Presenting Your Project:  Visual Displays

Soon you will be asked to share the details of your project with others during your residency at the Major Project Exhibit.  You will be required to create an attractive visual presentation that conveys your research project's questions, and explains -- as best you can -- your methodology for the project.  During the exhibit, you will be present to answer questions and explain your display.  For the specific requirements of the Major Project Exhibit, consult your MALT Major Project Handbook, 5.7  (p.53).  For now, however, here are some practical suggestions of things that have worked well for us at the University of Alberta.

Remember to take advantage of this exhibit.  It can be very good practice for other opportunities to share your work later, and you can gain the insights of critical friends within the residency.  Perhaps one of your eventual Project Deliverables will include an informative presentation or display for your sponsoring organization.

Oral Presentations

1) Purpose

Before you do anything, remember the purpose of your presentation. Some people come because they like you and want to support you. Faculty come because it is their job to care about helping your project be focused and manageable. Other people come because they think your work will help their own. These people want to talk with you about your work in relation to their own. One of the best ways to proceed is to give them a chance to talk and then to listen. You are probably still advancing your own work; and, if this is so, listening to the thoughts of others can only help. Sometimes it helps to solidify what you WON’T do – sometimes you learn more about how you might proceed. No more than half your time should be spent with you presenting your ideas. Invite others into the conversation to share their own observations and ideas.

 2) Relax and stay within an “proper” time.

The natural tendency for people doing presentations is to over-plan. Don't. We recently coordinated an evening with our graduate students in our Alberta School Improvement research class. Each of our students was given ten minutes.  While the presentations were great, some went more than a half hour. You can imagine how long the evening went; in fact, what was supposed to be one and a half hours of presentations went four hours! We missed a hot dinner at the University of Alberta Faculty Club because we just couldn’t quit – having something you want very much to talk about will do that. Remember, everyone’s favorite topic during the residency will be their work – try to listen and talk. It helps you and others.

3)  Know your audience.

Prior to making a plan, ask yourself:  what key things should others know about your project?  Don’t drum them with a detailed chronology. Imagine you are standing in the crowd. Ask: what do I really want to know? What would I want to take back to your own organization? Focus on these two things.

4)  Make a plan.

Center on the key components of your presentation and your ultimate goal for the project. What do you want your audience to take home with them? Make a clear outline for yourself that is easy to follow. Begin with a simple introduction that outlines what the audience will hear, hit on the juicy stuff about your project, and then bring it all together with a simple conclusion. Do not stand in front of your audience with pages of detailed notes.  Instead, make a handout; we suggest one or two pages of large text in bullets. (Numbered bullets are easiest to follow).

5)     Consider your tone.

How we say things is a crucial part of any message. Research suggests that a "conversational" style is most effective because it invites your audience into the presentation. Be clear, concise, warm, and thoughtful.

6)  Be confident.

If you believe in your project (and you should), let the audience feel your confidence. Remember, you are among “critical friends” who will attempt to help you with your project. Also remember that your project has meaning for others, and that you know something others want to hear. Say it well and have fun!

7)  Prepare Visual Aids and Handouts.

Try to interest your audience visually. Drawings, charts, photographs, or simple props help illustrate ideas. Provide a handout with the key details you feel are important in your project. On the handout include your name, organization, contact numbers, and web site address.

Creating A Great Display

Poster presentations might answer the following questions:

Make a plan.  Know ahead of time how much area you have to display your work. Sketch how your visual presentation will look on paper before you begin. Consider the main points you want to present and how you will show them.

Keep it simple.  Try not to clutter your poster with too much stuff. Stuff may be pretty, but great piles of information can confuse and even irritate others. Include only the most important information on your poster; save specific details for your handout. (Review the suggestions above for oral presentations.)

Use a variety of multimedia.  Be creative in your display by incorporating different mediums. Include headlines, large-sized text, charts, graphs, photos, etc. Your presentation should look visually appealing from afar to attract visitors.

Bring your own supplies.  Bring everything you need. For example, if your display requires tape, scissors, straight pins, Velcro etc. then bring them. Our experience tells us to be fully independent so that you do not have to run around looking for last-minute supplies. In addition, if you use technology, bring your own extension cords!

Be present at your display.  Be ready to talk about your project as guests visit your display. Think of your presentation as an open-house where guests always arrive half way through the story. Do not wait for a certain number of people before your begin an explanation or you will lose your audience. Keep the flow going – trust people to catch on.

Major criticisms of Poster Sessions.  Learn from the mistakes of others!  The following critiques were received following a 1997 Computing Science Days Exhibit at the University of Alberta.

Helpful Online Resources

Below are some references and websites that may help you with planning your presentations:

Anticipating oral presentations. Bev Mitchell offers suggestions for effective oral presentations. http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses.hp/biol620/Essay-AnticipatingOralPresentations-Mitchell.htm

Designing Effective oral presentations. From Rice Owl, an online writing lab. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~riceowl/oralpres.html

Designing Great Posters. American Society of Plant Biologists offers a how-to website for poster design. http://www.aspb.org/education/poster.cfm

Effective Conference Presentations. This online power point presentation offers advice on presenting at public conferences. http://www.mv.cc.il.us/facultycenter/inservice-ppt1/ppframe.htm

Oral Presentations. John F. Addicott at the U of A gives his Scientific Communications students tips on oral presentations. http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses.hp/biol620/Essay-OralPresentations-Addicott.htm

Oral Presentations. David Spafford gives biology students tips on effective oral presentations that may be helpful to you. http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/courses.hp/biol620/Essay-OralPresentations-Spafford.htm

Poster Presentation tutorial. Dr. Jeff Radel from the University of Kansas Medical centre has put together a poster presentation tutorial. http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/Poster_Presentations/PstrStart.html

Presentation Skills. By Joel P. Bowman, Ph.D, Western Michigan University. http://www.hcob.wmich.edu/bis/faculty/bowman/present.html

The 5S approach to presentations. http://www.per.ualberta.ca/mmauws/PERLS105/PROJECTS/Presentations_files/frame.htm

The secret of successful presentations. This is an easy-to-follow electronic book on public presentations by Archipelego Press. http://www.masscom.com.au/archipelago/ebook/presenter/pres_contents.html