Poster presentation and oral presentation - some tips

Poster Presentation

Oral and poster presentations are like advertisements of your project. In a TV advertisement on washing powder, do they show us the whole process of washing clothes (with the specific powder)?  They do not; the advertisement shows only those points which attracts people (create an interest) and, thus, the name of the product and its specialities are remembered. The same principle should be adhered to during project presentation and poster presentation. Posters should be visually attractive and should have less text and more figures / graphs / images.

Oral Presentation

Oral presentation of your work is extremely important, so prepare yourselves to speak confidently about your project.

Judges always appreciate a presentation that is clear, concise and confidently delivered. They are checking whether you are familiar enough with all aspects of your project and can discuss it comfortably and answer questions about it.

1. Effective presentation means presentation done patiently, making it audible and understandable by the audience. So, it is important to select the most important points to be highlighted during the presentation. Do not go into trivial details – you may run out of time without covering the important points

2. As you start your presentation, tell the names of your group members, name of your school / organization and place to which you belong. Then come to the main work directly. Tell the title of the project and start speaking on why you are doing it (the need), how you have done it, the results obtained, conclusion(s), solution to the problem.

3. Use of posters (i.e. charts) during the project presentation is recommended. You may also use models etc. if you have made any. The poster should be clear and simple. You should never try to cramp a lot of information into the posters.  Do not memorize a speech and try to reproduce it during project presentation without getting involved with the presentation. Such a presentation carries no appeal and the audience normally gets bored. It is important to take help of the posters during the presentation. Do not read out during the presentation.

4. Never get excited during the presentation and avoid unnecessary movement of your body. Such actions reduce the impact of your presentation.

5. Avoid the use of difficult words and ornamental language.

6. Establish eye contact with the audience. Never concentrate on a particular group of people or inert objects (such as doors, windows, ceiling and outside)

7. There will be some time allotted for interaction after your presentation. Listen to the questions attentively and think before you answer. You should try to remain as pleasant as possible. If you get excited / irritated, then you create a negative impression about you among the audience.

Source: Harness water resources for a better future - Activity Guide for the 13th National Children's Science Congress