Mastering Presentations and Group Meetings

Abstract

Many people rank public speaking as their greatest fear.But talk- ing in front of an audience doesn’t have to be a scary prospect. The trick is to be prepared, know your stuff, and practice until it feels completely natural to talk about your work in front of a group. For several months now you have been designing experi- ments, carrying them out, and collecting data. At some point your advisor will ask you to present your findings to others. Perhaps your first presentation will be in an informal setting, such as other members of your lab during a weekly or monthly group meeting. Or you may be asked to give a presentation to the entire department. At some point as a graduate student, (and count yourself lucky if you’re given the chance this early in your career), you may even be invited to present your research at a large regional or international conference. Let’s talk first about giving a presentation to a fairly large audience. This type of talk is by naturemore formal than a group meeting and requires a more structured preparation.