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Creating a 10-15 Minute Scientific Presentation

In the course of your career as a scientist, you will be asked to give brief presentations -- to colleagues, lab groups, and in other venues. We have put together a series of short videos to help you organize and deliver a crisp 10-15 minute scientific presentation.

First is a two part set of videos that walks you through organizing a presentation.

Part 1 - Creating an Introduction for a 10-15 Minute Scientfic Presentation

Part 2 - Creating the Body of a 10-15 Minute Presentation: Design/Methods; Data Results, Conclusions

Two additional videos should prove useful:

Designing PowerPoint Slides for a Scientific Presentation walks you through the key principles in designing powerful, easy to read slides.

Delivering a Presentation provides tips and approaches to help you put your best foot forward when you stand up in front of a group.

Other resources include:

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How to give a good scientific presentation [with tips]

How to give a good scientific presentation

What is a scientific presentation?

What is the objective of a scientific presentation, why is giving scientific presentations necessary, how to give a scientific presentation, tips for the days before your scientific presentation, tips for dealing with presentation nerves, tips for giving your presentation, tips for being adaptable during your presentation, tips for the end of your scientific presentation, concluding thoughts, other sources to help you give a good scientific presentation, frequently asked questions about giving scientific presentations, related articles.

You have made the slides for your scientific presentation. Now, you need to prepare to deliver your talk. But, giving an oral scientific presentation can be nerve-wracking. How do you ensure that you deliver your talk well, and leave a good impression on the audience?

Mastering the skill of giving a good scientific presentation will stand you in good stead for the rest of your career, as it may lead to new collaborations or even new employment opportunities.

In this guide, you’ll find everything you need to know to give a good oral scientific presentation, including

  • Why giving scientific presentations is important for your career;
  • How to prepare before giving a scientific presentation;
  • How to keep the audience engaged and deliver your talk with confidence.

The following tips are a product of our research into the literature on giving scientific presentations as well as our own experiences as scientists in giving and attending talks. We advise on how to make a scientific presentation in another post.

A scientific presentation is a talk or poster where you describe the findings of your research to others. An oral presentation usually involves presenting slides to an audience. You may give an oral scientific presentation at a conference, give an invited seminar at another institution, or give a talk as part of an interview. A PhD thesis defense is one type of scientific presentation.

➡️ Read about how to prepare an excellent thesis defense

The objective of a scientific presentation is to communicate the science such that the audience:

  • Learns something new;
  • Leaves with a clear understanding of the key message of your research;
  • Has confidence in you and your work;
  • Remembers you afterward for the right reasons.

3 benefits of giving scientific presentations.

As a scientist, one of your responsibilities is disseminating your scientific knowledge by giving presentations. Communicating your research to others is an altruistic act, as it is an opportunity to teach others about your research findings, and the knowledge you have gained while researching your topic.

Giving scientific presentations confers many career benefits , such as:

  • Having the opportunity to share your ideas and to have insightful conversations with other scientists. For example, a thoughtful question may create a new direction for your research.
  • Gaining recognition for your work and generating excitement for your research program can help you to forge new collaborations and to obtain more citations of your papers.
  • Improving your future employment prospects by having presentations listed on your academic CV.

➡️ Learn how to write an academic CV

Giving your talk with confidence is crucial for your credibility as a scientist. In his YouTube talk on rethinking scientific presentations , Penn State professor Michael Alley suggests that confident delivery of your talk is essential for you and the content of your talk to be remembered and believed.

Our tips for delivering your talk are organized as follows:

  • Rehearse your talk multiple times to ensure that it flows smoothly. Memorize the order of your slides, and be aware of key transitions. It's not necessary to memorize every word of your presentation. Practice your speech as though you are discussing with attentive listeners.
  • Giving a talk is a performance. Preparing yourself physically and mentally is more important than you think. Get a good night’s sleep, be hydrated and eat nourishing food before the talk that won’t give you low blood sugar, or unsettle your stomach. Plan what you will wear. Choose professional clothes that you will feel comfortable in.
  • Be prepared. Know the time and location of your talk. Go to the room if possible and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. Introduce yourself to the moderator.
  • Have your talk backed up in cloud storage and on a USB key. Bring a laptop if necessary.
  • Fight off impostor syndrome with affirmations and breathing exercises. You’ve got this! Remember that you know more about your research than anyone else in the room and are giving your talk to teach others about it.
  • Project confidence outwardly, even if you feel nervous. Stand up tall, and make eye contact with individuals in the audience. For the audience to feel as though you are speaking to everyone, move your focus around the room.
  • Memorize a simple opening. After the moderator introduces you, pause and take a breath. Welcome the audience, thank them for coming, and introduce yourself. You don’t need to read the title of your talk. But briefly, say something like, “today I’m going to talk to you about why [topic] is important and [what I hope you will learn from this talk]” in one or two sentences. Preparing your opening will settle your nerves and prevent you from starting your talk on a tangential topic, ensuring you stay on time.
  • Keep your use of a laser pointer to a minimum. Use it only if you have to emphasize information on the slide, and if doing so helps your explanation. Using a laser pointer can be off-putting for the audience if you are very nervous (if you are prone to having a shaky hand!) Careful design of your slides can often mean that using a laser pointer is not necessary.
  • Project your voice as much as you can so that people at the back of the room can hear you. Enunciate your words. Don’t mumble or trail off awkwardly.
  • Varying your vocal delivery and intonation will make your talk more interesting and help the audience pay attention, particularly when you want to emphasize key points or transitions. Ensure to take pauses at crucial moments.
  • Face the audience as much as possible, not your slides. Have open body language.
  • Disruptions to talks can occur. If you make a mistake, or a technical issue occurs during your talk, don’t apologize. It’s okay to skip something and move on.
  • If you forget an item that the audience hasn’t noticed, don’t point it out! They don’t need to know.
  • As you give your talk, be aware of the time remaining, and watch the moderator for signals that the time is about to expire. If you realize you won’t have time to discuss all your slides, skip the less important ones. And if you run out of time completely, just stop. You are not obligated to give a conclusion, but you are obligated to stop on time! Practicing your talk should prevent this situation.
  • Conclude your talk with a memorized closing statement that summarizes the key take-home message of your research. After making your closing statement, end your talk with a simple “Thank you”. Then pause and wait for the applause. You don’t need to ask if the audience has questions because the moderator will call for questions on your behalf.
  • When you receive a question, pause, then repeat the question. This gives you more time to compose yourself and consider the answer you will give. In his YouTube talk on attaining confidence in your scientific presentations, Michael Alley suggests that if you don’t know the answer to the question, then emphasize what you do know. Say something like, “Although I cannot fully answer your question, I can say [this about the topic].” Try to anticipate questions in advance, and practice your answers. Approaching the Q&A session with curiosity, rather than fear, is a great way to reframe what is the most stressful part of the presentation for many!

Communicating your research effectively is a key skill for early career scientists to learn. This guide has shown you how to give a successful scientific presentation that the audience will understand and remember. Taking the time to prepare and practice your presentation is an investment in your scientific and professional development.

Giving compelling scientific presentations will raise your professional profile as a scientist, leading to more citations of your work, and may even help you obtain a future academic job. But most importantly of all, giving talks contributes to science, and sharing your knowledge is an act of generosity to the scientific community.

➡️ Questions to ask yourself before you make your talk

➡️ How to give a great scientific talk

1) Have a positive mindset. To help with nerves, breathe deeply and keep in mind that you are an authority on your topic. 2) Be prepared. Have a short list of points for each slide and know the key transition points of your talk. Practice your talk to ensure it flows smoothly. 3) Be well-rested before your talk and eat a light meal on the day of your presentation. A talk is a performance. 4) Project your voice and vary your vocal intonation and pitch to retain the interest of the audience. Take pauses at key moments, for emphasis. 5) Anticipate questions that audience members could ask, and prepare answers for them.

