Good Presentations and How to Achieve Them

Contents

1. Giving an Excellent Talk
   • Introduction
   • Preparation
   • Transparencies and Slides
   • References
   • Giving the Talk
   • Handouts
   • Conclusion
2. Excellent Computer Presentations
3. Poster Presentations
4. When Chairing a Conference Session

Giving an Excellent Talk

Introduction

An important part of any research is communicating the results to others. As a professional Mathematician or Statistician you will be called upon to present your work in a talk given at a conference, in a seminar or in some other forum. The nature of the talk, the audience and the time allocated will vary.

While most people find giving talks a bit daunting, you should value them as a way of communicating your ideas and in developing your presentation skills. The more talks you have given the easier it gets. But even very experienced presenters must put adequate planning and preparation into giving a talk. These notes are intended to give you some guidelines on doing this.

Another good way to improve your presentation is to take note of what you have seen that is particularly good and particularly bad and adopt the good features and avoid the bad.

Preparation

1. You should first work out what it is you are trying to say and the type of audience you are trying to say it to. Concentrate on the key ideas you want to communicate and leave out details that do not help you do this. A good talk often has only one or two main ideas. It is better to underestimate than overestimate what the audience already knows about the topic.
2. You should consider whether the topic can be satisfactorily described in the span which has been indicated, after allowing for questions at the end. If not, you should choose only a sub-section of the topic to discuss in your talk.
3. If you need any special facilities at a conference, tell the organisers as soon as possible. In particular, if you have a soft voice, tell the organisers that you need a microphone. And if you have any special equipment needs it is absolutely essential that you advise them of your exact requirements.

Transparencies and Slides

4. Prepare your transparencies and slides well before the talk. Do not leave it until the night before your talk. Something may go wrong (or you might be invited out to dinner!). If the talk is worth giving, it deserves to be prepared properly.
5. Can your transparencies/slides be clearly read by someone with average eyesight from the back of a room of the size of the one in which you will be using? Do not assume that they can - check!
6. Never write to all four boundaries of a transparency; the full transparency may fit onto the OHP, but the complete image is unlikely to fit onto the screen. For a standard A4 overhead try to leave the bottom third of it blank - this is especially important if the room does not have stepped seating as in a large lecture theatre. Consider using landscape format which automatically stops you from writing too far down the page, although you must then be careful not to go too far across the page.
7. Never use fading marker pens, or 'fine point' pens. Never, ever, use the colours yellow or orange (they can't be seen!); brown can sometimes be hard to see.
8. Do not directly copy ordinary typescript onto a transparency - it is much too small to be read. Anything less than 24 point is definitely too small. If preparing transparencies from text, it is also usually useful to edit the text for the different [from printed notes] requirements of an OHP display. Use capitals only for headings - people cannot read sentences that are all capitals as well as they can read lower case text. Take particular care that formulae, including subscripts, graphs and tables, are readable.
9. Printing or handwriting is perfectly acceptable if it is legible. Write slowly and carefully, with lined paper underneath the transparency to guide you. If you have the slightest doubt as to whether your writing is legible, it is NOT! If you have the slightest doubt as to whether it is large enough, it is NOT!
10. It may prove useful to number each transparency with a water-soluble ink.
11. Make additional copies of any transparencies which you will need several times. It saves you looking silly as you shuffle through your slides to find your only copy.
12. Could overlays make your presentation more effective? If so, use them, preferably sparingly. But plan them carefully. Use adhesive tape to fasten them together.
13. If you have more than about one transparency for every 2 minutes of your talk, you probably should reduce the number of transparencies. [Famous counter-examples to this rule do exist AND so do infamous ones.] Your audience won't be able to read them all and listen to you as well. It is possible that the number can be increased marginally if some of the transparencies are graphs only, with clearly obvious features.
14. When you have finished your transparencies, go back and check point 5 again.

References

15. During the talk, give references where appropriate. Use them sparingly (eg if one reference cites two others, give only the most recent one).
16. Consider listing the references and anything you consider of special importance in a Handout. [See 29.] Never write "Bloggs (1988)". Give the name of the source as well, using either a standard abbreviation eg "Bloggs AJS (1988)" or the full reference. Not everyone has access to a good bibliographic listing.

