Effective Scientific Presentation Skills
Anne Roc’h and Rajeev Roy
Telecommunication Engineering
University of Twente
2
We may not be experts at public speaking,
but we are all experts at listening to
talks
Susan McConnell
Department of Biological Sciences
Stanford University
3
Contents
• Introduction
• Key points for a presentation
• Structure of a presentation
• Key tips for slides
• Conclusion This is where you list
out the broad range
of topics you will
present
4
Introduction
• This presentation is about how to give an
effective scientific presentation !
• Why is it important
– You would like to “sell” your work
• How to do it
– Some ideas and tips on how to do a
presentation and how not to do it are
presented.
Start with an
introduction.
This is
important to
build up a
context to
what you will
be presenting
Start
general, go
to specifics
and then end
general
5
Contents
• Introduction
• Key points for a presentation
• Structure of a presentation
• Key tips for slides
• Conclusion
Highlight the next topic
you are going to
present. This gives
clarity to the audience
as to where you are in
the presentation
Don’t forget to number your slides !
You might also want to include the total
number of slides that you want to
present 5/50
6
Key points for a presentation
• Who is the audience?
– Do not expect every one to be an expert in
the field
– Do not underestimate them either.
• How much time do you have?
POTS…
What is
that???
Plain Old
Telephone
System
7
Key points for a presentation
• Are you prepared for the technical devices
to use: Laptop, Beamer, Pointer ….
– Be comfortable with the devices you need to
use
• Be aware that you are in a public form.
Maintain some decorum.
– Mobile phones (Unless you are a VIP), Instant
chats …..
Hot Sue is online..
The audience might be more
interested in that than your
presentation !!
8
Contents
• Introduction
• Key points for a presentation
• Structure of a presentation
• Key tips for slides
• Conclusion
9
Structure of the presentation
• Start General
– This is a car
Build up a a context
to your talk
Depending on your
audience you might
need to present at a
level a bit higher
than “DOS for
Dummies”
10
Structure of the presentation
• Go into specifics
– Cars need a suspension
– Most front wheel drive cars have a
McPherson Strut suspension
11
Structure of the presentation
• Go into more details
12
Structure of the presentation
• Go into even more details
Feel free to
use more
slides when
illustrating
details
Do not clutter
one slide…
13
Structure of the presentation
• What to do if you are starting with your
work and do not have details?
– Start with the general build up of context
• What is your project about
– Go to specifics… Ooops !!! There are no
specifics
• If you don’t have enough work done to present,
then state your goals and objectives that you
intend to achieve. Discuss with your peers and
seniors. Try to be creative. The audience
wants to know about what work you
will be doing ……..
14
Contents
• Introduction
• Key points for a presentation
• Structure of a presentation
• Key tips for slides
• Conclusion
15
Key tips for slides
• Font
– The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
– The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
– The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
– The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy
dog
Try to use “Sans Serif” fonts.
Try to avoid “Serif” fonts. These take
longer to read. “Serif” fonts have a
typeface with a small stroke at end of
the letters
16
Key tips for slides
• To Bold or not to Bold
– You can chose to use Bold letters to highlight
words
– If you want to typeset in Bold then keep in
mind the Font and Font Size
– This does not look that good
– This looks okay
17
Key tips for slides
• CAPITAL ERROR
– AVOID WRITING WHOLE SENTENCES IN
CAPITALS. IT IS LESS READABLE AND
MORE AGGRESSIVE
– This is already much more readable
– Use capitals for acronyms IMHO
In my humble opinion
18
Key tips for slides
• Font Size
– Make sure it is readable to your entire
audience
• 18 point
• 20 point
• 24 point
• 28 point
• 32 point
•36 point
19
Key tips for slides
• There should be contrast in written text
against the background
This is OK This is OK
This is not OK This is not OK
20
Key tips for slides
• Give space in your slides.
• If you use any logos and picture ensure
that they have a good resolution
• For smaller audiences it might be a good
idea to give handouts to make the talk
more personal
21
Contents
• Introduction
• Key points for a presentation
• Structure of a presentation
• Key tips for slides
• Conclusion
22
Conclusion
• This concludes a presentation on giving
good presentations
– A bit of talk on key points for a presentation
– And then a bit of structure of the presentation
– And lastly a bit of talk on aesthetics to keep in
mind for a presentation

skills for presentation.ppt

  • 1.
