UAB Office for Undergraduate Research

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UAB Office for Undergraduate Research

• Presentation Preparation Workshop
• Monday, April 13, 2009

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Meet the Office for Undergraduate Research Team

• Dr. Christopher Reaves, Ph.D., Director of Office
  for Undergraduate Research
• Libby Telle (student), Office for Undergraduate
  Research, Departments of Biology and Foreign
  Languages and Literatures

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Important Info for ALL Presenters

• All Oral Presentations (Save in PowerPoint 2003),
  Films, Musical Performances, and Dramatic
  Performance pieces must be submitted to OUR by
  noon on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 in CD or thumb
  drive format
• Electronic versions of all posters/art (you may
  email) due to OUR by noon on Tuesday, April 21,
  2009
• All Posters and artwork/sculptures must be
  brought in by Thursday, April 23, 2009 to the
  Campus Rec Center, 1-4 PM
• Office for Undergraduate Research (OUR) located
  in Heritage Hall Room 525

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Presentation Day Procedures

• Poster and artwork/sculpture project presenters
  must register 8-845 AM in Campus Rec Center
• Oral presentation, film, music, and drama
  performers must register either between 8-845 AM
  or 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of
  their session.
• All students who register during the morning must
  remain for opening remarks (UAB President will be
  speaking), 9-925AM
• Poster and art/sculpture presentation session
  930-1130 AM

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Presentation Day Procedures

• Poster takedown 1130-1145
• Remove posters, exhibit s, and tacks
• ALL presenters must stay for duration of session
  
• Oral presentations, film, music, and drama
  presenters were sent an email with info regarding
  the session and time of presentation

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Presentation Day Rules

• Appropriate Research Standards
• Professionalism Important
• Practice before April 24
• Appropriate Dress (Business Attire)
• Should stay for whole Expo

• Faculty Approval for all work
• Personal Invitation to Mentors
• No changes on presentation day
• Co-Presenting Undergrads should be present
• Bring Resume

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Works in Progress

• Ongoing research with NO findings
• Opportunity to receive valuable feedback and
  potential guidance
• Includes work still in design phase or first
  experiment in a series of experiments
• Can present new findings or other types of
  innovative or thought-provoking work
• Works in progress should include intended goals,
  proposed methods of experiment, hypothesis, etc.
  

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Poster Guidelines

• Hanging Posters poster boards or easels with
  backboard
• We provide display structure (students bring only
  their poster)
• Tri-folds propped on tables
• Maximum Dimensions 48 inches by 56 inches

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Poster Guidelines

• Poster printing Your responsibility-discuss with
  mentor department
• Printing large posters-time consuming print
  EARLY because there may be a line of students
  waiting to print
• May print at Integrative Biomedical Sciences
  Graduate Program for 25 - 35 guidelines
  http//peir.path.uab.edu/ibiosci/posterprinterserv
  iceguide.pdf
• Stand next to poster to present to spectators
  between 930 and 1130
• PowerPoint slide of poster due to OUR by noon,
  Tuesday, April 21st.  

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Poster Recommendations

• Do not use too much text
• Use several pictures, slide views, graphs
• Charts/diagrams for signaling paths important
• Whenever possible, use your own diagrams
• Include References
• Include Title, Your name, your mentors name,
  departments
• Unnecessary items should be omitted
• Include same headings as in any paper (Abstract,
  Background information, methods, results,
  conclusions, etc., where applicable)
• Explain research parameters (what
  standards/controls you used, etc)
• Social Science/Humanities posters explain
  photos, use Abstract, Introduction, Purpose/Goal,
  Methods, Findings, Conclusions

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How to Create a Poster with Powerpoint

• Single slide layout (use empty slide)
• Open a blank presentation, use Page Setup in
  File Menu, change height and width of slide to
  your specifications
• Start with template first, and easily readable
  text color
• REMEMBER neat templates (like test tubes) are
  nice, but they will be covered up by your text
  boxes and images/graphs
• Now add textboxes, insert images, and import
  graphs
• Important to plan what they would like their
  poster to look like before beginning-rough format
  before getting on computer
• Remember to explain projects overall message
• Use Headings for each section
• Label images/graphs, explain significance on
  poster AND in presentation lecture

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How to Deliver an Effective Poster Presentation

• NEVER read your poster
• Know speech beforehand
• Use poster only as reference (pictures, or
  technical/specific pieces of info)
• Use readable colors-eyecatching/bright colors are
  good, but dont use any color scheme that is
  painful to read
• Practice in front of mentor
• Include future goals in experiment/where research
  can go from here

• Reaction mechanisms, mathematical equations, and
  similar details important-give credibility (hard
  evidence)
• Present as if you were explaining to a novice in
  your field
• Important to mention overall goal/purpose/theory
  behind project
• Use citations in the poster if it is not your
  original idea (a common practice)
• Anticipate questions, and prepare answers

