Scientific Oral Presentation

1. There will be a maximum of twenty (20) minutes for each presentation and up to ten (10) minutes for questions and answers. The session moderator will end the presentation after twenty (20) minutes have elapsed regardless of whether the presenter has finished. 2. Introduction: The presenter introduces themselves, states the degree they are seeking, and the institution they attend. The remainder of the introduction shall tell the audience the topic covered and clearly state the purpose of the presentation. The introduction shall not be longer than two (2) minutes. The purpose of the introduction is to present the question being explored by research and to place the topic in the context of current knowledge about the topic. It often works best to start with the general context and work toward the specifics, ending with a precise statement of the question or hypothesis being addressed. 3. Body: The body of the presentation contains the factual support of the purpose of the presentation. The presenter shall avoid ambiguity when discussing methods, results, and interpretations and be clear and concise. The presenter shall develop their presentation logically. The presenter shall emphasize the main points and keep auxiliary or background information from a proper perspective. Visual aids shall be directly related to the topic and assist the clarity of the presentation. The presenter shall describe the methods in sufficient detail to allow a person in the audience who works in a similar field to understand the process used to collect data. The presenter shall include a discussion of the answers to the questions that motivated the research and were described in the introduction. When appropriate, the presenter will mention any alternative explanations for the results and mention possible explanations for unexpected results. Tables and figures shall not substitute for a verbal summary but are often “general suggestions”. The presenter must be sure to orient the audience to the visual aids. For example, the presenter will always explain the scale of a photograph, the axes of a graph, the column headers of a table, etc. 4. Summary: A good summary is a brief reiteration of the purpose of the presentation and a vivid restatement of the main points. The presenter needs to include only the critical points they want the audience to remember. After the summary, the Presenter will ask if there are any questions or comments. 5. Use of Notes: A read presentation has a flat delivery. A memorized presentation makes for a stiff and tense presentation. Most presenters use good notes on 3 by 5 notecards. Cards are relatively inconspicuous and easy to hold. Limit the notes to key phrases that will recall several sentences or an entire section of your presentation. 6. Use of the Lectern: A lectern will be provided. Standing behind the lectern will give formal air to the presenter’s presentation. Moving behind the lectern will establish a friendlier relationship with the presenter’s audience. Both styles are acceptable. 7. Visual Aids: There are various media available for visual presentations. All Scientific Oral Presentations shall be in Microsoft PowerPoint format and be delivered on a PC computer. Visual aids are very effective communication tools and are essential in virtually every presentation. The majority of what the audience absorbs from the presentation will come from visual aids. Therefore, the presenter will maintain the audience’s attention and interest if they use visual aids are used wisely. Each presentation will be loaded onto a laptop or computer at the coordinator’s office, and the coordinator will set up the laptop and projector for each presentation. The presenter may bring an updated version of their presentation on a jump drive on the day of the presentation competition. The presenter will have a remote control to use to move through the presentation. A laser pointer may be provided, but the presenter shall bring one if required. 8. A good visual aid: will clarify, reinforce, or highlight an idea. Be relevant to the subject of the presentation. Be easy to read. Be kept simple. Avoid complicated graphs or tables. Be brief. Four or five lines with no more than six words per line is a guideline for a good visual aid. Each visual aid shall be read and absorbed by the audience within two (2) minutes. The presenter shall spend the first fifteen (15) seconds of those two (2) minutes focusing the audience’s attention on the slide and explaining the layout. A good visual will not overwhelm the audience with color or detail. Use color to highlight important points or related groups. 9. Handouts: handouts are not mandatory, but the presenter will bring 10-15 copies of each handout they plan to distribute.