1

CONFERENCE PROPOSALS AND

PRESENTATIONS INTHE SOCIAL
SCIENCES
Prepared by Anne Blackstock-Bernstein
UCLA Graduate Writing Center
2017
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Workshop Outline
• What is a conference presentation?

• Preparing a conference proposal

• Structuring a presentation

• Designing a presentation

• Delivering a presentation
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WHAT IS A CONFERENCE
PRESENTATION?
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Conference presentation basics

• Purpose: Present results (possibly preliminary)

• Audience: Sub-discipline experts

• Mode of delivery: Oral and visual

• Appearance: High visual-to-text ratio

• Length: Short (10-20 minutes)

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Audience
• Target your audience
• Broad
AMERICAN
EDUCATIONAL
RESEARCH
---
AMERICAN
PSYCHOlOGIICAL
ASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATION

• Sub-discipline

ASH s
Association
for the Study
of Higher
Education

• Specific topic CD
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Format
• Consider the presentation format

• Paper session

• Symposium

• Roundtable

• Poster session
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PREPARING A CONFERENCE
PROPOSAL
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Submission requirements
• Chosen division/topic

• Title

• Authors

• Abstract

• 200-500 words

• Key words/phrases

• Submission type
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Example of Rating System

• Objectives, Purposes/Aims or Goals
• Insignificant  Critically Significant

• Theoretical and Prior Research Framework

• Not articulated  Well articulated

• Methods or modes of inquiry

• Not well executed  Well executed

• Data sources, evidence, objects or materials

• Inappropriate  Appropriate

• Results, conclusions and/or expected results

• Ungrounded  Well grounded

• Scholarly Significance of the Work

• Routine  Highly original
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STRUCTURING A
PRESENTATION
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Outlining your presentation

• Determine the focus of your presentation
• Theory vs. methods vs. data

• In order of importance, write down all the points you want

your viewer to understand
• Focus your presentation on the first three points
• Include sections similar to a typical journal article
• SUMMARIZE!

• Aim for approximately 1 minute per slide

• Usually 10-15 slides total
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Outlining your presentation

• Include sections similar to a typical journal article
• Title

• Introduction

• Methods

• Results

• Conclusions

• References

• Acknowledgements
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Title
• Title of presentation
• Should match your submission title

• Author names
• Author institutional affiliations
• Optional: Name and date of conference
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Introduction
• Pique your viewers’ interest in the topic/problem

• Use minimal background information/definitions

• Give quick, basic context of existing literature

• Propose your research questions (and hypotheses)

• Include photographs or illustrations, if appropriate

• Optional: Theoretical framework/positionality

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Methods
• Description of sample 4% 2%
6%  Latino
 Caucasian
• Optional: table or pie chart 10%  Multiracial
12%
66%  Asian
 African American
• Summary of measures and materials  Other

• Optional: photograph or illustration

• Explanation of procedures

• Optional: flow chart or diagram

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Results
• Most important section

• Share relevant descriptive findings

• Answer your RQs

• Include figures

• Easy to understand

• Clearly labeled
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Conclusions
• Summary of major result

• Did you support your hypothesis, if applicable?

• Implications and recommendations

• Policy

• Practice

• Scholarly significance and future research/next

steps
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References
• Follow standard citation format (e.g., APA)
• No more than 5-10 citations
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Acknowledgements
• Thank individuals for specific contributions
• Participants/parents
• Research assistants/transcribers/coders
• Faculty advisor

• Mention your source of funding, if relevant

• Disclose any conflicts of interest
• Include contact information
• Email address, website, etc.
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Sample breakdown of slides

Title

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

References

0 1 2 3 4 5

+ Title,Acknowledgements, and References slides

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YOUR C..ONFERENGE
PRESENTA
TlON

\.bW You l'LANN£DlT:

t
CO~CLtJgON<E.
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DESIGNING A
PRESENTATION
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Design Process
• Choose a software
• Pick a template
• Add text
• Design visuals and animations
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Software Options
KEYNOTE
.- -
•

