Overview of Oral Presentations at SCCUR

Oral presentations should be carefully prepared to be 15 minutes long at maximum.

They are presented as part of a panel of four presentations, usually addressing a common subject matter. Thus, each oral session at SCCUR 2022 will be 1-hour long; each presentation is allotted 15 minutes. A moderator will keep the session running on time and help facilitate any discussion after the presentation if time allows.

Presentations are usually made from notes in the sciences and some social sciences. They are accompanied by visual materials such as tables, graphs, and photographs (often in PowerPoint or Google Slides).

In the humanities and other social sciences, presentations are usually read aloud from a prepared text, sometimes with accompanying visual materials. Please work with your faculty mentor to produce an appropriate oral presentation for your discipline.

Preparing and Presenting Your Work

Rehearse your oral presentation in advance with friends or family. Make sure that it is no more than 15 minutes long. Ask your audience what they have learned to see if you are getting your point across.

  • Face your audience, speak slowly and clearly, and project your voice to the back of the room. Make eye contact with your audience as frequently as you can.

  • It can be helpful to number your notes when speaking so you don't lose your place. It's also important to have a general outline of your points and the order in which you will make them. If you are reading, please do so slowly (around two minutes per double-spaced page) to understand the content.

  • If you use visual aids (e.g., PowerPoint/Google Slides), prepare them well in advance and make sure they are easy to read.

  • Keep words to a minimum on each PowerPoint slide; make sure they are readable from the back of the room. Words should be large enough to read from several feet away, but do not use all caps. Avoid using light colors that make the font unreadable. The size of the typeface should be at least 24-point.

  • Watch your audience's response; if they seem lost, slow down.

Computer-Aided Projection and Audiovisual Equipment

The host institution will provide one desktop computer in each presentation room, a projector, and a screen for presenters using slide decks.

Participants can bring their laptop computers and connect to the HDMI or VGA cable in the room.

Be sure to bring an adaptor if your computer does not support HDMI or VGA.

  • To ensure that all presenters have the correct setup, they should arrive at least 10 minutes early.

  • All sessions will begin promptly.

  • The easiest way to share slides is to bring your laptop computer and connect it to the projector when presenting. You may also bring a USB drive and access your files using the classroom computer.

Participating in a Panel

During your panel presentation, a faculty moderator will preside over the proceedings. They will introduce you and the other presenters to the audience, explain the fields of study represented in your sessions, keep track of time, and lead short discussions after each presentation. It is crucial that the panels stick to the schedule, and the moderators may stop the presenters if they exceed their allotted time.

  • Arrive at least 10 minutes before the beginning of your session and stay for the duration. Sit at the front of the room. Do not leave following your presentation; this is discourteous to other presenters.

  • Check all support materials in advance (slide presentations, handouts, etc.) to ensure your presentation is on time.

  • Please have a backup plan in case of equipment failure (e.g., if you use PowerPoint, practice giving your presentation without slides and have a hard copy of your visuals).

  • Listen to other panelists’ presentations and participate in the following questions and discussions.