Based on and modified from the notes “How to give a presentation focused on an experiment”, by Jeff Elhai, 2012

Why present your proposal?

 1) Introduction  2) Method  3) Results  4) Synthesis and recap of question

 What question is the focus of your presentation? Why did you ask it?

 Start from general, work your way down to the specifics

 What question is the focus of your presentation? Why did you ask it?  Start from general, work your way down to the specifics  Don’t use “jargon”

 What question is the focus of your presentation? Why did you ask it?  Start from general, work your way down to the specifics  Don’t use “jargon”  Have a goal in mind: what information does your audience need to know to understand your question?

 What question is the focus of your presentation? Why did you ask it?  Start from general, work your way down to the specifics  Don’t use “jargon”  Have a goal in mind: what information does your audience need to know to understand your question?  MAKE YOUR CENTRAL QUESTION CLEAR

 How will your central question be addressed by the experiment?

 Present logic of experiment and underlying principles

 How will your central question be addressed by the experiment?  Present logic of experiment and underlying principles  Explain how what you’re doing relates to the question you’re asking

 How will your central question be addressed by the experiment?  Present logic of experiment and underlying principles  Explain how what you’re doing relates to the question you’re asking  Only enough detail for conceptual understanding ▪ Method descriptions do not need to be reproducible

 What observations do you expect (ALL possibilities)?

 Remind your audience of the central question

 What observations do you expect (ALL possibilities)?  Remind your audience of the central question  Set up the result so that the audience can engage, not just be told

 What observations do you expect (ALL possibilities)?  Remind your audience of the central question  Set up the result so that the audience can engage, not just be told  Provide actual data ▪ Modified from closely related results

 What observations do you expect (ALL possibilities)?  Remind your audience of the central question  Set up the result so that the audience can engage, not just be told  Provide actual data ▪ Modified from closely related results  Explain

 Be careful when describing how results relate to a hypothesis

 Experimental results = observations  show, indicate, suggest, demonstrate, or support hypothesis  Always true

 Be careful when describing how results relate to a hypothesis  Experimental results = observations  show, indicate, suggest, demonstrate, or support hypothesis  Always true  Hypotheses:  May be true

 What has been learned?

 Return focus back to central question

 What has been learned?  Return focus back to central question  Summarize how proposed strategy will lead to progress toward answer

 What has been learned?  Return focus back to central question  Summarize how proposed strategy will lead to progress toward answer  Potential problems/issues/alternative explanations

 What has been learned?  Return focus back to central question  Summarize how proposed strategy will lead to progress toward answer  Potential problems/issues/alternative explanations  Reconnect to central question

 What has been learned?  Return focus back to central question  Summarize how proposed strategy will lead to progress toward answer  Potential problems/issues/alternative explanations  Reconnect to central question  Finish strong

YOUR CENTRAL QUESTION SHOULD BE CENTRAL IN YOUR PRESENTATION

Some notes on Presentation Strategies

 Use them

 Steal useful images, adapt to make them relevant to your specific needs  Obviously: Cite all images used ▪ “Figure #A adapted from Bob, et al, 2009.”  If you use pre-existing images, almost always need to make them simpler.

 Use them  Steal useful images, adapt to make them relevant to your specific needs  Obviously: Cite all images used ▪ “Figure #A adapted from Bob, et al, 2009.”  If you use pre-existing images, almost always need to make them simpler.  Make your own

 Use as little as possible

 Present info as words or phrases  Avoid complete/complex sentences

 Use as little as possible  Present info as words or phrases  Avoid complete/complex sentences  Small chunks of info at a time

Which looks easier to understand?

It is important to make sure that every part of your presentation ties back in to the central question. This brings your audience back to the main focus of your presentation and helps remind them of why you are doing the experiment in the first place.

In the words of Thoreau: SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY!

 HOMEPAGE  TOPICS  RESEARCH PROPOSAL   “How to give a presentation” ▪ Example presentations  “How to prepare for a panel” ▪ “How to give a presentation focused on an experiment”  From Jeff’s  “Mock Panel Schedule”