HOW TO GIVE GOOD PRESENTATIONS Don’t use this as a model: avoid bulleted lists, use graphics, avoid Microsoft templates ANN MARIE CARLTON DANIEL JACOB (AUTHOR OF YOUR TEXTBOOK)
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HO
W T
O G
IVE
GO
OD
PR
ESEN
TATI
ON
S
Don
’t us
e th
is as
a m
odel
: avo
id b
ulle
ted
lists,
use
g
raphi
cs, a
void
Mic
roso
ft tem
pla
tes
AN
N M
ARI
EC
ARL
TON
DA
NIE
L JA
CO
B(A
UTH
OR
OF
YOU
R TE
XTB
OO
K)
WH
Y D
O W
E G
IVE
(OR
LIST
EN T
O) TA
LKS?
�To
com
mun
icate
unp
ublis
hed r
esea
rch.
Thi
s is im
por
tant
for
the
sp
eake
r (p
ublic
izin
g n
ew w
ork,
get
ting f
eedback
) and
for
the
a
udie
nce
(get
ting
acc
ess
to the
late
st).
Exce
pt
in r
are
circu
mst
anc
es,
talk
s sh
ould
em
pha
size
unp
ublis
hed m
ate
rial
�Ex
pos
ure
outs
ide
of o
ur s
pec
ializ
ed a
rea(s
) –
ben
efits
bot
h th
e sp
eake
r (b
roader
impact
) and
the
aud
ienc
e (c
ontin
uing
educ
atio
n)
�To
get
to
know
oth
er s
cien
tists
, to
get
not
iced
–fo
r m
ost se
nior
sc
ient
ists
, pre
sent
atio
ns a
re the
main
sou
rce
of in
form
atio
n.
�To
com
mun
e as
scie
ntists
–th
e w
eekl
y se
min
ar,
ann
ual c
onfe
renc
e are
ritu
als.
�Kno
w y
our
goa
ls!
Wha
t is b
est pos
sible
out
com
e fo
r yo
u w
hen/
aft
er
you
giv
e th
is t
alk
?
Com
mun
icate
Wha
t Yo
u W
ant
the
A
udie
nce
to K
now
!
1.
Tell
them
wha
t yo
u a
re g
oing
to
tell
them
2.
Tell
them
3.
Tell
them
wha
t yo
u to
ld the
m
*thi
nk a
bou
t ho
w m
uch
you
can
legiti
mate
ly take
aw
ay
from
a
talk
, eve
n w
hen
you
are
rea
lly, r
eally
inte
rest
ed.
*you
may
thin
k yo
u a
re r
epea
ting y
ours
elf
too
muc
h, b
ut
pro
bab
ly n
ot!
Talk
Str
uctu
re
�Ba
ckg
roun
d (ne
eded
to
vary
ing
deg
rees
)–
info
rmat
ion
that
put
s “w
hat y
ou
are
goin
g to
tell
them
” in
con
text
�M
otiv
atio
n–
why
“w
hat a
re y
ou a
re te
lling
them
” is
criti
cal a
nd im
port
ant
�Re
sea
rch
slid
es –
“wha
t you
are
telli
ng th
em”
sho
uld
be u
nder
stan
dabl
e an
d en
gagi
ng fo
r all
audi
ence
mem
bers
who
’ve
follo
wed
you
r ba
ckgr
ound
sl
ides
. Foc
us o
n th
e im
por
tant
, bro
ad
-int
eres
t res
ults
–m
ore
arc
ane
res
ults
ca
n b
e m
entio
ned
in p
ass
ing
and
with
out sl
ides
(aud
ienc
e d
oes
not ex
pec
t to
und
erst
and
ever
ythi
ng y
ou S
AY, b
ut is
dist
ress
ed if
it d
oesn
’t un
ders
tand
ev
eryt
hing
it S
EES)
.
�H
ow m
any
slid
es?
~1
min
/slid
e +
tim
e fo
r q
uest
ions
. Nev
er g
o ov
er y
our
allo
tted
time
and
neve
r ru
sh th
roug
h yo
ur fi
nal s
lides
bec
ause
you
’re
runn
ing
out
of
time
–th
row
aw
ay
ma
teri
al o
n th
e fl
y in
stea
d. K
now
in
ad
vanc
e w
hat m
ate
ria
l ca
n b
e je
ttis
oned
. Pe
ople
are
nev
er m
ad
if y
ou
end
ea
rly!
