Audiences remember clarity, not clutter
1. Preparation Beats Talent
A “natural speaker” is often just someone who has practiced extensively. This is true even for native speakers; simply knowing a language doesn’t ensure that you can deliver a great presentation. It’s important to start preparing early, conduct timed rehearsals, and record yourself to identify and improve any weak areas. Top presenters frequently dedicate hours of preparation for every minute they spend on stage, refining their delivery and cutting out unnecessary jargon.
2. Design Slides for Eyes, Not for Eyeglasses
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Font size: Use at least 28 pt for body text. Nothing smaller ever appears clearly on the big screen.
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Slide pacing: Aim for about one slide per minute. Dense decks tempt you to rush.
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Dynamic visuals: Use simple animations (like a fade) to keep attention moving. Never leave a static info dump on screen for more than 60 seconds—refresh or replace it. Avoid looping or uncontrolled animations, which distract the audience.
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Figures: When possible, redo figures for your talk, not just copy from your paper. Crop white borders, enlarge axis labels, and add concise captions so people grasp the point at a glance.
3. Equations: Less is More
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Only include equations you will actually discuss. For example, when showing the Einstein field equations, a proportionality form may be enough—you don’t need all the constants. Likewise, when presenting a Lagrangian, focus on the key terms rather than every integral or normalization factor.
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Avoid screenshots of equations from papers; they look sloppy. Instead, typeset them cleanly using LaTeX. Most presentation software supports LaTeX directly, or you can compile online and export nicely formatted equations.
4. Laser Pointer Etiquette
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Use the pointer sparingly and deliberately. Don’t wave it frenetically or aim it at people (yes, that happens quite often!).
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For more precise pointing, steady your hand with the other, especially when highlighting detailed parts of a slide.
5. Engage the Room
Look up. Find friendly faces in three different zones (left, center, right) and cycle through them. This triangulation makes everyone feel addressed.
5. Close with Value, Not only with “Thanks”
Your final slide should at least deliver:
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Key take-aways
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Your name (as you want it cited)
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One contact line (email)
Skip the stand-up routine; a purposeful ending sticks better than a punchline.
6. Title Like a Journalist
Good titles are actionable and informative:
“Tracing Black-Hole Shadows with Next-Gen Telescopes”
beats
“Some Results on My Latest Work.”
More resources:
TED-Ed: What’s the best way to give a presentation?
David Tong: ‘How to Make Sure Your Talk Doesn’t Suck‘Patrick Winston: ‘How to Speak‘