Talk tips

For a short research talk of 2 to 10 minutes. Use the slide template, and follow the meeting's own time limit and rules.

Roadmap

Use the same order as an abstract: Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions. Give the results the most time.

Before the day

• Know the science behind your project well enough to answer questions beyond your slides.
• Rehearse out loud with a timer. People speak about 130 to 150 words a minute, in full sentences.
• Practise in front of a co-author who will ask you hard questions.

Your slides

• Start from the lab template. Plan on about one slide a minute, plus the title and disclosures.
• Write each headline as a full sentence that states the finding, for example "AUC 0.85 versus 0.81, a nonsignificant difference."
• Put one figure on a slide. The caption gives the cohort and its size, explains the legend and defines acronyms.
• Keep Purpose and Conclusions to 2 to 4 short bullets, with their qualifiers.

Structure

• Open with your name and the one-line question, for example "Can stiffness be inferred from routine tomography?"
• In the results, say the key number and its uncertainty out loud.
• Report null results and limits plainly (for example "underpowered"), then give one take-home sentence.

Delivery

• Talks tend to run long. Rehearse until you finish a few seconds early, and cut content rather than speed up.
• State any AI use in your project, analysis or slides on the disclosures slide (see disclosing AI use).
• Speak slowly, facing the audience. Spell out acronyms the first time you use them.

Questions and handover

• Thank your co-authors by name, and any data source, then invite questions.
• Keep answers short. It is fine to say "I don't know" and offer to follow up afterwards.

On the day

• Find your slot in the program and arrive early. Check that your slides open and display correctly in the room.
• Bring a backup copy of your slides, such as a PDF.
• Meet faculty and look for mentors. Introduce yourself, ask questions and follow up afterwards.