�C
oncl
usio
n–
“wha
t you
told
them
”
Back
gro
und
slid
es
�Ba
ckg
roun
d s
lides
are
the
mos
t im
por
tant
pa
rt o
f yo
ur ta
lk (ex
cep
t A
GU
) -
they
mot
iva
te y
our
rese
arc
h a
nd p
lace
it in
con
text
. D
ani
el J
aco
b typ
ica
lly
spen
ds
~8
0%
of
talk
pre
pa
ratio
n on
back
gro
und
slid
es.
�Ba
ckg
roun
d s
lides
mus
t b
e ta
ilor-
mad
e fo
r a
udie
nce
�M
uch
of the
aud
ienc
e is
the
re p
rim
ari
ly b
eca
use
they
wa
nt to
be
educ
ate
d in
you
r fi
eld
and
get
the
thr
ill o
f re
sea
rch
–b
ack
gro
und
m
ate
ria
l sho
uld
be
ped
ag
ogic
al b
ut r
esea
rch-
orie
nted
-ex
pos
e th
e m
ajo
r ga
ps
that m
otiv
ate
you
r re
sea
rch.
You
set
the
sta
ge
for
YOU
R re
sea
rch.
�Sl
ides
sho
uld
be
attra
ctiv
e a
nd in
form
ativ
e –
a f
ract
ion
of the
aud
ienc
e w
ill b
e lo
st a
fter
you
r b
ack
gro
und
, but
you
wa
nt the
m to
have
lea
rned
so
met
hing
Rese
arc
h Sl
ides
�Th
ink
of the
ta
ke-h
ome
mes
sages
you
wa
nt f
or y
our
aud
ienc
e on
ea
ch s
lide
–m
ake
sur
e th
ey g
et the
m (so
me
rep
etiti
on O
K).
�Yo
ur r
esea
rch
slid
es s
houl
d b
e a
cces
sib
le to
the
low
est co
mm
on d
enom
ina
tor
of
your
a
udie
nce,
if the
y su
rviv
ed thr
oug
h yo
ur b
ack
gro
und
slid
es. T
he s
lide
title
(a
nd s
ubtit
le if
ap
pro
pri
ate
) sh
ould
say
wha
t th
e sl
ide
is a
bou
t in
a w
ay
that
talk
s to
the
gen
era
l aud
ienc
e. T
he s
lide
shou
ld h
ave
the
pun
chlin
e(ta
ke-h
ome
mes
sage)
wri
tten
on
it.
�D
on’t
show
all
the
gory
det
ails
of y
our
wor
k –
if y
ou h
ave
pos
tage-
stam
p p
lots
in
you
r p
aper
, jus
t sh
ow a
few
pa
nels. M
ake
sur
e a
xes
and
cur
ves
are
pro
per
ly
lab
eled
, in
larg
e fo
nts, a
nd tha
t va
ria
ble
s a
re d
efin
ed. A
plo
t in
a p
ap
er o
ften
ha
s to
be
clea
ned
up
for
pre
sent
atio
n.
�If
one
of
your
col
lea
gue
s is
kin
d e
noug
h to
sha
re a
slid
e, f
igur
e, e
tc. w
ith
you…
.don
’t “t
hrow
them
und
er th
e bu
s” b
y co
mpl
aini
ng a
bout
it.
Ow
n yo
ur
slide
s! If
you
don
’t lik
e th
e fig
ure
mak
e it
bette
r! D
on’t
be a
bab
y.
Wha
t is
the
audi
ence
’s ex
pec
tion?
Shor
t in
form
al p
rese
ntatio
n (5
min
): de
scrib
e w
hat y
ou’re
doi
ng a
nd g
ive
ON
E re
sult
Know
leve
l and
inte
rest
of
your
aud
ienc
e. D
on’t
cram
in to
o m
uch.
AG
U/E
GU
talk
(15 m
in):
des
crib
e a
jour
nal p
ap
er s
ubm
itted
or
in p
rep
ara
tion.
