Help me do a knock-out research presentation and be a great session moderator!

October 29, 2007 5:05 PM

Help me make my first professional research presentation at a national conference!

I'm doing an oral (podium) presentation next week at a national conference. My session is at 8:30am on a Wednesday morning. I've never attended this meeting before, but it’s the annual conference for people in my health-related field. Thousands of people are registered for the conference, but I have no idea how many people will actually be at my session. I'm not only making a presentation, I'm also the moderator for the session, which means I'm introducing the other four presenters. Each of us gets 20 minutes to show our slides and talk about our research.

I have a PowerPoint presentation, but it’s mostly photos and charts (almost no text). My plan is to speak from an outline on note cards. The general outline of the presentation follows the format of a scientific manuscript – Background, Methods, Results, Discussion.

I tend to get stage fright, but I’ve got a prescription for propranolol to help with the anxiety-related symptoms.

My questions are: 1) do you have any suggestions for good, low-key jokes I can make? Something about the early hour, perhaps? 2) What are some ideas for nice, general, somewhat witty introductory remarks for my fellow presenters? 3) Got any general tips for making a 20-minute research presentation to a professional audience?

posted by acridrabbit to work & money (19 comments total)

1) Do not make any jokes. No one will laugh that early in the morning, and it will only make you more nervous when they don't. 2) Just introduce the presenters and their co-authors (if any), say where they are from, what their position is, and what their talk is about. Your job is actually most important at the end of their talks. You need to make sure they do not go over their allotted time. You have to be ready with a soft-ball question for each of them if no one else in the room has a question. 3) Do your presentation at least four times by yourself -- two without a timer, then two with a timer. Then do it in front of a friend. Then do it by yourself a few more times. You won't need your cards anymore and you will be a lot less nervous. Make sure to look out at the audience. Not having cards in front of you will help with this. Have a good time at the conference!
posted by Eringatang at 5:27 PM on October 29, 2007

I give short talks about my research with some regularity. I just recently hit on a method that seems to work well for me: write out, like a script, absolutely everything you're going to say. Practice from that. Then, when you give your talk, don't worry about following your script at all (I don't even have it with me during the talk).

The point of this process is to force yourself to consider exactly the one best way to say what you're intending to say on each slide; otherwise I tend to know basically what I'm going to say but I'll find myself groping for words for how to explain a particular point. Not only does this sound bad, it also eats up a lot of time: the first time I wrote a script and then read from it while practicing, I discovered it shrank my 17 minute talk down to 12 minutes!

The reason to get rid of the script when you're actually giving your talk is that if you've got it with you, you'll tend to just read to your audience instead of talking to them. Plus, I expect it's probably easier to stay in your rhythm when some interruption comes up if you're not trying to follow your script too closely.

The downside of this process is that it's very labor-intensive.
posted by jacobm at 5:40 PM on October 29, 2007

If you have time, try giving your presentation in front of a video camera- and force yourself to watch it. Note what makes you cringe (we all cringe) and try not to do it. Practice!
posted by jenkinsEar at 6:27 PM on October 29, 2007

(1) Thank everyone for showing up an early hour.

(2) As moderator, it is probably your job to keep everyone to time. Be ruthless. Tell the other presenters that you will enforce the time limits, then do so. Give them 5 minute, 3 minute, and 1 minute warnings, and don't be afraid to cut them off if they run over time. Believe me, while it may seem rude, everyone will be happy that you have done so.

(3) Don't make jokes that aren't spontaneous.

(4) Practice to ensure that you are under time. In fact, practice so that your presentation is 17 minutes long, so that you have leeway at the actual talk.

(5) You only have 20 minutes, so keep it relatively simple. Make sure that your last slide summarizes your main points.

(6) Relax. It's just a 20 minute talk. No ever one lost a job over a conference presentation. Project a calm, confident air.
posted by googly at 6:39 PM on October 29, 2007 [1 favorite]

I would agree with Eringatang, don't open with a joke. Even if it wasn't 8:30 in the morning, its hard to find a joke that doesn't sound lame or force you to do an awkward John Cleese impersonation ("And now for something completely different...") I'd suggest start with some kind words of appreciation for anyone that made the effort to get there that early.