The goal of a scientific presentation is that the audience remembers the key outcomes of your research and that they leave with a good impression of you and your science.

Take a moment to exhale deeply and collect your thoughts after the moderator has introduced you. Don’t read your talk's title. Instead, introduce yourself, thank the audience for attending, and provide a warm welcome. Then say something along the lines of, "Today I'm going to talk to you about why [topic] is important and [what I hope you will learn from this presentation].” A rehearsed opening will ensure that you start your talk on a confident note.

Prepare a memorable closing statement that emphasizes the key message of your talk. Then end with a simple “Thank you”.

Preparation is key. Practice many times to familiarize yourself with the content of your presentation. Before giving your talk, breathe slowly and deeply, and remind yourself that you are the expert on your topic. When giving your talk, stand up tall and use open body language. Remember to project your voice, and make eye contact with members of the audience.

how to give a good scientific presentation

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How to prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation

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  • Peer review
  • Lucia Hartigan , registrar 1 ,
  • Fionnuala Mone , fellow in maternal fetal medicine 1 ,
  • Mary Higgins , consultant obstetrician 2
  • 1 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
  • 2 National Maternity Hospital, Dublin; Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medicine and Medical Sciences, University College Dublin
  • luciahartigan{at}hotmail.com

The success of an oral presentation lies in the speaker’s ability to transmit information to the audience. Lucia Hartigan and colleagues describe what they have learnt about delivering an effective scientific oral presentation from their own experiences, and their mistakes

The objective of an oral presentation is to portray large amounts of often complex information in a clear, bite sized fashion. Although some of the success lies in the content, the rest lies in the speaker’s skills in transmitting the information to the audience. 1

Preparation

It is important to be as well prepared as possible. Look at the venue in person, and find out the time allowed for your presentation and for questions, and the size of the audience and their backgrounds, which will allow the presentation to be pitched at the appropriate level.

See what the ambience and temperature are like and check that the format of your presentation is compatible with the available computer. This is particularly important when embedding videos. Before you begin, look at the video on stand-by and make sure the lights are dimmed and the speakers are functioning.

For visual aids, Microsoft PowerPoint or Apple Mac Keynote programmes are usual, although Prezi is increasing in popularity. Save the presentation on a USB stick, with email or cloud storage backup to avoid last minute disasters.

When preparing the presentation, start with an opening slide containing the title of the study, your name, and the date. Begin by addressing and thanking the audience and the organisation that has invited you to speak. Typically, the format includes background, study aims, methodology, results, strengths and weaknesses of the study, and conclusions.

If the study takes a lecturing format, consider including “any questions?” on a slide before you conclude, which will allow the audience to remember the take home messages. Ideally, the audience should remember three of the main points from the presentation. 2

Have a maximum of four short points per slide. If you can display something as a diagram, video, or a graph, use this instead of text and talk around it.

Animation is available in both Microsoft PowerPoint and the Apple Mac Keynote programme, and its use in presentations has been demonstrated to assist in the retention and recall of facts. 3 Do not overuse it, though, as it could make you appear unprofessional. If you show a video or diagram don’t just sit back—use a laser pointer to explain what is happening.

Rehearse your presentation in front of at least one person. Request feedback and amend accordingly. If possible, practise in the venue itself so things will not be unfamiliar on the day. If you appear comfortable, the audience will feel comfortable. Ask colleagues and seniors what questions they would ask and prepare responses to these questions.

It is important to dress appropriately, stand up straight, and project your voice towards the back of the room. Practise using a microphone, or any other presentation aids, in advance. If you don’t have your own presenting style, think of the style of inspirational scientific speakers you have seen and imitate it.

Try to present slides at the rate of around one slide a minute. If you talk too much, you will lose your audience’s attention. The slides or videos should be an adjunct to your presentation, so do not hide behind them, and be proud of the work you are presenting. You should avoid reading the wording on the slides, but instead talk around the content on them.

Maintain eye contact with the audience and remember to smile and pause after each comment, giving your nerves time to settle. Speak slowly and concisely, highlighting key points.

Do not assume that the audience is completely familiar with the topic you are passionate about, but don’t patronise them either. Use every presentation as an opportunity to teach, even your seniors. The information you are presenting may be new to them, but it is always important to know your audience’s background. You can then ensure you do not patronise world experts.

To maintain the audience’s attention, vary the tone and inflection of your voice. If appropriate, use humour, though you should run any comments or jokes past others beforehand and make sure they are culturally appropriate. Check every now and again that the audience is following and offer them the opportunity to ask questions.

Finishing up is the most important part, as this is when you send your take home message with the audience. Slow down, even though time is important at this stage. Conclude with the three key points from the study and leave the slide up for a further few seconds. Do not ramble on. Give the audience a chance to digest the presentation. Conclude by acknowledging those who assisted you in the study, and thank the audience and organisation. If you are presenting in North America, it is usual practice to conclude with an image of the team. If you wish to show references, insert a text box on the appropriate slide with the primary author, year, and paper, although this is not always required.

Answering questions can often feel like the most daunting part, but don’t look upon this as negative. Assume that the audience has listened and is interested in your research. Listen carefully, and if you are unsure about what someone is saying, ask for the question to be rephrased. Thank the audience member for asking the question and keep responses brief and concise. If you are unsure of the answer you can say that the questioner has raised an interesting point that you will have to investigate further. Have someone in the audience who will write down the questions for you, and remember that this is effectively free peer review.

Be proud of your achievements and try to do justice to the work that you and the rest of your group have done. You deserve to be up on that stage, so show off what you have achieved.

Competing interests: We have read and understood the BMJ Group policy on declaration of interests and declare the following interests: None.

  • ↵ Rovira A, Auger C, Naidich TP. How to prepare an oral presentation and a conference. Radiologica 2013 ; 55 (suppl 1): 2 -7S. OpenUrl
  • ↵ Bourne PE. Ten simple rules for making good oral presentations. PLos Comput Biol 2007 ; 3 : e77 . OpenUrl PubMed
  • ↵ Naqvi SH, Mobasher F, Afzal MA, Umair M, Kohli AN, Bukhari MH. Effectiveness of teaching methods in a medical institute: perceptions of medical students to teaching aids. J Pak Med Assoc 2013 ; 63 : 859 -64. OpenUrl

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Scientific Presentation Guide: How to Create an Engaging Research Talk

Creating an effective scientific presentation requires developing clear talking points and slide designs that highlight your most important research results..

Scientific presentations are detailed talks that showcase a research project or analysis results. This comprehensive guide reviews everything you need to know to give an engaging presentation for scientific conferences, lab meetings, and PhD thesis talks. From creating your presentation outline to designing effective slides, the tips in this article will give you the tools you need to impress your scientific peers and superiors.

Free online course software examples

Step 1. Create a Presentation Outline

The first step to giving a good scientific talk is to create a presentation outline that engages the audience at the start of the talk, highlights only 3-5 main points of your research, and then ends with a clear take-home message. Creating an outline ensures that the overall talk storyline is clear and will save you time when you start to design your slides.

Engage Your Audience

The first part of your presentation outline should contain slide ideas that will gain your audience's attention. Below are a few recommendations for slides that engage your audience at the start of the talk:

  • Create a slide that makes connects your data or presentation information to a shared purpose, such as relevance to solving a medical problem or fundamental question in your field of research
  • Create slides that ask and invite questions
  • Use humor or entertainment

Summary of scientific presentation outline tips

Identify Clear Main Points

After writing down your engagement ideas, the next step is to list the main points that will become the outline slide for your presentation. A great way to accomplish this is to set a timer for five minutes and write down all of the main points and results or your research that you want to discuss in the talk. When the time is up, review the points and select no more than three to five main points that create your talk outline. Limiting the amount of information you share goes a long way in maintaining audience engagement and understanding. 

Main point outline slide example for PhD thesis

Create a Take-Home Message

And finally, you should brainstorm a single take-home message that makes the most important main point stand out. This is the one idea that you want people to remember or to take action on after your talk. This can be your core research discovery or the next steps that will move the project forward.

