ISCC

Every research project is different, so presentations do not need to follow a rigid slide-by-slide template. However, a strong scientific talk should tell a clear story: What question did you ask? Why does it matter? What did you do? What did you discover? What does it mean?

Title and Introduction

Introduce yourself, your institution, research mentor(s), and project.

Motivation and Research Question

Explain why the work matters and clearly identify the research question, objective, or hypothesis.

Essential Background

Provide only the background needed to understand the work and define specialized terminology.

Methods or Experimental Approach

Explain the techniques, experimental design, calculations, or analytical approach needed to understand the results without presenting unnecessary procedural detail.

Results

Present the most important data and observations using readable, clearly labeled figures, spectra, structures, schemes, graphs, or images.

Interpretation and Discussion

Explain what the results mean rather than only displaying the data.

Conclusions and Significance

State the major takeaway(s) and connect them back to the original scientific question.

Future Directions

If appropriate, briefly describe what comes next.

Acknowledgments

Recognize mentors, collaborators, institutions, funding sources, and others who supported the work.

• use large, readable text and strong contrast;
• keep text concise and avoid paragraphs;
• use scientific figures and visuals where appropriate;
• give each slide one main purpose or message;
• make figures large enough to interpret from the back of a room;
• clearly label axes, units, legends, structures, and important features;
• explain unfamiliar abbreviations and terminology;
• avoid communicating critical information through color alone;
• cite material that is not your own; and
• avoid unnecessary animation or distracting effects.

• identify the main message they want the audience to remember;
• build the talk around that message;
• rehearse aloud with the actual slides;
• consistently finish within the 12-minute limit;
• practice transitions between slides;
• practice explaining figures rather than reading labels;
• rehearse for mentors, labmates, classmates, or friends;
• prepare for likely questions; and
• avoid trying to fit too much material into the talk by speaking excessively quickly.

• speak to the audience rather than the projection screen;
• introduce figures before discussing details;
• direct the audience toward the important features of the data;
• stay within the 12-minute presentation limit;
• listen to an entire question before answering; and
• recognize that it is completely appropriate to say that a question is outside the scope of the current project or that the answer is not yet known.

• American Chemical Society — The Art of Preparing for an Oral Presentation
• American Chemical Society — 10 Keys to an Engaging Scientific Presentation
• Stanford Medicine — Oral Presentations