Wa
lk thr
oug
h th
e p
ap
er. P
ublis
hed
wor
k is
ta
boo
. Vie
w a
udie
nce
as
rea
der
ship
of
your
pa
per
; a
ssum
e fa
mili
ari
ty
with
top
ic, k
eep
ba
ckg
roun
d to
min
imum
Talk
at
scie
ntific
mee
ting (15
-30 m
in):
pre
sent
unp
ublis
hed
res
earc
h to
wid
er a
udie
nce
Focu
s on
unp
ublis
hed
res
earc
h, b
ut in
clud
e m
ore
ba
ckg
roun
d m
ate
ria
l to
acc
omm
oda
te d
iver
sity
of
aud
ienc
e
Wor
ksho
p p
rese
ntatio
n: d
irec
ted
to a
sp
ecif
ic, c
olle
ctiv
e ta
sk
Targ
et o
bje
ctiv
es o
f yo
ur s
essi
on. U
se r
esul
ts o
ld a
nd n
ew, y
ours
and
oth
ers’,
as
appr
opria
te. H
amm
er o
n yo
ur
take
-hom
e p
oint
s -
ma
ke a
con
trib
utio
n to
the
wor
ksho
p. S
till t
ake
the
op
por
tuni
ty to
ad
vert
ise
your
wor
k!
Rese
arc
h se
min
ar
(~1 h
): b
roa
d a
udie
nce
look
s fo
r ed
uca
tion
spic
ed u
p b
y la
test
res
earc
h.
Pitc
h yo
ur ta
lk a
t lo
wes
t co
mm
on d
enom
ina
tor
(uni
vers
ity s
emin
ar:
1st
yea
r g
rad
stu
den
t in
ano
ther
fie
ld o
f th
e de
part
men
t). M
ake
them
app
reci
ate
the
impo
rtan
ce o
f w
hat y
ou’re
doi
ng to
the
poin
t whe
re th
ey c
an
und
erst
and
you
r re
sea
rch.
Ass
ume
tha
t yo
ur lo
wes
t co
mm
on d
enom
ina
tor
is v
ery
sma
rt s
o th
at yo
u ca
n m
ove
qui
ckly
thr
oug
h th
e b
ack
gro
und
, a
nd k
eep
the
ba
ckg
roun
d f
ocus
ed a
s le
ad
-in
to y
our
rese
arc
h.
Cel
ebra
tion
talk
: rec
ogni
ze im
por
tanc
e of
ritu
al
Targ
et th
e oc
casi
on o
f th
e ce
leb
ratio
n; k
eep
pre
sent
atio
n b
roa
d a
nd li
ght
.
Kno
w Y
our
Aud
ienc
e (a
s in
div
idua
ls t
oo)!
1.S
uper
Ner
ds
2.T
he L
ost
3.T
emp
ora
rySl
ack
ers*
*Tem
pora
ry s
lack
ers
are
supe
r ne
rds
who
wer
en’t
payi
ng a
ttent
ion
to y
our
last
slid
e, b
ut f
eel
a s
tron
g n
eed to
under
stand
and
reo
rien
t qui
ckly
.
Rea
ch o
ut f
or y
our
who
le a
udie
nce
1.
Idea
lly, y
our
slid
es w
ill r
each
all
thre
e a
udie
nce
typ
es.
Kee
p in
min
d:
1.
Wha
t d
o th
ey k
now
?
2.
Wha
t don
’t th
ey k
now
?3
.W
hat d
o th
ey w
ant
?
DN
A s
ynth
esis tec
hnol
ogy
is im
pro
ving
ex
pon
etia
lly
Ca
rlso
n, P
ace
& P
rolif
era
tion
of B
iolo
gic
al T
echn
olog
ies,
Bios
ec. &
Bio
terr
or. 1
(3):1
(2
00
3)
Sup
er n
erd
s w
ill g
et it
Abili
ty to
bui
ld D
NA
fro
m s
cratc
him
pro
ving
exp
onen
tially
Ca
rlso
n, P
ace
& P
rolif
era
tion
of B
iolo
gic
al T
echn
olog
ies,
Bios
ec. &
Bio
terr
or. 1
(3):1
(2
00
3)
Abili
ty to
bui
ld D
NA
fro
m s
cratc
him
pro
ving
fa
ster
tha
n co
mp
uter
s
Ca
rlso
n, P
ace
& P
rolif
era
tion
of B
iolo
gic
al T
echn
olog
ies,
Bios
ec. &
Bio
terr
or. 1
(3):1
(2
00
3)
Slid
e C
osm
etic
s
�In
clud
e g
rap
hics
! And
not
the
che
ap
Mic
roso
ft g
rap
hics
–sp
end
som
e tim
e lo
okin
g f
or g
ood
one
s. Y
our
colle
ague
s’ g
rea
t sl
ides
, Goo
gle
Imag
es…
�M
ake
the
text
as b
ig a
s po
ssib
le so
that
it f
its b
ut lo
oks r
idic
ulou
s may
be…
then
ba
ck o
ff a
bit.