Step 2. Choose a Professional Slide Theme

After you have a good presentation outline, the next step is to choose your slide colors and create a theme. Good slide themes use between two to four main colors that are accessible to people with color vision deficiencies. Read this article to learn more about choosing the best scientific color palettes .

You can also choose templates that already have an accessible color scheme. However, be aware that many PowerPoint templates that are available online are too cheesy for a scientific audience. Below options to download professional scientific slide templates that are designed specifically for academic conferences, research talks, and graduate thesis defenses.

Free Scientific Presentation Templates for Download

Step 3. Design Your Slides

Designing good slides is essential to maintaining audience interest during your scientific talk. Follow these four best practices for designing your slides:

  • Keep it simple: limit the amount of information you show on each slide
  • Use images and illustrations that clearly show the main points with very little text. 
  • Read this article to see research slide example designs for inspiration
  • When you are using text, try to reduce the scientific jargon that is unnecessary. Text on research talk slides needs to be much more simple than the text used in scientific publications (see example below).
  • Use appear/disappear animations to break up the details into smaller digestible bites
  • Sign up for the free presentation design course to learn PowerPoint animation tricks

Scientific presentation text design tips

Scientific Presentation Design Summary

All of the examples and tips described in this article will help you create impressive scientific presentations. Below is the summary of how to give an engaging talk that will earn respect from your scientific community. 

Step 1. Draft Presentation Outline. Create a presentation outline that clearly highlights the main point of your research. Make sure to start your talk outline with ideas to engage your audience and end your talk with a clear take-home message.

Step 2. Choose Slide Theme. Use a slide template or theme that looks professional, best represents your data, and matches your audience's expectations. Do not use slides that are too plain or too cheesy.

Step 3. Design Engaging Slides. Effective presentation slide designs use clear data visualizations and limits the amount of information that is added to each slide. 

And a final tip is to practice your presentation so that you can refine your talking points. This way you will also know how long it will take you to cover the most essential information on your slides. Thank you for choosing Simplified Science Publishing as your science communication resource and good luck with your presentations!

Interested in free design templates and training?

Explore scientific illustration templates and courses by creating a Simplified Science Publishing Log In. Whether you are new to data visualization design or have some experience, these resources will improve your ability to use both basic and advanced design tools.

Interested in reading more articles on scientific design? Learn more below:

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Data Storytelling Techniques: How to Tell a Great Data Story in 4 Steps

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Best Science PowerPoint Templates and Slide Design Examples

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Free Research Poster Templates and Tutorials

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Ten Secrets to Giving a Good Scientific Talk

More people will probably listen to your scientific talk than will read the paper you may write. Thus the scientific talk has become one of the most important communication forums for the scientific community. As proof, we need only look at the rising attendance at and the proliferation of meetings. In many ways your research reputation will be enhanced (or diminished) by your scientific talk. The scientific talk, like the scientific paper, is part of the scientific communication process. The modern scientist must be able to deliver a well organized, well delivered scientific talk

I have compiled this personal list of "Secrets" from listening to effective and ineffective speakers. I don't pretend that this list is comprehensive - I am sure there are things I have left out. But, my list probably covers about 90% of what you need to know and do.

Most scientific presentations use visual aids - and almost all scientific presentations are casual and extemporaneous 1 . This "scientific style" places some additional burdens on the speaker because the speaker must both manipulate visual media, project the aura of being at ease with the material, and still have the presence to answer unanticipated questions. No one would argue with the fact that an unprepared, sloppy talk is a waste of both the speaker's and audience's time. I would go further. A poorly prepared talk makes a statement that the speaker does not care about the audience and perhaps does not care much about his subject.

So what are the secrets of a good talk? Here is my list of do's and don'ts.

The Introduction should not just be a statement of the problem - but it should indicate your motivation to solve the problem, and you must also motivate the audience to be interested in your problem. In other words, the speaker must try and convince the audience that the problem is important to them as well as the speaker.

The Method includes your approach and the caveats. To me , the Method becomes more interesting to the listener if this section is "story like" rather than "text book like". In other words "I did this and then I did that, but that didn't work so I did something else." This Rather than, "The final result was obtained using this approach." This adds the human element to your research which is always interesting.

The Results section is a brief summary of your main results. Try and be as clear as possible in explaining your results - include only the most salient details. Less salient details will emerge as people ask questions.

The Conclusion/Summary section should condense your results and implications. This should be brief - a bullet or outline form is especially helpful. Be sure to connect your results with the overview statements in the Introduction . Don't have too many points - three or four is usually the maximum.

These four items are the core of a good talk. Good speakers often broaden the Introduction to set the problem within a very wide context. Good speakers may also add fifth item: Future Research .

  • Practice your talk . There is no excuse for this lack of preparation. The best way to familiarize yourself with the material and get the talk's timing right is to practice your talk. Many scientists believe that they are such good speakers, or so super-intelligent that practice is beneath them. This is an arrogant attitude. Practice never hurts and even a quick run through will produce a better talk. Even better, practice in front of a small audience.
  • Don't put in too much material . Good speakers will have one or two central points and stick to that material. How many talks have you heard where the speaker squanders their time on unessential details and then runs out of time at the end? The point of a talk is to communicate scientific results, not to show people how smart you are (in case they can't figure it out for themselves). Less is better for a talk . Here is a good rule of thumb - each viewgraph takes about 1.5-2 minutes to show. Thus a 12-minute AGU talk should only have 6-8 viewgraphs. How many "viewgraph movies" have you seen at the AGU? How effective were those presentations? Furthermore, no one has ever complained if a talk finishes early. Finally, assume most of the audience will know very little about the subject, and will need a clear explanation of what you are doing not just details.
  • Avoid equations . Show only very simple equations if you show any at all. Ask yourself - is showing the equation important? Is it central to my talk? The problem is that equations are a dense mathematical notation indicating quantitative relationships. People are used to studying equations, not seeing them flashed on the screen for 2 minutes. I have seen talks where giant equations are put up - and for no other purpose than to convince the audience that the speaker must be really smart. The fact is, equations are distracting. People stop listening and start studying the equation. If you have to show an equation - simplify it and talk to it very briefly.
  • Have only a few conclusion points . People can't remember more than a couple things from a talk especially if they are hearing many talks at large meetings. If a colleague asks you about someone's talk you heard, how do you typically describe it? You say something like "So and so looked at such and such and they found out this and that." You don't say, "I remember all 6 conclusions points." The fact is, people will only remember one or two things from your talk - you might as well tell them what to remember rather than let them figure it out for themselves.
  • Talk to the audience not to the screen . One of the most common problems I see is that the speaker will speak to the viewgraph screen. It is hard to hear the speaker in this case and without eye contact the audience loses interest. Frankly, this is difficult to avoid, but the speaker needs to consciously look at the object on the screen, point to it, and then turn back to the audience to discuss the feature. Here is another suggestion, don't start talking right away when you put up a viewgraph. Let people look at the viewgraph for a few moments - they usually can't concentrate on the material and listen to you at the same time. Speak loudly and slowly. . I like to pick out a few people in the audience and pointedly talk to them as though I were explaining something to them.
  • Avoid making distracting sounds . Everyone gets nervous speaking in public. But sometimes the nervousness often comes out as annoying sounds or habits that can be really distracting. Try to avoid "Ummm" or "Ahhh" between sentences. If you put your hands in your pockets, take the keys and change out so you won't jingle them during your talk.
  • Use large letters (no fonts smaller than 16 pts!!) To see how your graphics will appear to the audience, place the viewgraph on the floor - can you read it standing up? Special sore points with me are figure axis and captions - usually unreadable.
  • Keep the graphic simple . Don't show graphs you won't need. If there are four graphs on the viewgraph and you only talk to one - cut the others out. Don't crowd the viewgraph, don't use different fonts or type styles - it makes your slide look like a ransom note. Make sure the graph is simple and clear. A little professional effort on graphics can really make a talk impressive. If someone in your group has some artistic talent (and you don't) ask for help or opinions.
  • Use color . Color makes the graphic stand out, and it is not that expensive anymore. However avoid red in the text - red is difficult to see from a distance. Also, check your color viewgraph using the projector. Some color schemes look fine on paper, but project poorly.
  • Use cartoons . I think some of the best talks use little cartoons which explain the science. It is much easier for someone to follow logic if they can see a little diagram of the procedure or thought process that is being described. A Rube-Goldberg sort of cartoon is great for explaining complex ideas.
  • Use humor if possible . A joke or two in your presentation spices things up and relaxes the audience. It emphasizes the casual nature of the talk. I am always amazed how even a really lame joke will get a good laugh in a science talk.
  • First, repeat the question. This gives you time to think, and the rest of the audience may not have heard the question. Also if you heard the question incorrectly, it presents an opportunity for clarification.
  • If you don't know the answer then say "I don't know, I will have to look into that. " Don't try to invent an answer on the fly. Be honest and humble. You are only human and you can't have thought of everything.
  • If the questioner disagrees with you and it looks like there will be an argument then defuse the situation. A good moderator will usually intervene for you, but if not then you will have to handle this yourself. e.g. "We clearly don't agree on this point, let's go on to other questions and you and I can talk about this later."
  • Never insult the questioner. He/she may have friends, and you never need more enemies.