I like the idea of a powerpoint presentation with little text. For my presentations I try to use as little text as I can get away with and rely on the graphics and slides with only key words/phrases to reinforce the ideas I'm talking about. (Presentation Zen is a great site with lots of helpful advice on making powerpoints stand out using this approach.) I'd also urge you to make sure any text in charts/graphs/tables are readable (big font, no color conflicts, etc.) Once the presentation is done, practice as described above by Eringatang, jacobm. Also, don't get hung up too hard on matching the format of the paper (Background, Methods, Results, Discussion) It's more important to tell a logical, cohesive tale of what you did, why you did it, what you found, why it's important. Remember an oral presentation is different from a written paper and requires using a different part of the brain. An interesting narrative will resonate more with your audience (esp. at 8:30 in the morning) than slavishly mirroring your paper.

Lastly, Eringatang is spot on with the advice about keeping people to their time limits. I'm repeating it because its one of my absolute annoyances -- speakers who go over time. I feel it shows a lack of respect for your audience and fellow presenters.

Good luck with the conference. It sounds like you've already given a fair amount of thought to your duties and presentation so that's a good sign and probably puts you ahead of many of your fellow presenters/session chairs.
posted by cptspalding at 6:55 PM on October 29, 2007

If you are enthusiastic about your topic the audience will appreciate it and enjoy the session. No jokes necessary (unless they're spontaneous as googly said -- if you're not funny then don't try to get started at your event). Join Toastmasters to refine your presentation abilities for next time.

Again, if you're into the presentation then others will be as well. Anybody who's not needs more coffee, and that's not your problem or fault.
posted by powpow at 7:33 PM on October 29, 2007

Estimate about one minute per slide, then practice your presentation, timed and in front of a colleague. You might be surprised how long your presentation really is. If it's too long, cut slides mercilessly so that you can focus your talk without rushing. Don't worry about cutting "too much material" -- your audience has no idea what you're leaving out.

cptspalding is spot-on about Presentation Zen. There is some great advice there. Most PPT talks are deathly boring and full of clutter and endless charts. Avoid too many cutesy transitions; they're distracting and at worst annoying. And please do not use the Comic Sans font!

If it's a technical talk, avoid equations. Tell a story. Let your own enthusiasm for your subject show.
posted by ldenneau at 7:40 PM on October 29, 2007

Googly has it. Be careful with #2 though: the more powerful/irascible the person, the more you want to him about cutting their mike at t-0s exactly.
posted by lalochezia at 7:41 PM on October 29, 2007

Several of my coworkers will be presenting at Society for Neuroscience next week. For the most part, their presentations have a light, informal, general discussion for the minute, and then jump in to a scientific introduction to their work for the next two minutes. 30 seconds on methods (unless the methods are totally novel), six minutes on the experiment and controls (design, results), and a short conclusion.

Two people I know debated over the appropriateness of placing an interesting (if not laugh-funny, then at least somewhat whimsical) graphic somewhere in the beginning. However, there was no controversy over using a goofy picture of all of the lab members mugging for the camera as the "acknowledgments" slide.

Also, this depends a great deal on your field, but if you are using methods that are standard in the field, or otherwise unsurprising, gloss over them as quickly as possible. (unless your work involves highly novel methodology.)

Another tip is, even if you are speaking to a room full of neuroscience PhD's, you may have to dumb it down a bit. If you are heading to SfN, some of the scientists attending your presentation will not be well-versed in your area of study. Others who do know your subfield might drift off for a few seconds at that hour of the morning. If you lose people near the beginning, they are lost for the rest of the talk. Finally, people tend to discount the difficulty of explaining something well.

For presentation skills, one phrase that I keep in mind is the advice to "take up space." In other words, plant yourself solidly and comfortably in your spot, and communicate with body language that you "own" this 2 by 2 foot plot of land for these 15 minutes. I get this advise from Jerry Seinfeld, who claims that a successful comedian needs to encroach on and invade the space of their audience.

