Can a Conference Paper Be Published in A Journal?

Your conference paper is sitting in published proceedings, and you want to know whether a journal will still accept it. In most cases it will, but only if you follow the rules that govern extended submissions, prior publication disclosure and copyright. Those rules depend on where your proceedings were published and which journal you target.

Quick answer: Yes, a conference paper can be published in a journal if you submit a substantially extended version, cite the conference paper, tell the editor about the overlap and hold the right to reuse the material. If it was never published in formal proceedings, you can usually submit it like any unpublished manuscript. The required amount of new content differs by journal, so check its policy.

Last verified against official sources: October 2026.

Yes, but There Are Two Different Paths

A conference paper can become a journal article, and the one fact that decides how is whether it appeared in formal conference proceedings. Mixing up the two situations leads to submissions that break a journal’s prior publication rules.

Path 1: Your Paper Was Published in Proceedings

If your work appeared in a proceedings volume, a version of it already exists as a citable publication. A journal cannot simply accept the same paper as it is, because submitting it unchanged is duplicate publication, which breaks the prior publication policy of journals.

What you can do is submit a substantially extended version. That could mean additional experiments, a deeper literature review, new datasets or expanded discussion. Some journals state a threshold in their author guidelines and others leave it to the editor, so check before you start writing. The next sections cover how much is enough.

You also need to disclose the prior publication. Many journals ask you to name the original conference, cite the proceedings paper and briefly describe what is new. Skipping that disclosure, even by accident, puts you in self-plagiarism territory, which can end in a correction notice or, in serious cases, a retraction.

Whether a proceedings paper counts as prior publication also depends on your field. Elsevier says that in computer science, presenting work at a conference is often regarded as formal publication, while in other fields conference papers are considered purely preliminary. It suggests a test: would the proceedings paper have near-equivalent status to a peer-reviewed journal article if you listed it on your résumé?

Path 2: Your Paper Was Not Published in Proceedings

If you presented at a conference but the paper never went into a formal proceedings volume, the situation is simpler. Some conferences publish no proceedings at all, others publish only abstracts, and others post papers in a non-archived format that does not count as formal publication. From most journals’ perspective that work has not been published in the technical sense, so you can submit it as it is or with revisions based on the feedback you received. The ICMJE recommendations, which many biomedical journals follow, say their duplicate publication rule does not prevent a journal from considering a complete report that follows a preliminary report such as an abstract or poster displayed at a scientific meeting. They also say that when a manuscript overlaps with earlier work, the letter of submission should clearly say so. Elsevier likewise does not treat an abstract as prior publication.

In some fields conferences work as a forum for early ideas rather than a main publication venue, and some computer science workshops are non-archival so that authors can go to a journal later. With no prior publication, there is nothing to disclose in the formal sense and no proceedings copyright transfer to worry about.

Two checks still apply:

• Anything you signed. Some conferences ask for an exclusivity agreement that restricts where you can publish afterward, even without formal proceedings. Read what you signed before assuming the path is clear.
• Simultaneous submission. If the paper is under review somewhere else, you cannot send it to a second journal at the same time.

Be upfront in your cover letter that the paper was presented at a conference. It is a normal thing to mention.

How to Extend a Conference Paper into a Journal Article

Turning a conference paper into a journal article is not a formatting exercise. You are producing a more complete piece of work, and the journal expects to see that difference clearly.

How Much New Content You Need

There is no single figure that applies everywhere. A figure of around 30 percent new material is widely quoted, and it does appear in some policies. Springer Nature’s guidance for its conference proceedings volumes says an extended version submitted to a journal needs at least 30 percent new material, a citation of the original publication and an explicit statement about the increment. ACM Transactions on Information and System Security refers to ACM’s 25 percent new material guideline and says 25 percent is not sufficient on its own. IEEE sets no single figure: the IEEE Communications Society asks for “a significant amount of new material” and says it has no quantitative threshold, and IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications asks for substantial additional technical material and leaves the meaning of substantial to the editor.

So treat 30 percent as a rough planning number, not a rule you can quote to an editor. The target journal’s author guidelines decide, and where they say nothing, the editor judges.