Miscellaneous Points

Thank you - It is always a good idea to acknowledge people who helped you, and thank the people who invited you to give a talk.

Dress up - People are there to hear your material, but when you dress up you send the message that you care enough about the audience to look nice for them.

Check your viewgraphs before you give the talk . Are they all there? Are they in order? This is especially important with slides. Try to bring them to the meeting in a tray, or at least check them to be sure they are not upside down or backwards when the projectionist gets them. It is especially annoying to watch people fumble to get a viewgraph right side up. Don't do this by looking at the screen. Just look at the viewgraph directly. If it is right side up to you, then it will project correctly on the screen assuming that you are facing the audience. Go over the slides or viewgraphs quickly before the talk. Some people attach little post-it notes to viewgraphs to remind them of points to make. This seems like a good idea to me. However, It is very annoying to watch people peel their viewgraphs from sheets of paper. It suggests that they have never looked at them before. It is faster, more permanent, and you are less likely to have a mixed up shuffle, if you put them into viewgraph holders which clip in to a three ring binder.

If you have an electronic presentation - check out the system well before the talk.

Mark Schoeberl and Brian Toon

1 Amazingly, in the field of literature or history the talks are not given extemporaneously but read from written text. Sometimes this is also done in science talks and it can be an interesting and different experience.

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How to Give a Fantastic Scientific Talk: 8 Presentation Tips

Scientific talks are a great way to popularize your research but many researchers struggle with this. Are you customizing your talk for your audience? Are your slides clear? Have you practiced before? We offer 8 such great tips to ensure your scientific talk communicates your key message.

How to Give a Fantastic Scientific Talk: 8 Presentation Tips

Presenting your work through a scientific talk is arguably one of the most effective ways to leverage your research and progress your career, but very few scientists have mastered the art of communicating their research. As a result, you have likely seen one too many bad talks.

As scientists, we generate ideas and provide experimental backing for those ideas with our results—this is what we publish, what we get funding based on, and what our career ultimately depends on. Yet most scientists shy away from honing their ability to communicate their research. Would the iPhone have been as successful if Steve Jobs was not a fantastic communicator? He understood the power of leveraging a speaking platform and how to capture an audience. Forbes Magazine summed up why they consider Jobs an “Ultimate Communicator” as:

“Jobs had an amazing ability to speak with passion and make his ideas understandable and memorable through telling stories and demonstrations.”

So, how can you do the same with your research? Read on to find out.

8 Tips For an Effective Scientific Presentation

In our previous post, we offered tips on making an effective scientific poster . In this blog post, we discuss 8 steps to help you hone your scientific talks such that you captivate your audience and clearly communicate your message in the limited allotted time.

Step 1: Understand the Goal of Your Talk

how to give a good scientific presentation

Many speakers assume that giving a seminar is about simply presenting your data to an audience. It’s not! Your job is to give the audience information and make sure that they understand your message. This is not the same as just standing up and talking. If the person giving the talk doesn’t realize their own purpose and therefore cannot be effective at it, they run into the risk of boring the attendees.

Scientific talks have additional layers of complexity, in that our subject matter is very sophisticated and we can get lost in the details. Asking the question “Why am I giving this talk?” will help you communicate your research in a way that your audience hears and understands it. What information do you want to transfer to your audience? How do you ensure that it actually sticks? What “action” do you want them to walk away with? Are you giving a job talk and want an offer letter? Or are you showcasing some fantastic new research that you want to elevate to impress the scientific community with? Why are you giving your talk? If you can’t answer this - your audience can’t possibly respond the way you want them to.

Step 2: Know Your Audience

how to give a good scientific presentation

Stating that science is complicated is an understatement, as scientists are literally trying to discover things no one knew before. One of the biggest challenges a scientist faces when giving a talk is communicating their problem without confusing or losing the audience. To be able to even start this process, you need to know your audience.

This may seem simple—they are going to be other scientists, so just speak to them like scientists, right? The answer may not be as straightforward. Even if the room is full of experts in your area at a highly specialized conference, everyone is working on something different. At non-specialized conferences, your audience may be a mixture of scientists from different disciplines who may know very little about your specific research area.

Given that you are the expert in your own research and the majority of your audience will not be, you need to lead them through your content. Ensure that when you give your talk, someone new to the field could understand it. Try to reduce jargon and use your presenting material to walk your audience through your message (more on this later). If you do nothing else from this list—understanding your audience and realizing you need to adjust your message accordingly will help tremendously.

Do not speak at your audience. Speak to your audience.

If you read one new book around this topic, I recommend it be this one: Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.

Step 3: Explain the “Why”?

how to give a good scientific presentation

Even with the most engaged audience, the digital world of distractions that we live in will mean that there will always be a Facebook thread, a cat video, or a news story itching to distract your audience away from you. Remember, your audience is there voluntarily. They are giving their time to listen to you. Even if you know their level of expertise and speak to that level, if you don’t capture your audience, you will lose them.

So how do you keep a room full of people engaged? Tell them your “why” . Why are you spending years of your life on this work? What excites you about it? What problem are you trying to solve? Go beyond the generic “We are trying to cure cancer” and dive into details. Elaborate on why have other attempts failed, speak to how your approach is different, and explain why you think it will work.

Your audience is the most important person in the room; think about what would get the average audience member excited. Your goal is to get the room full of people (whether it’s 5 or 5,000) to buy into why what you are doing matters, why they should care and why your research is important. Linking your why to your audience succinctly will make them much more invested in your talk and more likely to keep their attention, even when you start to dig into the technical details.

If you are looking for further resources, Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action book by Simon Sinek and this Ted Talk would be a great start. 

Step 4: Keep in Control With Simple Slides

how to give a good scientific presentation

As scientists, we are notorious for getting excited and data-vomiting at our audience. This means we are not speaking to them. We need to keep it simple!

Think about how your slide looks to the viewers. Are you putting up a complicated graph without warning people? Do you quickly show them a piece of data and not explain it? Have you glossed over your main point, thereby confusing and alienating your audience?

If your audience is lost, they cannot begin to understand your work. Your slides are your tool—treat them like your vessel to guide your audience through the treacherous sea of your research. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind:

  • Ensure your slides are not cluttered, and that they have a simple message.
  • If you must have a lot of different panels, ensure they all make the same point!
  • Also, consider animation to introduce your panels one at a time so that the audience can process the information easily.

