Transcript howtomakePresentaion

How to Give Talks
Will G. Hopkins
Physiology and Physical Education
University of Otago
Dunedin, New Zealand
[email protected]
© 1996 W.G. Hopkins. Copying is permitted for individual
nonprofit educational use only.
Overview
Giving a good talk is an essential skill
for researchers and instructors.
 You want feedback on your data or
ideas, so put them across well.
 Conferences are fun - if you give your
talk well.
 It’s all a game. Learn the rules and
you’ll enjoy it more.

Topics in This Presentation
The Talk Itself
 The Discussion
 The Slides
 For the Audience
 For the Chairperson

The Talk Itself - General
Paint a big picture first, then zoom in on
your little pixel.
 Impress by informing, not performing.
 You know more about the topic than most
of the audience. Get down to their level.
 Avoid jargon, be colloquial, but be precise.
 A short relevant joke is great. Anything
else is tedious.
 Never apologize.

[Down Under joke]
The Talk Itself - Preparation
Rehearse!
 Check that your slides are in the right
order and orientation.
 Check out the controls for the lights and
projector.
 Tap the microphone.
 Check the pointer.

The Talk Itself - Delivery (1)
Relax… Who will care in 100 years time?
 Don’t read out the title if the chair has.
 Avoid trivial opening remarks.
Get on with it.
 Don’t read the talk verbatim!
Ad lib it from notes of the main points.

The Talk Itself - Delivery (2)
Speak slowly, loudly, clearly.
 Keep your mouth near the microphone.
 Keep facing the audience.
 Make eye contact with as many people as
possible.
 Avoid verbal or postural mannerisms that
distract or annoy.

The Talk Itself - Delivery (3)
Avoid long quotes on a slide, and don’t
read them out verbatim.
 Point to detail on a slide as you explain it.
 Explain the axes of a graph.
 Don’t go over time.
 Don’t finish with “any questions?”
 Finish with “thank you.” Then flick up a
black slide, especially with PowerPoint.

The Talk Itself Using Hardware (1)
Control the light pointer. Use both
hands to limit shaking.
 Don’t use the blackboard or whiteboard
during the talk.
 For long intervals between slides, put
the lights on, and turn off the projector
or have a black slide.

The Talk Itself Using Hardware (2)
Two projectors are for experts.
 Run different media in series, not in
parallel.
 Make sure a video is ready to go with
the touch of ONE button.

Question Time
Make the most of it - you usually get
helpful suggestions.
 Prepare answers for some questions.
Use a stooge to ask them.
 Have extra slides ready.
 Be thankful and polite - employers and
reviewers may be in the audience.

The Slides - General
Use 35 mm or PowerPoint at conferences.
 Take a backup copy of PowerPoint slides.
 Use OHP transparencies only for local
seminars and last-minute ideas or data.
 Think simple.
 Use BIG standard fonts.
 Run a spelling check.
 Avoid irrelevant slides of athletes.

[Sport vs science joke]
The Slides - Content
Title: include collaborators and funders.
 Next slides: e.g. background, research
question, methods, results, summary.
 Don’t waste a slide on the above list.
 A relevant joke slide is OK.
 How many slides? Count on about
1-2 minutes per slide.
 Use duplicate slides rather than back
track to a previous slide.

The Slides - Tables and Figures
Never copy them 1:1 from a paper.
Enlarge or redraw.
 Include a title.
 Use a bare minimum of digits.
 Include SDs, not SEMs.
 Use * and * * rather than P values.
 Avoid test statistics (t, F, c2).

Characteristics of athletes in sprint and
endurance sports
sprint
endurance
22 ± 4
172 ± 8
66 ± 7
26 ± 5*
171 ± 8
63 ± 6*
19 ± 4
180 ± 9
73 ± 8
25 ± 4*
177 ± 9
67 ± 8*
females
age (y)
height (cm)
weight (kg)
males
age (y)
height (cm)
weight (kg)
N = 96-231. Data are mean ± SD.
Protocol for study of cognitive function
in orienteers
SS
S
P
B
0
M
S
P
O
10
20
M
S
P
O
exercise
30
40
time (min)
M - map reading test
P - Peripheral vision test
S - Stroop color-word test
B - blood lactate assay
O - oxygen uptake assay
M MM M M
S S
S
P P
P
OB
B
50
60
70
The Slides - Graphs
Use graphs in preference to tables.
 Use the right kind of graph for the data.
 Label individual lines or bars rather
than use a key.
 Use a bare minimum of ticks and
numbers on axes.
 Use LARGE symbols on plotted points.
Vary symbol shape for the colorblind.
This:
Not this:

Effect of drug or placebo on maximum
oxygen uptake during 16 weeks of training
70
baseline
drug or placebo
drug
maximum
oxygen
60
uptake
(ml.min-1.kg-1)
*
*
placebo
50
0
Data are means and SDs.
4
8
12
time (weeks)
16
Reaction time of novice and elite athletes in
three phases of training
novice
pre-season
build-up
taper
elite
†
pre-season
build-up
taper
80
Data are means and SDs.
*
100 120 140 160
reaction time (ms)
For the Audience
Get there on time.
 Don’t snigger at foolish speakers.
 Don’t annoy your neighbour.
 Make your questions pithy, and don’t
show off TOO much.
 Ask a simple question: the answer will
help other people understand.

For the Chairperson At the Start
Check out the hardware beforehand.
 Meet the speakers and arrange a signal
to let them know when time is up.
 Introduce yourself and the session.
 Name the speaker and read the title.
 Eulogize the big shots.
 Say when questions can be asked.
 Fix any problems during the talk.

For the Chairperson At the End
Warn speakers when time is nearly up.
 Lead the applause.
 Invite questions if time permits, or ask
people to meet the speaker afterwards.
 Have a question ready in case no-one
asks any.
 Finish the session with thanks to the
speakers and lead more applause.

In Conclusion...
Be obsessional! Give it your best shot.
 Be creative - break the rules sometimes.
 Will it help get the message across?

•Yes: Do it.
•No: Drop it.