Giving A Good Seminar -Some Tips

Seminars are the best way to communicate your research findings and impress
other scientists and potential employers of your worth. A good seminar is one
which delivers a clear message to the audience. The audience will be interested enough to ask questions and will go away having learnt something new and will remember you.
Before the seminar
1. Know your topic
•study the background and related literature
•write down the message(s) you want to give in your seminar
•all talks have a beginning, middle and end
2. Know your audience
•are they a general interest group or a group of specialists
•alter presentation to suit
•do not be ‘so close’ to your topic that you cannot view your topic as others
would
•be realistic about the audience expectations of you
3. Prepare visual material
• remember the shorter the talk, the less complicated the material
• avoid using different media, eg slides and overheads
• minimise the number of words
• pictures are usually better
• the more time spent ‘polishing’ the material, the beter the talk
4. Prepare well before the actual seminar
5. Practice your seminar with friends/peers/supervisor; get timing right and
adjust media material
6. If possible avoid reading the seminar
• make a list of overheads/slides with ‘ must says’ noted under each
• write out your introductory comments in full if nervous
• arrange your overheads/slides so that they prompt you in what you want to say
At the seminar

1. Well before the seminar case out the venue
• practice using the audiovisual system
• if using computer graphics, make sure the computing facilities are working and you have the right screen settings. Have overheads in case!!!!
• arrange the ‘furniture’ to suit yourself
• know where the light switches are, arrange with someone to switch lights on/off at your command
• locate pointer
• if using slides have practice run to check orientation
• if using overheads have practice run to check orientation, size, focus etc
• arrange glass of water
2. Go somewhere quiet before seminar
• read your notes
• study ‘must says’
• focus on your story
• go to toilet
3. Sit in a position where you have clear access to the stage when anounced

4. Just before you are announced
• read your introductory comments
• remind yourself not to rush