Step 5: Tell a Story

how to give a good scientific presentation

Our short attention span is not a new development. Smartphones and the internet did not create our boredom and need for instant gratification (although they certainly didn’t help). We have had this problem since the beginning of human civilization. It’s the reason we know about Zeus, mermaids, and why a Trojan horse is not something you should invite into your backyard. Humans tell stories to capture attention, to solidify our memory, and to keep the idea alive.

How can you turn your research into a story? Treat it like a movie. Introduce your characters, set the background, and make the audience relate to them. Then something horrible befalls them! (here is your hypothesis), how will they get out of it? (your experiment and result), oh no, something else happened (another hypothesis), and finally some resolution (results). It doesn’t have to be quite so dramatic, but the important thing is to think about how you are linking your results. That is what makes the story memorable and effective.

For additional resources, Randy Olsen’s TED talk on And But Therefore, how to tell a scientific story in one minute, refers to elevator pitches but can be used in longer talks as well.

Step 6: Slow Down AND Take a Break

The vast majority of people don’t like speaking in front of large groups of people where they are the focus of attention. It is tempting to rush through talks to get them over with. However, taking a few seconds between slide transitions will help your audience process what they have heard. Use clear indications that you have wrapped up a specific section and are going to talk about something related but distinct. This helps the audience digest what they are hearing.

For example, I frequently give seminars about how to do CRISPR experiments and I always pause when I get to a new section (i.e. Design, Transfection or Analysis) to ensure the audience is aware that was the end of that particular segment of information. This is another way we help our audience digest the information and ensure they don’t work too hard for it! If possible - stop and ask for questions! This can break up the monotony of a talk and help your audience catch up!

Rushing between slides is one aspect; talking fast on each slide is another. Nothing shuts down the audiences’ interest faster than someone talking a million miles a minute and being hard to understand. Remember, we are guiding our audience through our work. If you take a tour at 100 miles/hr, you would never see anything; same thing for your research. Try not to rush it. This is particularly true when presenting at international conferences where the audience is diverse and may have difficulty understanding your accent. Slowing down will help your audience wrap their heads around both your words and your science.

Tip: If you have nerves, some strategies include practicing giving talks (works amazingly well!) and memorizing the first few minutes of your content. But don’t memorize the whole talk! It will sound robotic and violate Step 8 of the rules.

Still nervous? Check out these tips from Science Magazine on how to present your science when anxiety hits.

Step 7: Practice Makes Perfect

how to give a good scientific presentation

Practicing your talk multiple times can work wonders with nerves so you don’t rush through your presentation. Most people practice their talks to themselves. That’s great, but they should also practice in front of an audience to refine it further. How do you know if your message is clear if you don’t get feedback on how you are delivering the message? If you can, try to match your review audience to your real audience. Don’t just ask your labmates who live and breathe similar science if that's not who you will also be presenting to. Try to find an audience that isn’t as familiar with your work so you can get real feedback on how they hear it— ultimately that is the most important thing. Bribing with food works wonders in trying to pull an audience together for you to practice in front of.

For some more anti -tips, check out this tongue-in-cheek article on How to Give a Bad Practice Talk .

Step 8: Show Your Emotion

how to give a good scientific presentation

It is estimated that over half of all human communication is non-verbal. What you say is important, but how you say it maybe even more so. You could have the most amazing, Nobel prize-worthy discovery, but it is unlikely to capture anyone’s attention if you don’t show that non-verbally. What does this mean? It means sounding interested in your own work, and being excited by the chance to walk your audience through it and share it with them. This is where your practice audience can also be helpful, if you ask them to specifically notice how you present. Are you very bubbly? Are you a more serious presenter? Do you need to infuse a little more professional behavior (i.e. remove fillers such as umm and ahh)? Everyone has a different style, but they need to be aware of it.

You don’t need to be a super energetic, extrovert to give a great talk but be aware that your energy transfers to the audience around you. Consider your posture, your stance and what you are wearing. If you need to wear comfortable clothes to give a great talk, do it. If you need to wear a suit or business casual, go for it. In my decades of listening to scientific talks from undergrads to Nobel laureates—yes, even Nobels can be boring—this has one of the biggest impacts on the talk. It could be a super complicated topic, but if navigated effectively and with energy, your audience will pay attention. This is why I can still remember a talk on the chemistry of bomb detection technologies from 10 years ago!

On this topic, check out Amy Cuddy’s TED talk on body language. Some of her work has been called into question, but you can’t deny that doing a power stance gives you a burst of confidence.

Investing in presenting well early in your career will pay dividends across your lifetime. Nothing is more important than how you present your ideas in an effective manner—whether it is to a room of colleagues, a grant committee, job interview, or to the head honchos of your company.

These 8 steps are the starting points on how to effectively communicate your research. Each can be improved on their own and styled to how you uniquely present.

So now that you are armed with this information, get started on your next fantastic scientific talk!

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Home Blog Education How to Prepare Your Scientific Presentation

How to Prepare Your Scientific Presentation

how to give a good scientific presentation

Since the dawn of time, humans were eager to find explanations for the world around them. At first, our scientific method was very simplistic and somewhat naive. We observed and reflected. But with the progressive evolution of research methods and thinking paradigms, we arrived into the modern era of enlightenment and science. So what represents the modern scientific method and how can you accurately share and present your research findings to others? These are the two fundamental questions we attempt to answer in this post. 

What is the Scientific Method?

To better understand the concept, let’s start with this scientific method definition from the International Encyclopedia of Human Geography :

The scientific method is a way of conducting research, based on theory construction, the generation of testable hypotheses, their empirical testing, and the revision of theory if the hypothesis is rejected. 

Essentially, a scientific method is a cumulative term, used to describe the process any scientist uses to objectively interpret the world (and specific phenomenon) around them. 

The scientific method is the opposite of beliefs and cognitive biases — mostly irrational, often unconscious, interpretations of different occurrences that we lean on as a mental shortcut. 

The scientific method in research, on the contrary, forces the thinker to holistically assess and test our approaches to interpreting data. So that they could gain consistent and non-arbitrary results. 

steps to a scientific presentation

The common scientific method examples are:

  • Systematic observation 
  • Experimentation
  • Inductive and deductive reasoning
  • Formation and testing of hypotheses and theories

All of the above are used by both scientists and businesses to make better sense of the data and/or phenomenon at hand. 

The Evolution of the Scientific Method 

According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy , ancient thinkers such as Plato and Aristotle are believed to be the forefathers of the scientific method. They were among the first to try to justify and refine their thought process using the scientific method experiments and deductive reasoning. 

Both developed specific systems for knowledge acquisition and processing. For example, the Platonic way of knowledge emphasized reasoning as the main method for learning but downplayed the importance of observation. The Aristotelian corpus of knowledge, on the contrary, said that we must carefully observe the natural world to discover its fundamental principles. 

In medieval times, thinkers such as Thomas Aquinas, Roger Bacon, and Andreas Vesalius among many others worked on further clarifying how we can obtain proven knowledge through observation and induction. 

The 16th–18th centuries are believed to have given the greatest advances in terms of scientific method application. We, humans, learned to better interpret the world around us from mechanical, biological, economic, political, and medical perspectives. Thinkers such as Galileo Galilei, Francis Bacon, and their followers also increasingly switched to a tradition of explaining everything through mathematics, geometry, and numbers. 

Up till today, mathematical and mechanical explanations remain the core parts of the scientific method. 

Why is the Scientific Method Important Today? 

Because our ancestors didn’t have as much data as we do. We now live in the era of paramount data accessibility and connectivity, where over 2.5 quintillions of data are produced each day. This has tremendously accelerated knowledge creation.

But, at the same time, such overwhelming exposure to data made us more prone to external influences, biases, and false beliefs. These can jeopardize the objectivity of any research you are conducting. 

Scientific findings need to remain objective, verifiable, accurate, and consistent. Diligent usage of scientific methods in modern business and science helps ensure proper data interpretation, results replication, and undisputable validity. 

