15Designing Science Presentations. DOI: © Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.2013

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-385969-3.00002-7

Design Goals for Different Presentation Formats

The ways in which scientists share their work and ideas with others have changed dramatically over time, even in just the past 20 years. The ubiquity of fast, personal computers, in combination with easy-to-use software applications like Word, PowerPoint, Keynote, Photoshop, and Illustrator, have made any scientist capable of designing presentations in a variety of formats. In the modern scientific era, most scientists communicate via written presentations, oral presentations with slides, oral presentations without slides, and poster presentations. When we design a presentation, we must consider the specific goals, strengths, and limitations of the format we choose.

2

16

Designing Science Presentations

Defining the Goals of Presentation FormatsEvery science presentation shares the ultimate goal of communicating infor-mation to an audience. However, there are additional goals you can strive to achieve depending on your presentation format.

The Written PresentationThe goal of most written presentations is to perman- ently add detailed information or discussion to the scientific record. Other written presentations include grant and fellowship proposals, in which the goal is to justify funding, or class assignments, in which the goal is to practice writing research articles, review articles, and grant proposals. Although feedback is possible, written presenta-tions are usually a one-way flow of information from writer to reader.

Major subcategories of written presentations: primary research articles, review articles, grant/fellowship proposals.

The Slide PresentationThe goal of a slide presentation is to connect and communicate directly with your audience while using a powerful visual aid. Unlike other pres-entation formats, slides allow you to show anything you want, whenever you want. Depending on the format, two-way communication is often pos-sible during the presentation or immediately following your talk.

Major subcategories of slide presentations: research seminars, sympo-sium talks, data blitzes, course lectures, lab meetings, journal clubs

Designing Science Presentations

17

The Oral Presentation (Without Slides)An oral presentation is an opportunity to present information but without pre-pared visual aids. Usually the presenta-tion is for a smaller group, so you can adjust your presentation depending on the real-time questions and comments from the audience. The goal is to lead a conversation while demonstrating your mastery of the subject matter and your ability to think on your feet.

Major subcategories of oral presentations: chalk talks, round table pres-entations, elevator speeches, speaker introductions

The Poster PresentationA scientific poster is a large visual document with figures and text that you present at an allotted time and space at a poster session. The goal of a poster is to briefly (5–10 min) communicate a scien-tific story to an audience, and more importantly to foster discus-sion, solicit feedback, and network with other scientists.

Major subcategories of poster presentations: departmental/institutional poster sessions, scientific meeting poster sessions.

18

Designing Science Presentations

Advantages and Disadvantages of Presentation FormatsNo presentation format is perfect. Each has its own implicit benefits and draw-backs that affect your ability to communicate with an audience. Designing a good science presentation requires an appreciation of these advantages and disadvantages, playing to the strengths of each format while making up for its limitations.

Advantages Disadvantages

Written

•

• Considered a permanent entry into the

The only format that is truly “published”

scientific record

• Reaches a global audience

• Can present details of your methods and data

• Editorial and review process can make a submitted manuscript much stronger

•

• No direct or immediate feedback on your

You don’t get to meet and network with youraudience

work

• Journal guidelines can limit your freedom

• Difficult or impossible to convey emotion or enthusiasm

• Peer reviewers can insert content or design choices with which you disagree

Slide

• Allows for emotion, enthusiasm, personality

• More freedom to design with visual elements

• Can use movies, animations, visual effects to enhance the meaning of data

• Can interact with your audience and answer questions

• Not permanent or published

• Only viewed by those present

• Cannot go into detail about methods

• Can cause presentation anxiety

Oral(without

slides)

• Allows for emotion, enthusiasm, personality

• Can interact with your audience and answer questions

• Can adapt your presentation throughout depending on how your audience responds

• No preparation of professional visuals is necessary

• Not permanent or published

• Only viewed by those present

• Cannot go into detail about methods

• Cannot show photographs, animations, etc.

• Can cause presentation anxiety

Poster

• Quickly communicates information

• Conference/meeting attendees can provide immediate feedback

• Facilitates meeting and interacting with other scientists

• Not permanent or published (but can be referenced)

• Only viewed by conference/meeting attendees

• Cannot present a large volume of information

• Hard to show movies/sounds without accessory devices

Designing Science Presentations

19

Reasons for Success and FailureScience presentations can succeed or fail to communicate and resonate with audiences regardless of their scientific content. Although content certainly mat-ters, design and delivery of your presentation are what will ultimately make it a success.

Different categories of presentations succeed or fail for different reasons. When designing a presentation for a specific format, be mindful about the best ways to succeed in that format. At the same time, be cautious about common pitfalls that might cause a failure to communicate with your audience.

CommonReasons for Success

CommonReasons for Failure

Written

• The writing is clear and articulate

• Excellent transitions provide a steadynarrative and a natural flow of information tothe reader

• Detailed figures and tables stand on theirown but are well-integrated into the text

• Poor writing prevents the reader fromunderstanding the message

• Poor flow of information causes the paper toseem jumbled and without direction

• A lack of rationale or motivation makes thecontent seem trivial or unimportant

• Typos and grammatical errors causeannoying distractions and suggestincompetence

Slide

• Visual information complements oral deliveryso that the audience clearly understands themessage

• Visual information instantly conveys data, concepts, and emotion to the audience

• The audience perceives the enthusiasm andexcitement of the speaker

• The talk is easy to follow

• The subject matter comes across asimportant and interesting

• No sense of goal or purpose

• No sense of narrative or story

• Slides are poorly designed

• Slides distract from the main message

• Poor oral delivery

• Too many words or figures per slide

• No consideration for the needs of theaudience

• No enthusiasm in the speaker

Oral(without

slides)

• Presenter dynamically conveys informationand interest through verbal delivery and bodylanguage

• The personality of the speaker enhances themessage

• Audience perceives a clear message

• The presenter is unable to communicatewithout visual aids

• The presenter fails to engage the audience

Poster

• Visual information complements concise text

• Oral presentation to visitors is succinct andinformative

• The presenter fosters discussion and solicitsfeedback

• Too much text

• Too many figures that take too much time tocomprehend

• Awkward presentation of poster with visitors(or complete absence of the presenter)during poster session

• No solicitation of discussion or feedback

20

Designing Science Presentations

Design a Presentation with Your Format in MindAlthough your scientific content may remain consistent from one presentation to another, the design guidelines change depending on your presentation for-mat. This change is due to the inherent differences in the goals, advantages, and disadvantages of each.

All too often, many scientists focus on their content with no regard to the design considerations of their presentation medium. For example, they reuse figures from papers in slides with no consideration for the differences between the two formats. Likewise, many scientists copy paragraphs of text from papers to sections of a poster. In these cases and others, the presenters don’t design for their intended presentation format, ultimately weakening their message.

Avoid the lazy habit of presenting your content in the same way. An important aspect of designing a presentation is to determine the best ways to communicate within your specific format.

Summary: Don’ts and DosDon’t assume that the only goal of a science presentation is to communicate science.Do consider the additional goals of various presentation formats, such as meeting collaborators, inspiring discussion, soliciting feedback, motivating audiences, and networking.

Don’t ignore the specific advantages and disadvantages of each presentation format.Do design to the strengths of a specific format while doing your best to make up for the limitations.

Don’t assume your presentation will succeed because you have great content.Do consider the best ways of succeeding in your specific format while deliberately avoiding common pitfalls that afflict other presenters.

Don’t design a science presentation for one format as you would for another.Do be mindful of the design considerations of each.