Making GREAT scientific presentations Prof. Angela Amayo University of Nairobi 15th HuQAS Conference 2015

Outline Introduction to scientific presentation Why one should make great presentations How to make great presentations Summary

Oral presentation Is a form of communication Scientific presentations communicate new scientific findings Sharing your ideas and results with others Effective communication is a process: Relaying a message through a medium to recipient and getting feedback

Oral presentation as a communication Process Source (Presenter) Encoding Message (Presentation) Channel (Conference) Seeing and Hearing (Decoding) Feedback (Impact Factor)

Why strive for GREAT presentations Respect for audience Audience has given you their time Audience deserve the best Self respect/ Personal branding Want to communicate a message Presenter and presentation are one Only have ONE chance to present

Making great presentations Plan with care Prepare with care Present with care

Considerations for Presenters What do you want to share? What is the subject matter? Is the information you are sharing useful? Is the information you are communicating accurate?

Considerations for scientific presenters (2) Why make a scientific presentation? To inform To persuade To make research results accessible Avoids reinventing the wheel and duplicating research To progress ideas and improve as a scientist

Consider the target audience Specific technical audiences Laboratory professionals (peers) General technical audiences Other health care workers Non technical audiences Non health professionals General public Example: Topic: Molecular diagnostics: The time for viral load testing is Now Content of topic will differ depending on the audience

Consider the target audience Who are they? Can you clearly identify them? What do they already know about the subject matter? Why will they listen to your presentation? What will motivate or interest them?

Prepare with care Select information for presentation Synthesize information to fit in available time Simplify data presentation data to improve understanding Consider: Content information Structure Organization of information Style Delivery of information

Perspectives of audience (1) Content (The information) What is the quality of the information Is there supporting evidence Is research scientifically sound Were objectives achieved Are results accurate Does the presentation inform or persuade Consider audience, Communicate to the audience, Express your views not Impress audience Use words audience can relate with Create a “What’s in it for me” scenario for reader

Perspectives of audience (2) Structure (Organization of information - presentation) Format Use format for scientific papers Avoid jargon Overall Organization Avoid too much detail Make presentation easy to follow Ensure information flow in a sequential manner Practice, Study good examples, Learn the techniques and rules of scientific presentation

Perspectives of audience (3) Style ( Presentation of the information) Make presentation captivating Use illustrations creatively Create a “What’s in it for me” scenario for audience Golden Rule: Be clear, simple and brief "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler" Albert Einstein

Present with care Prepare your mind Prepare your body Be confident Practice/Rehearse your presentation Prepare your body Body language is important Dress for a successful presentation Interact with your audience Keep eye contact with audience Leave audience with take home message Manage time effectively

Summary Scientific presentation is about communication Presenter should consider the audience at all times Presentation should be: Accurate Brief Clear