6 Steps of the Scientific Method

Over the course of history, the scientific method underwent many interactions. Yet, it still carries some of the integral steps our ancestors used to analyze the world such as observation and inductive reasoning. However, the modern scientific method steps differ a bit. 

6 steps of the scientific method presentation

1. Make an Observation 

An observation serves as a baseline for your research. There are two important characteristics for a good research observation:

  • It must be objective, not subjective. 
  • It must be verifiable, meaning others can say it’s true or false with this. 

For example, This apple is red (objective/verifiable observation). This apple is delicious (subjective, harder-to-verify observation).

2. Develop a Hypothesis

Observations tell us about the present or past. But the goal of science is to glean in the future. A scientific hypothesis is based on prior knowledge and produced through reasoning as an attempt to descriptive a future event.

Here are characteristics of a good scientific hypothesis: 

  • General and tentative idea
  • Agrees with all available observations
  • Testable and potentially falsifiable

Remember: If we state our hypothesis to indicate there is no effect, our hypothesis is a cause-and-effect relationship . A hypothesis, which asserts no effect, is called a null hypothesis. 

3. Make a Prediction 

A hypothesis is a mental “launchpad” for predicting the existence of other phenomena or quantitative results of new observations.

Going back to an earlier example here’s how to turn it into a hypothesis and a potential prediction for proving it. For example: If this apple is red, other apples of this type should be red too. 

Your goal is then to decide which variables can help you prove or disprove your hypothesis and prepare to test these. 

4. Perform an Experiment 

Collect all the information around variables that will help you prove or disprove your prediction. According to the scientific method, a hypothesis has to be discarded or modified if its predictions are clearly and repeatedly incompatible with experimental results.

lab worker performing an experiment

Yes, you may come up with an elegant theory. However, if your hypothetical predictions cannot be backed by experimental results, you cannot use them as a valid explanation of the phenomenon. 

5. Analyze the Results of the Experiment

To come up with proof for your hypothesis, use different statistical analysis methods to interpret the meaning behind your data.

Remember to stay objective and emotionally unattached to your results. If 95 apples turned red, but 5 were yellow, does it disprove your hypothesis? Not entirely. It may mean that you didn’t account for all variables and must adapt the parameters of your experiment. 

Here are some common data analysis techniques, used as a part of a scientific method: 

  • Statistical analysis
  • Cause and effect analysis (see cause and effect analysis slides )
  • Regression analysis
  • Factor analysis
  • Cluster analysis
  • Time series analysis
  • Diagnostic analysis
  • Root cause analysis (see root cause analysis slides )

6. Draw a Conclusion 

Every experiment has two possible outcomes:

  • The results correspond to the prediction
  • The results disprove the prediction 

If that’s the latter, as a scientist you must discard the prediction then and most likely also rework the hypothesis based on it. 

How to Give a Scientific Presentation to Showcase Your Methods

Whether you are doing a poster session, conference talk, or follow-up presentation on a recently published journal article, most of your peers need to know how you’ve arrived at the presented conclusions.

In other words, they will probe your scientific method for gaps to ensure that your results are fair and possible to replicate. So that they could incorporate your theories in their research too. Thus your scientific presentation must be sharp, on-point, and focus clearly on your research approaches. 

Below we propose a quick framework for creating a compelling scientific presentation in PowerPoint (+ some helpful templates!). 

1. Open with a Research Question 

Here’s how to start a scientific presentation with ease: share your research question. On the first slide, briefly recap how your thought process went. Briefly state what was the underlying aim of your research: Share your main hypothesis, mention if you could prove or disprove them. 

It might be tempting to pack a lot of ideas into your first slide but don’t. Keep the opening of your presentation short to pique the audience’s initial interest and set the stage for the follow-up narrative.

scientific presentation opening slide example

2. Disclose Your Methods

Whether you are doing a science poster presentation or conference talk, many audience members would be curious to understand how you arrived at your results. Deliver this information at the beginning of your presentation to avoid any ambiguities. 

Here’s how to organize your science methods on a presentation: 

  • Do not use bullet points or full sentences. Use diagrams and structured images to list the methods
  • Use visuals and iconography to use metaphors where possible.
  • Organize your methods by groups e.g. quantifiable and non-quantifiable

Finally, when you work on visuals for your presentation — charts, graphs, illustrations, etc. — think from the perspective of a subject novice. Does the image really convey the key information around the subject? Does it help break down complex ideas?

slide describing a summary of scientific methods

3. Spotlight the Results 

Obviously, the research results will be your biggest bragging right. However, don’t over-pack your presentation with a long-winded discussion of your findings and how revolutionary these may be for the community. 

Rather than writing a wall of text, do this instead:

  • Use graphs with large axis values/numbers to showcase the findings in great detail
  • Prioritize formats that are known to everybody (e.g. odds ratios, Kaplan Meier curves, etc.)
  • Do not include more than 5 lines of plain text per slide 

Overall, when you feel that the results slide gets too cramped, it’s best to move the data to a new one. 

Also, as you work on organizing data on your scientific presentation PowerPoint template , think if there are obvious limitations and gaps. If yes, make sure you acknowledge them during your speech.

4. Mention Study Limitations 

The scientific method mandates objectivity. That’s why every researcher must clearly state what was excluded from their study. Remember: no piece of scientific research is truly universal and has certain boundaries. However, when you fail to personally state those, others might struggle to draw the line themselves and replicate your results. Then, if they fail to do so, they’d question the viability of your research.

5. Conclude with a Memorable Takeaway Message 

Every experienced speaker will tell you that the audience best retains the information they hear first and last. Most people will attend more than one scientific presentation during the day. 

So if you want the audience to better remember your talk, brainstorm a take-home message for the last slide of your presentation. Think of your last slide texts as an elevator pitch — a short, concluding message, summarizing your research.

To Conclude

Today we have no shortage of research and scientific methods for testing and proving our hypothesis. However, unlike our ancestors, most scientists experience deeper scrutiny when it comes to presenting and explaining their findings to others. That’s why it’s important to ensure that your scientific presentation clearly relays the aim, vector, and thought process behind your research.

how to give a good scientific presentation

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how to give a good scientific presentation

how to give a good scientific presentation

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Tips for giving a successful scientific presentation

how to give a good scientific presentation

The scientific community has a problem.

No, I'm not talking about funding, policies, political climates, reproducibility, or peer review . Those are all problems that we recognize and are working to address. The problem I'm talking about is the dreaded slide deck—the PowerPoint presentation.

It's a problem we like to joke about a lot, especially after witnessing a particularly horrible example. Yet, we seem not to be doing much to bridge the chasm between how really awesome modern science is and how our scientists talk about it. Things have gotten so bad that even Retraction Watch , the blog that tracks retractions in scientific literature, has recently had to cover the topic .

Research talks are incredibly important. They're given to audiences eager to learn and be taken out of their intellectual comfort zones, inspired, and intrigued as well as audiences who may not agree with you. Regardless of where I'm coming from, as a member of your audience, my eyes are on you, the speaker, and I'm looking to walk away from your talk with at least one new thought.

One thing that I don't want to do when I'm in your talk is spend time reading your slides. I'm also not in the mood for a literature review, and I don't want to know everything you've ever done or tried to do. You have me for anywhere between 15 and 60 minutes, right there in front of you, curious and waiting to hear — not read — what you have to say. You probably have only about two minutes to get me to pay careful attention to your every word, so proceed with caution and remember that, with the advent the of WiFi and smart phones, there are millions of other things competing for my attention while I'm there sitting in your audience.

Now that you know what I don't want to do, here is what I would like you to do for me. The type of scientific talk that I want to hear from you is a talk that takes me by the hand and gently leads me through a single, yet interesting, idea. You shouldn't assume that I find your idea to be interesting, so help me appreciate the wonder that motivated you to go after that one idea, and let me feel the delight that you must have felt when you made your discovery. I also want to see the genuine pleasure that you feel being in front of me and having this opportunity to guide me through your work. 

