Scientific Presentation Skills

Scientific Presentation1

A typical presentation has three parts

The beginning (Introduction)The middle (body)The end (conclusion)

Making Oral Presentation37Structuring your presentation (1)

Handling Questions54Answering questions Be as clear as possible in your replies

Clarify the question if necessary

Do not try to avoid answering the question

Preparing for the defence

4Aims of Scientific PresentationElement 2TitlePresentation of Dissertation ProposalTask detailsYou are required to present your dissertation proposal and to defend your research approach. You will have 10 minutes to make a presentation to your supervisor. You should aim to have approximately 5-6 slides and leave 3 minutes for questions. An electronic copy of your slides must be submitted through Turn It In in Blackboard in PDF format by Friday of the week in which this element is due.Marking GuideCriteriaIssuesmarkmarking breakdown where appropriateQuality of PresentationQuality of slides (5)Clarity and readability of information of slides (5)Structure and coherence of presentation (5)Ability to respond to questions and to defend proposal (5)20Quality of PresentationTotal20Group discussion

What characterizes a good oral presentation

What characterizes a bad presentation

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Aims of Scientific PresentationA good presentation 7Aims of Scientific PresentationA good presentation Audience can understand your work, be convinced and interested in your work, and inspired!

Content are well organized, clear, to the point

Good presentations reflect well on speaker!

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A bad presentation Aims of Scientific Presentation9Aims of Scientific PresentationA bad presentation Audience wont see your work is great

Slides are neither understandable nor easy to see

Not good impression on speaker

Scientific Presentation Skills 10Workflow of PresentationMake presentationHandle questionsPlan presentationScientific Presentation Skills Planning a presentation

Thinking about the aimDeveloping presentation structurePreparing presentation slides

Making oral presentationStructuring presentationConducting presentation

Handling questionsAnswering questionsActing as opponent11Planning a Presentation12Before preparing contents/slides of presentation, always think about what is the aim of your presentationThinking about the aim first

What is the overall goal of my presentation?

To understand my research work

What is the title of my presentation?

Specific to my research workPlanning a Presentation13

Ask yourselfWhat are the main points /key messages I want to make to the audience?

1, 2,3, I, II, III, a, b, c,

To which details ?

Include enough detail to make presentation understandableNot including so much details which fails to fit within the time assignedPlanning a Presentation14

Ask yourselfWhat do I want the audience to do after listening to my presentation?

Comments / advice / suggestions to my research

Who, where, and when am I making the presentation?

Who is the audience? How many people will there be in the audience?What are the benefits to the audience of my speech?What do the audience know of the subject?How does this change my approach?What aspects will they be interested in?Where will the presentation take place? Equipment do you need like laptop, data storage, whiteboard, projector, laser pointer, etc?What time am I presenting? How long will be my speech?Planning a Presentation15

Ask yourselfPlanning a Presentation16Thinking about the aim

17Developing presentation structure Planning a PresentationWhat to say

In what order

TitleOutline Introduction/backgroundArguments/motivationsAim and objectivesApproach ResultsConclusionsFuture work18Developing presentation structure

Planning a PresentationGroup discussion

What characterizes good presentation slides

How will you prepare presentation slides

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19Convey key information Contain appropriate level of detailsBe clear, concise, readable and understandableBe interesting and avoid boringAvoid over stimulation20Principles of slide design

Planning a PresentationPreparing presentation slidesLayout

Try to use a consistent layout on all (or most) of your slides to make your presentations easier to understand

Placing heading at the same positionUse bullets and font sizes in a consistent wayPlacing figures in relation to text in a consistent way21Guidelines for making slides (1)

Planning a PresentationFont size

Be noted that you are close to the projector while your audience is far from the screen - make sure the audience sitting at the rear can read clearly

Font should never be smaller than 18 points; If the font size has reached less than 18 point, try to

Remove some of the textSplit up the text and put it on separate slides22

Guidelines for making slides (2)Planning a PresentationUse headings

Each slide has a short heading showing to which part of the presentation it belongs

Help audience to keep track of what aspect you are talking about at a particular moment

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Guidelines for making slides (3)Planning a PresentationUse short expressions

Do not put all the text, code, or explanation directly onto the slides

Use short expressions rather than sentences, but not be cryptic

Always explain shortened phrases on the slides

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Guidelines for making slides (4)Planning a PresentationHighlight/emphasis

