How to Give a Successful Talk

Abstract

Almost everyone has to give a public presentation at some time. Graduate students have to defend their theses, research students have to present their results, and many jobs require presentations. It is common to have little or no experience when you give your first presentation, and you may even be a little nervous! This talk is aimed at (graduate, research, and other) students. It describes how to present a successful talk, in a simple standard format. This talk does not try to teach general speaking skills, nor impose any personally preferred techniques. It covers the structure of a talk, the use of visual aids, speaking technique, and how to cope with questions.