Slide presentations remain the cornerstone of formal presentations. Generating slides from common computer software produces a sophisticated and refined slide presentation. Most professional organizations require electronic transmission of the slides prior to a conference and computer-based programs facilitate the submission process. A thumb drive or flash drive maintains a backup copy of the presentation.
Concepts in a research presentation need to be succinct and not clutter the slide. List six to eight lines of content per slide; placing more information appears more unreadable by an audience.
Slide information routinely used for presenting research results follows a customary format, and the final slide reveals the conclusion with the new knowledge from the study. Information about the research methodology and results may require more than one slide. Add graphs and tables as needed to present the results clearly.
The adage “Practice makes perfect” sums up the usefulness of rehearsing your presentation ahead of time. A presenter generally delivers 100 words per minute so the audience can comprehend the scientific information. For practicing your lecture, select colleagues who know about the topic of your research, but do not test your presentation on co-workers with involvement in the research process. Use notes to stay organized and deliver the information efficiently. Practice eye contact during the rehearsal sessions. Use the feedback from the practice encounters to improve the presentation.
If the presentation requires handouts, computer-based slide programs can help you produce copies of the slide material by reducing the slide size to allow three or four slides per one letter-size page with lines for notations. Creating a handout protects against the potential loss of visual information in case of electronic dysfunction at the time of a presentation.
Dress professionally for the research presentation. If traveling to the lecture site, double check to ensure you have the accessories for the presentation before leaving home.
Request specialized equipment ahead of time. Consider using clip-on microphones and laser pointers to provide more flexibility during presentations.