    Effective Scientific PresentationSkills Anne Roc’h and Rajeev Roy Telecommunication Engineering University of Twente
  • 2.
    2 We may notbe experts at public speaking, but we are all experts at listening to talks Susan McConnell Department of Biological Sciences Stanford University
  • 3.
    3 Contents • Introduction • Keypoints for a presentation • Structure of a presentation • Key tips for slides • Conclusion This is where you list out the broad range of topics you will present
  • 4.
    4 Introduction • This presentationis about how to give an effective scientific presentation ! • Why is it important – You would like to “sell” your work • How to do it – Some ideas and tips on how to do a presentation and how not to do it are presented. Start with an introduction. This is important to build up a context to what you will be presenting Start general, go to specifics and then end general
  • 5.
    5 Contents • Introduction • Keypoints for a presentation • Structure of a presentation • Key tips for slides • Conclusion Highlight the next topic you are going to present. This gives clarity to the audience as to where you are in the presentation Don’t forget to number your slides ! You might also want to include the total number of slides that you want to present 5/50
  • 6.
    6 Key points fora presentation • Who is the audience? – Do not expect every one to be an expert in the field – Do not underestimate them either. • How much time do you have? POTS… What is that??? Plain Old Telephone System
  • 7.
    7 Key points fora presentation • Are you prepared for the technical devices to use: Laptop, Beamer, Pointer …. – Be comfortable with the devices you need to use • Be aware that you are in a public form. Maintain some decorum. – Mobile phones (Unless you are a VIP), Instant chats ….. Hot Sue is online.. The audience might be more interested in that than your presentation !!
  • 8.
    8 Contents • Introduction • Keypoints for a presentation • Structure of a presentation • Key tips for slides • Conclusion
  • 9.
    9 Structure of thepresentation • Start General – This is a car Build up a a context to your talk Depending on your audience you might need to present at a level a bit higher than “DOS for Dummies”
  • 10.
    10 Structure of thepresentation • Go into specifics – Cars need a suspension – Most front wheel drive cars have a McPherson Strut suspension
  • 11.
    11 Structure of thepresentation • Go into more details
  • 12.
    12 Structure of thepresentation • Go into even more details Feel free to use more slides when illustrating details Do not clutter one slide…
  • 13.
    13 Structure of thepresentation • What to do if you are starting with your work and do not have details? – Start with the general build up of context • What is your project about – Go to specifics… Ooops !!! There are no specifics • If you don’t have enough work done to present, then state your goals and objectives that you intend to achieve. Discuss with your peers and seniors. Try to be creative. The audience wants to know about what work you will be doing ……..
  • 14.
    14 Contents • Introduction • Keypoints for a presentation • Structure of a presentation • Key tips for slides • Conclusion
  • 15.
    15 Key tips forslides • Font – The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog – The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog – The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog – The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog Try to use “Sans Serif” fonts. Try to avoid “Serif” fonts. These take longer to read. “Serif” fonts have a typeface with a small stroke at end of the letters
  • 16.
    16 Key tips forslides • To Bold or not to Bold – You can chose to use Bold letters to highlight words – If you want to typeset in Bold then keep in mind the Font and Font Size – This does not look that good – This looks okay
  • 17.
    17 Key tips forslides • CAPITAL ERROR – AVOID WRITING WHOLE SENTENCES IN CAPITALS. IT IS LESS READABLE AND MORE AGGRESSIVE – This is already much more readable – Use capitals for acronyms IMHO In my humble opinion
  • 18.
    18 Key tips forslides • Font Size – Make sure it is readable to your entire audience • 18 point • 20 point • 24 point • 28 point • 32 point •36 point
  • 19.
    19 Key tips forslides • There should be contrast in written text against the background This is OK This is OK This is not OK This is not OK
  • 20.
    20 Key tips forslides • Give space in your slides. • If you use any logos and picture ensure that they have a good resolution • For smaller audiences it might be a good idea to give handouts to make the talk more personal
  • 21.
    21 Contents • Introduction • Keypoints for a presentation • Structure of a presentation • Key tips for slides • Conclusion
  • 22.
    22 Conclusion • This concludesa presentation on giving good presentations – A bit of talk on key points for a presentation – And then a bit of structure of the presentation – And lastly a bit of talk on aesthetics to keep in mind for a presentation