Mastering Seminar Talks: Tips & Tricks for Engaging Presentations

1. The Basics of Giving a Seminar Talk Nicholas A. Gariano Senior Graduate Student LSU Chemistry Department

2. Presentations • The most effective ways I’VE found to connect with an audience and get positive results from a presentation.

3. Good presentations start with good intentions.

4. Choose a topic that interests you • Interest and enthusiasm come across easily in your presentation. • Major points and conclusions are far more interesting than details.

5. Why does anyone want to know about your talk? • You need to choose a topic worth talking about • Tell the audience why this work is important • More importantly… why it’s important to you.

6. Good presentations are made with hard work. • Procrastination shows… and doesn’t reflect well • Hard work IS worth it !!

7. Building a great slide • Titles should be a complete sentence or phrase • Flow should go from left to right if possible • Choose a font that is simple and size • Colors should help not detract • Bad • Bad • Bad • Good • Good • Good http://www.artsconnected.org/toolkit/encyc_colorwheel.html

8. What should I put in the slide? • Don’t put empty slides – simple with details • There is such a thing as too much of a good thing • Non-data pictures and sound should be used very sparingly • This goes for transitions too

9. An Example of what not to do

10. Organization and content of a great talk • Follow standard Intro, background, results, and conclusion format • No Table of contents slide • Format and presentation is just as important as content

11. Talks/slides need to be easy to understand and follow • Know your audience • Don’t talk above or below your audience • Background, background, background • Follow the same format on all slides • Bullets, color schemes, font, etc. • Numbering slides helps identify them during questions

12. Time management • Don’t rush your slides • 1-2 min per slide • Material based on time • Don’t smash too much into a short talk • Take 5 seconds before each slide to pace yourself and remind • Always leave time for questions http://amerihopealliance.com/blog/2012/06/tic-toc-the-bank-wont-wait/

13. Practice and being prepared • Practice at least 2-3 times • Use your fellow students / friends • Do at least one full dress practice in the actual room • Eat something before you talk and bring a bottle of water • Always have more than 1 copy of your presentation

14. The delivery of your presentation should keep the audience connected. The Don’ts of Presenting • Don’t memorize a talk word for word, talk to the audience. • Don’t read off the slides • Know what you know • Don’t look at the screen/board when you talk • Don’tfidget • Don’tplagiarize • Tell a story, don’t read data. Dr. Russo

15. You are presenting yourself along with your work • You need to practice your talk • If you don’t exude a calm, prepared, and knowledgeable facade, people will assume that you aren’t. • Edit your slides and check for spellling also gramaticalerross.

16. You are presenting yourself as much as your work • At least casual formal dress is expected • Comfortable, but not too comfortable • Look in the mirror before you give your talk • Generally look presentable • Guys…. shave

17. There are other good sources of information too • http://macro.lsu.edu/ • http://macro.lsu.edu/msg/SeminarStuff/seminars.htm • http://macro.lsu.edu/msgsa/ • Professors • Older Graduate Students • Practice, Practice, Practice

18. Does anyone have any Questions?