How to present a research paper in a conference

February 13, 2023

Research Paper

Almost every conference has at least one time period set aside for research papers to be presented orally or on a podium. These sessions for podium presentations are crucial for the presenters, organizers, and attendees. The task of gathering all the information and ideas for a presentation in less than ten minutes may appear intimidating to newcomers and those freshly beginning. The stress of speaking in front of an audience of professionals and, most importantly, of being ready to respond to probing questions from the delegates would be added to that.

We hope that this message will serve as a helpful guide for newcomers on how to approach scientific presentations, which are crucial for one’s career and, more importantly, for the advancement of research. When your research study is over, the results have been examined, and a report has been prepared, you should start looking for conferences where presenting your research would be of interest and significance to the attendees. But you might begin considering the presenting procedure even before deciding on the conference.

A podium presentation of a research paper at a conference can be intimidating for a novice. One must select an appropriate conference for their presentation, write an abstract, prepare slides and a speech that goes along with them, and practice responding to audience queries. They must also face their dread of public speaking and their fear of running into an unfriendly crowd who will tear their paper to pieces. This communication aims to offer helpful advice on how to approach creating and delivering a research paper.

• Step #1

Identify What The Primary Message Of Your Research Is & Determine Whether A Conference Presentation Is The Right Platform For You

• Finding the main point, which can be conveyed in a single or a few phrases, is the first stage. 
• Then think about if the facts and analysis in the research article are too extensive and complicated to be given in eight to ten minutes. 
• One choice, if you believe it is, is to display it as a poster. 
• The alternative is to make a podium presentation using only a portion of the data.

• Step #2

Select The Most Appropriate Conference & Gather All the Required Conferencing Info You Require To Make An Informed Decision

• You should give the conference’s significance the utmost consideration while choosing it. 
• You should be wondering whether or not the attendees of the conference that you’re presented at will find your work interesting. 
• Do they need something like that? 
• Of course, any obligations you have, registration fees, travel expenses, etc., would also affect your choice. 
• You’d want to learn more about the conference and the oral presentation session once you’ve been chosen. 
• Visit the conference website and peruse the booklet to learn more about these aspects. 
• You can even get in touch with the organizers to find out all the specifics you need to know, including – 
  • information about the abstract (deadlines, type, word limits, whether figures and graphs can be included, etc.), 
  • the prospective attendees (experts, beginners, super-specialists, specialists, or generalists), 
  • the presentation (time allotted, technical details like software permitted), and 
  • the location (seating capacity, 
  • whether there would be concurrent sessions, 
  • kind of audiovisual aids that would be available, 
  • type of stage and seating arrangement, etc.). 
• You must use this knowledge to plan your presentation. Many conferences include clear directions (on topics such as “how to publish research paper in Scopus“, “how to apply international conference“, and the like), rules, and even presentation templates. 

• Step #3

Devise A Strategy A Follow It To A Tee

• Making an effective presentation requires careful planning. 
• Important choices regarding the presentation should be carefully considered, including the following – 
  • what is the main message and how to elaborate on it (content), 
  • who should present the paper (presenter), 
  • what work should other team members carry out (support), 
  • should we stick to the traditional format or innovate a little bit (style), and 
  • what precautions should I take to prevent the last-minute hiccups from ruining the effort.

• A research project may involve several scientists, but only one can present it at the conference. 
• The person who oversaw the study took part in the study, and performed the analysis is the ideal candidate to give the presentation. 
• In other words, the person selected to present the study should be familiar with all of its subtle aspects and have a thorough understanding of the subject. 
• Establish the roles that each member of the research team will play. 
• Even though the presenter will be in charge of everything, the team members can assist him/her. 
• For instance, one member may conduct a thorough literature search to find recently published, pertinent articles, another could assist him/her in creating presentation content and slide designs, and everyone could help him/her get ready for any potential questions. 

• Other team members can organize how to accomplish this effectively and within a set time frame. 
• You must set aside adequate time for team meetings to choose the main point and how to elaborate on it, for speech practice, and for managing the question-and-answer (Q&A) session. 
• It is usually preferable to have a practical “timetable” because numerous tasks are carried out simultaneously, and numerous milestones must be attained in a timely and systematic manner.

• The Value Of Oral Presentations Of Research Papers For Presenters
  • The chance to communicate key findings from recently completed research 
  • The chance to develop abilities.
  • Providing an overview of the research, speaking in front of an audience, successfully explaining research findings, and defending your work.

