Here's another good site for presentation tips: The University of Pittsburgh's Attending Professional Meetings Successfully page.

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Oral Presentations

Please read the following information and guidelines carefully, and prepare your oral presentation and slides accordingly. Clarity of visuals and a well-rehearsed presentation are vital components of a successful talk.

Available Equipment

All meeting rooms for oral presentations will be equipped with the following:

• Projection screen
• 35mm slide projector
• Overhead projector
• Wired lavaliere microphone
• Laser pointer

Remember, each presenter should bring her/his own slide carousel.

The following additional items are available by special request:

• Video projector and player (for video tape presentation)
• LCD Panel/Data Projector (for computer presentations)

If you require one of these pieces of equipment, please advise Kara_Pliscott@sba.com. Be sure to indicate the tape size (VHS, etc.) for a video projector, and if your laptop is MAC or IBM compatible for an LCD Panel/Data Projector. SICB does not provide computers in the meeting rooms.

Organization and Style

• You should plan your presentation carefully and coordinate each step of your talk with slides or other visuals. For SICB Topic Presentations your time allotment is 20 minutes and includes time for discussion. Time limitations for each presentation will be enforced by the co-chairs of each session. Your presentation should contain the following elements:
  • Why was the project undertaken?
  • What was done?
  • What was learned?
  • What does it mean?

• The following suggestions for proper delivery may also prove useful:
  • Have a script prepared for oral presentation. Your copy should be highly legible (ALL CAPS), double or triple-spaced, with well marked cues for slides or other visuals
  • Number the sheets of your copy. Make sure your script lies flat for easy turning.
  • Arrive at the session early and acquaint yourself with the location and type of equipment you will be using. Give the room monitor your slide carousel.
  • Give the co-chairs any special instructions before your session begins.

Slide Preparation

• Only 35mm slides may be used.
• You should bring your slides to the meeting in a carousel tray.
• Use simple title slides.
• One idea per slide is the most effective form of presentation.
• If you plan to refer to a single slide more than once in your presentation, make duplicate copies. Do not plan on reversing the projector to return to a previous slide.
• It is often desirable to use your last slide for a list of your conclusions.
• Slides must be simple enough so they can be viewed at a distance.
• Slides that have white letters on a black, dark blue or dark purple background are the easiest to read.

Audio/Visual Practice Room

Two audio/visual practice rooms will be available during the meeting from January 4-8, 2000. Space and practice equipment will be limited. You will be required to sign up outside the door of the practice rooms.

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Poster presentations

Poster Sessions

Poster sessions are displayed in two one-and-a-half-day sessions:

Poster Session A

	Wednesday, January 5		9:00 am - 9:15 pm
	Thursday, January 6		9:00 am - 12:00 noon
Question & Answer Session
	Wednesday, January 5		7:15 pm- 9:15 pm
Tear-down
	Thursday, January 6		12:00 noon - 1:00 pm

Poster Session B

	Thursday, January 6		3:00 pm - 9:15 pm
	Friday, January 7		9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Question & Answer Session
	Thursday, January 6		7:15 pm- 9:15 pm
Tear-down
	Friday, January 7		After 6:00 pm

Poster authors must be available at their poster during their sessions's Question & Answer period.

Poster Size

Each poster mounting board is approximately 4 feet tall by 8 feet wide; it stands approximately 30 inches off the floor. There will be several feet of space between rows of poster boards. One (1) poster will be mounted on each side of the board.

The boards have a usable area of 3'10" high x 7'8" wide (one side of the poster board). Be prepared with your own material (thumb tacks and masking tape) to secure items to the boards.

Poster Presentation

Each poster is required to contain a panel listing the title of the abstract, the name(s) of the author(s) and a copy of your abstract in large type (increase by photocopy).

The following guidelines may prove helpful in the preparation of your poster.

• Use the largest possible type size, and bullet your major points. Text should be printed in fonts of 3/8" height. Any hand-lettered materials should be in heavy lettering at least 3/8" high.
• Professionally drawn charts, tables and graphics will greatly increase the effectiveness of any poster. Illustrations and tables should be kept relatively simple to maximize legibility. Avoid "artsy" style and keep captions brief.
• Lines in graphs should be heavy. Choose colors that are easily distinguishable from one another. Symbols, letters and numbers should be large enough to be seen from a distance of six feet.
• Contrast is important. A backing of colored paper or posterboard for each item of your poster will make it more attractive. Consider using different colored backings to help group your major headings.
• It's easier to read a poster if the information is arranged in vertical columns rather than horizontal strips.

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