Symposium Schedule
2007 | 2008 | 2009
Symposium Proceedings
2007 | 2008 | 2009
Presentation Guidelines
Research and scholarship are usually presented at either the oral or poster sessions. Performing and visual arts projects may be presented in the traditional oral or poster format, or as exhibits, displays, performances, readings, and viewings.
A few general principles apply to all presentations -
- Be organized . Know the clear and unifying point of your work, and be able to communicate it to an audience.
- Use the format of your academic discipline . Most research in the sciences and some social sciences is organized in the following components, or versions of them: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References, and Acknowledgements. In other disciplines these components may be less formal, but all presentations should have an introduction, address a question or problem, and discuss or analyze the results of its inquiry. Consult with your faculty mentor concerning the proper form for your presentation .
- Make your work as understandable and accessible as possible to a broad academic audience , without sacrificing its disciplinary rigor.
- Anticipate possible questions . Take notes on questions.
- Rehearse your presentation in advance .
- Credit all sources, be truthful, respect your audience .
Poster Presentation Guidelines
Poster presentations must be on 3' or 4' (height) by 4' (width) poster board: no posters should be larger than 4' x 4'. Poster boards can be purchased at art supply, stationery or office supply stores. See Types of Presentations for more specific information about poster presentations.
Space on a poster is limited, so pick wisely what to present. Your display should be self-explanatory and have a logical flow-others should be able to follow the order even if you are not present. Start with a rough draft of your design on paper, using graph paper or post-it notes to simulate sections. Use the format of your academic discipline. Work with you faculty mentor to determine what needs to be included on the poster.
Don't use more than two fonts. Instead use bold, italic and font size to set type differently. Times New Roman, Arial, and Garamond are suggested typefaces.
Place your title at the top of the poster and make sure that the text is at least 2 inches in height. Include your name and major, the name of your faculty mentor and his/her department name, University of California , Riverside , and the names of other co-authors.
The body type for the main sections should be at least 18 point if possible. Words should be large enough to read from three feet away, but do not use all capital letters.
Incorporate appropriate graphics in your poster. Label or describe any charts, tables, figures, graphs, or photos that you use. Make sure all edges line up evenly.
Stick to a color scheme. Try a couple that complement or contrast with each other such as black or navy on white. Try mounting text and figures on colored paper, or using some colored font.
Be consistent with your white space between sections of text, figures and headings; white space should be ample so the poster doesn't look crammed.
Edit, review, and spell check all the elements of your poster display. Be sure to securely attach all materials to your poster board; spray adhesive, found in art supply stores, works best.
Posters should be prepared on poster board in advance of the session. You must provide your poster board. The easel will be provided by UCR.
You will be given the specific location of your easel at registration and easels will be provided by UCR. Please display your poster before the poster session is to begin; be completely ready when the sessions start.
During the poster session, stand to the side of your display. You will explain and answer questions about your work. It is best to prepare and practice a five-minute summary speech about your project. This time is an excellent networking possibility so it is important to speak and interact professionally. You will also receive lots of feedback and exposure as well.
Oral Presentation Guidelines
During your oral presentation, you will speak for 15 minutes about your research or project. This will be followed by a question and answer session facilitated by the faculty moderator. The presenters from CNAS and BCOE will take and answer questions for three minutes, the presenters from CHASS will have five minutes where the audience can ask questions. The sessions are kept on a strict schedule, so make sure you speak for 15 minutes and no longer. See Types of Presentations for more specific information about oral presentations.
Rehearse your presentation in advance with friends or family. Remember the general outline of the points that you want to make and the order in which you'll make them. Ask your practice audience what they have learned to see if you are getting your point across.
Face your audience; speak slowly and clearly and project your voice to the back of the room. Whether you are working from notes, PowerPoint, or reading from a text, make eye contact with your audience as frequently as you can.
If you are speaking from notes, number them so that you will not lose your place. I you are reading, read slowly enough to understand what you are reading (at a rate of about two minutes per double-spaced page).
If you are using visual aids, such as PowerPoint or overhead projector transparencies, prepare them well in advance and make sure they are clear and understandable. Number your visual aids so you always know the order in case they get dropped or misplaced.
Keep words to a minimum on slides, transparencies and other visual aids; make sure they are readable from the back of the room. Words should be large enough to read from several feet away, but don't use all caps. Avoid using light colors for words, such as yellow or orange. The size of the typeface should be at least 12 point.
Watch your audience response; if they seem lost, slow down.
A faculty moderator will chair your oral session. He or she will introduce you and other presenters to the audience, describe the session's topic, keep time, and facilitate the question and answer discussion following each presentation. It is essential that panels keep on schedule; moderators will stop presenters if they appear likely to run over their allotted time.
You must arrive before the beginning of your session and stay for the duration, sitting at the front of the room. Listen to other panelists' presentations and participate in discussions that follow.
Do not arrive late or leave following your own presentation; this is discourteous to other presenters.
Check all support materials in advance (PowerPoint presentations, handouts, transparencies, etc.) to avoid unnecessary delays in starting your presentation.
Have a backup plan in the event of equipment failure. For instance, if you are using PowerPoint, we recommend that you bring transparencies or handouts to guard against computer malfunctions.
Performance and Creative Display Presentation Guidelines
In addition to the traditional oral and poster research and scholarly presentations, the symposium will include performing and visual arts presentations. This includes music, dance, theater, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, video, and such presented in the formats of performances, displays, exhibits, viewings, and readings. Students and faculty mentors interested in these disciplines and media should contact the symposium organizers directly at ugrs@ucr.edu to discuss possible presentation formats . See Types of Presentations for more specific information about performance and creative arts presentations.