Instructions for presentations

Participants are requested to upload their presentation before the start of their parallel session. Due to the amount of presentations and time constraints, it will not be possible to connect your own laptop. Presentations will be deleted from the laptops after the end of the session. Presentations can be shown using the latest versions of PowerPoint and Adobe Reader running on Microsoft Windows 10 computer or laptop. The screen and beamer aspect ratio of the presentation is 16:9.

Tips to help your prepare your talk:

1. Know your audience

Provide a proper introduction into your research subject. As the parallel sessions at the conference will be programmed around broader (e.g. interdisciplinary) themes, part of your audience might be unfamiliar with the specifics of your field and methodology. Rehearse the talk, preferably with an audience that contains a person working in a different research field.

2. Focus

Keep the total amount of information in your talk limited and focussed. An audience can cope with only a few new results and topics. Even if you have achieved several important breakthroughs, do not be tempted to include everything in one talk. In other words, make sure that your talk conveys a clear ‘take home message’. Also try to keep the amount of information per slide limited. 

3. Keep your talk in time

Put a great deal of effort in keeping within the allotted time (15 minutes) and allow for 3-5 minutes for questions and discussion. You can achieve this by limiting the total amount of slides. As a rule of the thumb: allow for one to two minutes per slide. Put at least as much effort in the verbal explanation as the visual presentation of your presentation.

4. Think about your data presentation

Pay special attention to figures and diagrams. Never forget to explain what is on the axes (physical quantity, dimensions) or assume that the audience is familiar with diagrams that might be standard for researchers in your niche. Avoid complexity and take note that your audience might need some time to absorb and appreciate a figure. 

5. Some additional tips

Ever wondered if the audience in the back of the room can read the text on your slides? Here is a tip: print a slide on an A4 sheet of paper and place it near your feet on the floor. If you cannot properly read the text on the slide whilst standing up, use a larger font size. Also make your presentation standalone: if you include videos, test the internal linking such that it works once your copy your presentation to the laptop.

n.b. If you want to use the NWO logo in your slides, please use the new logo.