In this episode of "How to Write CHI Papers," Dr. Leonard Nucker interviews Kathrin Gerling, a professor at KU Leuven and experienced CHI community member, about writing successful CHI publications. Kathrin differentiates between popular and ideal papers, noting the prevalence of empirical, quantitative work. She advises junior researchers to focus on clarity and ambition in their ideas, acknowledging the evolving nature of research contributions. The discussion covers the writing process, emphasizing the importance of space for thinking and considering alternative deadlines. Kathrin shares insights on internal feedback processes within research groups and the emotional aspects of paper submissions and reviews. The conversation shifts to the reviewing process, where Kathrin explains that reviewers look for valuable knowledge produced through rigorous methods. She also addresses the challenges of ensuring fairness in reviewing and the need for better reviewer training, and concludes with advice to young researchers to pursue projects they are passionate about and to be patient and willing to improve their work.
