Presentation Tips
Overall Impression
- Dress for success
- Practice talk 7X or as needed (no uhms, ahhs, etc.)
- No note cards or notes
- Never point out your own ignorance
- Never slam yourself unless it is funny (really funny)
- Never apologize for being boring (corollary: Do not be boring)
- Never say anything wrong
- Make eye contact, be confident
- Choose something you are interested in and excited about
- Sell the idea/concept/product - be convincing
Presentation
- Stick to time limit
- Make your slides readable -- all of them and all text on them
- Do NOT make slide transitions the highlight of your talk
- Minimize all text slides
- Limit visual distractions (a few are ok)
- Annotate or put refs on slide page
- Fully read background on your topic
- Provide sufficient evidence for all claims
- Do not speculate
- Make sure you understand the science before you stand up
- Only cite primary sources -- wikipedia is a good tool but always a secondary source
- This is not a history class - do not spend too much time on it
- Make your own equations so that variables are consistent