Effective Scientific Presentationstheory.bio.uu.nl/MERIT/pdf/cst1aleankirkpatrick.pdf · Effective...

Neuroscience Center ZurichEffective Scientific Presentations

Pamela Alean-Kirkpatrick, alean-academics, Eglisau 1

Effective Scientific PresentationsMake a long lasting and professional impression

Dr. Pamela Alean-Kirkpatrick

[email protected]

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Effective Scientific Presentations

Goals of the course

• Be aware of the essential features of successful oral andposter presentations:

– audience-orientation

– preparation and structure of a presentation

– presentation techniques

– guidelines for the design and production of effective posters

• Apply the principles to the preparation of an 8-minute oralpresentation

• Give the presentation in the workshop and receive feedback(with videotaping)

• Practice giving feedback in the role of a critical friend



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Advantages and Disadvantages of Posterscompared to oral presentations

Advantages

• Personal contact (1:1)

• Presence of the author is notnecessary

• Several posters can be shownat the same time

• Poster can be displayed morethan once (conference,institute etc.)

• "Suitable" for persons who areextremely nervous in front oflarge audience

Disadvantages

• Little flexibility

• Author is not always present

• No «captive audience»YOU AND YOUR POSTER have toattract attention !

• Often a lot of competition

• Less chance to become famous

• Not a time-saving option!

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Questions for the preparation

• What is the main goal of the poster?What is the main take-home-message?

• Who are my audience? What is their background?What do they know? What could interest them?

• Where is the poster going to be displayed?(internally, nationally, internationally?)

• How much time do I need for the preparation?(Plan generously!)



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Effective Posters

• display much less information compared toan oral presentation

• are attractive and inviting to read

• can be read quickly in 5 seconds I know the poster's main

message in 2 minutes, I have read most of the poster,

I know what it is about and my interest hasgrown

• invite questions and / or discussion

LOOK AT ME!

READ ME!

ASK ME!

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Effective Postersare attractive and inviting to readHOW?• Title

– Large, clear and readable from a distance of 5 metres– Perhaps formulated as a question?

– In everyday or scientific language?

– Summary of the take-home message?

• Good visual impact– 50% graphics (Graphs / Diagrams / Photos), 50% Text

– Minimum amount of text, low text density, (almost) no fullsentences

– Clear structure and layout, total area divided into distinct areas

– "Good" and relevant use of colour

– Perhaps combined with objects ,«TOUCH ME»–

LOOK AT ME!



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Make your title«appropriate, significant, eye-catching, special»

HOW?Write a summary of your poster in 5 sentences

Condense the 5 into one sentence

Choose your title from this sentence

Use key words, appropriate to the situation, niveau, audienceeasily understood

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Use of colour• Use colours sparingly and with taste

• Colours should be used only to emphasise, organize, differentiate andto add interest. Do not use colours just to impress!

• Avoid using bright garish colours like bright green, pink, orange orlilac. Overly bright colours will attract attention - and then wear outreaders' eyes!

• Pastel shades convey feelings of serenity and calm while dark brightcolours conjure images of conflict and disharmony.

• Choose colour combinations that have high contrast and complementeach other - black or dark blue text on white or very light grey isgood.

• Avoid the use of gradient fills.

lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/present/posters.htm



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nsEffective Posterscan be read quickly in 2 Min

HOW?• Text

– The less the better; only «need to know», no «nice to know»

– Key words, «bullet-point lists», not full sentences (too tiring to read)

– Large font: minimum 7mm (equivalent to font size 10 points for A4A0)Line spacing: minimum 8mm

• Pictures and graphs– self-explanatory captions and legends

• Structure– Clearly defined areas with sub-titles (e.g. Aims, methods, results,

conclusions). Divide the area into columns (see examples)

– Clear sequence for reading the poster (arrows, numbers)

– be courageous and leave "white" space !

READ ME!

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Warnings!

!LOOK AT ME

READ ME

Backgroundpictures can make

your posterdifficult to read

Caution!

Computer Paper-Transfer Screen resolution >>> Printer resolution

Screen colours ≠ Print colours

Background pictures



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What is the minimum quality for photos?

Computer screen looks often better than the printed version!

