A Quick Guide to Scientific Presentations

Here’s how I build my PowerPoint presentations for scientific projects, even when working on a topic that’s unfamiliar to me. If you follow this structured approach, you’re more likely to succeed as well.

Step 1. Title your presentation and don't forget to include your name on it. 

Step 2. Dedicate the second slide to an outline of what you’re about to present. 

Step 3. Introduction: Use this section to highlight key concepts or terms your audience may not know. Elaborate on the problem and explain why your project is worth studying. This is also where you introduce the overarching goal of your investigation and the objectives you’ll tackle to achieve it. Limit this section to 2-3 slides for clarity. 

Step 4. Materials and Methods: Summarize the major procedures on one slide. Avoid copying your entire protocol as it can overwhelm your audience. Use diagrams or visual aids to present your methodology effectively. 

Step 5. Results and Discussion: Use as many slides as needed (but keep it concise) based on your presentation's time limits. Minimize text by focusing on strong figures and a few key guide words. Where applicable, reference findings that align with or contradict prior literature. 

Step 6. Conclusions: Summarize your findings in a clear, practical way. Link them back to the objectives and overarching goal of your project. 

Step 7. Future Steps: Discuss your project’s limitations and suggest possible follow-up experiments or next steps to build on your work.

Step 8. Acknowledgments: Thank co-authors, collaborators, institutions, and funding agencies for their contributions.

Pro tip: Speak for roughly one minute per slide to maintain a balanced pace. If you’re unsure about certain methods or results, consult a senior researcher before your presentation to avoid setbacks.

It takes me about 1-3 days to prepare a presentation using this method. 90% of 10 people I’ve asked for feedback found this structure effective.

If you organize your content clearly and use visuals well, don’t feel bad asking for advice. I wish I’d sought input more often earlier in my career, it could’ve saved me from a few avoidable mistakes!