Serious question here:
If you are working on a big project (90% of your research time) and do not have the results yet, can you present your work in progress as your job talk?
Political Science Job Rumors » General Job Market Discussion
Work in Progress as Job Talk
(9 posts)-
Posted 1 month ago #
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no
Posted 1 month ago # -
If you do not have any empirical results, then no. If you have some preliminary results and have other quality pubs, then yes.
Posted 1 month ago # -
I only had a few chapters from my dissertation done (though I did have some results) and gave it as my job talk. Landed a few offers. I don't think your project has to be completed--but you should have something interesting to show, otherwise how are you going to fill the 30-40 minutes?
Posted 1 month ago # -
I landed a TT job with only two chapters finished. Some in my department were wary about my going on the market and insisted on a practice talk in front of the department, which proved extremely helpful.
Posted 1 month ago # -
Always present your BEST piece of research. If your work in progress is really that much better than anything you've ever done, you can try it. It shouldn't matter much either way in places where people don't have any idea what you are doing, but why take any chances?
Posted 1 month ago # -
OP, is this regarding your first job, or moving from one job to another? The vast majority of ABD's present their unfinished dissertations, but you shouldn't do that if you've been an AP for three years. Otherwise, everyone will think you're a one-trick pony.
Posted 1 month ago # -
Always present your BEST piece of research. If your work in progress is really that much better than anything you've ever done, you can try it. It shouldn't matter much either way in places where people don't have any idea what you are doing, but why take any chances?
Excellent advice. Whatever your best work is, go with it. Don't think that you have to present so and so piece for whatever reason. Show your best work at the time.
Posted 1 month ago # -
If you're an ABD/new PhD, I would say you must present part of your dissertation. If you don't, people will wonder why (does she not have results yet? are the results not panning out? etc). Also, you've got to have results. You won't get anywhere presenting a research design or unsolved model.
If you can't fulfill these 2 conditions, don't waste your time going on the market this fall!
Posted 1 month ago #