18
pt o
r gr
eate
r. Ti
mes
Rom
an fo
nt d
oesn
’t lo
ok g
ood
on s
lides
.�
All
fig
ures
sho
uld
ha
ve a
xes
lab
eled
, lin
es id
entif
ied
, va
ria
ble
s d
efin
ed, s
ourc
e a
ckno
wle
dged
. If
show
ing
com
pari
son
of m
odel
res
ults
to
rese
arc
h ob
serv
atio
ns, m
ake
sur
e to
men
tion
who
too
k th
e m
easu
rem
ents
-esp
ecia
lly if
th
ey a
re in
the
aud
ienc
e (d
uh!).
�U
se a
pla
in b
ack
gro
und
to
avo
id d
istr
act
ing
the
aud
ienc
e a
nd a
llow
mor
e ro
om
for
cont
ent.
Avo
id c
hees
y te
mp
late
s.
�A
nim
atio
n sc
hem
es, s
ucce
ssiv
e un
cove
ring
of te
xt m
ay b
e ef
fect
ive
but d
on’t
over
do
it –
aud
ienc
e m
ay
rese
nt the
ga
me
of c
at a
nd m
ouse
, and
it m
ake
s yo
ur
slid
es le
ss h
and
y fo
r ot
hers
to
use.
Avo
id d
istr
act
ing
you
r a
udie
nce
with
ne
edle
ss a
nim
atio
n sc
hem
es.
�C
onsi
der
sho
win
g a
sho
rt m
ovie
if y
our
top
ic w
arr
ant
s it
–ev
eryo
ne li
kes
mov
ies. A
bit
of b
lack
boa
rd w
ork
in the
mid
dle
ca
n a
lso
be
an
effe
ctiv
e b
rea
k –
but m
ake
sure
you
kno
w w
hat y
ou’re
doi
ng.
AV
OID
YEL
LOW
TEX
T
Unr
ead
ab
le tin
y te
xt is
not
wor
th p
rese
ntin
g
KN
OW
YO
UR
TOPI
C!
�U
nder
stand
EV
ERYTH
ING
you
pre
sent
–Sc
ient
ists
can
see
right
th
roug
h yo
u w
hen
you
don’
t.�
Ag
oniz
e ov
er y
our
slid
es a
nd a
rgum
ents
as
you
pre
pa
re f
or y
our
talk
–th
ink
of w
hat que
stio
ns y
ou c
ould
be
get
ting. O
ften
tha
t w
ill
make
you
und
erst
and
som
ethi
ng n
ew a
nd im
por
tant
abou
t yo
ur
wor
k.�
Be d
eep in
you
r kn
owle
dge–
giv
e th
e aud
ienc
e th
e fe
elin
g tha
t “t
his
is on
ly th
e tip
of
wha
t I k
now
”. S
how
sch
olar
ship
.�
Ach
ieve
dep
th t
hrou
gh
hard
wor
k (a
ha! –
that
’s ho
w it
’s do
ne!).
For
gra
d s
tuden
ts, d
epth
is m
ore
impor
tant
tha
n bre
adth
(a P
h.D
. is
abou
t dep
th).
Cor
don
off
a to
pic
that
’s yo
ur o
wn
and
be
unco
mpro
misin
g in
kno
win
g a
bso
lute
ly a
ll th
ere
is t
o kn
ow a
bou
t it
alo
ng w
ith the
und
erly
ing f
undam
enta
ls.
Rely
on
cour
ses
and
se
min
ars
to
bui
ld s
ome
bre
adth
. Bre
adth
will
be
impor
tant
late
r in
yo
ur c
are
er.