Giving the Talk

17. You should try giving at least one dry run of your talk to yourself or a selection of your colleagues. You might also benefit from going through your talk the night before, or several hours before, it is scheduled. Imagine yourself standing in front of an audience, and say to yourself what you plan to say to that audience; put the transparencies down as you plan to, covering those parts which will be covered, etc. This will soon show you if you have enough time to say what you want to, or if the sequence of transparencies is not correct. If this "dress rehearsal" indicates faults in your presentation, fix them at once; in particular, if the rehearsal took too long, decide what to leave out of the real presentation.
18. Get to the lecture room at least five minutes before the session is to start. Introduce yourself to the session chairperson, and check that the order of speakers and the time allotted to each is as you understand it to be. Ensure that you know how to use any equipment you will need, and check that the OHP is focused properly.
19. Try to convince the audience that what you are talking about is important and interesting. Do not apologise, avoid the words 'only' and 'just'. Either your talk is worth inflicting on people or it is not. Be sure to say what the implication or significance of the work is.
20. A very brief outline of the talk at or near the beginning is useful.
21. Speak to the audience, not to the blackboard or overhead screen. Speak up and make sure that people in the back row can hear you. If you are using a microphone, also make sure that the people in the front row can hear you. (The loudspeakers are rarely set up to help these people hear.)
22. As you put a new transparency up glance at the screen to make sure it is focused, straight and the right way around.
23. The audience will usually be 30 seconds or so behind you, so it is useful to have small pauses to allow them to catch up.
24. No matter what you say the audience will try to read a transparency immediately you put it up. If you want them to listen to what you are saying at a particular point you can switch the overhead off, or say your important point in between putting transparencies up.
25. Use a pen or pointer to point out on your transparency any items that need to be indicated. That keeps you facing the audience. (Some people advocate using a pointer to point out key points on the screen behind you, but that encourages you to speak to the screen. See point 21 above.). Do not touch the overhead more than is absolutely necessary - it can lead to a very distracting wobbling of what is projected on the screen. If necessary rest the pen on the transparency or circle or underline what you are highlighting and then remove your hands completely from the overhead projector.
26. Keep an eye on the clock, or your watch. Your rehearsal should have given you a good idea at what time you should reach each major point. If you are behind time, decide what to leave out. Do not annoy the audience, and the next speaker, by going over time. In any case, a good chair will not allow you this luxury.
27. Stop promptly when you reach the end of your talk, or (horrors!) if the Session Chair tells you to stop. It is better to finish with a bang than a whimper. Have the first and last sentence of the talk well planned. The first to create interest and the last to leave the audience with a clear idea of what was important in your talk.
28. If you are asked a question, give your answer to the whole audience, not just the questioner. If that person asked the question in a soft voice, tell the whole audience what the question was before you answer it. If you don't know the answer, say so. If the question requires a lengthy answer, say so, and suggest that the questioner see you after the session.
29. Sort your transparencies after you have got out of the way of the next speaker.

Handouts

30. It is often useful to prepare handouts, which can contain a more detailed version of the talk, and perhaps some of the more technical material. Make sure that the handout is completed before the talk is given. Bring a number of handouts to the talk, and have the original available so that you can make additional copies at once if you have underestimated the demand. If you have to send someone a copy once you get back to your office, do so promptly.

Conclusion

31. If you've mastered all these points, you'll have earned the applause you'll surely get at the end of your talk. Remember that a lousy talk can ruin an audience's appreciation of good research. On the other hand, fairly pedestrian research can come alive if well motivated and presented.

Computer presentations

The facilities available to make a good computer presentation have increased remarkably in the last few years, to the extent that computer presentations are now the norm at most conferences. A computer presentation may be an easier and cheaper option than using overhead transparencies.

