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Including conference commentaries on a CV?

In our newest "how can we help you?" thread, a reader asks:

Is it typical to include conference commentary on a CV? Should it be listed along with other conference presentations but with the clarification that it was just commentary?

One reader submitted the following reply:

I googled "philosophy CV," and that got me the cv of Kyla Ebels-Duggan (whose work is fantastic). She takes a common tack: listing the comments in a subsection. https://philosophy.northwestern.edu/documents/cv-resume/ebels-duggan-kyla/keb-current-cv-august-2018.pdf

What do the rest of you think?

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5 responses to “Including conference commentaries on a CV?”

  1. Michel

    Yup, different section or sub-section.
    That said, they don’t really count for anything. But they do help to show your subfield engagement.

    Reply
  2. don’t stress about the little things

    I can’t imagine an applicant whose time is better spent worrying about this issue (and others like it) than, say, working on their writing sample (or doing pretty much anything else).

    Reply
  3. Assistant Professor

    The example provided in the OP and putting a section for “commentary” or “invited commentary” seem right. Unlike the previous replies, however, I think they can count for some things and are not worth dismissing. Maybe they are not a peer reviewed paper or talk, but they do demonstrate engagement in the profession and the literature in ways that might be productive for some jobs/roles/purposes.

    Reply
  4. Bill Vanderburgh

    The main thing is to make it crystal clear what the different items on the c.v. are/mean. IMO, everything counts for something. Especially when you are first building your professional profile, a conference commentary at least shows involvement in research, could be evidence to support an AOC, or could be cited as service to the profession.
    When the c.v. has few entries in the “Presentations” area, a parenthetical remark preceding the entry is the way to go:
    (conference presentation; refereed abstract)
    (full paper submitted for conference presentation, under review)
    (forthcoming conference presentation; accepted by refereed abstract)
    (invited presentation for Honors Program)
    (invited conference commentary)
    Etc.
    When you have two or three of a similar kind, they can be grouped together under subheadings under Presentations.
    Do the same in the Publications. Never misrepresent something as refereed when it is not, or something as accepted when it is merely under review.

    Reply
  5. 1st year TT

    I included mine in with my presentations with the equivalent of the parenthetical notes that Bill recommends. I can sympathize with the notion of ‘don’t stress the little things’ but it can be shockingly difficult for young/new academics to hone the different sections of our cvs depending on the resources our depts have to offer. Questions like this in my mind are thoughtful and reflect a good understanding of how important it is to accurately, thoroughly, and honestly list your contributions to the field in the CV – I don’t think it’s necessarily overthinking.
    That said, to don’t stress’s point, once you’ve landed on format you like, stick to it until and unless you have a reason to change. No need to worry too much so long as the information IS clear and you DO differentiate in some recognizable way between what is a presentation of your own work and what is a commentary on that of someone else 😀

    Reply

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