For full award details: click here

Oral Presentation Guidelines: 2014 AAVLD/USAHA Annual Meeting

·         An electronic version of your PowerPoint presentation should be provided to AAVLD prior to your session either before or at the annual meeting by: 1) Uploading your presentation on-line using the ScholarOne speaker invitation website (before you arrive at the annual meeting); or 2) Physically transferring a copy of your presentation to annual meeting registration personnel “on site” when you register for the meeting in Kansas City.  Please transfer your presentation at least one day before your session is scheduled so that session moderators can upload the presentations prior to the session’s scheduled time.

·         Five Scientific Sessions with be run concurrently both Saturday, October 18 and Sunday, October 19. Since most meeting attendees view multiple scientific sessions, published presentation times must be maintained.  Presentations must not start late or extend past their scheduled conclusion. Session moderators are responsible for keeping their session on time.

·         Scientific session slots at 15 min long - 12 min for presentation, 3 min for questions.

·         Standard equipment in scientific session meeting rooms includes an LCD projector, projection screen, and a pointer.

·         Helpful hints on preparing and presenting visuals for a 12 minute talk:

o   Aim for one visual per concept, and 1 slide per minute of talk - 12 min = approximately 12 slides.

o   Use text sparingly on visuals - no more than 4-6 lines of text per slide; no more than 7 words per line of text; avoid using a number of text slides in a row during the presentation.

o   Sentence case, left-justified text is easier to read than BLOCK CAPITALS.

o   Make slides clearly legible from the rear of the room by the most myopic, and are free of unnecessary detail or excessive content.

o   Present in a clear voice, audible from the back of the room and relatively free from, uh, vocal faults.

o   When using multiple colors in a slide/graph, remember that 1 out of 10 males has reduced sensitivity to reds and greens - use thick lines, saturated colors and contrasting color combinations.

o   If you can’t read your presentation on your laptop screen from 10 feet away, then your presentation will not be legible to the audience - usually requires 24 to 48 point size.

o   To avoid the audience reading ahead on your slides, use progressive disclosure - the audience can read faster than you can talk!

o   Never turn your back on your audience; maintain eye contact with your audience.

o   Questions should be addressed without evasion and answers should demonstrate deep understanding of the research topic and key issues that relate to it.

o   Some good advice: There is a crusty old saying among good speakers that describes a presentation from the communication viewpoint: "Tell'em what you are going to tell'em. Tell'em. Then tell'em what you told'em." The point of this aphorism is people absorb very little information at first exposure - multiple exposures are the best way for ideas to sink in.