Presenting a research paper gives the department and your supervisor a chance to test your knowledge on the subject you have discussed. The presentation, therefore, requires adequate grasp of the subject and confidence that you understand the subject.

Presentations are challenging, whether you suffer from stage flight or not. Furthermore, failure to stage a compelling show will affect your grades and possibly career prospects. It explains why so much attention goes to preparing for the presentation.

However, a research paper presentation should never cause anxiety or panic as long as you understand the requirements. Here are certified tips that will help you to make a presentation that earns you a top grade.

1. Convert the Paper into a Presentation

The panel wants to feel your grasp of the subject discussed. They do not want you to read the paper to them; after all, they can do it on their own. In fact, the panel reads through your paper before and after presentation. They are looking for your understanding of the topic.

Pick the main ideas and create an outline that captures the holistic idea in the entire paper. Prepare slide shows that include every chapter and its supporting sub-topics. In fact, you are supposed to make the presentation without reading from the paper, unless a quotation or citation is too lengthy. Compress the entire discussion into a 30-minutes presentation.

2. Rehearse Your Presentation

Preparation requires more than a set of ideas in your head. Put the ideas into practice by rehearsing or performing a mock presentation. It helps you to determine the time taken to complete a presentation. You can decide on the ideas to add or remove based on the time allocated during the actual presentation.

Peers and seniors will help you during rehearsals. They can judge your accuracy, confidence, pace, tone of presentation, and even ask questions to see how well you answer. In the absence of real people, record your presentation on phone or do it in front of a mirror. You will notice areas where you can make corrections before the actual presentation.

3. Attend Similar Presentations

It is scaring to make stage a presentation with no idea of the expectations. If your friends are making the presentation before you, join the audience. It helps you to learn about preparing the stage, making slide shows, picking the right tone, and handling questions, among other crucial presentation elements.

4. Introduce Your Paper

When it is time to present, begin with a brief introduction. The segment is supposed to build a context around the topic. It loops everyone into the topic by starting from the general idea to the most specific subject you are addressing in the paper.

Make your introduction interesting. Generate curiosity by asking questions, giving statistics, or even telling a story that puts the subject into perspective. If your audience is lost at introduction, it will be impossible to recover them once you get dip into the discussion. Make such an introduction that even a person with no background in your discipline would be interested to listen.

5. Dig into the Body of the Paper

The body of your presentation is what everyone came to listen to. Organize the chapters just as they appear in your paper. However, only pick the main ideas for discussion. Emphasize points of departure from what is common knowledge in the industry. It is such points that make your presentation unique and progressive.

Read the mood of the audience and make strategic pauses to allow them to digest your story. Leave some of the information for the audience to read. This is the defining phase because it shows how well you relate with existing literature and data on the subject you were researching.

6. Adapt an Appropriate Pace

Pacing is crucial for any presentation. If you are too fast, the audience will not understand the ideas you are espousing. When taken too slowly, the presentation becomes boring. The idea is to assess the amount of time allocated for the presentation. Ask your supervisor or the department about timing. You must leave sufficient time for questions and answer because the panel will always seek clarification.

7. Make a Compelling and Logical Conclusion

The conclusion drives the point home and gives your audience something to think about. It wraps up the discussion such that a listener can connect your thesis statement, literature review, data collection, and eventual conclusion. It also justifies your work because listeners can attest to the adherence of research rules.

Do not introduce any new idea in the conclusion. Draw from your hypothesis and data presented to make a logical conclusion. Do not leave any room for listeners to doubt your work but also point out that you do not have the final word on the subject to open more room for future research.

8. Give Room for Questions

Allow the audience to interact with your paper and interrogate your work through questions. Some departments will allow the panel to interject or only permit questions at the end. Prepare for any questions and seek clarification to avoid answering the wrong query. Since you have no idea what question will be asked, the panel pays a lot of attention to your response.

A mind blowing research paper presentation is one that demonstrates your understanding of the subject of discussion. Prepare adequately and test your props before the actual presentation. Your appearance and confidence plays a crucial role in determining your performance.