Research Paper Presentation: 4 Hints To Help You Succeed

Learning how to prepare research presentations is an academic practice that most students will find critical during their time in college or university. It is a way to share your ideas and research with a broad audience of professors and fellow students. It also opens up your work to feedback and constructive criticism, which leads to you becoming more competent and professional.

Necessity of The Research Paper Presentation 

Most students will have to write about various subjects in the classroom as a part of the college or university's educational program. In many classes, you will have to present your projects before turning in the final paper. So, it's important to not only learn how to best present yourself before the audience, but also to convert a written paper into a talk. Here are some hints that will help you with this perplexing task.

It’s About Talking, not Writing 

While all the contents of your paper have been written in the text form, the actual presentation will depend on listening comprehension and not reading. Everything you say needs to be clear and organized, so that your audience could understand and follow your line of thinking. 

• State your name in the beginning, if you haven't been introduced by someone else
• State the title of your thesis
• Explain to the audience why is your thesis important
• Explain the general outline of your project

Including Visual Information 

Do not forget to show pictures, graphs and other visual information. The best way to do this is to synchronize your talk with the visuals shown on the screen. Explain the pictures to make sure that your audience understands what you're showing. Do not include too much text, because it can overwhelm the audience. Read the points from slides in short summaries.

Practice, Practice 

Practicing your speech beforehand can help you get ready to present yourself before the audience. Practice the timing, coherence and tone of your speech. Double check that you know all your speaking points as well as their order. It's better to keep everything short and informative rather than long and tedious.

Be Prepared For Answering Questions

After your talk, professors and your other listeners may ask various questions. Even though this part can be intimidating, always be prepared to answer them. Be sure to know the information that you're presenting, but remember that you might forget something because of your nervousness. Bring notes and try to keep the talk organized.