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-........
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Prezi
PowerPoint Keynote Prezi
• Easy to use • Easy to use • Difficult to use
• Basic templates • Better • Custom
• Compatible and animations/graphics animations
ubiquitous • Less compatibility • Less
compatibility
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Design Process
• Choose a software
• Pick a template
• Add text
• Design visuals and animations
 26

Choosing a template
A good template should…

• Be readable
• Be simple
• Be professional
• Provide sufficient space
 CHOOSING A TEMPLATE

A good template should…

 Be readable
 Be simple
 Be professional
 Provide sufficient space

27
 Choosing a template
1---------0--------1 28

A good template should…

 Be readable
 Be simple
 Be professional
 Provide sufficient space
 Choosing a template

A good template should…

• Be readable

• Be simple

• Be professional

• Provide sufficient space

~------------- 29
~~A
-
Slide Title

Subject Line

• Bullet Point One

Sub Point

• Bullet Point Two

Sub Point

• Bullet Point Three

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Choosing a template
A good template should…

• Be readable
• Be simple
• Be professional
• Provide sufficient space
 32

Choosing a template
A good template should…

• Be readable
• Be simple
• Be professional
• Provide sufficient space
 Choosing a template

A good template should…

∗ Be readable
∗ Be simple
∗ Be professional
∗ Provide sufficient space

33
 Choosing a template

A good template should…

• Be readable
• Be simple
• Be professional
• Provide sufficient space

34
 35

Design Process
• Choose a software
• Pick a template
• Add text
• Design visuals and animations
 36

Adding text – Headings

• Clear, concise headings
• Section – Sub-section
• Background – Emotion Regulation
• Methods – Sample
• Results – Reaction Times

• Main point
• Impact of Emotion Regulation
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Adding text – Font choice

• Easy to read
• Consistent (two fonts at most)
• Some recommendations
• Helvetica
• Calibri
Sans-serif
• Gill Sans
• Verdana
• Georgia
• Rockwell Serif
• Garamond
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Adding text – Font size

• Large!
• This is 12 point font
• This is 14 point font

• This is 18 point font

• This is 20 point font
• This is 22 point font
• This is 24 point font
Stick to 22 or above
• This is 28 point font
• This is 30 point font
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Adding text – Slide layout

• Sparse text
• 5-8 lines of text is ideal
• Never more than 10 lines of text
• Use bullets
• Aim for one line of text per bullet
• No need for complete sentences (or periods)

• Text should be redundant to spoken presentation

• Use boldface to emphasize points
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Adding text – Sample background slide

• There is an impact of language on math
performance (Abedi & Gándara, 2006; Reardon & Galindo, 2009; Wright & Li,
2008)

• We do not know the impact of math on

language performance in the classroom
• Math procedures vary in complexity (Siegler & Jenkins,
1989)

• Some math procedures may be easier to articulate

(Ginsburg et al, 1983)

• Some involve more working memory (Ashcraft & Krause, 2007;

Ayres, 2001)
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Adding text – Sample RQ slide

RQ1.To what extent does numbering your research questions
help the viewer recall the questions when you later present your
results?

RQ2. If you have two similar research questions, in what ways

does bolding a key word help the viewer pay attention to
what you are saying?

RQ3. If you have two similar research questions, in what ways

does bolding a key word help the viewer remember what you
are saying?
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Adding text – Sample results slide

Percentage of Satisfied 100

75
Viewers

50

25

0
0 1 2 3 4
Number of visuals in presentation

It is better to present results using visuals

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Adding text – Back-up slides

• Save any extra slides you create
• If a slide does not fit your main narrative but…
…is still interesting
…or addresses potential questions

Place the slide at the end of your presentation

as a “just-in-case” slide
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Design Process
• Choose a software
• Pick a template
• Add text
• Design visuals and animations
 45

Designing Visuals
• Self-explanatory and simple
• No additional/unnecessary information

• Title should convey the main point of the figure

• Types of figures
• Use diagrams and flowcharts for theory and methods
• Use bar graphs, scatterplots, regression plots, and
other graphs for findings
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Designing Visuals
• Be mindful of color sensitivities
• Avoid using red and green together
• Use symbols and line patterns to differentiate data groups

• Label data directly, and avoid complex legends

• Display data in 2-D, without shadows or other effects
• Use high contrast and thick, clear lines
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Avoid tables
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Use simple, customized charts

