From Raw Talks to Better Presentations
As early career researchers, we often focus so much on our data that we forget how we actually present it. We (Guillaume, Irem, and Lucas) recently attended a Presentation Workshop that was extremely helpful in addressing exactly this.
The workshop started by immediately putting us on stage: we had to give a “raw” presentation with no preparation at all — just stand up and speak. It was uncomfortable at first not to rely on slides or a script, but it turned out to be very effective. Removing these safety nets revealed our natural habits when speaking
One of the most valuable parts was being filmed while presenting. Afterwards, we had one-on-one sessions to watch the recordings and discuss strengths and weaknesses. Although it can be difficult to watch yourself, seeing our body language and speaking style made the feedback much more concrete and actionable. We noticed things such as nervous pacing and unconscious gestures that are usually not apparent in the moment.
We also participated in group feedback sessions, which created a very supportive and engaging atmosphere. Overall, the workshop was an excellent opportunity to develop those soft skills. It clearly demonstrated how small adjustments in posture, voice, and delivery can significantly improve how well an audience understands — and enjoys — a presentation.
Lucas Hoffmann, A02
