10 tips on academic presentations

1. Professor Evonne Miller
Director QUT Design Lab / Professor of Design Psychology / QLD AAG President
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology
10 Presentation Tips - on structure, style & nerves!
Connect with me on Twitter: @evonnephd
AAG - Perfecting that presentation: how to engage
your audience and present with confidence

2. Indigenous slide

3. Tip #1
Shelly Reys AO – TED TALK
Deliver an Acknowledgement of Country that really
means something ...

4. Tip #2
Social
Media &
Your Slides
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
Connect with me on Twitter: @evonnephd

5. Tip #3
Start with
the SO
WHAT factor,
the HOOK
Take some to think about
your hook –the SO WHAT
factor of your study, the why
it matters – in lay language.
It might be a statistic, a
urgent issue – a quote.
Draw people in,
from the start.
THIS WILL TAKE TIME
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC

6. • WRITE AND SCRIPT YOUR FIRST AND LAST 1-2 MINUTES: MAKE THIS IS AS STRONG AS YOU CAN.
• MAYBE TRY “POWER POSE” - Amy Cuddy (Greys Anatomy) :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7dWsJ-mEyI
• BREATHE – SQUEEZE FINGERS TOGETHER
• RE-INTERPRET NERVES AS EXCITEMENT – ITS ABOUT THE AUDIENCE, NOT YOU
• THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH THEY REALLY WILL REMEMBER – NOT MUCH J
• EMBRACE WHAT GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE (& IDENTITY) – ME, COLOR, JEWELLARY, ENERGY
Tip #4: Dealing with nerves
A script (& practice) gives you secret strength & confidence

7. Tip #5: SHOW A
PROP IF YOU CAN –
(a report, materials)
The best, most
memorable
presentations are
performances

8. FOR EXAMPLE
use design methods and
ways of thinking to tackle
complex, wicked problems
Tip #6: Craft a memorable
story, with beautiful images,
large font & a STAR*
*STAR: Something They
Always Remember

9. Personalised, memorable images are powerful-
eg illustrator, Simon Kneebone

10. Create & Leave
the audience
with a STAR
(Something They
Always Remember)

11. “You might wonder what a design-led process offers that is
different from existing approaches of implementation science,
complexity science, and consumer co-design SAY WHAT THEIR
OBJECTION IS – THEN EXPLAIN WHY YOU RIGHT; in fact the
diverse disciplines of design offers a very different creative lens
that can help transform our healthcare systems “
Tip#7: POO – Pace / Push out objections
SOURCE: MICHELLE BOWDEN,
PERSUSASIVE PRESENTATIONS
MASTERCLASS

12. Tip #8: Control the Q & A
How to ask for audience questions
YOU WANT
Now is the time for q’s. You may have
questions about how to channel your
nerves, finish a presentation on time or
deal with difficult questions.
YOUR WORDS
FRAME THE QUESTIONS
YOU WANT
MICHELLE BOWDEN,
PERSUSASIVE PRESENTATIONS MASTERCLASS This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

13. Tip#9: Stay on Time
Always start and
finish on time.
Do what it takes for
that to happen.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

14. Tip#10: FINAL SLIDE
BELOW, WITH
REFERENCE LIST
OR IMAGE ON RIGHT –
with your name, topic
& twitter handle?
References
Jo Blogs
Sheep Airport, 2022.
Joanna Bloggs, 1977

15. Professor Evonne Miller
Director QUT Design Lab / Professor of Design Psychology / QLD AAG President
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice, Queensland University of Technology
10 Presentation Tips - on structure, style & nerves!
Connect with me on Twitter: @evonnephd
Bonus Tip #11 - always end with: “In closing/ In summary, XYZ”.
What you want them to remember – a powerful statement. Here it is:
ENJOY YOURSELF. TAKE RISKS. BE YOU.
DON’T BE A BORING PRESENTER