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Should I cancel a conference poster??

E

Help! Comments and ideas needed!

I've got my abstract accepted for a conference, but not as a presentation but as a poster instead. I am now wondering if I should cancel the whole thing, because:
1. I'm in my first year, so I don't have any data to present (the idea for the presentation was to talk of theory & my plans, but I'm finding it really hard to compress these to a poster)
2. The conference is not my main field, but interesting enough. I was there last year and though it would be 'nice' and quite useful too to go again.
3. I'm getting good work done now with my literature review and feel I would benefit more of continuing this than going for a semi-useful conference for couple of days and trying to get back to work after that...

All comments and experiences etc very welcome!!

E

(continuing)
As you can probably read of that post, I'm very much thinking of not doing the conference, but feel kinda that it's 'giving up' and I should stick to it etc... uff...

C

Hi emmantro,
there is anyone attending the conference who could be useful to meet for the development of your research? If the answer is 'yes' I would make an effort to go. If the answer is 'no', I wouldn't bother. I think that it is always good practice to present your research to other people, but there is no point in getting stressed or presenting something you are not convinced or happy about only for the sake of saying 'I did it'. However, I wouldn't be put off by the fact that you are presenting a poster and not a paper. The problem is to present a good poster, something that really communicate what your project is about, your methodology and aims.

J

i would say go. you'll be surprised at the good comments and questions you get that will help your work. i reluctantky went for conference last year and looking back, it saved my thesis. a lot of the ideas in it came from there.

A

I would also say go. You are currently at the stage where it is really useful to talk to people about your ideas, before they get concrete.. But you should state your position clearly, otherwise it may just look muddled.

PhD can be very lonely, meet people while you can!

E

Cheers for the good comments. That's a very good point that you made Corinne of if there are people there I'd want to meet. I'll go through the conference programme so - and will also think a bit more of what I could put into my poster...
(ps so glad I found this forum for all phd anxiety :)

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