The discussions that take place throughout the session can help you better understand many aspects of your study, including its limitations. This will allow you to – 

• Improve your CV (Curriculum Vitae) and lead to career advancement 
• Start to be recognized as a professional in the field you’ve chosen and a budding expert 

• Have the chance to interact with others (including experts) doing similar work, which will allow for future collaborations 
• Achieve the requirements set by some universities and employers for admission to their programs or for promotion delegates Organisers of conferences
• Giving researchers a platform to share their discoveries makes the conference more alluring to scientists.

• Step #4

Complete & Submit The Abstract

• The abstract must be written in accordance with the guidelines established by the conference organizers. 
• A structured abstract, including the subheadings introduction, objectives, methodology, results, and discussion, is always an excellent idea. 
• When appropriate and allowed by the conference, graphs should be used to describe complex results. 
• The main idea should be clear from the abstract. 
• It isn’t possible to overstate the value of the abstract enough. 
• It usually serves as a historical reference by being published in an abstract book and/or uploaded to the conference website. 
• To decide which presentations to attend and which to skip, many participants also skim the abstract book. 
• Verify that the Abstract’s content is accepted by all of the co-authors.

• Include a cover note with the abstract that highlights the significance of your research. 
• If there is enough time, one might even consider finishing the entire manuscript before the presentation. 
• The task of the presenter is made easier by it. 
• She only needs to pick out the right paragraphs, tables, and graphs from the book and place them on the slides. 
• Make careful to explicitly state in the cover letter if the research has already been presented at another conference or if the study’s findings have been published in a journal. 
• In the world of science, honesty and openness are the greatest policies.
• Since the audience and venue of the conference may differ, the majority of organizers will let you present the work even if it has already been done so.
• Enlisting the help of a research consultancy can help ease the burden for you. 

• Step #5

Prepare What You’re Going To Say & The Slides You’re Going To Present

• During a presentation, the material of the slides and the speech must coincide and be synchronized. 
• The number of slides you can use will depend on the amount of time you have, the complexity of the information and ideas you want to convey, how many slides have figures and graphs, and how quickly you speak. 
• But generally speaking, a presentation should have one slide each minute (maybe excluding the title, competing interests, and acknowledgment slides).
• Most conferences give the speaker eight minutes to present their work, with an additional two minutes allotted for questions and comments. 
• The order of the slides will logically adhere to the IMRaD format (Introduction, Methods, Result, and Discussion), with a focus on delivering clear objectives, significant details of methodology and results, and pertinent discussion on the study’s significance.
• While creating the slides, many presenters find it more convenient to work backward. 
• They prefer to start by writing a few study findings and adding pertinent methodologies and results as they go. 
• This supposedly aids in removing irrelevant information. 
• To explain complex data, one can use a table or a figure. 
• The Table should be full but not excessively so. Important numbers can be highlighted (in bold font, different colors) so that you can point to them and talk about them. 
• Using a diagram, one can illustrate complicated patient flow.

• One of the best methods for showcasing data is using graphs. 
• While creating slides, you must adhere to a few common guidelines. 
• The main idea is to always choose a “minimalistic” approach. 
• To convey your presentation, utilize the least amount of text, lines, graphics, and information possible. 
• Only the information necessary to convey the main idea on each slide should be present, and you should only use the number of slides necessary to accomplish this. 
• You will have to hurry through the written content if there is too much information on the slides. 
• Our target audience won’t have enough time to read it and will become disoriented. 
• For lack of time, skipping slides at the end of your presentation suggests that some of your slides are unimportant. 
• The audience will become uninterested in your presentation with absolute certainty if you do this.

• Never type an entire message or paragraph on a slide. 
• Don’t display complicated info. 
• Simply said, there isn’t enough time to explain elaborate long tables. 
• It is frequently advisable to summarise the data in such a case to make it easier to understand. 
• Some researchers choose to print out handouts regarding the study and make them available to the in-attendance delegates in the presentation room when the data is too complex. 
• The information on the slides should be organized in a series of concise, bulleted sentences. 
• You should make use of these as speaking aids or reminders. 
• Check out this list of every upcoming international conference in 2023 and register for an event right away!

