Scientific PresentationTips & Tricks

Ardhasena Sopaheluwakan

Presentation Cycle

IMPACTIMPACT

Phases in Planning, Preparing & Delivering a Presentation

• Objective• Audience• Content• Structure• Visuals• Delivery

Impact

Phase 1: Objective“What do I want my audience to think, feel or do that is different as a result (of my presentation)?”.

NO CHANGE

EFFECTLESS

PRESENTATIO

N

Phase 2: Audience

The way the material is delivered should be receivable and understandable by different listener. Important:• Technical expertise• Knowledge• Reason for your audience to listen

Phase 3: Content

Appropriate material leading to your objectiveDevelop:• Memorable key messages• Tailored for the audience

Phase 4: Structure

Arrange key messages in the most productive sequence

BEGINNING MIDDLE END GREATEST IMPACT

Phase 5: Visuals

• Help the audience to absorb and retain the key messages

• Built based on objective and audience

Phase 6: Delivery• Gestures• Eye contact• Posture• Position• Use your own accent. Do NOT try to sound

British or American. (Unless you are really fluent)

Effective rehearsal will enhance delivery

Understanding The Audience

Audience:

Collection of individuals with their own unique interest, motivation, values and attitudes

Understanding The Audience (2)

Examples of issues to be considered:• Their background & level of understanding of

the subject• Their motives• Their attitudes• Their expectations• Handouts or presentation summary?• Appropriate environment?

Creating Relevance for Mixed Group

Consider:• Group impact on the outcome• Experience of group members• Possible relation• Useful personal stories

Tips to localize your delivery

1. Prop up briefing session2. Have a “ring around”3. Local media research4. Pre-presentation survey5. Open with a discussion or exercise6. Attend local meeting

How to deliver persuasive content

• Ask “So what?”. Leave out the non-importance• Three key messages or major themes• Logic (argument) & emotion (audience’s

feeling) = acceptance

How to deliver persuasive content (2)

• Structure : sequence, flow• Use visual aids• Relevant evidence

Presentation Milestones

Create unitary goals or mini-objectives to support your overall goalExample:• Overall objective: ………….– Unit one objective: ………….– Unit two objective: ………..– Unit three objective: …………

Building a Flow with Transitions

• Summarize the last section• Bridge into the next piece• Provide a Lead-inExample:“So we’ve looked in detail at the brief, now let’s turn our attention to ... What we’re in fact suggesting here is …”

Building a Flow with Transitions (2)

• Use a visual aid• Use gesture• A story• Movement to another part of the room• Pass to another presenter• A creative device – an ‘embedded’ ice-breaker• A sound or some music [X]

Interacting with Visuals

• Stay in contact with the audience• Use pause to allow the audience absorbing the

concept• Deliver at least one clear point per slide• When narrating complex charts/graphs, focus

audience attention carefully. Ask them when you require extra attention …

• Do NOT use too complicated graphs / schematic diagram. Either simplify or flash through

Interacting with Visuals (2)

• Plan your slide transitions• Use hands to illustrate material on the screen• Anticipate equipment failure• Do not put too much text on the slide such

that you are forced to read through. Put pointers instead.

• Pictures ! (worth thousands words). But do NOT use irrelevant or distracting pictures.

Narrating ‘Complex’ Charts

Example of chart narration:• This is a chart that examines…• The x axis shows ..• Let me first draw your attention to …• Now contrast that by comparing …• Therefore, this chart shows us … (conclusion)

Using Eyes Effectively

• Share eye contact with the entire audience• Frequency• Duration of eye contact

Handling Questions

• Respond accordingly to the motivation of the question

• Make eye contact • Allow the questioner to finish the question• Check that you understand, ask “what you are

asking is …”• Don’t get into an argument or debate

Handling Questions (2)

• Gently but firmly move on once the question is answered

• Indicate which parts of the (multiple part) questions you are answering

• Answer with evidence (where possible)• It’s OK to say you don’t know• You may offer to research an issue and provide

follow-up

Rehearsal

• Read through• Dress-rehearsal• Group rehearsal

Tips for rehearsal

Do it again and again and again and again