Things to consider include:

☑ Expertise and knowledge – Without a doubt you need to know your stuff. You do not have a right to present, if you do not know what you are talking about. Knowing your stuff gives you credibility and confidence.

☑ Your objective – You will undoubtedly have an objective related to your study. Say, for example, ‘to outline your study and communicate findings’. But also stop and think about what you want your audience to achieve.

☑ Story telling – Without a doubt the best presenters know how to tell a story. They tell a tale, they build anticipation, they shoot for ‘aha’ moments, they use anecdotes, and they are not afraid of weaving in appropriate bits of emotion.

☑ The power of you – People are motivated by people. Your presentation needs to have your stamp on it, and you need to ‘show up’.

☑ Audio-visual aids – These should support you, not replace you. If you are using PowerPoint minimize. I recommend no more than 1 slide for every 2 minutes on stage – less if possible. Also try to move away from text-based slides to more powerful visuals. Think about video as well – I Internet streaming is not as problematic as it once was. Also think about animating yourself. I always use a lapel microphone and a wireless mouse so that I can move around and draw focus. Hiding behind a podium is less likely to be engaging.