A Primer in Oral Presentations

Gregory J. Madden

University of Kansas

Months Before…

• Are my data “talk-worthy”?– “I don’t know. We haven’t collected the data

yet.”

• “But I need practice giving talks.”– You can give a beautiful talk but

if your data are non- existent or not worth talking about, your budding reputation will be tarnished.

Poster

Constructing your Slides

• Don’t be tempted by the “dark side” of Power Point.

• Use maximally contrasting colors – black on white or white

on black.

I can’t read thisI can’t read this

This background makes my mind wander.This background makes my mind wander.

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Geometric designs can distract from your data

And this line down here – what’s up with that?

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Geometric designs can distract from your data

Don’t use 3d graphs (unless you have lousy data)

Some Preparation Don’ts

• Don’t over-estimate the knowledge of your audience.– Start simple and build to complexity

Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– “Getting information from a table is like

extracting sunlight from a cucumber.” (19th century dictum)

Hardness APA Journals JABA JEAB

3.30 1.00    

5.20 3.00    

6.25 5.20    

7.20 9.40    

8.10 13.00    

8.90 18.00    

9.40 17.00    

9.25     16.80

8.10   13.00  

Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Graphs are heuristic…

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Graphs are heuristic, convincing…

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Graphs are heuristic, convincing, & easily

remembered.

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Graphs: the communication tool of hard science

Smith et al. (2002)

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Psychology

ChemistryPhysics

Biology

Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Graphs: the communication tool of hard science

Psychology

ChemistryPhysics

Kubina et al. (2008)

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JABA

Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Graphs: the communication tool of hard science

Psychology

JABA

JEAB

Kubina et al. (2008)

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Color code conditions,

groups, etc.

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Treatment 1Treatment 2

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Color code conditions,

groups, etc.– “Means are

meaningless…”

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30

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Treatment 1Treatment 2

Baseline Treatment

Condition

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Present graphs, not tables– Color code conditions,

groups, etc.– “Means are

meaningless without a measure of variability.”

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Some Preparation Do’s

• Slide should change every 10-20 sec.• Use pictures judiciously• Use video judiciously• Do every analysis you can think of.

– Avoid the embarrassment of saying, “We have not done that analysis yet.”

• Acknowledge those who helped• Always end with your title slide• Prepare a slide or two with answers to questions

you anticipate you’ll get.

Practicing Strategies

• Practice out loud, with a projector (with poor lighting), laser pointer, etc.

• Practice until you speak fluently and can anticipate what’s on the next slide.– Usually 5-6 times

• Make sure your fluent presentation fits into your time slot – leave time for Q&A.

Some Presentation Don’ts

• Don’t use a laser pointer except when pointing out something in your data.– No one likes a “word circler” or a “bouncing

ball”.

• Don’t reveal all of your bullet points at once. – Your audience will read ahead (not listening

to you)…

Some Presentation Don’ts

• Don’t use a laser pointer except when pointing out something in your data.– No one likes a “word circler” or a “bouncing

ball”.

• Don’t reveal all of your bullet points at once. – Your audience will read ahead (not listening

to you) and then be bored.

Some Presentation Don’ts

• Don’t read your slides.– Those least deserving of dignity

(admiration) are those whose behavior is clearly under stimulus control.

– Each bullet should be a prompt, not an entire thought.

Sounds like a lot of work

• It is.

• But it is worth it to…– Communicate your findings– Convince your audience– Present yourself professionally

A Primer in Oral Presentations

Gregory J. Madden

University of Kansas