Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs)

Presenting

Be prepared

The more prepared you are to present the more comfortable and organized you will be, so practice practice practice!

Know your topic

Make sure you are comfortable with the topic and can speak with authority.

Know your audience

Tailor your presentation based on the knowledge-level and interests of the audience.

Be professional

Dress nicely, show-up on time, be courteous.

From The Lowell, Practice Makes Perfect: Overcoming my fear of public speaking

Be respectful

Show up on time, do not be demeaning, and never argue with an audience member.

Prepare your audience

Provide an outline on what you plan on presenting.

Use visuals

Ensure that each slide has at least one visual and explain why you are using that visual.

Be enthusiastic

Don't let the audience think you're bored by your own research.

Engage the audience

Have the audience ask questions, provide comments, and offer solutions. 

Reflect and evaluate

Did people have questions? Were they falling asleep? Always try and improve.

Use text sparingly

Avoid small or fancy fonts. Keep text at a minimum. Use visuals instead of text when possible.

Don't read your notes

Good speakers can speak about their topic without reading from a paper (practice!). Reading also prevents you from making eye contact.

Include references

This adds support to your research and presentation.

Adapted from https://libguides.tulane.edu/presentingscience

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