Best of luck.
posted by Maxwell_Smart at 9:18 PM on October 29, 2007

BTW, on Wed morning at SfN, Id expect 40 people at the beginning of the session, and 80-120 near the end (if this is indeed the conference).
posted by Maxwell_Smart at 9:20 PM on October 29, 2007

Giving a good research presentation is like theater. Practice, practice, practice, and practice some more. Practice from a script. Practice until it looks natural.

You don't need to write the script first. You can improvise a few practice runs and take notes of the good lines. After a couple of times it will began to look like a script. You can also tape yourself during one of your practice sessions. Once it looks like a lecture, play the tape back and write your script from it.

It is best that you can have one dedicated colleague to sit through all your practices, to give you feedback.

You have one week. Counting two practices per day you can practice at least 14 times. Get cracking.
posted by gmarceau at 9:23 PM on October 29, 2007

I echo the comments about not starting with a joke. It's early in the morning, but if you want to keep it light, do it by smiling while you're speaking. (Unless, of course, it's inappropriate)

The fact that you have lots of visuals and few words on the presentation is definitely great.

For previous presentations, I have burned CDs with supplemental information or printed off 15-20 copies of my presentation paper to have a stack available for people to take home with them. It has been an excellent way for people to follow up afterwards.

And don't take it too personally if not as many people show up in the morning. The people that do show up will make up for it by their interest in the panel.
posted by perpetualstroll at 9:50 PM on October 29, 2007

(2) As moderator, it is probably your job to keep everyone to time. Be ruthless. Tell the other presenters that you will enforce the time limits, then do so. Give them 5 minute, 3 minute, and 1 minute warnings, and don't be afraid to cut them off if they run over time. Believe me, while it may seem rude, everyone will be happy that you have done so.

Second this.

Assume all the technology will fail -- bring a small stack of those 9-slides-per-page printouts.

Also, I was surprised at the first professional conference I went to. I usually overprepare for things by about 5-10%. There, my presentation was about twice as prepared as it really needed to be. All to say -- you might be making the conference into a much bigger deal than you need to be.

Good luck!
posted by salvia at 11:05 PM on October 29, 2007

1) do you have any suggestions for good, low-key jokes I can make? Something about the early hour, perhaps?

If it was me, and I was presenting first, and moderating, I'd be too nervous to open up with a witticism. Start off strictly professional, maybe mention how nice it is to be in City X, and how pleased you are that people have made an effort to be at the first session. In your presentation you can certainly include at least one funny slide though.

2) What are some ideas for nice, general, somewhat witty introductory remarks for my fellow presenters?

Again at conferences I've attended this isn't usually a time for jokes. Just introduce yourself to all the speakers before the session, and make sure you get their names right. Remind people in the audience to turn off their phones, and remind presenters to stick to time.

3) Got any general tips for making a 20-minute research presentation to a professional audience?

I'm also one of those people who likes to practice it again and again until I'm word perfect. No-one ever lost marks for seeming too slick. If you are one of those rare totally relaxed people who can riff from slide to slide and insight to insight that's great. Otherwise just prepare it to within an inch of your life.
posted by roofus at 5:09 AM on October 30, 2007

I really enjoy the presentations which tell a good story, and tell me the main points (the reasons I should care about the topic) right up front. I absolutely hate the ones that spend 15 minutes walking through trivial results, especially when it is slide after slide of multiple regression numbers or the like.

The question of practicing can't be emphasized enough -- do it alone, in bed or at your desk or standing in the corner; then in front of the mirror; then with an audience. I do at least four run-throughs, more is probably better. This may be beyond elementary, but I always mark on my notes the exact point to advance to the next slide -- I hate watching someone get out of synch with their slides, repeatedly moving forward and backwards through powerpoint trying to find where they should be.

With your slides, check how they look on a big screen -- make sure fonts are sized appropriately, figures are legible, etc. And then make and practice a plan for when the technology fails -- will there be an overhead transparency available? Or should you have some handouts just in case? Similarly, have each presenter load up their computer files beforehand, so that you can minimize the time it takes between each presenter.

