1. How to Present a Scientific Article
BIOS /29/06
Dr. Mary Purugganan
Cain Project in Engineering & Professional Communication

2. Topics We’ll Discuss Getting started Displaying text
Displaying graphics
Animating
Presenting
Critiquing sample slides

3. Getting Started PowerPoint instructions

4. Getting Started Create a slide show that is an outline, not a script
Use the slide show...
to select important information and visuals
to organize content
to create a hierarchy

5. Getting Started Set up Slide Master
Allows you to design the “look” of your slide show
Browse design templates or create your own

6. Getting Started To select a design, ask yourself:
In what type of room will I give my talk?
Well-lit room: use light background / dark text and visuals
Dimly-lit room: use dark background / light text and visuals

11. Selecting Content Consider your audience!
State problem/question clearly & early (title, abstract, intro)
Include significance
Include background: organism/system
Concisely state the “point of departure” for work

12. Selecting Content, Part 2
Results: include the how & the why!
Hypothesis
Method (remember audience)
Show figures and guide audience through them
State authors’ conclusions; your agreement or disagreement
Summarize paper’s overall conclusions
Suggest areas for improvement; future investigations

13. Displaying Text Remember that your audience... Help your audience by…
skims each slide
looks for critical points, not details
needs help reading/ seeing text
Help your audience by…
Projecting a clear font
Using bullets
Using content-specific headings
Using short phrases
Using grammatical parallelism

14. Project a Clear Font Serif: easy to read in printed documents
Times New Roman, Palatino, Garamond
Sans serif: easy to see projected across the room
Arial, Helvetica, Geneva

15. Use Bullets Bullets help your audience
to skim the slide
to see relationships between information
organize information in a logical way
For example, this is Main Point 1, which leads to...
Sub-point 1
Further subordinated point 1
Further subordinated point 2
Sub-point 2

16. Use Content-Specific Headings
“Results” suggests the content area for a slide
“Substance X upregulates gene Y” (with data shown below) shows the audience what is observed

17. DNA polymerase extends 5’ to 3’
Use Short Phrases
Be clear, concise, accurate
Difficult to read
DNA polymerase catalyzes elongation of DNA chains in the 5’ to 3’ direction
Better
DNA polymerase extends 5’ to 3’
Write complete sentences only in certain cases:
Hypothesis / problem statement
Quote
???

18. Use Grammatical Parallelism
Use same grammatical form in lists
Not Parallel:
Cells were lysed in buffer
5 minute centrifuging of lysate
Removed supernatant
Parallel:
Lysed cells in buffer
Centrifuged lysate for 5 minutes

19. Use Grammatical Parallelism
How would you revise this list?
Telomeres
Contain non-coding DNA
Telomerases can extended telomeres
Cells enter senescence/apoptosis when telomeres are too short

20. Displaying Visuals Select visuals that enhance understanding
Figures from paper: evidence for argument
Figures from other sources (web; review articles):
Model a process or concept
Help explain background, context
Design easy-to-read visuals
Are the visuals easy to read by all members of your audience?
Draw attention to aspects of visuals

21. Simplify and Draw Attention

22. Displaying Visuals
Harvey et al. (2005) Cell 122:407-20

23. Choose Color Carefully

24. Cite Others’ Visuals http://www.bioc.rice.edu/~shamoo/shamoolab.html
Harvey et al. (2005) Cell 122:407-20

25. Animating
Custom animation allows you to animate text, visuals, or line work
Custom animation should be used purposefully (and sparingly!)
To aid in the audience’s ability to comprehend your message
Not solely for aesthetic purposes

26. Animating
Use professional animation methods for text (avoid fly in, typewriter, etc.)

27. Presenting
Delivery
Handling questions

28. Delivery Physical Environment Stance Body language Handling notes
Gestures
Eye contact
Voice quality
Volume
Inflection
Pace

29. Handling Questions LISTEN Repeat or rephrase Watch body language
Don’t pretend to know

30. Samples Features to consider: Text Visuals Slide design
Fonts, use of phrases, parallelism
Visuals
Readability, drawing attention
Slide design
Organization/ hierarchy
Titles, bullets, arrangement of information, font size

31. Use Grammatical Parallelism
One possible revision…
Telomeres
Contain non-coding DNA
Are extended by telomerase
Cause senescence/apoptosis when shortened too much