for adding detailed written explanations in support of the research process.   

The citation style in both the conference paper and the journal paper is usually marked by the APA Style. In both cases the format for citing the in-text references under APA style will follow:

In the case of Publication considered from journal articles, the citation should be-

Author’s last name, first and middle names’ initials. (Year). Title of the Paper. Name of the Journal Name, Volume no, Issue no., page no/s. URL or DOI 

Note: The Name of the Journal will get Italised

In the case of Publication considered from a book, the citation should be-

Author last name, Initials of the first and middle names. (Year). Title of the Paper. In Editor’s first and middle names’ initials. Last name (Ed.), Title of the Book, page no/s. Publisher or publication House. URL or DOI 

Note: The Name of the Title of the Chapter or Paper will get Italised

Publication Process

Conference papers are always collected and published as "proceedings", which are usually printed by the respective university that organised the conference, renowned publishers, scholarly associations, or even get published online. On the contrary, the journal papers are published in reputed academic periodicals. The publication schedules vary from one journal to another. It is important to note here that conference papers are either accepted or rejected for presentation and the accepted papers are sure to be a part of the "proceedings". This is not in the case of journal publication. In journal publication, the written research paper gets reviewed several times, and every time you get a chance to modify the written content. However, there is no restriction to your mode of thinking or innovative expressions.

Eventually, it is there always suggested that always write your conference paper by keeping the specific journal in your approach. When you write a conference paper to meet the criteria of a particular journal, then the publication of your conference paper with few additions get eligible for that selected journal. This will save enough time and effort in considering the conversion of a conference paper into a journal article. 

• SpringerLink shop

Publish your Conference Proceedings with Springer

↑  Authors & editors

Springer is a leader in publishing proceedings, with over 2000 titles available per year. You can benefit from our experience and services to turn your conference publication into worldwide accessible science.

Available in print, online and on electronic devices • Limited-time free eBook access to conference participants • Free manuscript submission system for peer reviewing and paper organization • Short time publication options • Open Access options • Publishing options for societies • Worldwide promotion and visibility • Abstracting and Indexing services • Analytics and Performance Tracking

How to contact us?

If you would like to find out easily and without any obligation to publish if your conference proceedings would fit into our program, feel free to contact us via this form . There, you can describe your idea and give us the information we need to review your concept and take the next steps. 

For conferences in all disciplines

The information on this page pertains to proceedings in all disciplines. 

Do you work in the field of Computer Sciences ? Then we recommend you to visit our  Computer Sciences Proceedings  page, where you will find more details and contact information. 

Helpful tools

Publisher's Code of Conduct: Free Course

Take this free e-learning course on our Publisher’s Code of Conduct. A must-know for all Editors

Search engine optimization: Tips for authors

Contribute to your book's success, long before it's published! Help search engines present your book to the right audience and give these readers what they want.

is Mainsite

• Search all IEEE websites
• Mission and vision
• IEEE at a glance
• IEEE Strategic Plan
• Organization of IEEE
• Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
• Organizational Ethics
• Annual Report
• History of IEEE
• Volunteer resources
• IEEE Corporate Awards Program
• Financials and Statistics
• IEEE Future Directions
• IEEE for Industry (Corporations, Government, Individuals)
• IEEE Climate Change
• Humanitarian and Philanthropic Opportunities
• Select an option
• Get the latest news
• Access volunteer resources (Code of Ethics, financial forms, tools and templates, and more)
• Find IEEE locations
• Get help from the IEEE Support Center
• Recover your IEEE Account username and password
• Learn about the IEEE Awards program and submit nomination
• View IEEE's organizational structure and leadership
• Apply for jobs at IEEE
• See the history of IEEE
• Learn more about Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at IEEE
• Join an IEEE Society
• Renew your membership
• Member benefits
• IEEE Contact Center
• Connect locally
• Memberships and Subscriptions Catalog
• Member insurance and discounts
• Member Grade Elevation
• Get your company engaged
• Access your Account
• Learn about membership dues
• Learn about Women in Engineering (WIE)
• Access IEEE member email
• Find information on IEEE Fellows
• Access the IEEE member directory
• Learn about the Member-Get-a-Member program
• Learn about IEEE Potentials magazine
• Learn about Student membership
• Affinity groups
• IEEE Societies
• Technical Councils
• Technical Communities
• Geographic Activities
• Working groups
• IEEE Regions
• IEEE Collabratec®
• IEEE Resource Centers
• IEEE DataPort
• See the IEEE Regions
• View the MGA Operations Manual
• Find information on IEEE Technical Activities
• Get IEEE Chapter resources
• Find IEEE Sections, Chapters, Student Branches, and other communities
• Learn how to create an IEEE Student Chapter
• Upcoming conferences
• IEEE Meetings, Conferences & Events (MCE)
• IEEE Conference Application
• IEEE Conference Organizer Education Program
• See benefits of authoring a conference paper
• Search for 2025 conferences
• Search for 2024 conferences
• Find conference organizer resources
• Register a conference
• Publish conference papers
• Manage conference finances
• Learn about IEEE Meetings, Conferences & Events (MCE)
• Visit the IEEE SA site
• Become a member of the IEEE SA
• Find information on the IEEE Registration Authority
• Obtain a MAC, OUI, or Ethernet address
• Access the IEEE 802.11™ WLAN standard
• Purchase standards
• Get free select IEEE standards
• Purchase standards subscriptions on IEEE Xplore®
• Get involved with standards development
• Find a working group
• Find information on IEEE 802.11™
• Access the National Electrical Safety Code® (NESC®)
• Find MAC, OUI, and Ethernet addresses from Registration Authority (regauth)
• Get free IEEE standards
• Learn more about the IEEE Standards Association
• View Software and Systems Engineering Standards
• IEEE Xplore® Digital Library
• Subscription options
• IEEE Spectrum
• The Institute
• Proceedings of the IEEE
• IEEE Access®
• Author resources
• Get an IEEE Xplore Digital Library trial for IEEE members
• Review impact factors of IEEE journals
• Request access to the IEEE Thesaurus and Taxonomy
• Access the IEEE copyright form
• Find article templates in Word and LaTeX formats
• Get author education resources
• Visit the IEEE Xplore digital library
• Find Author Digital Tools for IEEE paper submission
• Review the IEEE plagiarism policy
• Get information about all stages of publishing with IEEE
• IEEE Learning Network (ILN)
• IEEE Credentialing Program
• Pre-university
• IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu
• Accreditation
• Access continuing education courses on the IEEE Learning Network
• Find STEM education resources on TryEngineering.org
• Learn about the TryEngineering Summer Institute for high school students
• Explore university education program resources
• Access pre-university STEM education resources
• Learn about IEEE certificates and how to offer them
• Find information about the IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu honor society
• Learn about resources for final-year engineering projects
• Access career resources
• Conferences

