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Presentation SkillsPresentation Skills(for Senior Division oral presentations)(for Senior Division oral presentations)

Mercer Science and Engineering Club3 Creek Rim Drive

Titusville , NJ 08560

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OverviewOverview• What to do firstWhat to do first• Starting a conversationStarting a conversation• The Pitch: What to talk aboutThe Pitch: What to talk about• Target AudiencesTarget Audiences• Dressing for successDressing for success• Display TipsDisplay Tips• How to practiceHow to practice• Building confidenceBuilding confidence• What Judges Look ForWhat Judges Look For

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What to do firstWhat to do first

• Make a planMake a plan

• Make sure you understand your projectMake sure you understand your project

• Write things downWrite things down

• Choose proper attireChoose proper attire

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Starting a conversationStarting a conversation

• Learn how to start a conversationLearn how to start a conversation• Write some opening linesWrite some opening lines

– Practice, practice, practicePractice, practice, practice– Memorize theseMemorize these– Make the opening natural and easy to Make the opening natural and easy to

speakspeak– Make it short and to the pointMake it short and to the point

• Introduce yourself, then your projectIntroduce yourself, then your project

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The Pitch: The Pitch: What to talk aboutWhat to talk about

• Start with a verbal abstractStart with a verbal abstract• Make a list of questions and answersMake a list of questions and answers

– Provide more detailProvide more detail– Be prepared to discuss any aspect of the Be prepared to discuss any aspect of the

projectproject– Not every judge has the same background Not every judge has the same background

or interestor interest– Review questions with parents, mentors Review questions with parents, mentors

and teachersand teachers

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Target AudiencesTarget Audiences

• JudgesJudges– Select award winnersSelect award winners– Engineering and scientific backgroundsEngineering and scientific backgrounds– Start simple but be prepared to go into depthStart simple but be prepared to go into depth

• Teachers and MentorsTeachers and Mentors– Grade your projects for classGrade your projects for class– Have followed your progressHave followed your progress

• Students and ParentsStudents and Parents– Unfamiliar with project and termsUnfamiliar with project and terms– Simplified explanationsSimplified explanations

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Dressing for successDressing for success

• Professional attireProfessional attire

• Use for future Use for future interviewsinterviews

• Do not wearDo not wear– JeansJeans– Flip flopsFlip flops– SneakersSneakers

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Display TipsDisplay Tips

• Utilize the entire Utilize the entire space space 30 inches deep30 inches deep

48 inches wide48 inches wide

108 inches high (from floor to top 108 inches high (from floor to top of project)of project)

• Avoid “Clutter”Avoid “Clutter”

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Display ExtrasDisplay Extras

Too much stuffToo much stuffPictures are betterPictures are better

Minimal is goodMinimal is goodOne item is bestOne item is best

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Items Not Allowed at Project or in BoothItems Not Allowed at Project or in Booth

• Living organisms, including plantsLiving organisms, including plants• Taxidermy specimens or partsTaxidermy specimens or parts• Preserved vertebrate or invertebrate animalsPreserved vertebrate or invertebrate animals• Human or animal foodHuman or animal food• Human/animal parts (e.g teeth) or body fluids (e.g. Human/animal parts (e.g teeth) or body fluids (e.g. blood, urine)blood, urine)• Plant materials (living, dead, or preserved) which Plant materials (living, dead, or preserved) which are in their raw, unprocessed, or non-manufactured are in their raw, unprocessed, or non-manufactured state state (Exception: manufactured construction (Exception: manufactured construction materials used in building the project or display)materials used in building the project or display)

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Items Not Allowed at Project or in BoothItems Not Allowed at Project or in Booth

• Laboratory/household chemicals including water Laboratory/household chemicals including water (Exception: water integral to an enclosed apparatus or (Exception: water integral to an enclosed apparatus or water supplied by the Display and Safety Committee)water supplied by the Display and Safety Committee)

• Poisons, drugs, controlled substances, hazardous Poisons, drugs, controlled substances, hazardous substances or devices (e.g. firearms, weapons, substances or devices (e.g. firearms, weapons, ammunition, reloading devices)ammunition, reloading devices)• Dry ice or other sublimating solidsDry ice or other sublimating solids• Sharp items (e.g. syringes, needles, pipettes, knives)Sharp items (e.g. syringes, needles, pipettes, knives)• Flames or highly flammable materialsFlames or highly flammable materials• Batteries with open-top cellsBatteries with open-top cells• Awards, metals, business cards, flags, endorsements Awards, metals, business cards, flags, endorsements and/or acknowledgements (graphic or written)and/or acknowledgements (graphic or written)