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Month..... Mean daily high lllll(i),...Mean daily low

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Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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 49

Highlight important information

Temp I

Jan Feb Mar .Apr May Ju11 Juli Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
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Mean
dailly
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 50

Building charts in PowerPoint

Edit View Insert Format Arrange Tools SI

Forma t Arrange 2- D Colum n

New Slide
Duplicat e Slide
Slides From Clustered St acked 100% Stacked
Column Column Column
Sectio n 3- D Colu m n
Comm ent

Text Box
WordA rt
Header and Foot er ...
Date and Tim e...
Slide Numb er

SmartA rt Graph ic....

Photo 
Audio 
Movie 
Cli p A rt 
Symbol...
Shape .. .

Obj ect ...

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 51

Building charts in PowerPoint

Automatically creates
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Category 1
an Excel file…
Category 2
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5 Category4 45 2.,8

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…which populates a 0
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chart in your slide
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Displaying qualitative findings

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• Include quotes wor .,.ay ~

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• Create word clouds eopy .~$1•sle

show
light

• Create a graphic to represent overarching themes

Theme 1

• Include photographs

• Include (short!) videos Theme 3 Theme 2

• Include descriptive graphics and charts, if relevant

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 53

Using photographs
• Ensure the resolution is sufficient
• Check that they will be visible on presenting computer
• Add a thin gray or black border around images
• Use original photographs or those in public domain
• Provide the source for any public domain images

• Otherwise, secure permission from the copyright

owner and include a credit
 54

Using video
• Secure permission from people featured in the video

• Upload the source video to the presenting computer

• Check with conference organizers to ensure that

speakers will be available during your presentation
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Secondary visuals – Symbols and shapes

• Tools to provide emphasis  Format
j,M§;
New Slide
Arrange
-0-XN

• Arrows
Duplicate Slide -0-XD
Slides From 
• Boxes
Section
Comment

• Font colors
Text Box
WordArt
Header and Footer ...
Date and Time ...
Slide Number

• Images, clip art, and logos

Table.. .
Chart ...
SmartArt Graphic ...

Photo 
Audio 
Movie 
Clip Art 
Symbol ...
Shape ...

Object...
XK
 56

Secondary visuals – Animations

• Animate bullet points to help guide yourself and
your audience
• Avoid distracting or overly dramatic animations
• Avoid slow, drawn-out animations

• Use animations for dramatic effect

• Emphasize material with underline or boldface
• Minimize material with dimming
Preview Ent ranee Effect s Exit Eff ects Mor o n An imat ion 0 ans

Play Appea r
R
Blind s
0
F,il l Color
'.A:
!Fon Co lo r
0
w §T
Pat s
T Sta rt :

Effect Options Du rat ion :

...
T
 57

Animate data separately

5
4.5
4
3.5
3
 Time 1
2.5
 Time 2
2  Time 3
1.5
1
0.5
0
Group A Group B
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DELIVERING A
PRESENTATION
 59

Presenter view

A
PRESENTATION

Elapsed

0:00:00

Theseare my notes to help me keeptrack of what I want to say Click to add meeting notes
while I presentthis slide.
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Presenting – Looking good

• Speak to audience—do not read from slides

• Text should be redundant to spoken presentation

• Make eye contact

• Use gestures

• Wear business/business casual attire

• Maintain good posture and minimize fidgeting

PRACTICE!
 61

Presenting – Sounding good

• Volume
• Keep a steady pace
• Slow down!
• Take pauses
• Inflection
• Clarity
• Brevity – short sentences
• Word choice – avoid jargon
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Taking Questions
• Listen carefully

• Repeat and summarize question

• Answer thoroughly, but briefly

• Anticipate questions ahead of time

• Deflect back as a possible direction for future research

• If you don’t know the answer, admit it!

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Want More Advice?

• UCLA Graduate Writing Center (GWC)
• http://gsrc.ucla.edu/gwc/
• Located in the Graduate Student Resource Center
• Room B11, Student Activities Center

• GWC Writing and Research Workshops

• http://gsrc.ucla.edu/gwc/workshops/