General
- Best practices and advice from an experienced student.
- Practice OUT LOUD-it sounds different in your head.Anticipate questions.Ask yourself how you can make the presentation accessible to everyone, regardless of how much knowledge they have on the subject. What terms should you define?Be excited/passionate about your subject. People will often be invested if you are.Pause! Pausing can be very impactful and important, and it gives the audience a chance to comprehend what you are saying up or ask questions.Dress in a way that makes you feel confident and comfortable.Make sure you bring water!Hold something, perhaps a pen, to fidget and point with.
- Oral presenters will be provided with presentation clicker
- Make sure you know what you want your audience to leave knowing.
- What is the main take away?
- Why is this work important?
- Practice OUT LOUD-it sounds different in your head.Anticipate questions.Ask yourself how you can make the presentation accessible to everyone, regardless of how much knowledge they have on the subject. What terms should you define?Be excited/passionate about your subject. People will often be invested if you are.Pause! Pausing can be very impactful and important, and it gives the audience a chance to comprehend what you are saying up or ask questions.Dress in a way that makes you feel confident and comfortable.Make sure you bring water!Hold something, perhaps a pen, to fidget and point with.
Poster Presentation
- Should function more like a conversation with the audience than a lecture.
- “Hi, my name is____ and I’m working with ____ in the _____department. Our work looks at (quick explanation of research), would you like to hear more about it?”
- It’s okay if they say no, there are hundreds of people in the room, your work isn’t going to be for everyone and that’s okay.
- If yes, “What is your background with this topic?” or “What is your area of expertise?”
- This will help you know what level of information you need to give them.
- Your poster should help keep you organized and flow well. If information is out of order, you will have a harder time presenting.
- Poster presentations should be 5 minutes or less. It may go longer if someone is engaged and asking you questions.
Oral Presentation
- For oral presentations, your slides should support what you are saying, not act as a script.
- Your slides should help keep you organized and flow well. If information is out of order, you will have a harder time presenting.
- Oral presentations should be around 10-12 minutes and you will have an additional 3-5 minutes for questions.
Presentation Rubric (Poster & Oral)
Each student will be assigned two judges. They will have a name tag and a clipboard and should introduce themselves to you. They will each be scoring you on the rubric below and will have the option of nominating you for an outstanding presentation award.
| Presentation Rubric | 1-3 | 4-6 | 7-9 | 10 |
| Content and Clarity of Information | Unorganized and difficult to follow | Somewhat organized but difficult to follow | Organized with subtle problems | Well organized with an intuitive flow |
| Student Presentation | Student struggled to describe project | Student only read printed text | Student can briefly discuss beyond printed text | Student discussed project comfortably and responded to questions easily |
| Interpretation of Project | Basic results are shown without understanding of the greater implications | Simple description of results, and student has a poor understanding of the greater implications | Solid summary of results with a basic understanding of the greater implications | Solid summary of results and student has deep understanding of the greater implications |