As a moderator, the advice above about keeping the speakers on time is key. Usually, if the moderator is also speaking, the moderator goes last (but not always); make sure to arrange before-hand who will take over timekeeping from you for your talk. Are you also expected to serve as the discussant -- to make some comments and pose some questions? To do that well takes some preparation and thinking, so put some work in on that ahead of time.
posted by Forktine at 5:23 AM on October 30, 2007

You have received a lot of good advice already. I would just like to add one thing. Perhaps you are being facetious with your title, using the words "knock-out" and "great", but don't put that kind of pressure on yourself. Instead, just focus on your material and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the topic. Likewise, as moderator, just keep things moving along. Of course everyone remembers those lively presentations and sessions, but those are usually accomplished by seasoned presenters after years of experience.
posted by Dead Man at 8:09 AM on October 30, 2007

Lots of good advice here.

1. I agree: no jokes unless you're comfortable in front of an audience. If you're new at this, be to the point and functional.

2. moderating:

Lead off with a brief bio of each speaker, and finish by saying: "Dr. so-and-so will be presenting (read title from slide). Dr. so-and-so?" Then hand them the mic.

A. Make sure to get the bio card from each speaker at the speaker's breakfast. Have a 30 second chat with each to make sure that you pronounce the names correctly and to clarify any other points.

B. Check with the techs to make sure that all presentations are loaded on the computer and ready to go. I like to have all four/five talks for a session open, then just flip between them when speakers change. Press f5 on the keyboard and the slideshow starts (quicker than doing it with a mouse or such). If the speaker has multi-media in their presentation, for all that is holy, try it out on the screen (not just the laoptop monitor) before hand. Playing movies in powerpoint is always a pain in the ass.

C. Give yourself a minute or two to read each bio card and do a quick rehersal in you head before you do the introductions.

D. As other have said, be strict with time. People often cross-over between rooms and time this based on the printed schedule. Running early or late means that people are going to be walking in on a speaker while they're talking. That's not so good.

E. After each talk, thank the speaker and lead a round of applause for then, then ask for audience questions. If there are no mics in the audience, you may want to repeat the question yourself so that people at the back can hear it.

F. Wrap up the session after the last speaker by leading a final round of appluase for all the speakers in that session. Then make any announcements that you get handed, then tell people what will be in that room following the break/lunch.

3. For your own presentation, lots of good advice has been given above. Just one point, never, ever read from your cards. You should know you own slides well enough to be able to speak without reading. Don't read your slide text either. You get fluid at this by practicing. If you're not sure, do a run through for your own group in advance of the meeting and get them to critique you. I generally try to do at least three run throughs of any new presentation in advance to get the flow of it right. Knowing your timing is key.

Good luck! This is a really important part of the scientific process, and everyone takes some time to get it right. Practice and rehersing in your head will make you much more confident. Being prepared is the key to having fun giving a talk.
posted by bonehead at 8:54 AM on October 30, 2007

Agree with everything above and want to add: you will talk faster than you think, especially if you are nervous. Practice and make an effort to speak slowly (I give lectures on a regular basis and was given this advice by my wife who was once a political speechwriter).
posted by TedW at 9:01 AM on October 30, 2007

I think I know where you are presenting and if I'm right I'm presenting there too!

I have not presented at this particular giant conference before but I have attended, and I've presented at other places. Here's my tips:

-GO TO THE BATHROOM right before the presentation. There is nothing worse than being trapped up there and having to pee desperately. You can't leave once you're up there.
-Bring water with you to the podium.
-If you can find a very recent news article/pop culture reference that relates to your topic, that's a good way to start your presentation, especially if you can clip it and bring it with you.
-Don't worry about making jokes, unless they come naturally.
-Don't worry if you're terrified. Everyone in the audience has either had a first presentation and was scared, or has never presented and is envying your confidence and the fact that you're presenting.
-Look for someone in the audience who is paying attention and looks interested and focus on them. At my first ever presentation there was someone nodding away in agreement and I focused on her--it was so helpful. Or if you have a friend attending, ask them to sit in the front row and look at them.
-If someone asks a question you can't answer, it's fine to tell them to give you their contact info and you'll follow up later.
-If this is the conference I think it is, people in this field are generally nice and supportive, so they're not going to be out to prove you wrong or attack you. If they are there at 8am on Wednesday, they are genuinely interested!

Good luck! Maybe we'll even attend each other's presentations without knowing it. :)
posted by min at 9:45 AM on October 30, 2007