Speaker Guidelines

Step back from the details of your research and think about what your audience might like to learn from your work. Keep it simple - remember, less is more.

Organization

Your talk should include:

1. Statement of hypothesis and purpose of the research

2. Description of methods of investigation

3. Inclusion of data collected and what was learned

4. Conclusions based on the data collected

5. Emphasis on significance and highlights of the research

Audio-Visuals

1. Supporting audio-visuals must be concise, uncluttered and readable from a distance

2. Audio-visuals should amplify your oral presentation, not duplicate it

3. Choose the medium that will optimally display your information - don't use words if a picture will convey it more clearly (graphs, tables, charts, etc.)

4. Use: line graphs to show trends; bar graphs to compare magnitudes; pie graphs to demonstrate relative portions of a whole.

5. If you require special a-v, don't wait until the last minute to request it as it may not be available. The cost of special audio-visual equipment is paid by the speaker.

Delivery

1. Prepare notes that highlight the salient points of your talk.

2. Practice the delivery of your talk several times prior to your presentation along with your slide or transparency sequence being sure to fit your talk into the time allocated to you.

3. Use simple sentences; avoid jargon, highly specialized vocabulary and unfamiliar abbreviations.

4. Think about questions you might be asked about your work and be prepared with well-thought out answers, being mindful of the limited time for Q and A.

Prior to the Meeting

Check the on-line program on the APS web-site prior to the meeting to see what other papers will be presented in the session to which your paper has been assigned.

At the Meeting

1. Check the Corrigenda and the "program changes board" to determine if there are any changes to the program that might relate to your presentation.

2. If possible, arrive at the room in which you are to give your presentation prior to the start of the session and introduce yourself to the chair.

3. Use the lavaliere microphone properly. The microphone must be placed no more than 6" below your chin. (Often, reported microphone "problems" are merely a matter of having the lapel microphone placed too far from the speaker's mouth.)

4. Be prepared to stop when signaled by the Chair to do so.

5. Retrieve your presentation audio-visuals at the end of your talk.