The organizers have gathered below our recommendations for conference presenters, both seasoned and new to the trade. By following these best practices, we can all help make this conference a engaging event.
- Practice and Time Yourself
One of the most disruptive conference practices is going over time. This takes time away from your co-panelists, cuts into Q/A and drains the energy of the audience. We insist presenters practice their talk, time themselves and edit their talk as necessary to come in under the time you are allotted. You will be cut off if you go over time. - Aim for 2-3 minutes less than you are allotted
Related to point 1, we encourage presenters to aim short rather than long. This allows for presenters to read at a comfortable pace, have brief moments of editorializing, and gives space for the inevitable A/V hiccups. - Reduce Lit Review and Focus on Analysis, Intervention and Contributions
We encourage presenters to limit the amount of time they spend discussing or summarizing the work of others so they can focus on their own exciting contributions. Presenters should find ways to acknowledge their theoretical frameworks and reference existent literature while maximizing the time they spend laying out their own work. - Use Visuals to Support your Talk
Consider ways a well-chosen image, chart or quote can elucidate your point without taking up extra spoken time. Using images can save time clarifying important points in your talk - Make your Presentations Easy to Read
Avoid putting lots of text on a slide, especially at small size. Make sure your background and text are high contrast (i.e. black text on a white background for example) and avoid using dark backgrounds on your slides, which tend to wash out when projected. Be consistent in your use of fonts, sizes, and colors so as not to distract from your presentation.