Oral Presentations

• Session I
  Saturday, April 4th, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. Center for the Arts
• Session II
  Sunday, April 5th, 11:15 - 12:35, Center for the Arts

The Oral Presentation sessions are designed to accommodate any presentation medium, both traditional, written text and alternate media such as brief musical performance, dramatic reading, etc. Individual presenters are allotted 15 minutes to present, plus a 5 minute question and answer discussion period at the end. The panel moderator will ensure that presentations do not exceed the time limit.

Available Technology

We will provide the following audio/visual aids:

• Presenter's station
• Desktop computer
• Computer projector

Please bring your own PowerPoint slides on a CD/USB key along with any supporting files (sound, video). Bring hard copies of your presentation. They will provide backup for any possible malfunctions. If you do not use the hard copies for presenting, you may then pass them around as handouts after your presentation.

As you prepare your talk, if you have any questions concerning technology, please e-mail or call Ms. Jennifer Toll, jtoll@towson.edu, (410) 704-5064.

Additional Tips for Oral Presenters

• Practice the tone of your presentation. You want to sound credible and confident to your audience. Avoid slight fluctuations at the end of your sentences, which may make you sound less credible. Be confident and assertive in your tone.

• Since the oral presentations are timed, structure your discussion around the most important aspects of your project. Was it the process of the research or is it the results themselves?

• Please allow time for a question and answer segment at the end of your presentation. Question and answer segments are very beneficial; an audience member may bring up new issues or interpretations.

• PowerPoint slides should not be a script for your presentation, instead they should serve as a visual reference for you and your audience. Each slide should include only an outline of what you are going to say; paragraphs of information can be distracting and overwhelming. Also keep in mind color deficiencies (red and green) or combinations that may be hard to see.

• Presentation style is a delicate balance. Practice your posture while presenting - try not to hide behind a podium or computer. Be enthusiastic and animated, but don't go overboard to the point of distraction.

http://www.unh.edu/urc/pdf/Tips_Oral_Presentation_2008.pdf

http://www.aresearchguide.com/3tips.html

http://lorien.ncl.ac.uk/ming/dept/Tips/present/comms.htm