ATT
ITU
DE
AN
D B
OD
Y L
AN
GU
AG
E
�Lo
ok y
our
aud
ienc
e in
the
eye
s –
don’
t loo
k at
you
r slid
es (y
ou s
houl
dn’t
need
to).
And
don
’t ju
st lo
ok a
t the
big
shot
s –
sca
n th
e ro
om.
�Sm
ile –
it re
laxe
s th
e a
udie
nce.
A b
it of
hum
or is
alw
ays
ap
pre
cia
ted
.
�D
on’t
be a
sta
tue.
But
don
’t fla
il yo
ur a
rms
aim
less
ly e
ither
. Don
’t m
ake
the
lase
r p
oint
er d
anc
e on
the
scr
een.
�So
me
peop
le li
ke to
ask
que
stio
ns d
urin
g th
e ta
lk, a
nd s
omet
imes
that
’s ex
pec
ted
–bu
t mak
e su
re th
ese
ques
tions
don
’t co
mpr
omise
you
r ab
ility
to
fini
sh y
our
talk
in d
ue tim
e. If
the
y d
o, b
e p
olite
but
fir
m a
bou
t m
ovin
g o
n.
�Ta
ke s
ome
time
bef
ore
the
talk
to
set up
, tes
t yo
ur s
lides
. Sta
y co
ol if
eq
uip
men
t m
alf
unct
ions
–it’
s no
t you
r fau
lt. If
it h
appe
ns, p
olite
ly a
sk th
e ch
air
or
your
hos
t to
dea
l with
it –
no o
ne e
xpec
ts y
ou to
fix
a b
ulb,
or
a
mik
e, o
r a
lig
ht, e
tc. A
nd the
n g
o on
any
way
if y
ou p
ossi
bly
ca
n –
your
a
udie
nce
will
sym
pa
thiz
e a
nd a
dm
ire
you
for
doi
ng the
bes
t p
ossi
ble
und
er
lous
y ci
rcum
sta
nces
.
Que
stio
ns
�Q
uest
ions
are
an
impor
tant
part
of
the
talk
. Th
ey c
an
pro
vide
you
valu
able
fee
dback
–so
leave
tim
e!
�Be
ing a
ble
to
pro
per
ly d
eal w
ith q
uest
ions
is o
f co
urse
a g
ood
reas
on to
kno
w y
our
topi
c co
ld. I
t’s d
iffic
ult t
o de
al w
ith a
n un
expec
ted q
uest
ion
whi
le o
n yo
ur f
eet
–th
at’s
why
you
sho
uld
try
to a
ntic
ipate
pos
sible
que
stio
ns d
urin
g y
our
pre
para
tion.
�D
on’t
deliv
er a
hes
itant
res
pons
e to
an
unex
pect
ed q
uest
ion
–bet
ter
to s
ay c
heer
fully
that
this
is a
very
inte
rest
ing
poin
t tha
t you
’ll n
eed
to in
vest
igate
, or
that
this is
out
side
of y
our
are
a
�Yo
ur r
espon
se s
houl
d n
ot b
e to
the
que
stio
ner
but
to
the
aud
ienc
e. If
yo
u th
ink
the
audi
ence
did
n’t u
nder
stan
d th
e qu
estio
n, r
epea
t it o
r cl
ari
fy.
�Kee
p a
nsw
ers
to q
uest
ions
brief
-allo
ws
time
for
mor
e que
stio
ns
�Th
ank
the
que
stio
ners
–“t
his
is a
real
ly g
ood
ques
tion”
–“t
hank
s fo
r ask
ing tha
t que
stio
n –
how
muc
h am
I pa
ying
you
?”
STA
GE
FRIG
HT
�K
now
at le
ast
the
fir
st f
ew m
inut
es o
f yo
ur ta
lk b
y he
art
to
get
ove
r th
e b
utte
rflie
s a
nd s
et the
rig
ht ton
e.
�K
now
you
r a
udie
nce
–in
trod
uce
your
self
to p
eop
le b
efor
e ta
lk, s
hake
som
e ha
nds, A
fa
mili
ar
aud
ienc
e is
less
sca
ry tha
n a
n a
nony
mou
s on
e.
