Presentation tips

In Vorbereitung auf «Graubünden forscht 2022» bietet die Academia Raetica am 1. und 5. September den Kurs Attention please! – Presenting successfully at conferences and other scientific contexts in Davos an.

"In this workshop we elaborate together the critical success factors for impactful speeches in an academic context. You will receive feedback and will train based on that feedback. The course is a great way opportunity to prepare for the conference Graubünden forscht 2022."

Know your audience

  • Put yourself in the shoes of the audience. Keep in mind that most people in the audience do not share your expertise. Do not use scientific jargon and explain your topic in terms that everyone will be able to understand who is not an expert in your discipline. Explain by giving examples.

Preparing your slides

  • Create an outline on paper/sticky notes before you make your slides. What message do you want to convey? How do you structure your talk? How do you start your talk? Use a title that the audience can understand!

  • Number of slides: Rule of thumb is one slide per one minute of talk.

  • Limit the amount of information on each slide. Use visuals. Too much information will distract your audience.

  • Tell a story, use examples.

General advice for slides

  • Mind the font size: 24 points should be the minimum.

  • Keep diagrams and tables simple. Use captions. Explain what your data signifies and why it is important.

  • MFG, ARD, and ZDF: Explain acronyms and abbreviations.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

  • Practice your talk and time it. You can record it on your smartphone or you can recite it to your friends. Articulate well, speak slow enough, and consider your tone of voice.

  • Make sure your presentation fits the allotted time limit. Talk: It may help to determine which slide marks the middle of your presentation.

Good examples for 3-minute talks

(You will actually have 10 minutes to tell your story, but those are good examples on how to communicate clearly and to the point.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkCNUPJ-OIM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-e382qkCLWk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrflFPDbD98

Links

Links last accessed on June 24, 2022.