1. All previously listed suggestions in relation to good presentation remain valid.
2. Avoid distracting the audience with pointless animation. Feeding the audience a line at a time from random directions in mixed colours (with or without appropriate musical accompaniment) nearly always detracts from the content of the presentation. The audience ends up anticipating the next piece of technical distraction rather than listening to the talk.
3. Computer slides are not immune from the general requirements to avoid clutter and use a 24pt font size. In fact, they are usually 'busier' than other slides and presenters forget the font size requirements. Please follow the advice given about colours, spacing, font size, etc in the earlier sections of these notes. Also be aware that some colours do not 'go together'; red on a dark blue background is particularly hard to see. You are strongly advised to find someone who is colour blind and to ask that person to preview your slides; this will quickly alert you to unfortunate mixes of colours.
4. Some software does not cope with mathematical symbols very well. If your presentation is heavily mathematical, transparencies copied from TeX or LaTeX output in 24 pt font or bigger would be better. (If your talk is heavily mathematical, have you carefully considered whether you're giving the right sort of presentation for this Conference?)
5. While Power Point is often used for computer presentations, other possibilities exist. You may find it easier to display a PDF version of your material.
6. The selection of an appropriate font is important. Choose a simple one that is easy to read. If you are not using your own computer for the presentation, will the other computer have the font that you chose? If not, the spacing of your text will not appear as you planned it, and any 'inserted' material may be obscured. 'Arial', 'Verdana' or 'Comic Sans' are safe fonts to select. Make sure that you know well in advance whether you, or the conference organisers, provide the computer. The conference organisers should tell you this.
7. If you want to point to items on your slides, know in advance how you will do this. Bring a laser pointer, or an extendible pointer, or know how to get a pointer to appear on the screen. It is probably better to highlight specific items in colour, or by sequential development of a slide, than to point to something. Good planning and adequate rehearsal will assist here. See Point 11 below.
8. Moving back though your slides is awful. If you know you will need a slide again, place a copy of it in the right place.
9. Skipping slides in a computer is often awful, so make sure that your talk is precisely planned, with only the slides you actually need.
10. Always be prepared for catastrophic equipment failure. You probably need to bring some transparencies in case you cannot get the equipment to work correctly.
11. Keep your presentation simple, and rehearse it several times.
12. Most software lets you make a copy of your slides. Have a copy with you during your presentation, so you know what slide is coming next.

Poster Presentations

Here are a few things to think about when creating your poster for the conference.

• Don't think that giving a poster presentation is easy. In some ways it is more difficult than giving a talk. A talk has to be very poor before people will get up and walk out of the lecture room, but it is very easy for someone to walk away from a poster. The presentation of your poster must be very good if people are to look at all of it.
  
• Do keep the material short, simple and easy to read. No-one is likely to spend more than about three minutes reading it.
  
• Do read the earlier points about giving a talk. Many apply to a poster presentation as well. For example, think very clearly about what material you will display. Make sure that your type is not too small. (Do not use anything smaller than 16 pt font.) Don't choose colours that are hard to see. Don't use a dark background.
  
• Do ask yourself why you want to present a poster. It is appropriate to do so if you are a poor public speaker, or if you feel nervous about speaking. It is NOT appropriate to give a poster if you want to fit in twice as much material as you could give in a talk, or if you want to include LOTS of complicated material. See the first point above.
  
• Do display your name, affiliation and the topic of the presentation prominently on the poster.
  
• Do have someone who is very good at English correct the draft of your poster. This is good advice whether English is your native language or not; remember that errors in English language or grammar will show up very clearly in writing.
  
• Do get people to provide constructive criticism on the content of your poster before you prepare the final version. Take note of that criticism.
  
• Do include a picture or graph if, by doing so, you can avoid even a few sentences. But remember that the display should be self-contained, with its own legend and title. The reader must be able to understand it very quickly.
  
• Do contact the organisers before the Conference to find out to what sort of material your poster will be attached, and bring the appropriate fastening devices. If you cannot find out in advance, bring drawing pins (thumb tacks), Blu-Tack and velcro fasteners (to cover most possibilities).
  
• Do find out in advance where your poster is to be displayed, and have it set up on schedule.
  
• Do be in attendance for the full period of the Poster Session. Stand close enough to your poster that people can find you if they want to talk to you about it, but don't stand so close that they feel intimidated by your presence.
  
• Do consider bringing copies of a handout to provide more detail. This will be useful for people who want to know more about the topic. It will also encourage you not to put too much material in your poster.

When Chairing a Session

The principal role of the Chair is to ensure that the Session keeps to schedule. In particular, each talk should begin at the advertised time, finish no later than when it should, and subsequent talks should NOT be brought forward if a speaker fails to appear.
Each Invited Speaker has been allotted 45 minutes: 35 to 40 minutes for the talk and 10 to 5 minutes for questions. Each Contributed Speaker has been allotted 20 minutes: 15 minutes for the talk and 5 minutes for questions.

Before the Session: Speakers are told to contact the Chair of their Session well before the Session. Not everyone will do this, and the wise Chair will seek out the speakers as soon as possible (e.g., at the pre-Conference 'mixer'). The reasons for this are:

• to check that the speakers have arrived at the Conference;
• to ensure that the titles and contents of the talks have not changed,
• that the speakers know the amount of time that has been allotted to their talks; and
• to check that the speakers have not changed their equipment needs.