Manuscript Templates for Conference Proceedings

• Conference Publication Form
• IEEE Financial Reporting Form
• IEEE Publication Form

The purpose of a conference template is to provide a consistent format for papers appearing in the conference proceedings. IEEE strongly encourages use of the conference manuscript templates provided below. 

IEEE conference templates contain guidance text for composing and formatting conference papers. Please ensure that all guidance text is removed from your conference paper prior to submission to the conference. 

Failure to remove template text from your paper may result in your paper not being published.

Accessing the templates

Microsoft Word

• US letter (DOC, 30 KB) Updated Jan 2019
• A4  (DOC, 30 KB) Updated Jan 2019

LaTeX Template Instructions (PDF, 63 KB) [ Be sure to use the template's  conference  mode.]

• Template (ZIP, 700 KB) Updated October 2019
• LaTeX Bibliography Files  (ZIP, 309 KB)
• When working in Overleaf, the template is available at https://www.overleaf.com/gallery/tagged/ieee-official

1. For conference organizers:  The use of the conference manuscript templates provided by  IEEE eXpress Conference Publishing  will greatly reduce the chance for errors in the metadata visible in IEEE Xplore ® , and IEEE's downstream Indexing partners. Errors may result in delays in posting or in making any approved corrections, or in some cases, may simply persist. Using the templates is one of the ways to reduce errors.

If you wish, you may link to this webpage in its entirety. It is not recommended that you link to individual files, however, because they may be updated or replaced without notice.

2. Grateful acknowledgement is made to the IEEE Computational Intelligence Society, which provided the current LaTeX template.

3. Other templates that more closely align with the IEEE Transactions article format are available.

Main Navigation

• Contact NeurIPS
• Code of Ethics
• Code of Conduct
• Create Profile
• Journal To Conference Track
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Proceedings
• Future Meetings
• Exhibitor Information
• Privacy Policy

NeurIPS 2023, the Thirty-seventh Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems, will be held again at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans.

Sunday Dec 10 through Saturday Dec 16. Sunday is an industry expo.

Registration

Pricing » Registration 2023 Registration Cancellation Policy » . Certificate of Attendance

Subscribe   to the newsletter for conference news 

Announcements

Events that stream and are available virtually:

Affinity Workshops, Competitions, Invited Talks, Oral Test Of Time, Town Hall, Tutorials, Workshops

Events that do not stream:

Creative AI, Expo Day, Mentorship, Poster Sessions, Socials.

Start Here Schedule Invited Talks Orals Posters Tutorials Affinity Events Socials Paper Visualization Town Hall Competitions Workshops Virtual Affinity Poster Sessions Tue Dec 9

Latest NeurIPS Blog Entries [ All Entries ]

Important dates.

If you have questions about supporting the conference, please contact us .

View NeurIPS 2023 exhibitors » Become an 2024 Exhibitor Exhibitor Info »

Organizing Committee

General chair, program chair, workshop chair, workshop chair assistant, tutorial chair, competition chair, datasets and benchmarks chair, affinity chair, diversity, inclusion & accessibility chair, expo chairs, outreach chair, ethics review chair, program chair assistant, communication chair, social chair, journal chair, creative ai chair, hybrid workflow chair, workflow manager, volunteer managers, logistics and it, mission statement.

The Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation is a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to foster the exchange of research advances in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, principally by hosting an annual interdisciplinary academic conference with the highest ethical standards for a diverse and inclusive community.

About the Conference

The conference was founded in 1987 and is now a multi-track interdisciplinary annual meeting that includes invited talks, demonstrations, symposia, and oral and poster presentations of refereed papers. Along with the conference is a professional exposition focusing on machine learning in practice, a series of tutorials, and topical workshops that provide a less formal setting for the exchange of ideas.

More about the Neural Information Processing Systems foundation »