You may be thinking that all this is a bit bogus and irrelevant, especially if you've been giving talks for some time and have published a good number of papers. But I suspect that, deep down, if we're honest with ourselves, one of the reasons why we say that the best time at a scientific conference is at the bar is because the scientific talks that we sat through all day long were not that great.

Most scientists, despite being pretty awesome and awe-inspiring, are not good speakers, nor presentation makers. But that is not an excuse.

Poor presentation skills can be fixed. It's not easy, and it does take time, but you owe it to yourself, your trainees, your colleagues, your audiences, your funders, and your science. A starting point in your process of stepping away from the PowerPoint precipice I can recommend is some cool advice from David J.P. Phillips . In his entertaining and informative TEDx Talk,  David shares five design principles that will cognitively and psychologically optimize your PowerPoint slides. These design principles are:

  • One message per slide
  • Use slides as props for you to deliver your message, not the other way round
  • The most important part of your slide should be the biggest
  • Use contrast to focus the viewer's attention and a black slide background
  • No more than six objects per slide

Try these principles, and I bet you'll see an improvement in your slides. But slides are only one component of your talk. Two bigger and more important factors in all this are you and your audience. To tackle the challenge of giving a great scientific talk in front of the others, I can offer some pieces of advice I've collected over the years that have helped me improve the way I give talks.

1. Put your audience front and center

Put yourself in your audience's shoes. Who are they? What are their interests? Are they likely to have heard you talk on this topic before? You need to understand what they want from you in order to be able to deliver it to them. They want to get something out of it. The thing about an audience is that you are there for them, and not the other way around.

2. Practice, practice, practice

To make your ideas stand out and stick, you do need to practice and experiment with both the content of your presentation and your delivery. The stickiest messages are apparent, supported by well-composed slides, and delivered with clarity. This does not just happen, and you can't just wing it. The less prepared and practiced you are, the more likely you are to run into things that will annoy your audience like reading off the slides, fidgeting with equipment, and, worst of all, running over time.

3. Show your passion

Being able to engage with the audience on a personal level is the most difficult thing to do. For people who dwell in the world of cold, hard facts, personal engagement is a big obstacle. But passion is infectious. If you're able to speak with the same drive and desire that motivated your work, you'll appeal to your audience in a way that'll help your message stay with them.

There are many places to get inspiration, suggestions, and hands-on tips on how to avoid being used as an example of a good scientific idea sunk by the PowerPoint. David's TEDx Talk is just one useful resource that will hopefully get you going. But if spending 20 minutes on a video is too much commitment for you, then you can start by paying closer attention to talks you go to and making a mental note of what works and what doesn't.

Don't go it alone, visit Cell Mentor

Posted by Milka Kostic Milka is the Program Director of Chemical Biology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is a passionate advocate for chemical biology and its transformative ability to accelerate basic and translational discoveries on the chemistry-biology-medicine continuum. Milka is committed to promoting gender equality, as well as well-being of early career researchers.

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Giving a presentation

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How to give a scientific presentation

By Manisha Lalloo 2017-09-20T13:27:00+01:00

Five tips to keep an audience engaged without using cat pictures

Whether lecturing, presenting results at a conference or applying for a research proposal, giving presentations are a way of life for any chemist. But what are the best ways to get your point across while keeping your audience interested?

Giving a presentation

Think about your audience and remember that they want you to succeed

Jacquie Robson, is an associate professor of teaching at Durham University, UK, while Paul Bader is creative director at Screenhouse, an organisation which regularly trains scientists on how to develop better presentation skills. Here are their top tips.

Think about your audience

Whether presenting to colleagues or the general public, remember not everyone in your audience will be specialists. A common mistake scientists make is to assume others know as much as them when – more often than not – they are the expert in the room.

Even if your audience is well versed in the topic – for example, if you are presenting to a funding committee – do not start off with complex details. ‘If one person on the panel is outside the field, then you’ve lost them at the beginning,’ says Bader. Remember to give the big picture: it’s a good way in and a great way to make an impact.

Tell a story

‘Stories are easy to listen to and easy to tell,’ says Bader, who believes one of the most common mistakes is to cram too much information into just one talk. Structuring your talk in this way will help you to be selective.

Robson and Bader advise against learning a script by rote or reading a sheet of prose aloud. Written text is often more formal than convoluted than speech and sounds unnatural. Instead, have a set of key points on cue cards or use your slides as aide-mémoires. With a strong narrative, one point will lead to the next, making your talk more logical to follow and simpler to remember.

Robson also suggests telling your audience what you are going to speak about at the beginning of your talk and finishing off with a summary. That way your audience hears your main points three times – at the beginning, middle and end.

Visual aids are key

While PowerPoint is almost a given in today’s scientific presentations, try not to rely on it too much. ‘Slides should be clear, uncluttered and readable,’ says Robson. ‘Use diagrams rather than text.’

Slides should be used to highlight key points, not replicate your talk in written form. And remember never to turn your back on the audience – otherwise will be giving your presentation to the screen instead.

Don’t forget body language

‘Think about how you present yourself,’ says Robson. Have an open stance, smile, maintain eye contact, speak to the back of the room and at a good volume. ‘If you act confidently, they won’t know you’re feeling nervous.’

One of Robson’s pet peeves is a speaker who distracts the audience, for example by chewing gum or overusing laser pointers. Try to identify any habits you have while speaking that might take your audience’s attention away from your talk.

If you are feeling anxious, Robson advises against holding pieces of paper, which might shake in your hands. Bader suggests taking a moment to breathe. And both say the best technique is to ignore your nerves. The audience doesn’t want you to fail, and often won’t notice slip-ups. If you do make a big mistake, just correct yourself and carry on.

Practice, practice, practice

Perhaps the most important tip is to go through your presentation out loud before delivering it on the day.

‘People spend a lot of time writing their presentation or working on their slides but often the first time in public is the first time [they] do it,’ says Bader. By practising in advance and timing your run-throughs, you can discover if your talk is too long or too complicated.

There are many ways to practice, and it’s important to find the technique that works for you: you could video yourself on a phone and play it back, speak to yourself in front of a mirror or get somebody to listen to a rehearsal. According to Bader, the best way is to deliver your talk to a colleague or friend as you can see which parts they are engaged with (or not). ‘[But] any of the above is better than doing nothing,’ he adds.

And what about the dreaded questions at the end? ‘You can’t prepare for questions, so don’t fret,’ says Robson. ‘It’s not a spot exam, it’s a discussion. Make it into a conversation and don’t be afraid of saying “I don’t know the answer”.’

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How to deliver an oral presentation

Georgina wellstead.

a Lister Hospital, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust

Katharine Whitehurst

b Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital

Buket Gundogan

c University College London

d Guy's St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Delivering an oral presentation in conferences and meetings can seem daunting. However, if delivered effectively, it can be an invaluable opportunity to showcase your work in front of peers as well as receive feedback on your project. In this “How to” article, we demonstrate how one can plan and successfully deliver an engaging oral presentation.

Giving an oral presentation at a scientific conference is an almost inevitable task at some point during your medical career. The prospect of presenting your original work to colleagues and peers, however, may be intimidating, and it can be difficult to know how to approach it. Nonetheless, it is important to remember that although daunting, an oral presentation is one of the best ways to get your work out there, and so should be looked upon as an exciting and invaluable opportunity.

Slide content

Although things may vary slightly depending on the type of research you are presenting, the typical structure is as follows:

  • Opening slide (title of study, authors, institutions, and date)
  • Methodology
  • Discussion (including strengths and weaknesses of the study)

Conclusions

Picking out only the most important findings to include in your presentation is key and will keep it concise and easy to follow. This in turn will keep your viewers engaged, and more likely to understand and remember your presentation.

Psychological analysis of PowerPoint presentations, finds that 8 psychological principles are often violated 1 . One of these was the limited capacity of working memory, which can hold 4 units of information at any 1 time in most circumstances. Hence, too many points or concepts on a slide could be detrimental to the presenter’s desire to give information.

