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I've sent an abstract to a prestigious conference in my field, which has been accepted as a poster presentation. How should I ask them to reconsider my poster as a talk?

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UPDATE: Based on the comments, I emailed them, but unfortunately they said that they were unable to change it to a talk. My other paper got accepted as a oral presentation elsewhere.

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salehgeek
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    Why should they reconsider? Is there new information that they didn't have when they made their initial decision? – ff524 Dec 04 '16 at 06:34
  • I've given several poster presentations, but I really want to perform a talk. Also, it will give me better chances on funding for travel as well as research. – salehgeek Dec 04 '16 at 06:41
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    "Nothing has changed, but I wish you had made a different decision in the first place" is generally not a convincing reason to ask someone to change that decision. – ff524 Dec 04 '16 at 06:46
  • If the program committee decided your abstract only warrants a poster, then take that chance and read the papers submitted to see what your abstract was missing. The choice of talks and papers is to organize a coherent conference, not give you what personally want. – Debora Weber-Wulff Dec 04 '16 at 11:12
  • Maybe you find that to be below your station, but I'd try and submit the next abstract to some less prestigious conference. Maybe a small one that has a closer focus on your actual subject? Where you get to talk to the guys who can later push you on the speakers list of the bigger conferences? – Karl Dec 04 '16 at 13:53
  • This may be obvious, but since it hasn't been explicitly said yet, I'll say it: Do a really good job with your poster presentation, meaning both the preparation of the poster itself and the preparation of what you'll say to people who stop by to discuss your poster. Since the conference is prestigious, this may be an opportunity to impress some big shots, maybe even members of the program committee for next year's prestigious conference. – Andreas Blass Dec 05 '16 at 05:26
  • @DeboraWeber-Wulff My abstract was missing an author with a looong publication record. – salehgeek Dec 05 '16 at 06:52
  • @Karl Based on discussion with my adviser/peers, I think my submission is on topic. But it won't hurt to ask, no? – salehgeek Dec 05 '16 at 06:52
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    Yeah, deciding that what you were missing is a coauthor with a better record of publication is going to be a really productive way to go forward. – Tobias Kildetoft Dec 05 '16 at 09:10
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    @salahgeek, no. Papers and abstracts are judged on the value of the contents, not the names of the authors. At least in my field. – Debora Weber-Wulff Dec 05 '16 at 16:22
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    @salehgeek: My general answer would be that you shouldn't try, but it's also worth pointing out that in some fields it's an even worse idea than others. In my field (computer vision), for example, there are conferences where peer-reviewers explicitly evaluate your paper for either poster or oral presentation. If they recommend poster, that's what you get - asking them to upgrade it to an oral presentation just because you want the perks that go with a better-received paper is likely to make them view you rather negatively. – Stuart Golodetz Dec 06 '16 at 10:04
  • Although the answer is you cannot, I don't think this question deserves the downvotes that it gets. It's a real question with a real answer. – gerrit Dec 15 '16 at 12:12
  • This happened to me during ICRA2013. The organizers refused to change the result, plus they were very rude. In fact, they didn't tell us it is a poster presentation until we have already registered the conference. ICRA2013 is the worst. – Troy Woo Dec 16 '16 at 10:51

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The choice among different presentations often depends on the program and planning of the congress and is in hands of the organising commitee. I don't consider fair to request this change. Take into account that you will have future opportunities to present your work on different ways. In addition, there are many conventions devoted mainly to poster sessions and these are very fruitful. Finally, the acceptance as a poster could have an other meaning (and I have such experience): "your work has little value, but, please, come in and discuss your paster with us!"

Bonucchi Decenzio
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Regardless of whether the organizers will change the poster to a oral talk or not, asking why will help towards improving the quality, presentation and releventness of the work. But to improve your chances, do not ask nor submit abstracts near the deadline.

Anyways, a poster presentation is a valuable experience in itself. Just as @decenzio said,

Finally, the acceptance as a poster could have an other meaning (and I have such experience): "your work has little value, but, please, come in and discuss your poster with us!"

salehgeek
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