• Keep a backup of the presentation on another pen drive or hard drive after the slide set is complete. 
• Make sure no other vital information is on the pen drive. 
• In some circumstances, after connecting the pen drive to the conference PC, the whole contents of the disc have been deleted. 
• Send the presentation to a friend or yourself via email. If the hard drive of the computer or the pen drive becomes corrupt, these extra copies come in handy. 
• Carry an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) to USB cable converter if you intend to utilize your own laptop for the presentation because some computers have HDMI cables while others have VGA cables for connecting to LCD (liquid crystal display) projectors.
• Write the speech out in clear, basic terms. Avoid using jargon. Nobody is impressed by it. 
• Use an energetic voice and succinct words. 
• Pick your words wisely. 
• Only use terms like “significant,” “always,” “never,” “best,” or “ideal” if the evidence supports them. 
• Slide by slide, write out your speech. 
• This will make it simpler for you to add the right hints to the slide. 
• To enter your speech, use the notes pane in Microsoft PowerPoint. You can use this when practicing your speech. 
• You must keep in mind that you won’t be able to go into detail due to time restrictions. 
• You will be able to discuss only the most important points. 
• For instance, it is crucial to disclose the characteristics of the study participants (eligibility criteria). 
• You will need to specify only those inclusion and exclusion criteria that will offer the audience a clear understanding of what the study is about because you cannot afford to read out all of them. 
• Maintaining this equilibrium between necessary disclosure and the time needed to deliver the methodology section is crucial.

• When creating the slide or slides for the Results section, start by including the raw data and simple descriptive statistics. 
• Describe the traits of the study population, or those of the control and target groups, in every sentence. 
• Before presenting other data, provide information pertaining to the primary research topic. 
• You must spend some time describing any tables, figures, or graphs you have included. 
• You do not have to go into great depth, though. 
• Just highlight the most important data or observations.

• The data from other research should be highlighted, the study’s advantages and disadvantages should be stated, and only then may conclusions be drawn based on the totality of the available data. 
• After you’ve completed drafting the speech, carefully edit it. 
• Examine it for yourself to ensure that the information is sound, important, and deserving of inclusion. 
• Additionally, look for logical flow and continuity of thought (referring to the conference’s research and publication guidelines helps in this regard).
• Your co-authors should see the slides and the speech’s text. 
• Take into account their insightful advice. 

• List Of All The Slides That Typically Constitute A Conference Research Paper Presentation
  • Title – 1 Slide 

List The Study’s full title. Include all authors’ names, last names, and institutional affiliations.

• Disputed Interests – 1 Slide

Certain conferences demand that the speaker outline competing interests (financial and other). This enables the attendees to evaluate the outcomes in the proper light.

• Introduction – 1 Slide

Use this slide to briefly present pertinent background information. The delegates ought to be able to comprehend the necessity of doing the investigation as a result. Write down the research question.

• Objectives – 1 Slide

Indicate the main goal and any crucial auxiliary goals in clear terms. Include just those goals for which the presentation will disclose pertinent results. Some people opt to skip this slide since they feel it makes the presentation longer. The “introduction” slide includes objectives.

• Methods – 1 or 2 Slides 

Describe the technique by outlining key details about the population examined, study design, study protocol, statistical plan, and ethical considerations (IRB approval, participant consent, and assent). Refrain from giving details that are not necessary. A complicated process would require two presentations.

• Results – 1 or 2 slides

Include numerical information. Use charts and tables as appropriate

• Discussion/Conclusions – 1 or 2 slides 

Describe any new information the study has brought to light. Describe the study’s weaknesses and strengths. Describe the appropriate use of the results in light of the available evidence. Offer research directions for the future. Send a message to the audience.

• Acknowledgment – 1 Slide 

Thank funding organizations, individuals who contributed significantly to the research, and others whose support led to you learning about and taking advantage of existing research funding opportunities.

• Step #6

Time Your Speech To Perfection & Practise It

• Ask for feedback and make good use of it. 
• For novices, practice and proper timing of your voice are quite important.
• Invite loved ones, friends, co-authors, and coworkers to the presentation so they can offer feedback. 
• Peers and colleagues can offer technical advice in addition to giving you advice about the readability and attractiveness of the slides and the manner in which you should deliver the speech. 
• Many of the practice sessions will be conducted by yourself in front of a laptop. 
• There will be a few practice sessions held in front of a small group of people.
• As a result, you can have anxiety when giving a conference presentation before a sizable audience. 
• If you’ve prepared well, the anxiety will quickly pass once you begin speaking.
• You may improve your speech by practicing and rehearsing it, and it will also help you recall it exactly. 
• This will enable you to carry on with your discussion even if a technical issue during the presentation prevents the slides from being shown for a while.

• It is impossible to foresee the queries that will be asked. 
• As a result, you cannot adequately prepare for the Q&A session. 
• You can still train for it, though. 
• Ask your friends and coworkers to think up questions and practice responding to them. 
• When you respond to difficult questions, they will let you know if you become confrontational, submissive, or too defensive or if your demeanor deteriorates.