Photos of good quality:1. At least 200 dpi (Photoshop)

2. In Google picture search -> extended picture search -> choosesearch for large picturesChosen picture must be at least 800 x 600 PixelsCopyright: Acknowledge the source of the photo on your poster:print the URL very small

3. Double check: import the photo into powerpoint and choosepicture size 1024 x 768.(Path: Format -> picture ... -> size -> Optimal for computerpresentations -> resolution 1024 x 728)Do not enlarge this result any more. It can, of course, be madesmaller.

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ns !Too much

informationdistracts frommain message

Caution!

Recommendation! Simplify graphs

no!

better! even better!



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Useful rule for Layout/Colours/BordersRatio of information ink : total ink ≈ 1i.e. as large (close to one) as possible

What details could you therefore leave out on a poster?.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Effective Postersinvite questions and / or discussionHOW?• Show provocative material, make it interactive

– Surprising results, comparisons with other people's work– Provide post-its for comments

• Question marks

– On pictures, graphs, results

• Focus on your audience

– choose suitable vocabulary– avoid abbreviations and acronyms– show only the most relevant data, formulae and statistics– Perhaps produce a handout with more details

(can be pinned to the poster board)

ASK ME!???



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Poster Layout: LandscapeLandscape is better than portrait format

best reading area

less important information

your photo

envelopeperhaps additional information:e.g. A4 copies of poster,additional detailed information

Title area ; includes name of author und institution

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Title

Name of author and institution

less important informationposs. Logo 2

poss.Foto

poss.Logo 1

2 equal columns separate areas

PosterLayout:Portrait



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Oral presentations of posters

• Duration: max. 3 Minutes

• Don't read your poster to the "audience"

• Explain e.g.:

– why this work is important

– what you find special about this work

– what is striking / noteworthy about the results

– which questions still have to be answered

– what the next steps are

– any connections to other people's work

• Use the graphs and pictures on the poster to support your mostimportant statements

• Maintain eye contact with the people you are addressing (in otherwords don't talk to the poster!)

25-word statements for aone minute presentation

During a poster session, be ready with centralmessages as 25-word statements about:

• Research question(s) / aims of the work / reasons forthe work

• Why you think this work is fascinating

• Method(s) used

• Results found

• Conclusions drawn



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Final comments about effective posters

• Keep text to a minimum!

• A poster is NOT a scientific paper

• A poster IS an illustrated abstract of some important partsof your work

• Posters should be attractive to look at, be read quickly and invitediscussion

• Keep text to a minimum!

• Posters should also be self-explanatory on their own,without the author

• Author's presence ADDS to the attractiveness of the posterand promotes discussion about the work

• Prepare the central messages (oral presentation) about your work inadvance

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Effective Oral Presentations

Making a long-lasting professionalimpression



Effective Presentations

What do you consider to be the most

important factors for successful

presentations?

What do you think should be avoided

when presenting?

Effective Presentations

Preparation - what are the essential questions?

How do I structure the time available?

Why are the first three minutes crucial?

During the presentation: what do I concentrate on?

How can I make the most of my visual aids?



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Essential question No.1: my audience?

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My audience: Are they really listening?

Possible solutions for the speaker• think about your audience

• provide visuals that support your talk

• don't be tempted to present too much information

• concentrate on the introduction

What do they know?What will interest them?What are their expectations?

Possible difficulties for the members of the audience• they only hear it once• they cannot look up background information• they are restricted to the speaker's pace• success of presentation depends on speaker's ability to deliver

(visuals, vocabulary, clarity)



Goals What are my goals and why?What is my take-home message?

Choose contents Collect the material with your goalsand audience in mind

Information reduction!Distinguish between “need to know“ Take-home message!

supportive information examples, anecdotes, comparisons, repetition

“nice to know“ background information

Display the contents What to visualise?Type of visualisation? text - graphic - table?

Structure the presentation

Essential question No. 2: Goals and content?

Essential Question No. 3: Structure?A 20' oral presentation

IntroductionWhat's the problem?(2-3 slides, 3 min.)

Main part

What are you doing?Experiment and methodWhat have you found outand what does it mean?Results, discussion(Don't try to cover everything)(5 slides, 15 min.)

What is the take-home message?ConclusionsWho did and paidfor the work?Acknowledgements(2 slides, c. 2 Min.)

