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First Time Presenter Guide
SHAFR is a friendly and encouraging society, but it is also a professional organization that desires engaging presentations based on well-argued, quality papers. This guide is meant to help panelists, particularly first-time presenters, make the most of the opportunity to share their research at SHAFR meetings.
Composing a Panel
When composing a panel, think intently about “the glue” that will hold your panel together. All of the presentations should share a recognizable theme or topic—this will lend your panel a sense of cohesion and provide a more engaging experience for your audience and commentators. Don’t be afraid to think creatively; for instance, a panel with a significant theme, rather than a regional or time-specific focus, may provide intriguing opportunities for theoretical or comparative innovations.
Structure and Content of Your Presentation
In order to construct an effective presentation, you must begin with an effective paper. This paper should go out to other panelists in a timely fashion, but your presentation needs to be a shorter version. First, your presentation, like your paper, should position your research within a larger historiographical context. Stress your work’s contributions while also fleshing-out its relationship to relevant academic debates, theoretical interventions, and other important texts. Second, your paper should, if possible, demonstrate an awareness of your co-panelists’ research and the content of their presentations. Be sure to link your specific research to the larger themes of the panel. Third, be sure that your thesis and line of argument is clearly stated.
Effective Communication
Remember that oral communication is different from written communication. In a conference presentation, it is best to keep your sentences simple. Be carefully attuned to whether terms, names, and acronyms make sense when spoken aloud. For instance, saying “TIME magazine” in your presentation rather than just “TIME” as you might write in a paper, makes a difference. Be sure that your presentation has a clear structure: it helps to begin by telling the audience what you’re going to tell them and end by telling them what you’ve told them.
Presentations are best if they do not simply involve reading your essay. Take advantage of the conference atmosphere by communicating with your audience. Slow-down on complicated or important sentences, pause for effect and emphasis, and make eye contact. Practicing your presentation before the conference will help you relax and ensure effective communication.
The time slot for all panels is strictly observed, so organize your presentation to fit the allotted time. A 15 minutes presentation is approximately 5-6 double spaced printed pages. A 20 minutes presentation is 6-8 such pages. It is better to include less information than it is to include too much and have to rush through your material.
Last, but certainly not least, technology (specifically the use of powerpoint slides) can be effective tools for communicating with your audience. We live in an increasingly visual world, and your presentation will be more engaging if you include visual stimuli. Projectors or hand-outs can provide material to engage the audience in your research. If you are providing an analysis of a text, allow your audience to see what you are talking about. If place is important in your work, show your audience photographs or a map. If your work centers on particular people, a picture would be helpful. If you are citing statistics or other numerical data, use charts or graphs. Even short block quotations become clearer when the audience can read along. Powerpoint gets a bad rap because it is often misused to re-write a textual presentation onto a screen. If used to project visual material with only scanty use of text, however, powerpoint slides can make your presentation come alive.
Additional Thoughts
Practice with colleagues in your program, or even in front of a mirror, before coming to the conference. Be prepared to field a variety of questions regarding your research and the theme of your panel. While at the conference, take advantage of the opportunity to see the many other panels. Note what makes some people successful presenters and learn from what they do well.
11-20-2009
Annessa Stagner and Shanon Fitzpatrick
University of California, Irvine