�G
et it
in y
our
hea
d b
efor
e yo
u st
and
up
to
spea
k th
at w
hat yo
u ha
ve to
say
is o
f co
nsid
era
ble
va
lue
to y
our
aud
ienc
e. C
once
ntra
te.
�Be
gin
by
thank
ing
you
r ho
sts
or y
our
cha
ir. S
ay
hello
to
the
aud
ienc
e, tha
nk
them
for
bei
ng h
ere,
exp
ress
you
r p
lea
sure
at th
is o
pp
ortu
nity
. Sho
w a
p
ositi
ve a
ttitu
de.
Ove
r th
e co
urse
of
your
ta
lk, m
ake
a n
ote
to a
ckno
wle
dge
spec
ific
peo
ple
in the
aud
ienc
e fo
r th
eir
cont
rib
utio
ns to
the
sub
ject
at
hand
–th
ey w
ill a
ppre
cia
te it
and
be
on y
our
sid
e.
�D
ani
el J
aco
b: “
It is
impo
ssib
le to
exa
gger
ate
in th
e fla
ttery
of
one’s
pe
ers”
�Fl
ow o
f a
dre
nalin
e is
a p
ositi
ve f
orce
–if
you
have
NO
sta
ge fr
ight
that
’s a
pro
ble
m! B
efor
e yo
ur ta
lk, b
lank
out
oth
er tho
ught
s a
nd tel
l you
rsel
f th
at
your
talk
car
ries a
ver
y im
port
ant m
essa
ge a
nd y
ou c
an’t
affo
rd to
flu
b it.
Th
at sh
ould
get
you
r he
art
pum
pin
g.
AN
D F
INA
LLY…
HO
W T
O B
E A
N
EFFE
CTI
VE
AU
DIE
NC
E
�A
suc
cess
ful t
alk
is d
yna
mic
bet
wee
n th
e sp
eake
r a
nd the
aud
ienc
e; a
lous
y a
udie
nce
is ju
st a
s b
ad
as
a lo
usy
spea
ker
�Be
eng
aged
in th
e ta
lk. Y
ou’re
not
wat
chin
g TV
; you
’re a
t wor
k. S
it up
fro
nt.
Con
cent
rate
. Don
’t tu
ne o
ut.
�Th
ink
of h
ow the
ma
teri
al p
rese
nted
cha
lleng
es w
hat yo
u kn
ow. T
ry to
men
tally
pok
e ho
les i
nto
wha
t’s b
eing
pre
sent
ed. T
hat k
eeps
you
on
your
to
es, i
s g
ood
for
cri
tica
l thi
nkin
g, a
nd w
ill g
ener
ate
que
stio
ns f
or the
sp
eake
r.
�A
SK Q
UES
TIO
NS!
Que
stio
ns a
re p
art o
f th
e rit
ual.
Don
’t be
a w
all f
low
er.
Hav
e a
ques
tion
read
y fo
r the
end
of
the
talk
. If
you
don’
t get
to a
sk it
d
urin
g the
que
stio
n se
ssio
n, g
o se
e th
e sp
eake
r a
fter
the
ta
lk. T
ake
the
op
por
tuni
ty to
tha
nk h
im/h
er f
or the
ta
lk.
�D
on’t
have
an
open
lapt
op d
urin
g a
talk
bec
ause
it’s
rude
(exc
ept i
n a
very
la
rge
mee
ting
whe
n yo
u’re
not
nec
essa
rily
expe
cted
to b
e en
gage
d in
all
talk
s).
�Th
ere’
s not
hing
tha
t he
lps
a s
pea
ker
mor
e th
an
to s
ee y
ou n
odd
ing
you
r he
ad
in a
pp
rova
l!
Sum
ma
ry
�K
now
you
r a
udie
nce!
�K
now
you
r a
udie
nce,
kno
w y
our
aud
ienc
e, k
now
you
r a
udie
nce
�Pr
epa
re!
�Pr
act
ice!
�A
ctiv
ely
take
not
es a
bou
t w
hat yo
u lik
e, o
r w
hat
was
suc
cess
ful i
n a
talk
you
just
saw
…us
e th
at a
s a
mod
el.
�Th
ank
the
peo
ple
who
hel
ped
you
!�
Da
niel
Ja
cob,
Dre
w E
ndy
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