If the submission is too close to the original, it may be desk-rejected before peer review or flagged by similarity software such as iThenticate. What counts as new generally includes new experiments, additional datasets, expanded theoretical analysis and discussion that was not in the proceedings version. Reformatting the paper, adding a few paragraphs or lengthening the introduction does not meet the bar. Longer reference lists without synthesis, repeated method text and extra figures of results you already reported add length, not findings.

Where to Add Depth

Conference papers are compressed by page limits. The journal version is where you put the missing material back.

• Experiments and results. This is where extensions earn their weight. Add the ablation studies you cut for space, test on additional datasets, or include negative results. A journal audience expects the full empirical picture.
• Related work. Engage the literature more thoroughly, including work that appeared after the conference version was submitted.
• Methodology detail. A reader should be able to reproduce your work from what is written. Fill in implementation details and experimental setup that the proceedings paper glossed over.
• Discussion and limitations. This section can be thin in conference papers. Expanding it adds real value and shows the work has matured.

In computer science some authors treat the proceedings version as a proof of concept and the journal version as the fuller record, which makes it easier to see what to add.

How to Use Reviewer Feedback

If your conference paper was peer reviewed, you already have a document telling you what is missing. Go through every concern the reviewers raised, including the ones you had no time to fix before the camera-ready deadline. If two reviewers asked for more experiments and you ran them on limited data, run them properly now.

Bring that feedback into your cover letter. A sentence such as the following shows the editor how you used the feedback: “The conference version received the following critiques; here is how we addressed each one in this extension.” This also reduces the risk of hearing the same objections from journal reviewers, because a methodological gap spotted at the conference can be spotted again. Questions during your presentation and hallway conversations are useful too. They often point to exactly the additions that make the extension stronger.

Copyright and Prior Publication Disclosure

Copyright and disclosure need attention before you write. You can produce a strong extended version and still have it rejected or retracted if these are handled badly, and publishers have their own requirements.

What IEEE, ACM and Springer Say

IEEE, ACM and Springer are common publishers in computer science and engineering. Each allows extended conference papers in journals under conditions, but the details sit in the specific journal’s or series’ policy, so read that policy first.

If you are submitting to a different publisher’s journal, that journal’s own duplicate-publication policy governs, and you may need the proceedings publisher’s permission to reuse figures, tables or long passages. Conference copyright forms differ: some transfer copyright, some only grant a license, and some keep reuse rights for authors. Read the agreement you signed or ask the publisher directly.

How to Disclose the Conference Version to the Editor

Disclosure is not optional, and a footnote is not enough. The cover letter is where it belongs, and many journals also have a field in the submission form. Give the journal version a title that differs from the conference paper, as IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications requires, so the two records are not confused. State that the manuscript is an extended version of a conference paper, give the full citation, and say specifically what is new.

A disclosure that works in practice looks like this:

This manuscript is an extended version of a paper presented at [Conference Name, Year] and published in [Proceedings Title]. The journal submission adds [new sections, expanded experiments, additional analysis], which we estimate as roughly X% new material beyond the proceedings version.

Some journals require more. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, for example, asks for a supplementary summary of the differences when the conference paper has 8 or more pages. Editors then judge whether you were transparent and whether the new work is enough.

Failing to disclose can be treated as duplicate publication. The outcome depends on the overlap and the journal: a small overlap may lead to a correction notice, while a major undisclosed overlap can lead to rejection or retraction. Similarity software and a search for your title usually reveal the earlier version, so disclosing from the start is the safer choice.

Choosing the Right Journal to Submit To

Pick a journal that fits both the topic and the form your paper is in. A strong extension sent to the wrong venue will be desk-rejected or will miss its readers.

Choosing by Field, and the Computer Science Exception

In many disciplines journal articles are the main research output and conference papers are early-stage work, so extending your paper for a journal is a natural next step. Match the journal tightly to your subfield.

