Scientific PresentationsPowerpoint Design

Jean-Luc LeBrunwww.scientific-writing.com

Prepare your 7 minute presentation prior the scientific presentation course. (Conference paper presentation – no review paper).Please follow the Assertion / Evidence slide format given here-after. Its benefits will be presented during the class.

Assertion - Evidence model

TitleTitle HookHook Take-AwayTake-AwayStoryStoryStoryStoryStoryStoryStoryStory

Title Slide•Your title

•Your name

•Your company name and logo

•Acknowledgments

•A visual if useful

Hook Slide

•Surprising result

•Problem, question

•Reason for research

What? How?

•Visually, little text

•Close to the title

Story Slide•Header is take-away, main conclusion

ASSERTION:full sentence

with conjugated verb

EVIDENCE: clear supportivevisual evidence

Separationbetween claimand evidence

•The main take-away messages (max 3)

•Miniature of supporting visual for each message

•Visuals hyperlinked to corresponding slide

Take-Away slide

In conclusion

Text designed to be readable•Use fonts without serif instead of serif fonts.

•Use font size 24 and above

•Use white background with black letters.

•Avoid fluorescent colours, use saturated colours

rSerif

Text Text Text Text

Images redrawn for readability

152*178 pixelsOne pixel line

Wavelength (nm)400 450 500 550

14nm14nm

285*384 pixels60% brightness62% contrast

OriginalStretched and

EnhancedRedrawn

and readable

Unreadable

11 key principles

1.Do not put on slide what you do not intend to present, to explain, or to be asked questions about.2.Never put new information on a take-away slide.

3.The presentation is a story that is progressive, and logical.

4.The point of each slide is made in the top sentence: not what you did, but the result of what you did.

5.Avoid using fluorescent or light colours for text and lines.

6.Increase contrast and colour saturation of images.

7.Use bold sans serif white letters on a dark background, and bold black sans serif letters on pale backgrounds.

8.Rehearse with someone not familiar with your material.

9.Gestures and movement are human, stillness is robotic.

10.Redo or simplify all tables, formulas, chemical reactions, & visuals from your paper to increase readability.

11.Less is more.

11 principles (for print)

• 1) Do not put on slide what you do not intend to present, to explain, or to be asked questions about.

• 2) Never put new information on a take-away slide.

• 3) The presentation is a story that is progressive, and logical.

• 4) The point of each slide is made in the top sentence: not what you did, but the result of what you did.

• 5) Avoid using fluorescent or light colours for text and lines;

• 6) Increase contrast and colour saturation of images.

• 7) Use bold sans serif white letters on a dark background, and bold black sans serif letters on a pale background.

• 8) Rehearse with someone not familiar with your material.

• 9) Gestures and movement are human, stillness is robotic.

• 10) Redo or simplify all tables, formulas, chemical reactions, and visuals from your slides to increase readability.

• 11) Less is more.

Presentation evaluation criteria•Time handling

•Questions

•Title slide

•Readability / audibility

•Hook

•Transitions

•Sync

•Graphics

•Presenter

•Science

Questions

Questions are rephrased (differently for each)

Questioner is not interrupted (except to clarify or cut short long comment)

Answer is short, clear, and to the point

Speaker gives visual/audio cues to indicate whose question will be taken next

Speaker deals appropriately with irrelevant questions and troublesome questioners

Title Slide

Speaker does not look at title slide at all.

Title is paraphrased in words anyone can understand

Speaker smiles, looks at everyone, and extends greetings

Speaker thanks Chairperson and does not repeat the Chair’s introductory words

Readability / Audibility

Anything on any slide is readable

Speaker is clearly heard (good handling of wireless mike)

Speaker speech is intelligible

Hook

Hook is close to the title

Hook is interesting

Hook is short ( 1.5 minute or less)

Expectations raised by hook are fulfilled by the time the take-away slide is shown

Transitions

Speaker introduces new slides before they appear

Audience is not surprised by the content of a new slide

Slide transitions (B-Key or others) are appropriately used

In Sync with audience

Speaker introduces content of next slide before it appears

Upcoming same slide information is hidden (layered) or veiled if necessary

Black slide or B-Key are used to resynchronize or avoid disconnect between what is heard and what is seen

Speed of speech, and pacing of information delivery is adequate for non-experts and non-native English speakers

Graphics

Axes (particularly vertical axis) and their units are presented.

Legends are close to curves/ lines (not in separate box)

Speaker explains everything on graphic – source of visual is clear

Graphic is self-contained and stand-alone (no memory recall is necessary)

Slide header sentence is claim, visual is proof

Take-Away slideImpact of research and meaning of results are clearly stated

Take-away messages are reconnected to hook

This last slide is not rushed

Nothing new is claimed

Speaker is positive and optimistic

Presenter qualities

Confident and pleasant

Good attire / look

Supportive gestures

Frequent individual eye contact

Clear interest in own presentation topic

Scientific qualities

Expectations raised by the title of the presentation and by the hook are met

Science was clear and sufficiently convincing

Presentation creates interest in the topic

To prepare for the course

Read the trainer’s website:

http://scientific-presentations.com

1

2Prepare your seven / eight slide presentation

3Brush up on your PowerPoint skills (The trainer’s website also contains video tutorials)