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Items Not Allowed at Project or in BoothItems Not Allowed at Project or in Booth

• Photographs or other visual presentations Photographs or other visual presentations depicting vertebrate animals in surgical techniques, depicting vertebrate animals in surgical techniques, dissections, necropsies, or other lab proceduresdissections, necropsies, or other lab procedures• Active Internet or e-mail connections as part of Active Internet or e-mail connections as part of displaying or operating the projectdisplaying or operating the project• Glass or glass objects unless deemed by Display Glass or glass objects unless deemed by Display and Safety Committee to be an integral and and Safety Committee to be an integral and necessary part of the project necessary part of the project (Exception: glass that (Exception: glass that is an integral part of a commercial product such as is an integral part of a commercial product such as a computer screen)a computer screen)

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Items Not Allowed at Project or in BoothItems Not Allowed at Project or in Booth

• Any apparatus deemed unsafe by the Scientific Any apparatus deemed unsafe by the Scientific Review Committee, the Display and Safety Review Committee, the Display and Safety Committee, (or Science Service at INTEL) Committee, (or Science Service at INTEL) (e.g. large vacuum tubes or dangerous ray-(e.g. large vacuum tubes or dangerous ray-generating devices, empty tanks that previously generating devices, empty tanks that previously contained combustible liquids or gases, pressurized contained combustible liquids or gases, pressurized tanks, etc.)tanks, etc.)

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Audio/video Presentations IAudio/video Presentations I

• Designed to augment oral and board Designed to augment oral and board presentations presentations

• Use AV presentation when explaining related Use AV presentation when explaining related aspect of the projectaspect of the project

• Types of video presentationsTypes of video presentations– Video clipsVideo clips– Animated sequencesAnimated sequences

• Examples of toolsExamples of tools– Powerpoint Powerpoint – Windows Media PlayerWindows Media Player

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Audio/video Presentations IIAudio/video Presentations II

• Practice answering questions using AV Practice answering questions using AV presentation – similar to using your board in presentation – similar to using your board in the oral presentationthe oral presentation

• Keep audio aspects to minimum so it does Keep audio aspects to minimum so it does not interrupt oral presentation or neighborsnot interrupt oral presentation or neighbors

• AV presentation used to showAV presentation used to show– Video clips that show non-standard procedures or Video clips that show non-standard procedures or

resultsresults– Animations that would take too many static imagesAnimations that would take too many static images– Very large or small objectsVery large or small objects

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How to practiceHow to practice

• Oral presentation practice must be Oral presentation practice must be spoken, not readspoken, not read

• Start by speaking to a mirrorStart by speaking to a mirror

• Move onto speaking to individuals: Move onto speaking to individuals: parents, teachers, studentsparents, teachers, students

• Practice in front of a classPractice in front of a class

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What Judges Look ForWhat Judges Look For

• Student’s understanding of the project, its results Student’s understanding of the project, its results and techniques employed in experimentationand techniques employed in experimentation

• Quality of research, planning, construction, Quality of research, planning, construction, execution and presentationexecution and presentation

• How well the student presents the project How well the student presents the project (Senior division)(Senior division)

• How well the board presents the projectHow well the board presents the project• What did you learnWhat did you learn• Who did the workWho did the work• Future plansFuture plans

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Getting Students InvolvedGetting Students Involved

• Get students to critique presentersGet students to critique presenters– Students learn how to listenStudents learn how to listen– Students learn how to write evaluationsStudents learn how to write evaluations– Write short paragraph summarizing presentationWrite short paragraph summarizing presentation

• Grade critiques for extra creditGrade critiques for extra credit– Is the critique constructive?Is the critique constructive?– Did the critique miss key items presented?Did the critique miss key items presented?– Did the critique point out areas that are unclear?Did the critique point out areas that are unclear?– KISSKISS

• Have non-science fair students present on Have non-science fair students present on topics of their choicetopics of their choice

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SummarySummary• Start with a good project and resultsStart with a good project and results

• Dress for successDress for success

• Start a conversation –Introduce yourselfStart a conversation –Introduce yourself

• ExtemporizeExtemporize don’t memorize don’t memorize

• Practice, practice, practicePractice, practice, practice

• Explain your project as many times as Explain your project as many times as possible to as many people as possiblepossible to as many people as possible