• The most crucial step is to practice talking, as repetition makes perfect. 
• You can check your copy for errors like misspellings and incomplete phrases, as well as assess the overall coherence and flow by practicing reading it aloud. 
• Make sure you are well-versed in your points and their ordering if you are not reading a paper.
  • Putting your presentation through practice can boost your confidence because you’ll become quite familiar with the key terminology you’ll be utilizing as well as your own writing and thinking style.
  • Looking up at your audience and demonstrating that you value their attention will become simpler the more you practice. Your presentation will be more effective if the audience is more involved.
  • Don’t go beyond the time provided. The best method to ensure that you stay within the allotted time for your discussion is to practice it beforehand. Take a timer. Make an effort to finish in a minute less than given! The audience, and especially the organizers, do not want to listen to more than is necessary, no matter how intriguing and significant the additional information may appear to you. You probably have a paper to give right after them, and you don’t want to sound like you think your work needs more time. Most of the time, people don’t remark that presentations are “too short.”
  • You should also be aware of what group presentations entail if you’re delivering the presentation with your co-authors. If you are giving a presentation with a colleague, planning the discussion beforehand will help to guarantee that you and your co-presenter are on the same page. Your pieces should work together smoothly and consistently.
  • You might wish to increase your printed notes’ or printed paper’s font size to at least fourteen points. On occasion, dim lighting makes it challenging to read in a room.

• Step #7 

Become Acquainted With The Auditorium/Presentation Hall That You’ll Be Presenting At & It’s Audiovisual System 

• You must become quite familiar with the hall, either the day before or during an earlier session. 
• You will then consider where to stand, how to look over the entire audience, and whether you can move around a little while presenting or whether you should stick close to the lectern while you speak. 
• Visit the control room if you can. 
• Verify your slides’ compatibility and how they appear on the computer monitor.

• Program changes could result in variations in how colors and symbols are perceived or are projected. 
• Check your knowledge of mouse, pointer, and computer use. 
• Learn how to advance slides, then practice. 
• These lessen your mental uncertainty and assist in lowering your anxiety.
• Other strategies some speakers use to calm themselves before speaking include drinking a glass of water or taking a few deep breaths.

• Habits that could annoy and distract the audience include –
  • Walking the entire length of the platform without a need to.
  • Moving too far away from the lectern could cause the microphone to fall and make noise.
  • Moving too much or rocking back and forth. 
  • Holding the microphone too close, which could cause disturbance.
  • Getting in the way of the projection stream, which could cast a shadow on the slides.
  • Making jokes that show gender bias or disrespect for a community or a professional 
  • Using profanity.
  • Moving the cursor in large, circular motions around large portions of the text or graphic images.
  • Maintaining the pointer when the spot is visible on the walls and slides, which distracts.
  • Repetitive pen/pointer clicking behavior
  • Looking for a “certain” slide by repeatedly flipping the slides.
  • Saying a certain filler frequently, such as –
    • “um,” 
    • “urr,” or
    • “ahem.” 
  • “Actually,” “essentially,” and “generally speaking” are frequent fillers.
  • When the phrase is about to end, lower our voice. Due to this, it is challenging to listen to, and the meaning is lost.

• Step #8

Understand The Culture Of Presenting Research At International Academic Conferences

• Conferences are fantastic venues for networking, taking in new information, and showcasing your work to other academic experts and intellectuals. 
• This is a daunting endeavor, but as with any difficulty, preparation is key. 
• Here are a few more pointers on how to conduct yourself and present your work in this social setting –
  • Be prompt, accurate, and professional in your correspondence when emailing a panel organizer or the people in charge of the Honors Thesis presentation. Make sure you can provide your paper if they request a draught two weeks prior to the presentation (or tell them in advance if you cannot meet the deadline). The organizers are likely to reciprocate your respectful and responsible behavior if you show it to them throughout your interactions with them.
  • When you’re at a conference, be enthusiastic and self-assured, and stick near your front-row presenters. Be sure to introduce yourself to the session’s chair(s) and get ready to meet a lot of individuals who could keep asking you the same questions.
  • Prevent pointless delays. Prepare your digital file as well as your presentation by printing it (or putting it on an iPad or other device). Finish your visual presentation as soon as possible, and make sure it can be played and is not corrupted or too huge. You don’t want to put the panel’s organizers under more strain because conferences are extremely time-sensitive, and technical issues crop up frequently.
  • Dress appropriately. The required attire may differ greatly depending on the conference you’re attending. To look professional and comfortable at the same time, try to dress accordingly. You will feel more assured as a result.

