Making an effective oral scientific presentation

1. Making an effective oral scientific presentation Tina Thompson July, 2011

2. The basics of all effective presentations • Keep it simple • Tell a complete story • Provide relevant background information • Describe methods briefly • Focus on data • Draw conclusions for audience • Summarize significance of findings • Credit collaborators and funding source

3. The 3 Keys • Know your audience • Know your time limit • Know your subject

4. Basic Order • Title slide • Introduction • Methods • Results • Summary • Acknowledgements

5. Title Slide • Title Slide • Succinctly state the project

6. Effect of 6-OHDA lesions of the Prefrontal cortex on subcortical DAergic activityAnimal model of schizophrenia

7. Introduction • Background • Briefly describe the published literature on the topic • Describe how your study will advance the field • Basically, why is your study important and • What is your research question

8. Method Slides • Briefly describe the methods essential for the study • Describe the survey instrument • Don’t describe every thought process that went into developing the instrument • Describe the method used to measure changes in mRNA levels • Don’t provide every chemical in each buffer

9. 6-OHDA Lesion inhibitory excitatory 6-OHDA mPFC DA EAA EAA N.Acc DA VTA

10. Result Slides • Provide a title for each data slide • Show the data • Use multiple presentation formats if possible • No one wants to look at 5 identical data slides • Present your data • Lead the audience through the slides • Draw conclusions for the audience

11. Comparison of DA uptake in adult male and female rats At all [DA] females clear DA faster than males

12. Effect of NIPS on [35S]-GTPγS binding NIPS results in a 42% reduction in D2 activation

13. Summary Slide Summarize the data Don’t just restate the data Emphasize the significance of the findings New information have you contributed to the field Provide an indication of future directions This gives you ‘ownership’

14. Summary These data suggest that inherent sex differences in mesolimbic DAergic regulation may increase the vulnerability of males to insult and this vulnerability may have lasting effects into adulthood.

15. Acknowledgement Slide • Collaborators • Don’t read a laundry list • Funding Support • NIH grant # • American Heart Award • NSF • etc

16. Presentation Basics • Know your time limit • 1 slide/1 minute • Use large font • This is 28 • This is 20 • This is 16

17. Presentation Basics • Less is better • Use phrases • Sentences can be too difficult for the audience to follow and you don’t want them to read, you want them to be listening to what you have to say • Use drawings or schemes for clarity

18. Basics • DO NOT USE ALL CAPITAL LETTERS • It makes it too difficult to read • Do not use fancy fonts • This is Arial • This is Bookman old style • This is Informal Roman

19. Basics • Keep the background simple and consistent on all the slides • Do not overuse Clip Art • Try to keep the slide layout consistent from slide to slide

20. Color Basics • Use light background and black letter • Usecolorsparingly Or dark background and white letters

21. Avoid overuse of animation • Animation takes away from your data • Avoid sound effects

22. Limit use of transitions • Never opt for style over substance • The goal is to effectively present your data not to distract your audience.

23. Practice, practice, practice Prepare your presentation well in advance Practice in a room similar to the one you will use Time yourself Edit Practice first alone then with colleagues Maintain eye contact with audience Edit Breath

24. Review • Keep it simple • Tell a story • Show the data • Draw the conclusions • State the significance • Give credit

25. Questions?