CSC 2521: Giving presentations

Research paper presentations should be 10 minutes at most, to allow ample time for questions and discussion. Key things to keep in mind:

The purpose of the presentation is to provide a starting point for questions and discussion. Everyone should have read the paper before class, however, they may not have understood or remembered everything. A summary of the paper will help people "put together" the main points, which are sometimes easy to miss in a difficult or complex paper.

Focus on what's important. Present the paper as if everyone skimmed it but forgot it, or didn't understand. This means that you first present (a) the problem that the paper solves, (b) the general approach, and (c) one or two key details about the approach. Of course, the specifics will vary with papers. For every algorithm, be clear about what are the inputs and what are the outputs before describing the algorithm.

Schedule a time to meet with me at least one day before the presentation. I'll help you organize the talk and answer any burning technical questions.

If you don't have much speaking experience, this is good practice. It's worthwhile to practice your presentation before you give.

Slides are not allowed, except to show pictures and video. Any text or formulas should be written on the board. The purpose is to encourage high quality presentations (focus on telling us what's important, rather than putting it on slides), and to give practice. Contact me in advance if you would like to use my laptop to show stuff.

Watch other presenters (and other speakers in other areas in general) to get an idea of what improves a presentation and what diminishes it. Also, you will be asked to give feedback to your classmates on their presentations.