Other than general advice, the section on conferences also has approximate deadlines for the major conferences, and the section on publishing has, in addition to the general advice, a link to a list of journals in which you can try to get published. Professional conferences provide the means for graduate students to more fully experience the breadth of debate and scholarship within the discipline. Attendance at professional conferences allows graduate students the critical opportunity to build networks between themselves and other graduate students and professors. These types of connections become very important way to publicize one's ideas and abilities when it comes time to join the job market. In addition, these connections are also helpful for the exchange of ideas that takes place when a graduate student is trying to publish an article or work on the dissertation.
Conferences play an important role in the professional development of graduate students.
These gatherings by professional associations provide an important link between a student's research interests and current trends in the discipline. In addition, they provide an important source of networking with other professors and graduate students that can provide a wealth of future resources. The conference experience not only involves attending the meeting of one of the various regional and national professional organizations, but can also include the experience of presenting a paper on a conference panel. Presenting a paper at a conference gives students the opportunity to float their ideas before a larger and diverse audience. Comments made by conference participants on a student's paper can be especially helpful, as they constitute independent feedback.