Skip to contentTips on how to successfully present a research paper to an academic audience
A. Substance
- 1. Tell a story at the beginning (parable; personalize)
- 2. Tell audience what your agenda is (3-4 parts)
- 3. Tell them what your conclusion is
- 4. Make your experimental methods clear!! (flowchart)
- 5. If your audience are all experts in the area (e.g., D.R.R.C.)… don’t bore them…
- 6. If your audience are not experts (high variance): broad + deep spikes
- 7. Write down the questions that you get or have a friend do this for you
B. Style
- 1. Use an overhead projector or powerpoint computer display
- 2. Do not make font too small
- 3. 50 min maximum (even if you have 90 minute slot)
- 4. Do not let anyone take away your conclusions (recency effect)
- 5. Do not get defensive (mode of science and truth and beauty)
- 6. What to do if someone attacks your method/assumptions
- 7. What to do if someone attacks you
- 8. Never refuse to take questions at any point during the talk
- 9. Never insist that questions should be postponed until end of talk
- 10. Never turn questions around on the questioner…
- 11. Be thoughtful about questions (they are what you are evaluated upon)
- 12. Rehearse your opener!
- 13. Rehearse your answers to questions…
C. Action items you can take now
- 1. Seize every single public speaking opportunity you can
- 2. Conference talk (academy): 12-15 min
- 3. MPA talks (May, Palmer House)
- 4. Graduate students organize speaker series