If having a lot of text on a slide is unavoidable (e.g. showing quotes), highlight important words or concepts using color, boldface or underlining

Help audience to grasp the meaning quickly

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Guidelines for making slides (5)Planning a PresentationUse bullets well organized

Organize the levels ofHierarchy do you thinkYou need to expressYour point

Use indentation and Keep consistent across all slideDecrease font sizeWith nested level of list26

Guidelines for making slides (6)Planning a PresentationKnow slide boundaries

Audience cannot read text that runs off the side of the slides27

Guidelines for making slides (7)Planning a PresentationColor and contracts guidelines

White background, black text is clearestCan use other dark text colorBut be careful do not be distracting

Make sure to not use light-on-white or white-on-light

Do not using glaring colorsIf not an art major, do not have to get fancy

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Guidelines for making slides (8)Planning a PresentationNumbering slides

Put a small slide number in the lower right hand corner of each slide

The number should be small and sufficiently close to the edge of the slide not be confused with the contents

Any one asking questions after your presentation can refer to the slide number in the question29

Guidelines for making slides (9)Planning a PresentationUse visuals

Graphs, charts, maps, drawings, models,Images, photos, video, films, etc

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Guidelines for making slides (10)Forms of visualPlanning a PresentationUse visuals

To illustrate points easier to understand in visual form but difficult in a verbal form - reinforce ideas and facilitate interpretation

To focus the audiences attention, involve and motivate the audience

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Why use visualisation techniquesGuidelines for making slides (10)Planning a PresentationUse visuals

Graphs can also be enemy Simplify graph and make audience easy to catchExplain it - Pick a line, any line32

Guidelines for making slides (10)Use graphs properlyPlanning a PresentationEquations

Do you really need all those equations?If you dont need them, do not use them; complex equations make audience lostIf you do need them, keep it simple; give a plain-text description of it. Do not get into too much details

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Guidelines for making slides (11)Planning a PresentationResults

Do not show lots of resultsGive a simple description/summary of it. Do not get into too much detailsGraphs are helpful

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Guidelines for making slides (12)Planning a PresentationNotes/manuscripts

Write down what you are going to say will help practicing Avoid losing points

Mainly used for practicing before presentation rather than during presentation

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Guidelines for making slides (13)Planning a Presentation36

Planning a PresentationThe Beginning

Get the audiences attention or signal the beginningGreet audienceIntroduce yourself

Making Oral Presentation38Structuring your presentation (2)

The Beginning (contd)

Give title and introduce subjectGive your objectives (purpose, aim, goal)Announce your outlineMake a transition between the introduction and the body

Making Oral Presentation39Structuring your presentation (3)

The Middle

Sequencing your ideasKeeping audiences attentionSignposting or signaling where you areLinking ideas, sections/making transitions

Making Oral Presentation40Structuring your presentation (4)

The End

Brief summary of what you have talkedA short conclusionThanks to audience for listeningA invitation to ask questions, make comments or open a discussion

Making Oral Presentation41Structuring your presentation (5)

Group discussion

What skills are important in making presentation?

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42Your attitude

Are you interested and confident about your topic?If no, get another oneIf you, act like it

If you are not excited, you cannot expect audience to be.

Do not talk down to audienceYou know more than them about this topicThey know more than you about other stuff

Practice makes perfectRehearse in front of other people and seek feedback Making Oral Presentation43Guideline for conducting presentation (1)

Creating interest and establishing a relationship with audience

Arouse listeners interest from the beginning. E.g., In the introduction show how your subject affects or may affect their lives

Other techniques are:Give an unusual fact or statisticUse words like you, we, us, ourIllustrate with a real life storyAsk audience to do something, e.g. raise your hand if you knowAsk audience direct or rhetorical questionsSpeaker should be lively and enthusiasticUse a variety of media sources Making Oral Presentation44Guideline for conducting presentation (2)Talk to the audience and avoid dead man talking

Avoid talking to the floor, to the wall or to the screenAvoid hiding behind the podiumAvoid back to the audienceAvoid staring at anyoneAvoid hand/face motionless

Making Oral Presentation45

Guideline for conducting presentation (3)Show the slides properly

Avoid showing a slide for just one or two second before going on to the next slide

Audience are new to your talk, give people sufficient time to grasp the information

Making Oral Presentation46Guideline for conducting presentation (4)

Explain things

Do not expect the audience to find out things for themselves by reading the slide

Avoid reading word by word from slides, and do not treat slides as part of manuscripts

Make your presentation more explanatory and clearly explain each slide what it shows

Give more explanations on visuals like graphs, tables, etcMaking Oral Presentation47Guideline for conducting presentation (5)

Explain things

Being precise in what you say helps the audience understand it quickly

Being concise is to use the briefest possible way of expressing you message, without losing any clarityMaking Oral Presentation48Guideline for conducting presentation (5)

Body language

Eye contact, facial expressions, posture, movements, gestures.

