Designing Effective Scientific Presentations BIOS 313 32906 Dr

Designing Effective Scientific Presentations BIOS 313 3/29/06 Dr. Mary Purugganan maryp@rice. edu Cain Project in Engineering & Professional Communication www. owlnet. rice. edu/~cainproj

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

Getting Started • Create a slide show that is an outline, not a script • Use the slide show. . . § to select important topics and issues § to organize content § to create a hierarchy

Getting Started To select a design, ask yourself: § What professional image do I want to project? § 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

Getting Started • Set up Slide Master § Allows you to design the “look” of your slide show • Browse design templates § Enables you to select pre-designed presentation templates • Create new slides § Choose from 24 “master slide styles” to build your show

Selecting Content • Consider your audience! • State problem/ question clearly & early • Include significance--the big picture; why does it matter? • Keep background relevant

Selecting Content, Part 2 • Explain experiments: include the how & the why! § Hypothesis (WHY) § Method (remember audience) (HOW) § Show data and guide audience through (WHAT WAS OBSERVED) • Draw conclusions (WHAT IT MEANS) • Speculate about future investigations

Suggested Content • Title: as concrete & accurate as possible (1 slide) • Problem, background, significance (5 -7 slides) • Methods (2 -4 slides) • Results, conclusions (3 -6 slides) • Future investigations (1 -2 slides)

Displaying Text • Remember that your audience. . . § 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 declarative titles Using short phrases Using grammatical parallelism

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

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 2 § Sub-point 2

Use declarative titles • “Results” suggests the content area for a slide • “Substance X upregulates gene Y” (with data shown below title) shows the audience what is observed

Use Short Phrases • Use phrases in your slide show outline • Generate phrases that make your point clearly & accurately • Write complete sentences only in certain cases: § Hypothesis / problem statement § Quote § ? ? ?

Use Grammatical Parallelism • Lists should be in same grammatical form-to help audience skim phrases • Not Parallel: § Lysed cells in buffer § 5 minutes centrifuging of lysate § Supernatant was removed • Parallel: § Cells were lysed in buffer § Lysate was centrifuged 5 minutes § Supernatant was removed

Displaying Visuals • Incorporate visuals that enhance understanding § Data: evidence for argument § Figures that enhance understanding of background, method, big picture, etc. (from WWW, published reviews, drawn yourself) • Design easy-to-read visuals • Draw attention to aspects of visuals

Simplify and Draw Attention http: //www. indstate. edu/thcme/mwking/tca-cycle. html

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

Choose Color Carefully

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

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

Animating • Use professional animation methods for text (avoid fly in, typewriter, reverse order, etc. ) • Use mouse-click to advance

Presenting • Delivery • Handling questions

Stance and Posture § Worst Practices § Best Practices § Block screen § Chin up § Cross feet § Feet under hips § Rock, sway, pace § Shoulders relaxed § Slouch § Weight distributed § Lean § Knees slightly bent

Gestures to Avoid § Fidgeting § Gripping podium § Clasping hands § Fingers § Pen or laser pointer § Fig leaf § Pockets § Behind back § Hair § Hands on hips § Crossing arms

Eye Contact § Worst practices § Best practices § Stare at screen § Direct § Glance at floor or ceiling § Sustained § Distributed § Read slides or notes

Handle Questions • Anticipate questions • LISTEN • Repeat or rephrase • Watch body language • Don’t bluff • Wrap up well

Sample Slides Features to consider: • Text § Fonts, phrases, parallelism • Graphics § Readability, drawing attention • Slide design • Organization/ hierarchy § Titles, Bullets, arrangement of information, font size

What is BRCA I ? - codes for a component of a DNA repair enzyme system - breast cancers cells - BRCAI protein is either absent or remains in the cytoplasm Are there more BRCA genes to be found? What about sporadic breast cancer? - don't appear to involve BRCA I or II - involves genes common to other cancers 28

Grafting smooth muscle cells into heart The myocardium of control (left) shows necrosis (N) and fibrosis (F). The transplanted smooth muscle cells (right) formed muscle-like tissue (T). 29