Computer science is the main exception. Because conference papers there are often treated as formal publication, a journal extension has to be worth the added work. Ask your supervisor or department how they weigh the two, and make sure the venue is proportionate to the added work, because a lower-ranked journal chosen only for the journal line can work against you.

Before you write, read the target journal’s self-plagiarism and duplicate publication policy. Thresholds differ, and knowing them early saves you from restructuring the paper later.

Conference-Affiliated Journal vs Independent Journal

Some conferences have a formal link with a journal. Top papers from the proceedings are invited to submit an extended version, sometimes under a streamlined review. Some IEEE conferences, for example, have arrangements with a corresponding Transactions journal, and some ACM conferences use ACM journal tracks.

If you were invited, use the affiliated journal. The process is usually faster and the reviewers already know the conference version. Check the invitation for the conditions, because the usual expectations of new content, disclosure of the prior publication and a copyright form that acknowledges the conference version are likely to apply. ACM Transactions on Information and System Security, for example, says papers invited for special issues based on conferences must satisfy the same policy as other submissions. If you were not invited but the journal accepts open submissions of extended work, you can still submit, but do not assume the affiliation makes the review easier.

Independent journals are not tied to the conference’s scope or editorial board, so they can suit work that has grown beyond the original topic. The cost is that you disclose the conference version yourself, attach the prior publication details and make sure simultaneous submission rules are met.

The Right Time to Submit: Before or After the Conference?

Submitting after the conference is usually the cleaner path. ACM Transactions on Information and System Security, for example, asks authors to submit only after presenting, so that feedback from the talk can be included. Submitting before is possible only in limited situations.

Submitting Before the Conference

You can send a paper to a journal before presenting it, but only if it has not yet appeared in conference proceedings, and you need to think about the timeline.

• Simultaneous submission is the core risk. Most journals prohibit submitting work that is under review elsewhere. If the conference committee is still reviewing your paper, sending the same manuscript to a journal likely breaks the journal’s policy.
• Journal first is a path some authors take where conference papers carry less formal weight. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, for example, allows simultaneous or journal-first submission, but the journal version must not appear on IEEE Xplore (final or Early Access) when the conference version is submitted. Most journals have no such provision, so ask the editor first.

Submitting After the Conference

Once your paper has appeared in indexed proceedings, the journal version must be an extended version with enough new content to stand as an independent contribution. Waiting also has a practical upside, because the conference gives you reviewer comments, audience questions and hallway feedback to build on.

Find out when your proceedings will be published, because the date is set by the conference publisher, not by you. If your proceedings are not out yet, still tell the journal editor about the forthcoming proceedings paper. Leaving out a coming proceedings publication is a disclosure failure.

If the conference is affiliated with a journal, which is common with IEEE and ACM events, follow that journal’s own guidance on when to submit instead of the general rules above.

From our experience at MS International: Authors who submit to our conferences are asked to send original work that has not been published and is not under review elsewhere, and papers go through double-blind peer review. Accepted papers may be considered for conference proceedings where applicable, which is not guaranteed. If you plan a journal version later, ask the organisers before you register whether your paper will be published in proceedings, because that answer decides which of the two paths above applies to you.

Conference vs Journal: Value on Your Academic CV and for Tenure

Departments and hiring panels can weigh conference papers and journal articles differently, and that affects your publication plan.

How Your CV Is Read

How a conference paper counts against a journal article depends on your field and institution. Check the promotion or hiring criteria of the body that will judge you rather than assuming either.

What a Journal Article Adds

Not all proceedings carry the same archival status as a journal volume, and grant panels and external reviewers may weigh the two differently. A journal article gives the work a fuller, independently reviewed record.

On your CV, list the conference paper under conference publications and the journal article under journal publications, with a note that the second extends the first. Listing them as unrelated publications hides the overlap and can look like double counting. A clear sequence of conference paper first and extended journal version second, with disclosure, looks coherent rather than inflated.

Can a Published Journal Article Be Submitted to a Conference?

You can present a published journal article at a conference, but submitting it as an original conference paper is a different matter. The reverse direction is rarer than conference-to-journal, and the answer depends on what you are trying to do.

