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”.