Presentation Requirements and Hints

Dress professionally. No jeans, no athletic shoes, no t-shirts, or sweatshirts. For men, a suit is not a requirement, but men should strive for professional attire. Women should also avoid jeans, athletic shoes, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. Skirts should not be short. Avoid styles that expose midsections. The point is that presenters want their audience focused on their presentation and experience and not the appearance of the presenters.

Practice. Whether you are presenting orally or presenting a poster, practice what you are going to say. Stumbling over words distracts from the quality of the presentation.

Oral Presentations:

Oral Presentations will be limited to 20 minutes (including presentation and time for questions). Computers and projection units will be available (both Mac and PC) for students who wish to complete PowerPoint presentations. Participants will be responsible for providing their computer presentations on a USB drive.

Oral Presentation Hints

There are 3 steps to having a successful presentation:

Introduction: 

Tell the audience your name, major, and what you did for your WTE (i.e., Community Service at XYZ, Leadership, International Education – I traveled to XYZ, Scholarly/Creative).

Body of the presentation: 

Organize this into main points, usually 2-3.  (For a poster presentation, you may have more VISUAL sections.)

1. Describe what you did for your WTE and why you did it.
2. Describe your activities (briefly describe your itinerary, or your list of duties/leadership Responsibilities, scholarly or creative processes)
3. What did you learn as a result of your WTE?

Conclusion: 

Tell us what you just told us and wrap up the presentation with how you were transformed.  For example:  My trip to Finland really opened my eyes to the different areas of health care in this country and it is an experience I will always remember.

If you are doing a powerpoint presentation, organize your slides in the above format, and perhaps give reference to your sections.

This same format applies for those doing a Poster Presentation:  Have an organized flow to your sections and give us the same information as above.

PRACTICE!!!  This is so important, whether you are giving a powerpoint or poster presentation, it is important to practice. Practice describing your pictures or anticipate what questions people may ask and practice answering them.

Poster Presentations:

Poster presentations will be displayed horizontally on 4’ x 6’ cork boards. Push pins can be used to attach items to the boards, and participants are expected to provide their own push pins. Handouts and small display objects can be mounted on the boards. A limited number of display boards near tables with access to electricity are also available. Please select this option only if your display requires electrical equipment or if your display is too large to be attached to the cork board. Specialized equipment (computers, extension cords, power strips, projection screens, etc.) must be provided by participants.

Poster Presentation Hints:

First and foremost, remember that a poster presentation is a visual presentation of your transformational experience. That means, quite simply, that the visual considerations are important.

• People read left to right, top left to bottom right on a poster. Make sure that you arrange the information on the poster logically according to that format.

• Don't use small fonts. You don't want the viewer to search for a magnifying glass to figure out what you try to express with your poster.

• A good poster should not be all text. If you are going to have only text, then why aren't you presenting orally? Use non-text visuals (charts, diagrams, photographs, etc.) as appropriate and necessary to support your experience.

• You do not have to spend lots of money constructing your poster, but it should appear professional, nevertheless. Don't incorporate handwritten panels, hastily and sloppily stuck to poster board.

• Tables are available for displays and/or computer-generated presentations. Make sure you indicate whether you need a table in your online registration form.

• Prepare a three to five minute presentation about your poster to give to viewers. Practice it. Be prepared to answer additional questions about your research and sources.

For additional information about preparing posters, see 'Creating Effective Poster Presentations: An Effective Poster'. 

Exhibitions/Performances:

Arrangements for exhibitions and performances are made on a case-by-case basis based on the nature of the exhibition/performance.