Content and Scientific Merit

Introduction

  • Define significance
  • Identify the need and question being investigated
  • Outline the general approach you have taken

Body

  • Address audience at an appropriate level (rigorous but understandable)
  • Present sound scientific points and arguments, and support your arguments with data
  • Describe approaches
  • Provide relevant evidence to support/contradict hypothesis

Conclusion

  • Summarize major points of the talk
  • Identify potential weaknesses and next steps
  • Provide a clear “take-home” message
  • Describe the impact of the project

Delivery

  • Enthusiasm and excitement for topic
  • Loud, clear speech
  • Crisp efficient language free of filler words
  • Diverse eye contact across audience
  • Well-rehearsed, polished storytelling
  • Concise, professional responses to audience questions

Presentation

  • Readable, well-placed text (minimize text to make it optimal for the viewer who is both listening and reading)
  • Careful headers that convey the main point of each slide
  • Figures containing key information and avoiding excess information (it is generally better to make your own figures rather than relying on figures that were made for a different context)
  • Clear figures/images/diagrams that can easily be seen at the back of the room
  • Clear explanation of what is in the figures, including specifying the axis labels
  • Appropriate referencing of data and methods not generated by the presenter

 

More tips can be found at “How to Give a Great BATS Talk”.