18th Annual National McNair Research Conference and Graduate Fair
Oral Presentations
The McNair National Conference offers an excellent opportunity for scholars to share information regarding their original research. Because the conference brings together over 500 individuals and hundreds of presenters, your presentation time must be limited to 15 minutes. Your challenge is to determine how to best use your limited time to convey the essentials of your work in an engaging way.
Oral presentations are scheduled over Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning, in a variety of rooms around the resort. Your presentation location and time will be listed in the program book you receive at the conference. In addition, we will likely post those times on this website closer to the conference date. The Lake Lawn Resort is a large building with an interesting layout, so it would be to your benefit to become acquainted with your room location before your presentation, perhaps on Friday when you arrive. There will be a map and general information about room locations in your conference program book.
Presentation Expectations
- Dress appropriately (but comfortably) for the occasion.
- Equipment will be made available based on what was indicated on your registration form. We will have overhead and carousel slide projectors (slides should be in your own carousel-slide holder) available for those who requested them on their form. In addition, each presentation room will be equipped with a flip chart of dry-erase board. Please note that there will be NO opportunity to use LCD projectors.
- Please plan to arrive to the room at least ten minutes in advance of your scheduled presentation time. All presentations are moderated by a session facilitator, who will announce each presenter and serve as time-keeper. The session facilitator should introduce him or herself. When the presenter prior to you completes his/her presentation, there will be a five-minute break during which you can prepare yourself (e.g., arrange overhead slides, get a glass of water, etc.). When the time arrives for your presentation to begin, the session timekeeper will announce your name and you may begin your presentation.
- Please be aware of your 15-minute time limit. The session facilitator will not allow you to go beyond this time-limit, in fairness to all presenters. Again, due to the number of presenters, and tight schedule, we must remain on schedule throughout presentations. You can ask the session facilitator to signal you, for example, when you have five minutes left, if you like.
- Consider allocating time out of your 15-minutes for questions from the audience. