Presenter Information
Please note: Presentations will not be scheduled until after the intent to present deadline of 30 April to ensure that all available presentation slots are full. Notifications will be sent to presenting authors in late May 2009, which will include the date and time of scheduled presentations.
At the Conference
*Convention staff will be available to explain how to use the equipment and for any additional questions.
NEW! Presenter Acceptance Policy
The speaker ready room is:
- Located at the Indiana Convention Center (ICC) in room 133. Please check the map of the venue in the program and signs onsite for the exact location.
- Available so you can practice your PowerPoint presentation. Oral and symposium presenters may view their preloaded presentations on the computers. Changes CANNOT be made to the PowerPoint presentations. If a presentation is missing, please notify convention staff immediately.
- Open during the following times:
- Saturday, 31 October
1:00 pm – 4:30 pm (1300 – 1630)
- Sunday, 1 November
8:00 am – 5:30 pm (0800 – 1730)
- Monday, 2 November
7:30 am – 5:00 pm (0730 – 1700)
- Tuesday, 3 November
7:30 am – 3:00 pm (0730 – 1500)
Oral Presentations
- Each concurrent session is 75 minutes in length, allowing for three presentations per session that are limited to 15 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions and answers from the audience.
- Session moderators are instructed to terminate presentations that exceed their allotted time.
- Please refer to your notification letter for the date and time of your presentation.
- It is recommended that only one author present per oral presentation; however, if multiple authors present for a single presentation, the time allotted must be divided among those presenters.
- Onsite, some sessions may have fewer presentations because of cancellations.
Symposium Presentations
- Each concurrent session is 75 minutes in length.
- Please refer to your notification letter for the date and time of your presentation.
- Time allotted to each presenter within a symposium is determined by the presentation’s organizer.
- Time for a question and answer dialogue with the audience should be reserved at the end of the presentation.
Audio/Visual Equipment Available
All session rooms are equipped with:
- LCD projector for PowerPoint presentations
- Lectern microphone
- Computer with built-in speakers
- Projection screen
*All PowerPoint presentations must be given on the provided computer and projector. Presenters CANNOT use personal equipment or attach personal devices to the equipment at the convention center.
PowerPoint Presentations
- All presentation will be pre-loaded and linked by the honor society in order to reduce downtime due to technical problems and ease the transition between presenters.
- Presentations must be sent to Machelle Fisher no later than Wednesday, 14 October 2009. Presenters not meeting this deadline will need to present from handouts.
- Presentations may be uploaded via the Speaker’s Corner site. If unable to upload the presentation, contact abstracts@stti.org to make arrangements.*
- CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE TO PRESENTATIONS ONCE THEY ARE SENT.
- CHANGES CANNOT BE MADE ONSITE.
- It is not required that PowerPoint is used to present; however, no other equipment will be available for presentation except what is stated above.
If PowerPoint will not be used to present, please e-mail Machelle Fisher, abstracts@stti.org, no later than 14 October 2009. Presenters not meeting this deadline will need to present from handouts.
*To access the Speaker’s Corner site, you will need your ID and password. View a list of frequently asked questions about honor society events.
PowerPoint Presentation Recommendations
General Information
- Your audience will be multinational. Be sure to explain/define any slang terms, acronyms, etc.
- Slides should not have more than five lines of information.
- Be aware of time limitations.
- Space information evenly on the page.
- Speeches should not be written, but highlighted, on the slides.
Color/Font
- Use the option for "Font TrueType."
- Maintain consistent fonts throughout, using no more than two fonts on one slide.
- Use traditional bullets (i.e., circles or squares), instead of “fun” bullets. Depending on the version of PowerPoint used, some bullets may not transfer.
- Make sure background and font color are easy to read at a distance.
- Font easily read (no smaller than 24-point).
- Headers are in the same font font size throughout the presentation.
- Body of the slides are in the same font font size throughout the presentation.
Animation
- Limit animations.
- If using animation, be sure that animation is timed and transitions do not occur on the click.
Handouts
- Presenters wishing to provide handouts to attendees should bring approximately 50 copies.
- The Indianapolis Convention Center and surrounding hotels have business centers where handouts can be made on site for a fee.
- The honor society will NOT provide handouts for the concurrent sessions.
Speaker Guidelines for Addressing International Audiences
- Speak slowly and use simpler/smaller words and simpler/shorter sentences.
- Avoid ‘nation-centric’ expressions, idioms or slang.
- Do not use sports or war analogies.
- Limit the use of acronyms and jargon unless previously described/explained.
- Do not tell jokes.
- Adapt all geographically variant measurements (such as seasons, distances, currencies, etc.) to the local situation – unless the differences are important to the discussion.
- Presentations should be ‘timeless.’ Remove references such as ‘last week’ or ‘this afternoon.’
- Avoid using graphics or photos on your PowerPoint presentation that may be nation-centric or offensive to other cultures.
- Remember that your PowerPoint should only serve as an aid to your presentation. Your presentation should not be written on your PowerPoint slides. If you audience does not have your language as their first language, the PowerPoint may help aid comprehension, so add slides with the important concepts or distribute a handout.
- Consider that a picture is worth a thousand words, so use a picture/image to tell a story if you are sure the message behind it is universal.
- Find out in advance what the dress code for the event is and dress accordingly.
- Regardless of your allotted time and when you were supposed to start or actually started, finish according to the original schedule.
- Make every attempt to learn more about your audience, their culture and preferred learning style. This will help you interpret their verbal feedback during the question and answer session or their non-verbal response to your presentation.
*Adapted from a compilation by the ASAE International Section Listserv, May 2008
For additional tips, visit the following resources:
“What to Know When You’re Speaking to an International Audience”
“A Funny Thing Happened on My Way to This Meeting”
“Speaking Globally”