[If a speaker tells you that s/he is going to need all his/her time, it is a hint of poor preparation. You should warn that person that s/he will not be allowed to go over time, and suggest that they decide now what they will omit from the talk in order to shorten it.]

You should ensure that you know how to work all the relevant equipment in the lecture theatre, including: the lighting, the speech amplification, the overhead projector, and the computer projector (if appropriate). Ask the Technician if you need instruction. You should also know how to summon assistance urgently if something breaks down during the Session. The Conference Organizers should tell you this in advance. They should give you signs to indicate when a speaker has three minutes remaining and when time is up. They should also give you details of any last-minute announcements that need to be made. Be pro-active, and ask for this information. (You have only one Session to worry about; they have many.)

If you chair a session for an Invited Speaker, it is appropriate to give a short (30 seconds, say) description of the person's accomplishments. It is wise to contact the speaker well in advance of the talk, to seek some introductory material. These descriptions are not given for speakers at Contributed Sessions, as there is too little time available.

During the Session: Arrive at the Lecture Theatre at least 10 minutes before the Session is scheduled to begin, to check that all equipment is working and to reassure nervous speakers. Remind the speakers of how much time they have available to talk and for questions, and tell them how you will give them warnings of when three minutes remains and when their time is up.

Start half a minute early. (Why should the first speaker lose time because you're making the introduction?) You should rely on your own watch, not a clock in the Lecture Theatre. (If the clock is seriously wrong, tell the audience at once and the Technician at the end of the Session.) Say your name and affiliation, and the name of the Session (so that someone who is in the wrong Session can leave before the talks begin). Make any last-minute announcements from the Conference Organizers. Say how long each talk will last (actual talk, plus questions), and remind the audience that there is a five-minute break between talks so that they can move between Theatres if necessary. Then introduce the first speaker; e.g. 'The first speaker is Jo Bloggs, from the University of Bullamakanka, who will speak on "Five easy ways to calculate a sum of squares".'

During each talk, you should be continually alert for anything that will assist the speaker or the audience. For example, if a wobbling OHP is distracting the speaker, perhaps you can make a wedge of paper to level the surface. If the speaker is standing in the light from the OHP, ask him/her to move to one side. Unless the speaker is comfortably audible (not "you can just hear him if you have really good hearing and you're in the front half of the room"), make him/her speak up and adjust the position of the microphone. In particular, don't let speakers say that they don't like microphones and don't want to use them; the microphones are to help the audience, not the speaker. If there are problems from external sound or light, try to overcome them; it may be better to ask the speaker to stop for 30 seconds if you can't do this without badly distracting him/her.

When it is time to warn the speaker that three minutes remains, do so clearly. If the speaker does not look at the sign you are holding up, tapping a glass with a pencil is a useful way to attract their attention. At your discretion, let the speaker continue into question time if it is evident that s/he has almost finished. Do NOT let the speaker go beyond the scheduled ending time. This may require you to stand up and interrupt him/her in mid-speech; no-one likes doing this, but your job is to keep the Conference on schedule. The five minutes between talks is to allow people to move around - it is not to provide the luxury of extra time for people who have not prepared properly.

If there is time for questions, invite them from the audience. There should be "roving microphones" in each Theatre. Ask questioners to wait until the microphone is available, and to give their name and affiliation. If a question takes more than 30 seconds, ask the person to come to the point. An alternative view should not be permitted to go for more than one minute. If a question, or answer, becomes involved, suggest that it be discussed after the Session. It is advisable for the Chair to have a simple question prepared in case no-one else asks a question.

At the end of the speaker's allotted 20 or 45 minutes, ask the audience to thank the speaker, and then (if appropriate) remind them that the next talk will be in five minutes.
If a speaker is not present, tell the audience that there will be a break of xx minutes. Do NOT accede to any requests to move the remaining talks forward. Some of the delegates who are interested in those talks may not be in the audience at present; you are preserving the schedule to protect their interests.

At the end of the Session, ask the audience to thank all the speakers.

After the Session: Return any equipment to the Conference Organizers unless it is to remain in the Lecture Theatre. Advise the Technician and/or Organizers of any equipment failures or other problems so that they can take remedial action.

[Ken Russell, 2002]

Last reviewed: 30 March, 2007