HOW TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE

PRESENTATION: THE HIDDEN

MESSAGE

Sandy Raha

Chair, Medical Sciences

Graduate Program Admissions

Dept. Pediatrics, McMaster University

April 14, 2015

Overview

Why would you want to do a presentation?

Posters

Oral

Remind me why I would want to do a presentation:

The REAL value

Resources

DON’T LEAVE UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE

Figures, graphs and tables always take longer than

anticipated

Carefully proof

Formatting takes time

Consider the possible printing/and reprinting issues

The Poster

People generally don’t spend more than 3-5

min per poster

Don’t try to explain your entire thesis in your poster.

Use the KISS principle keep it short and simple

Important Lesson keeping it simple is a good

research communication

Keep your poster content simple

Keep your poster content simple

Pick a clear storyline or thread in your research and

discuss that and show the data that supports a

single facet of your research

Get to the focus of the poster right at the start;

clarify the impact of your work; don’t be too

detailed about the procedure

If possible use a figure to clarify complex objective

or methods

Make the poster easily “viewable”

Don’t make your title too long or too cute. A concise

informative title is best.

Make sure your poster is easy to read

Consistent font and size

Font size is large enough to read from 1-2 metres away

Bars and axis on graphs are consistently labelled

Be cautious of “over-using” colour. Avoid using a

dark background (personal preference)

An example of a bad poster

(http://colinpurrington.com/tag/poster-fail/)

Text boxes are different

sizes

Background is distracting

Insufficient white space

Logos are distracting and

waste valuable space

Colour scheme is not

inherently logical or

effective

Abstract section uses up too

much space

Title with perspective makes

it difficult to read

Examples of Layouts: Effective or Not?

Looks cluttered but the colours here

contribute to effect visual organization

Conventional vertical style for a

scientific poster

• If it is important that the panels

be read in sequence, this style is

not the best

Different styles: Flow of

information

Examples of Layouts: Effective or

Not?

Utilize the full potential of a poster

Have a 2-3 min talk regarding your poster

prepared

Make sure the flow and clarity of the poster is such

that it can be understood even if you are not

explaining

Utilize the networking opportunities in a poster

ask for suggestions to improve your work; exchange

contact information (Business cards etc….)

Benefits of the poster presentation

Less stressful than an oral presentation so you can focus on the discussion

Will teach you how to customize the delivery of your research to each person that visits your poster

Balance the aesthetics of the poster with clear and concise story…Learn how to advertise your research

(McNutt, M. 2015. Science 347: 1047)

The Oral Presentation

Oral Presentations: Preparation

Understand your audience

Develop your story, make sure you have a clear

understanding of the strengths and weakness of

your data

Think about how you want to lead your audience;

set them up for questions

Be clear about the implications or significance of

your data

Oral Presentation: Content

Evaluate based on available time

General rule: approximately 1 slide per min

If using bullet points-no more that 4-5 points per

slide

Make sure your slides follow logically and don’t

insert random data

Provide clear definition for technical terms;

remember not everyone in your audience may be

an expert

Aesthetics of the slide

Ensure font size is easily visible

Ensure graphs and table are clearly visible,

especially if cutting and pasting for other sources

Be careful about using colour schemes that may hurt

the eyes

White or yellow on red looks clear, but

30 red background slides may be hard

to take

Fluorescent backgrounds can be

challenging

Aesthetics continued

Keep a consistent look through out the presentation

Use short clear conclusive statements in your bullet points

Use clear concise graphs and tables. Don’t include a excess information in the graphic that will not be discussed.

Make the title, the conclusion. This clarifies the graphic immediately

Use white space effectively – don’t crowd the graphics

Animation

One of the strengths of using slides, but needs to be

utilized effectively.

Don’t overuse or use frivolously

Presentations: The Hidden Value

Untangle your own research

Place your research in context and simplify in

the presentation

Graphically express your hypothesis leads

to greater understanding and retention

Develop a story that has a impact factor

Get feedback on your research

Solicit suggestions on your research, especially

in a friendly environment

Take the time to reflect on suggestions and

critically evaluate each one

Develop confidence in your research

More presentations lead to a greater

appreciation for your work and improve the

ability to “sell” your story and yourself

Develop a story that has a impact factor

Forces you to think about next steps…common

question

McMaster resources

The school of graduates has developed a youtube video outlining the preparation of a poster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMnQhMj55MA&feature=youtu.be (you can find by googling usra poster pointers mcmaster)

For oral presentation, look up presentations of a 3 min thesis. Significant shorter but provide critical elements of audience engagementhttp://graduate.mcmaster.ca/graduate-students/graduate-student-life/professional/3mt/3mt-participant-resources.html#3mt-presentations-by-mcmaster-faculty.

Resources for preparing presentations

Poster layouts: http://colinpurrington.com/tips/poster-

design (google Designing conference posters)

For general poster construction advice: S.M. Block. Do’s

and Don’ts of Poster Presentation. Biophysical Journal

71; 3527-3529 (1996)

Source: The Craft of Scientific Presentations, Michael

Alley (See also

http://www.writing.eng.vt.edu/posters.html)

The do’s and don’ts of public speaking:

http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~dfinley/speaking.html

“If the speaker sends a message that the receiver

does not understand – then who needs to change?”

“Presentation ability is not a talent – it is a skill.”