1. Making presentations: What you need to know
Part 2: How to prepare a seminar

2. Research papers Sections Abstract/Summary Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion
Literature cited

3. Research seminars Sections Introduction Materials and methods Results
Discussion/Summary
Acknowledgements

4. The paper outline
What do I want to say in each section? What are the main points to include?
Introduction
Materials and methods
Results
Discussion/Summary
Acknowledgements

5. Title Don’t simply read the title and move on
Begin by saying why you are interested in the work, what motivated you etc.

6. Outline/Summary slide
Optional
Don’t simply read it
Briefly mention what it is you will discuss in each section (1 or 2 sentences)
Helps keep you and the audience on track
Use the same headings in your seminar
Thus far, no more than 10% of your time should be used

7. Introduction What is currently known about your topic
A synopsis of the current literature
Should not occupy more than 30% of total time
Conclude with aims and objectives of the study (no more than 4).
Use same headings for aims in the conclusions section

8. Materials and methods
Tailor to your audience (avoid scientific jargon)
Keep simple (abbreviated)
Tailor all terminology to the level of your audience
Use flow diagrams and illustrations carefully
Should occupy no more 20% of your time

9. Results Speak about each result in the same order as the methods
% of the seminar time should be devoted to this section
Results in papers often do not lend themselves to seminars easily

10. Results

11. Results

12. Results

13. Results

14. Results The speaker says:
“I’m apologize about the quality of this slide”
“I hope people in the back can read this”
“This is from a larger experiment, but note data in row 6, columns 4 and 7 ONLY”
Speakers should reconstruct their slides to suit the seminar format
How not to prepare a slide - demonstration slide

15. Discussion
Often you can title the slide “conclusions” and have each point as a separate bullet
You should relate your results back to your aims in the introduction
% of the seminar time should be devoted to this section

16. Acknowledgements
You should acknowledge anyone who helped with the study (supervisor, colleagues, friends etc.)