Presenting Journal Work at a Conference

Many researchers present published journal work at conferences, and it is generally accepted. You are sharing findings with an audience, not submitting the paper for publication again. Some conferences welcome it, sometimes under a track such as “work in progress” or “recently published research”. Others expect all submissions to be unpublished, so read the call for papers before assuming either way.

Submitting a Journal Article as a Conference Paper

Submitting a published journal article to conference proceedings as if it were new is duplicate publication in reverse. Conferences usually ask authors to confirm that the submission is not under review elsewhere and has not been published in substantially the same form, and a journal article does not meet that standard. If the journal holds the copyright through a transfer agreement, you may not even have the legal right to republish the content in proceedings without permission.

When It Does Make Sense

• A condensed version. Some conferences allow a short summary or extended abstract of a journal paper, clearly identified as such.
• Conference-affiliated journals. A few conferences publish proceedings through a journal, so the link between presentation and publication is built in and the rules are explicit.
• Invited talks. If you are invited to speak, many conferences need no formal submission, and you can present journal work freely.

FAQ

Taking conference work on to a journal hinges on disclosure, how much an extension needs beyond a new section, IEEE and ACM rules, a proceedings copyright transfer and whether the title should change.

Can I submit a conference paper to a journal if it was never published in proceedings?

Yes, usually. If it was only presented or posted as an abstract, most journals treat it as unpublished work. Submit it normally, mention the conference presentation in your cover letter and check anything you signed.

Does extending a conference paper mean I just add a new section?

No. Journals expect new work, such as experiments, deeper analysis, extra datasets or theory, not just a new section. The amount varies: Springer Nature’s proceedings guidance asks for at least 30 percent new material, while the IEEE Communications Society sets no number.

What happens if I don’t disclose the prior publication?

It can be treated as duplicate publication. Depending on the overlap, the result can be a correction notice, rejection or retraction. Similarity software and a search for your title usually reveal the earlier version, so disclose it in the cover letter and cite it.

Is simultaneous submission allowed?

No, journals generally do not allow it. The same paper cannot be under review at two journals at once, so send your extended version to one journal and wait for its decision.

Do IEEE and ACM have specific rules about this?

Yes, and they differ by journal. IEEE societies allow extended versions with enough new material and leave the amount to the editor. ACM refers to a 25 percent new material guideline, and journals such as ACM TISSEC expect more. Read the specific journal’s author guidelines.

Can Springer conference proceedings papers be submitted to Springer journals?

Yes, if the journal version is a significant extension. Springer Nature’s guidance for its proceedings asks for at least 30 percent new material, a citation of the original and an explicit statement about what is new. Individual journals may add their own rules.

Will reviewers know I’m submitting an extended conference paper?

Yes, because you must disclose it. Journals ask you to cite the conference paper, and some ask for a copy or a summary of the differences, so reviewers can see what is new. That transparency also protects you from later claims that you misrepresented the contribution.

Does a journal publication replace the conference paper on my CV?

No, list them separately. The conference paper goes under conference publications and the journal article under journal publications, with a note that the second extends the first. Check the CV format your institution asks for.

What is a conference-affiliated journal and should I target one?

It is a journal that a conference partners with to publish extended versions of selected papers. If you are invited, it can be a natural first target, but the usual expectations of new content, disclosure and copyright still apply.

Can the copyright transfer agreement for the conference proceedings block my journal submission?

It can. Some agreements transfer copyright in the published version to the publisher, so you may need permission to reuse substantial parts or must rewrite enough that the new version stands alone. Forms differ, so read what you signed first.

Should the journal version have a different title?

Usually yes. IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, for example, says the journal title should differ from the conference title. A different title keeps the two records apart, but cite the conference paper either way and follow your journal’s instructions.

Final Thoughts

Publishing a conference paper in a journal is achievable, and the path depends on whether it appeared in formal proceedings. If it did not, you can usually submit it as it is. If it did, extend it meaningfully, disclose the earlier publication and respect any copyright agreement you signed. Treat the journal version as a real extension of the work, not a reformatted copy, and check the target journal’s policy before you write.