Posted: February 15th, 2022

Structuring a Scientific Presentation

Structuring a Scientific Presentation

What is the Purpose?

Relay information to peers (usually)

Summarize your research (or someone else’s)

Good news – the paper already organizes this for you!

Introduction/Background

Methods

Results

Assignment help – Discussion/Conclusion

Acknowledgements

Each section 1 to several slides each, depending on length of talk

Don’t forget a title slide!

Title of the talk

Your name

Your affiliation(s)

Invasion Potential and Ecological Impacts

of Exotic Earthworms

in a Temperate Deciduous-Forest Ecosystem

Transition from title to Darwin

“prob don’t spend a lot of time thinking about ew’s, but very imp ecological, a fact recog by darwin, who called them on e of the most imp orgs ever”

4

Introduction/Background

Start wide, narrow down into your topic

Bring your audience up to speed

Gives your topic relevance – how does it fit in to the bigger picture?

Objectives of the study

My Thesis Background Information

Ecological significance of earthworms

Earthworms as an invasive species

Impacts in Michigan forests

My specific objectives

Study impacts of newly documented invasive earthworm species

Compare those impacts to previously established invasive earthworm species

Look for interactive effects between new & previous invaders

Methods

Describe the study design

Describe rationale for study design

How was each variable measured? What tests were used?

How were data analyzed?

Visuals help a lot here

Experimental Design: Field

Amynthas hilgendorfi

Control

Lumbricus rubellus

Both species

X5

Study Site: OU Biological Preserve

1.2 m

Word enclosure, don’t get out, spent night…, fully crossed randomized block design

Mention densities (140/plot = approx 93/sq meter = realistic)

Change pic to block design w/ all 4 together

-talk about how awesome keith was about putting these in, have pic pop up and disappear

Stress replication

Interactive effects – L vs. A

8

Experimental Design: Laboratory

40 mesocosms

500 g earthworm-free soil

10 earthworms

Basswood leaves

Same treatments

A. hilgendorfi

L. rubellus

Both species

No earthworms added

6 week incubation

Assignment help – Discuss why did in lab too, specifically (soil type, humidity, etc)

Words – complementary, controlled, more reps so greater ability to detect effects, closed system

9

Parameters Measured

Leaf-mass loss

Soil ash-free dry mass (organic carbon content)

Soil NO3-, NH4+, SRP

Total earthworm biomass

Above-ground vegetation biomass

Microbial decomposition assay

Endomycorrhizal spore counts

Soil aggregate size

Soil pH

Soil respiration

A. hilgendorfi growth rates

Spend less time here

Mention statistical analysis: ANOVAs followed by Tukey comparisons (blocked for the field), discuss methods for each briefly

Give donna props for nutrients stuff

Ok to lose ppl on stats stuff for a bit

10

Results

Emphasize most important findings

Should include figures/visuals

Make sure orient your audience to the figures

Results: Leaf-mass loss

Field

Lab

SE

Why it’s important, remind of treatments

Set up in terms of relevance for each slide (incl. methods) – why is this measurement imp., describe methods and why we care, show you understand why you are measuring something

12

Results: Soil Aggregate Size

Assignment help – Discussion/Conclusions

Not just repeating results

Interpret them, put them into context

Link results to study objectives

Limitations

Recommendations

Conclusions

L. rubellus consumes more leaf litter while A. hilgendorfi appears to consume soil and leaf litter

A. hilgendorfi increased available N and P over control and L. rubellus treatments

Interactive effects were not observed

A. hilgendorfi impacts are significant, but different from those of L. rubellus

Clean this up

15

Acknowledgements & Questions

Thank you’s are standard practice for seminar/conference talks

Funding sources, collaborators, lab members, supervisor

Offer to take any questions the audience may have

Acknowledgements

Dr. Scott Tiegs

Andrew Stonehouse

Cassandra Belcher

My Committee Members

Dr. Keith Berven

Dr. George Gamboa

Dr. Donna Kashian

Dr. Dave Costello

Tim, Jeff, and Stream Ecology Lab

Ashley Burtner

Crystal Moon and Josh Martin

Mac Callaham Jr.

Dr. Liu and Dr. Hitt

Dr. Dvir

Rhita, Jan, Sheryl, and Cathy

Adam

17

Slide Design Tips

Less is more (high “info to ink ratio”)

Clarity more important than being fancy

Create sections with clear titles

Keep it readable

Use plenty of visuals

Informative titles

“Leaf Mass Loss Varied Among Treatments ” more helpful than just “Results”

Don’t just read from the slides!

Public – more energy toward relevance & major takeaways (then provide evidence)

Usually less interested in methods & analysis

Your Article Analysis Presentation

Someone else’s research

YOU are evaluating it

Still need to be clear about intro/methods/results/conclusions

But you are providing an analysis too

As outlined in assignment rubric

More creative & structural freedom- outside sources, visuals, clips, background information, etc.

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