Presenting at an academic conference is an important facet of graduate school. It allows you to network with others in your field, present your work in a public forum, and receive feedback from experts. It can also be a nerve-wracking experience for a young and inexperienced graduate student to present their work to an audience that may include leaders in their field. A good presentation can be a boon to your career, but a bad one can be a major setback.
Instructions
1. Cut your paper to fit the time constraints. Graduate-level papers are usually written with journal publication in mind, but the time constraints at most conferences will not let you present your whole paper. The usual rule of thumb is that one page in standard double-spaced 12-point font will take two minutes to read. If the time limit for your presentation is 20 minutes, this means your paper should not exceed 10 pages.
2. Practice reading aloud. Find some colleagues or friends and have them listen to you read your paper aloud. Have them give you feedback on your performance, such as whether you are reading too fast or two slow, whether or not you are making eye contact, etc.
3. Create a "conference copy" keyed towards performance. Put it in a bigger font so that you can read it easily, and put parts you want to emphasize in italics.
4. Anticipate questions. Most conference panels have a Q&A period at the end, so plan answering questions about your presentation. Have your friends and colleagues come up with some and plan on what you are going to say in response.
5. Decide if you want to use technology. Many people now use PowerPoint presentations or video clips as part of their presentation. If you want to to do this, make sure you make arrangements with the conference organizers so that the technology is available. When you practice reading aloud, practice operating the technology. Also, have a backup plan in case there is a equipment problem during your presentation.
6. Arrive early and relax. On the day of your presentation, make sure you are early and have everything you need. After you are there, try to simply relax and avoid the temptation to do any last-second tinkering. If you have followed the steps above, you should be well-prepared, so go up to the podium with confidence and the rest should be easy.
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