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Poster Printing Tips

• Make printing arrangements beforehand
• Ensure the printing place can accommodate your
  poster size (if not, adjust)
• Brighter color schemeslonger print time
• Print poster as early as possible
• Should not change after printing (expensive,
  lengthy)
• Check printing place a few days before you plan
  to print to ensure there is enough paper and ink
• Allow your poster a few hours to dry after
  printing (smudges easily)
• Information taken from http//www.cur.org/pdf/Pre
  sentations.PDF 
• Refer to above site for more helpful hints

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Artwork/Sculpture Guidelines

• Contact OUR with special display needs and
  considerations
• Submit photograph of works by noon on April 21,
  2009
• Will present with posters in the Rec Center
  930-1130 on Presentation Day (register 8-845
  AM, stay for opening remarks)
• Possible topics of discussion include visual
  research questions, methodology, outcomes,
  historical progression of work/ideas, visual
  connections with other artists,
  meanings/significance/goal of work
• Notify OUR and mentor in advance if you need help
  transporting, storing, or displaying work
• OUR is not responsible for any lost, damaged, or
  stolen work
• Take home project immediately after Expo ends
• Make individual arrangements for protective cover
  for project as needed

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Oral Presentation Guidelines

• Oral presentations 10 minutes with 5 minute
  intervals for Q A
• OUR supplies laptop and projector
• Be familiar with Powerpoint software BEFORE you
  begin work and BEFORE you present
• Know how to navigate with Powerpoint BEFORE you
  present

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Oral Presentation Recommendations

• No long, complex sentences on slides
• Do not read off slides
• Use bullets on slides so you do the explaining
  when you present
• Do not paste paragraphs from a research paper or
  abstract
• Do not use distracting slide templates/backgrounds
  
• Choose a text color that is easy to read on your
  selected template/background

• Summarize results
• Include only subject headings, titles, brief
  bullets/notes
• Use graphs and images
• Elaborate on graphs/images in your lecture
• Discuss specific uses, general integrity/purpose
  of project
• Practice beforehand, with mentor
• Anticipate questions
• Include future courses of action

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Powerpoint Presentation Recommendations

• Include title slide with your title, name,
  mentors name, departments
• Arrange slides in organized, sequential manner
• No wacky or time-consuming animations
• No sound effects
• Efficient slide transitions
• Transitions/animations on your mouse click
  automated timing may be off on presentation day
• Define message know your audience prepare well
• One idea per slide
• Many pictures, few equations
• Include References Use citations throughout
  project

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How to Give an Effective Oral Presentation

• State your scope/goal/purpose at beginning
• Include significance
• Use main concepts/conclusions
• Give future aims
• Be aware of your time restriction
• Prioritize points in case you run out of time
• Give adequate background info (but do not make
  this the majority of your presentation)
• Refer to pictures/graphs should be
  self-explanatory anything requiring extensive
  elaboration should probably be left out
• This information was taken from
  http//www.msu.edu/user/zacks/OnGivingATalk.htm
• Please consult above site for more helpful hints

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Film Guidelines

• Follow Oral Presentation Guidelines/tips where
  applicable
• Film submissions 7 minutes or less (entire short
  film or selected excerpts of longer work)
• Film will include verbal introduction, screening
  of film, five-minute question and answer period
  not to exceed 15 minutes total
• Projector, audio will be provided on presentation
  day   

• All films should be submitted on DVD for
  consideration by noon on April 21st, 2009
• Content of films should follow University
  regulations and be suitable for formal
  presentation
• Contact OUR with specific concerns

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Dramatic Performance Guidelines

• Include verbal introduction, performance,
  question and answer period not to exceed 20
  minutes total
• Any audio/visual needs must be addressed
  beforehand
• Scripts are generally NOT recommended
• Index cards are acceptable
• Do not read off cards (use notes)
• Poetry reading should be organized, in sequential
  manner

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Musical Works Guidelines

• Music submissions 7 minutes or less
• Include verbal introduction, musical piece,
  five-minute question and answer period not to
  exceed 15 minutes total
• Live performance or CD submission in MP3 format
• Music presentations in CD format due to OUR by
  noon on April 21st, 2009
• Content of music presentations should follow
  University regulations and be suitable for formal
  presentation. 

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Important Info for Everyone

• Submission deadline Noon, Tuesday, April 21,
  2009
• Entitle submissions First Name_Last Name
• Presentation day (UAB Expo) Friday, April 24,
  2009
• Attendance is required for the duration of your
  poster session/presentation on presentation day

• Prepare in advance
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
• Invite friends and family

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Useful Links

• UAB's Office for Undergraduate Research
  www.uab.edu/undergraduate-research
• National Conferences on Undergraduate Research
  www.ncur.org 
• Council on Undergraduate Research www.cur.org

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Questions? Comments? Concerns?

• What is your biggest issue?
• Individual concerns?
• Individual questions can also be emailed to
  uabexpo_at_uab.edu
• For questions please contact Christopher
  Reaves, Ph.D.Director, Office for Undergraduate
  Researchcwreaves_at_uab.edu or 205-934-8667
  Heritage Hall Building, 525

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Thank you for attending the workshop!