Preparing a Scientific Presentation.pptVIP

Preparing a Scientific Presentation Laura Raney, MSc Operations Research Proposal Development Workshop May 2006 Why Give a Presentation? Communicate to inform motivate Common Causes of Ineffective Presentations Failure to motivate audience Confusing structure Gaps in logic Excessive details Poorly designed slides Poor delivery How Do You Prepare a Scientific Presentation? Message Organization Visuals Delivery 1. What is Your Message? Why are you giving presentation? What is your desired outcome? What does the audience already know about your topic? What are their interests? What are key points? 2. Organization Determine amount of time for delivery List the 1-3 key points first Match the audience’s technical level Organizing a Presentation Outline Problem and background Design and methods Major findings Conclusion and recommendations Organize your information Let your audience know up front what you have planned for them Use a top down structure for your presentation: General to more specific Making Slides Main points only One idea per slide Short words, few words (5 per line) Strong statements: active voice Outline Let audience know what they are going to hear Let them know how the presentation will be organized Problem and background Context Study question Relevant knowledge on issue Design and Methods Case study of … Qualitative methods Key informant interviews (n=10) Quantitative methods Survey Cost analysis Major Findings Text and or table/graph One slide for each Message should be unambiguous Conclusion and Recommendations Key points Implications One slide for each message 3. Visuals: How Does it Look? Choose style that supports the tone Apply the same style to each slide Be consistent! Don’t Say It, Show It Charts and graphs help you by: Increase understanding Save time Enhance attention Help control nervousness 4. Tips for Delivery  Preparation is key! Know the material well Prepare an outline and notes Practice your present