• Step #9

Executing The Delivery Of Your Presentation To Perfection

• Additionally crucial is your appearance. 
• If there is a dress code specified, follow it. 
• It is advised that the speaker wear decent clothing that is a touch nicer than the audience’s. 
• Overly loose clothing or accessories can become stuck in unusual places, such as a lectern or a flip chart stand, while too-tight attire restricts the speaker’s movements. 
• You should wear simple, unobtrusive clothing without bright colors or busy patterns. 
• The speaker’s attire should ideally make it easy for them to carry a wireless microphone. 
• You contribute to a presentation’s visual experience as a presenter.

• You should situate yourself such that the audience can see the projected slides without being obstructed. 
• Remove any items that might be casting shadows on the slides, such as the laptop flap, the water bottle, or the flower vase. 
• Begin by extending greetings to the audience, thanking the hosts and moderators, and outlining the significance of the study. 
• When you are introduced, typically, the title slide flashes. 
• There is no need to read the study’s title twice as a result. 
• Some speakers open by telling a story or a joke.
• Two things should be kept in mind: only do it if you are good at it. 
• Second, keep in mind that it takes up some of the extremely little time you have been given. 
• Continue with what you conducted and what you discovered before talking about the significance, constraints, and implications of your research. 
• It’s important to have your words and your projections in sync. 
• Avoid bringing to the podium any supporting materials, such as a written speech or plan. 
• Although you might glance briefly at the slides on your laptop or the screen while giving a presentation, your main focus should be on your audience.
• Maintaining eye contact with the audience motivates them to keep reading the slides and keeps their attention on the presentation. 
• As you speak, smile a little bit and turn your head to engage everyone in the room.

• Many conferences record the presentations and lectures so that the delegates seated in another hall can listen to them later. 
• The recorded video is frequently posted on the organization’s or conference’s website. 
• During your presentation, make sure to spend some time looking directly into the camera. 
• Use the pointer sparingly to draw the audience’s attention to certain numbers or language placed on the slide or to target specific areas on graphs, figures, and charts. 
• Place your arm on the podium if you tremble. 
• Talk clearly and slowly. 
• The speech should be delivered in a casual, conversational style.

• Most importantly, your confidence and passion should shine through the entire presentation. 
• Avoid distracting activities that will irritate the audience. 
• Always adhere to the moderator’s allotted time limit. 
• Aside from being rude to the speakers who are scheduled to speak after you, speaking for longer than the allotted time may also try the audience’s patience. 
• Additionally, the Q-A session can be canceled, denying you the chance to ask questions and seek clarification on specific subjects.

• It takes focus, discipline 1, and tact to answer questions because it’s an art form. 
• A moderator will typically begin by asking a clarifying question. 
• Presenters who are skilled at anticipating questions arrive at the session ready with a few slides to address potential inquiries. 
• This tactic can be employed in particular if you don’t have enough time to fully explain some complex information or a topic in your presentation but are confident enough that those whom you are presenting to will be aware of it. 
• Avoid creating too many slides for this purpose because you will have to sift through them all, which will take time, and try the patience of the audience. 
• In order to show that you are knowledgeable about the research and the topic, pay attention to the entire question and respond accurately and concisely. 
• Keep your composure and speak calmly when you respond to a query.
• Never make somebody feel inferior or embarrassed in front of the group. 
• In fact, thank the inquirer for their thoughtful question. 
• Ask for more clarity if you aren’t able to understand a question being asked.
• Say so if you are unsure of the response to a question. 
• If your co-authors are present, you might want to ask them. 
• If the interrogation turns hostile, try starting with clarifications from point 10 of agreement and skillfully flipping the topic around to ask the interrogator for his opinion on the subject. 
• Most scientists will have to put in the effort to produce an effective presentation. 
• However, some people have a natural flair for it. 
• The speaker needs to be an authority on the subject for the presentation to be successful. 
• However, the way the slides are created, how she presents herself, and how the presentation is presented all play a part in how well it goes. 
• The story does not finish here. 
• You might only be beginning your road toward being a skilled communicator and presenter.
• You should make a note of the queries that were left unanswered or were challenging to address after the presentation. 
• You should ask for the delegates’ phone numbers and email addresses who asked for clarifications or further information. 
• Additionally, you ought to record the comments made following the session. 
• A lot of researchers also ask the event planners for a video of their own talk so they may watch it afterward. 
• When you get back from the conference, research the questions that seemed difficult to address, then get in touch with attendees to give them the details they asked for. 
• The “sure-shot” method of establishing and strengthening your credibility as an honest scientist is to do this.
• While putting together the research manuscript, the ideas received should be given the appropriate weight. 
• To evaluate your own performance while presenting and fielding questions, watch the presentation video clip. 
• By doing so, each presentation will help you build your network, refine your study paper, and improve your performance the following time.

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