Effective Presentations Sandra L. Cruz-Pol, Ph.D. Professor Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, PR

I give No Handouts …to help the environment. But you can download this ppt at

No matter how good is your work… It will not have an impact on the science community unless you present it well!

Effective Presentations 1. Talk Contents Contents Preparation Preparation Your Persona Your Persona Time Time 2. Slides 3. Power Point® Idea: do an outline.

Effective Presentations 1. Tallk Contents Contents Preparation Preparation Your Persona Your Persona Time Time 2. Slides 3. Power Point® Idea: do an outline.

Talk: Contents Should include only the most relevant info Should include only the most relevant info Practice & make sure you make it Practice & make sure you make it Relevant Relevant Attractive &Visibility Attractive &Visibility Quality Quality Great Finale Great Finale

Talk: Preparation Audience Type Audience Type Information Type Information Type Outline & Data Outline & Data ( Practice ! ) n ( Practice ! ) n

The Talk Be punctual Be punctual Handouts? ( 2-6 /page) Pure B/W Handouts? ( 2-6 /page) Pure B/W Nervous ?(focus on informing) Nervous ?(focus on informing) Consider using a non-laser pointer Consider using a non-laser pointer Enthusiasm Enthusiasm Great beginning & Happy ending Great beginning & Happy ending Two options: Two options: forward presentation forward presentation backward presentation backward presentation Graduate committee order

Your Persona Entertain: Entertain: Visual Contact Visual Contact Vary tone of voice Vary tone of voice Move Move DON’T Read DON’T Read Don’t speak in Singular. Don’t speak in Singular.

Your Persona (cont…) Dress appropriately Dress appropriately Relax, Relax, Be yourself Be yourself Focus on informing Focus on informing Jokes – Jokes – avoid unless your good at it. avoid unless your good at it. Involve the audience Involve the audience

Time Practice total time! Practice total time! Average: 1min/ slide Average: 1min/ slide Be ahead of time Be ahead of time Test equipment, distance, etc. Test equipment, distance, etc. Don’t say “ I’ll be brief ” ! Don’t say “ I’ll be brief ” !

Effective Presentations Talk Talk Slides Slides Power Point® Power Point® Go back to outline. Relate items

Slides Options: print* or PC Options: print* or PC Number them* Number them* Language Language Use Speller! (but not enough) Use Speller! (but not enough) Don’t overload -maximum 7 bullets Don’t overload -maximum 7 bullets

Slide Tables Program Codes Circuits Histograms Graphs Block Diagrams

Example 1

Example 1 … (much better)

Example 2 First the program reads the data First the program reads the data Then computes using the model Then computes using the model Compares with measured data modifying the model variables using MonteCarlo method Compares with measured data modifying the model variables using MonteCarlo method Keeps iterating until threshold is met Keeps iterating until threshold is met Estimates parameters x, z Estimates parameters x, z

Example 2 … (much better) Read Data Compute w/model Montecarlo error<0.1 x,z No Yes

Example: Size of graphics Hour [hr] Disdrometer-NCDC rain data comparison [SJ, Apr 05] Rain rate [mm/hr] Why waste all this space?

Format use Landscape Format! use Landscape Format! Background Color Background Color Light  slides Light  slides Dark  PC  Dark  PC  Font Color Font Color Avoid yellow, avoid Avoid yellow, avoid Font size ≥24– “seen on floor” Font size ≥24– “seen on floor” red green

Format (cont…) Avoid too many colors Avoid too many colors Avoid too many styles (fonts) Avoid too many styles (fonts) Avoid too many transitions Avoid too many transitions dizzy

Effectives Presentations Talk Talk Slides Slides Power Point® Power Point®

MS Power Point® Use AutoContent Wizard Use AutoContent Wizard (file>new) (file>new) Change all : Change all : View > Slide Master View > Slide Master Add Numbers: Add Numbers: View> Header and footer View> Header and footer

Figures Import figures from any application Import figures from any application (Copy/Paste) or (Copy/Paste) or “Print Screen”/Paste (copies to Clipboard) “Print Screen”/Paste (copies to Clipboard) Download logos Download logos (Right click on them, Save as) Figures will look darker on Show & Prints Figures will look darker on Show & Prints Right click figure> Format Picture> Right click figure> Format Picture> and increase Brightness to 60%. and increase Brightness to 60%. Give proper CREDIT!

Save Mbytes! This will ease sending by ! OR> Right-click on any figure, press Format Figure, Compress, All, or change with Paste Special to Jpeg or Gif Format. Save a lot of space on your USB memory sticks! Up to 20x!! How? Cut each Picture, then Paste Special in JPG or GIF Format.

Figures from clipboard Print Scrn key

Format Pictures 60% brightnessDefault 50% brightness -looks dark on screen

Figures Right one is set at 60% brightness -better. Give proper CREDIT: Both pictures are from NASA website

MS Power Point® Use Speller Use Speller But don’t trust it too much. But don’t trust it too much. Words like roll for role are not detected. Words like roll for role are not detected. Chronometer (Slide Show>Rehearse Timings) Chronometer (Slide Show>Rehearse Timings) Will tell you average time in each slide. Will tell you average time in each slide. If more than 2 mins., add more slides! If more than 2 mins., add more slides!

MS Power Point® Using fill to create 3D sphere Using fill to create 3D sphere Make circle Make circle Fill Effects>Two Tones > from center Fill Effects>Two Tones > from center No line color No line color

Video & Sound CD-Rom CD-Rom Internet Internet Music CD Music CD Make sure your video is in PC when giving the presentation, so the source file is found, or a copy of the file. Make sure your video is in PC when giving the presentation, so the source file is found, or a copy of the file. Use Package for CD option Save as Movie Use Package for CD option Save as Movie

Power Point® (Format >Background or > slide design (Format >Background or > slide design (Format >Colors and Lines) (Format >Colors and Lines) (Slide Show> S. transitions) (Slide Show> S. transitions) Handouts (use Pure B/W!!!) Handouts (use Pure B/W!!!) Example of contrast with Fill: Example of contrast with Fill: Avoid tedious equations, unless vital

SUMMARY Talk – Talk – Prepare, organize & practice n Prepare, organize & practice n Persona – Persona – Entertain, relax & professional Entertain, relax & professional Slides – Slides – Clear & attractive Clear & attractive Number ~ corresponding to minutes given. Number ~ corresponding to minutes given. Summarize main points

How important is your work? You can see how many people cite your work in services#benefits--discounts services#benefits--discounts services#benefits--discounts services#benefits--discounts /related/citationalerts/ /related/citationalerts/ /related/citationalerts/ /related/citationalerts/ &sid= &sid= &sid= &sid=

Funny Summarizing Video U2Ck (4 mins.) U2Ck (4 mins.) U2Ck U2Ck Or Or FYxx3o (9 mins) FYxx3o (9 mins) FYxx3o FYxx3o

Good Luck! Credits: Some pictures are from NASA, NOAA, and the Animation Factory See this presentation at