You can also help keep your audience engaged with images, which you can talk around, rather than lots of text. Video can also be useful, for example, a surgical procedure. However, be warned that IT can let you down when you need it most and you need to have a backup plan if the video fails. It’s worth coming to the venue early and testing it and resolving issues beforehand with the AV support staff if speaking at a conference.

Slide design and layout

It is important not to clutter your slides with too much text or too many pictures. An easy way to do this is by using the 5×5 rule. This means using no more than 5 bullet points per slide, with no more than 5 words per bullet point. It is also good to break up the text-heavy slides with ones including diagrams or graphs. This can also help to convey your results in a more visual and easy-to-understand way.

It is best to keep the slide design simple, as busy backgrounds and loud color schemes are distracting. Ensure that you use a uniform font and stick to the same color scheme throughout. As a general rule, a light-colored background with dark-colored text is easier to read than light-colored text on a dark-colored background. If you can use an image instead of text, this is even better.

A systematic review study of expert opinion papers demonstrates several key recommendations on how to effectively deliver medical research presentations 2 . These include:

  • Keeping your slides simple
  • Knowing your audience (pitching to the right level)
  • Making eye contact
  • Rehearsing the presentation
  • Do not read from the slides
  • Limiting the number of lines per slide
  • Sticking to the allotted time

You should practice your presentation before the conference, making sure that you stick to the allocated time given to you. Oral presentations are usually short (around 8–10 min maximum), and it is, therefore, easy to go under or over time if you have not rehearsed. Aiming to spend around 1 minute per slide is usually a good guide. It is useful to present to your colleagues and seniors, allowing them to ask you questions afterwards so that you can be prepared for the sort of questions you may get asked at the conference. Knowing your research inside out and reading around the subject is advisable, as there may be experts watching you at the conference with more challenging questions! Make sure you re-read your paper the day before, or on the day of the conference to refresh your memory.

It is useful to bring along handouts of your presentation for those who may be interested. Rather than printing out miniature versions of your power point slides, it is better to condense your findings into a brief word document. Not only will this be easier to read, but you will also save a lot of paper by doing this!

Delivering the presentation

Having rehearsed your presentation beforehand, the most important thing to do when you get to the conference is to keep calm and be confident. Remember that you know your own research better than anyone else in the room! Be sure to take some deep breaths and speak at an appropriate pace and volume, making good eye contact with your viewers. If there is a microphone, don’t keep turning away from it as the audience will get frustrated if your voice keeps cutting in and out. Gesturing and using pointers when appropriate can be a really useful tool, and will enable you to emphasize your important findings.

Presenting tips

  • Do not hide behind the computer. Come out to the center or side and present there.
  • Maintain eye contact with the audience, especially the judges.
  • Remember to pause every so often.
  • Don’t clutter your presentation with verbal noise such as “umm,” “like,” or “so.” You will look more slick if you avoid this.
  • Rhetorical questions once in a while can be useful in maintaining the audience’s attention.

When reaching the end of your presentation, you should slow down in order to clearly convey your key points. Using phases such as “in summary” and “to conclude” often prompts those who have drifted off slightly during your presentation start paying attention again, so it is a critical time to make sure that your work is understood and remembered. Leaving up your conclusions/summary slide for a short while after stopping speaking will give the audience time to digest the information. Conclude by acknowledging any fellow authors or assistants before thanking the audience for their attention and inviting any questions (as long as you have left sufficient time).

If asked a question, firstly thank the audience member, then repeat what they have asked to the rest of the listeners in case they didn’t hear the first time. Keep your answers short and succinct, and if unsure say that the questioner has raised a good point and that you will have to look into it further. Having someone else in the audience write down the question is useful for this.

The key points to remember when preparing for an oral presentation are:

  • Keep your slides simple and concise using the 5×5 rule and images.
  • When appropriate; rehearse timings; prepare answers to questions; speak slowly and use gestures/ pointers where appropriate; make eye contact with the audience; emphasize your key points at the end; make acknowledgments and thank the audience; invite questions and be confident but not arrogant.

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no financial conflict of interest with regard to the content of this report.

Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article.

Published online 8 June 2017

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  • CAREER COLUMN
  • 15 May 2019

Ways to give an effective seminar about your research project

  • Ananya Sen 0

Ananya Sen is a PhD student in microbiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

In my first year of graduate school, I was terrified of giving presentations. I would put too much information on my slides, talk too fast and constantly forget or trip over certain words. Unsuprisingly, the reception was lukewarm at best.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-01574-z

This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

  • Carmine Gallo

how to give a good scientific presentation

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

how to give a good scientific presentation

  • Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

Partner Center

Don't start your work presentations by simply saying 'hello.' Here's how to be more engaging in the conference room.

  • I'm a public-speaking expert, and I've trained many executives and senior teams.
  • I tell all of them to stop starting work presentations with a salutation or a "hello."
  • Instead, you should engage your audience by telling a story or asking a question.

Insider Today

I'm sure you've sat through plenty of presentations where the presenter starts with a polite salutation like, "Hello, thank you for having me here today," or, "I am so glad to be here" — often followed by their name and professional résumé . Sometimes, if it's an internal meeting, you get the same salutations followed by an agenda slide with bullet points and the presenter narrating it.

As a public-speaking coach who has worked with many executives and senior teams, I know how to make work presentations more engaging. Here's how you should change your approach.

If you stick to your old ways, you aren't leaving a memorable first impression

Your audience is thinking three things when you walk into that conference room or onto that stage: Who is this person, why should I care, and how are they going to solve my problem?

Let's face it: Most people are more interested in how you will solve their problem than in you and your professional résumé. So let's flip the script a bit. Start with the solution to their problem, briefly talk about yourself for credibility, and then give them a reason to care.

Instead, try to capture their attention

Begin your presentation with a hook or a story — something that grabs their attention right from the start. For instance, your hook might be, "Did you know this?" or "What if that?" It could also be a short story that humanizes your services or products.

Most presentations are predictable; wouldn't it be better for both your time and your audience if you could introduce an element of surprise?

Some might feel it rude not to thank the organizer or greet the audience, so I suggest finding another place in your presentation for this. Here's a good structure:

Intro: "What if you could be a more confident and credible presenter? What if you could engage with your audience so they remember your products or services?"

Credibility: "My name is Meridith, and I've been coaching entrepreneurs and executives on how to speak with spark for over a decade, and I am really excited to be here. I want to thank [insert name] for inviting me to share the afternoon with you."

Solution: "Today, I will give you three ways to make your audience remember your products and services, helping you stand out in a competitive market. Let's get this party started!"

You could also try to form a personal connection

Often, presentations lack a personal touch. Try sharing a relevant personal anecdote or experience that relates to your topic. This not only makes your work presentation more relatable but also helps to establish a deeper connection with your audience.

For example, you could say: "When I was younger, I often hid in the back of the classroom, hoping the teacher wouldn't call on me because I didn't want to sound stupid or have the wrong answer. Later in life, I discovered acting and improv comedy . It was through the practice of these two art forms that I developed my confidence and learned how to engage more courageously with others. Today, I will give you solutions for how you can also better engage your audience with spark."

Try to encourage interaction

At the very least, you should try to engage your audience from the beginning — whether in person or on virtual calls. You can ask a thought-provoking question or propose a challenge that involves them directly. This approach shifts the dynamic to more interactive and engaging sessions.

If you implement any of these suggestions, you can make your presentation memorable and impactful immediately. And you'll most likely get a larger return on your investment of time and energy.

In today's fast-paced world, where attention spans are increasingly shorter than ever, it's crucial to grab and hold your audience's attention from the very beginning. By doing so, you set the stage for a more engaging and productive interaction. So challenge yourself to break free from presentation norms and embrace a style that resonates deeply with your audience and leaves a lasting impression.

how to give a good scientific presentation

Watch: A public speaking champion reveals 3 keys to nailing your business presentation

how to give a good scientific presentation

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