Final part



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Checklist for the introduction(3 HOT minutes)

Make your audience interested and curious

• Eye contact

• Title, topics

• Aim of the presentation/your work

• Reasons for the work

• Contents/Organisation>/Structure

• Make essential elements visible

• Say what you think about the topic (positive comments!)

• Connections between previous and future topics

• Acknowledge any expertise and/or experience in your audience

How can I encourage my audience to"change channels"?

Overview of my talk

• Introduction• Methods• Results• Conclusions• Summary



How can I stop my audience"changing channels"?

Content of my talk

• Unity of research and teaching: myth or reality?• Bologna and its consequences: first vision• Beyond the disciplines: second vision• Beyond the ivory tower• Research-oriented teaching

Final comments - consequences for the bachelor degree?

What is important before the presentation?

• Prepare clear, readable slides

• Practice your presentation (colleagues, cat, mirror!)

• (Practice using the beamer!)

• Prepare the room: seating, position of computer

• Reduce nervousness

keepcool



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ns Before the presentation• Stand and shake, rotate shoulders and circle head

• Mental visualization: visualize the room, audience, and yougiving the presentation

During the presentation• Drink water, take a deep breath and then return to the

presentation saying to yourself, "I can do it!"

• You do NOT need to get rid of anxiety and tension! Channel theenergy into concentration and expressiveness.

• Anxiety and tension is not as noticeable to the audienceas it is to you

• Even the best presenters make mistakes. The key is just tocontinue!

Reduce nervousness?!

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Hold something:Cue cards, pen, laser pointer (if you must ...)

Keep your hands as visible as possible (waist height)

Open hands signal confidence

What can I do with my hands?



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Postpone the start: wait 2 seconds before you start to speak

Connect to your audience with eye contact - give everyone theimpression you are looking at them

Smile: make your audience feel you are pleased to bestanding in front of them

Stand confidently: both feet firmly on the ground. Feel the floorthrough your feet!

Adopt an open stance: face your audience

Change your position in the room: greet your audience thenmove to another place to present

How can make an excellent first impression?

Delivery! Keep their attention!

Eye contact: establish (start) and maintain

Show enthusiasm, keep smiling

Speak freely

Speak clearly and loudly enough

Speak in a language your audience understands

Speak slower than in a normal conversation pauses!

Stay flexible (you have set priorities)

Think about gestures and body language

Communication55% is visual (body language, eye contact)

38% is vocal (speed, pitch, volume)7% words themselves

WHY?



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Layouts for text slides

• Title always write a title

• Amount the less the better:Ideal isnot more than 6 to 9 linesnot more than 5 to 7 words per line.

• Format Landscape is better than portrait

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Layouts for text slides: Typography

• Font size at least 18 points

Title e.g. 32 pointsmax. three font sizes per transparency

• Font type max. two different fonts

serif fontsTimesTimes New RomanPalatino

non-serif fontsArialVerdanaTrebuchet MS

Always use large and small letters NOT LIKE THIS!



Memory retentionfor pictures, concrete words, abstract words

S = shortly afterpresenting (5 Min)

L = after one week

Bilder

0

10

20

30

40

50Recall in %

KK KK KKLL LLLL

pictures

concretewords abstract

words

S SSL LL0

50

40

30

20

10

Recall in %

(from Thiele, 2000)

Why visualise?

• holds attention of audience

• involves the audience (emotionally)

• helps the audience to follow your talk

• makes the information easier to understand

• helps the audience to remember what has beensaid



Layouts for slides: Colours

• Apply carefully (functional as opposed tocolourful)

• Intensity / complementary colours

• do not place red on blue and reverse

• avoid background gradient fills undbackground pictures

• on text layouts do not use more than3 colours

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ns Most common mistakes

Lack of concern for the audience

Overloaded slides

Axes and units on graphs, indices,text on diagrams too small

Diagrams and graphs presented too quickly

Text read from a manuscript

Name of the presenter too small!



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What are you taking home with you? Write a maximum of 2 more points you have found useful for

your next presentation

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Effective presentations

• Preparation– Aims, audience, content, visual aids

• Visualisation– Keep it sweet and simple (KISS)

• Presentation– eye contact, commentary and gestures

• Practice, practice, practice makes perfect!

• Relax, stay calm and remember : YOU are the expert!

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