A nature part of communicationto clarify meaning; it is very visualto vent nervousnessto maintain interestto emphasize and regulate

Making Oral Presentation49Guideline for conducting presentation (6)

Body language (Contd)

Constant eye contact to keep audiences attentionNatural and friendly facial expressions and smile! Posture: stand straight but relaxedMovement and gesture: to indicate a change of focus, keep audiences attentionMaking Oral Presentation50Guideline for conducting presentation (6)Positive body language

Body language (Contd)

Loss of eye contact: looking at notes, screen, board, floor.Stare, or look blankly into peoples eyesNervous ticksMovement: slouch or lean, block the screen, swaying back and forth like a pendulum, a set of moves that repeat during talkGesture: hands in pocket, point at laptop screen (audience cannot see it)Making Oral Presentation51Guideline for conducting presentation (6)Negative body language

Use a pointing device or stick

Find out how the device works before your talk

Point to where you are explaining

Do not point at everything in the screen

Making Oral Presentation52Guideline for conducting presentation (7)Keep an eye on time

Use your allocated time well

Practice before presentation to ensure you can deliver the talk on time

Making Oral Presentation53Guideline for conducting presentation (8)

Monitor the tempo

Do not talk too fast or too slow

Vary temp or voice to emphasize certain things

Handling Questions55Acting as opponentAsking critical questions to

Judge whether presenter can defend the workTest whether the work is solid and can withstand critical examination

The role of opponent

Handling Questions56Acting as opponentProblem statement

Has the author explained the problem that is to be investigated in a clear and understandable way?Has the author provided convincing arguments for the need to investigate this problem?Has the author provided convincing arguments that conducting the investigation will lead to the possibility of obtaining a solution, or increasing our understanding of the problem domain?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions57Acting as opponentAims and objectives

Has the author identified a specific aim to be achieved in the project?Is the identified aim explained in a clear and understandable way?Has the author derived a list of specific objectives from the aim?Are the objectives presented in a clear and structured way?Do the objectives support the aim, i.e. will fulfilling all the objectives lead to the aim being achieved?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions58Acting as opponentMethod

Has the author clearly identified and explained the methods that could potentially be used in the investigation?Has the author provided an insightful discussion of advantages and disadvantages of each potential method for the investigation? Has the author clearly stated which method (or methods) was selected for the investigation? Has the author provided convincing arguments for the selected method(s)? Has the author described clearly how the selected method(s) will be applied?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions59Acting as opponentData

Has the author presented the collected data in a clear, understandable, systematic and correct way?

Is the collected data sufficient, given the stated aims and objectives of the project?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions60Acting as opponentAnalysis

Has the author made a thorough and systematic analysis of the data obtained?Is the analysis described in a clear and understandable way?If the data are quantitative, has the author applied significance tests or other numerical evaluation techniques in a relevant and correct way? Has the author evaluated the stated aims and objectives in the light of the data obtained?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions61Acting as opponentConclusions

Has the author provided conclusions that are relevant, given the stated aims and objectives?If the work contains one or more hypotheses, does the author draw conclusions about whether these hypotheses are supported or falsified by the results? Has the author provided valid arguments for the stated conclusions?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions62Acting as opponentDiscussion and future work

Has the author discussed the work in an insightful way, and thereby placed the work into a wider context?

Has the author identified relevant and plausible continuations of the work?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions63Acting as opponentOverall assessment

Were the objectives of the project fulfilled?Was the aim of the project reached? Has the project furthered our understanding of the problem investigated? Will this work be useful in the future?Is the report well structured and understandable? Is the report well written?Questions you might ask

Handling Questions64Acting as opponentAdditional questions

Does the author have a critical viewpoint, i.e. have sources used in the work been critically evaluated by the author?Have terms of importance to the report been clearly defined?Is the use of terms and definitions consistent throughout the report? Is it clear when something is the authors own work, and when it is someone elses work?Questions you might ask

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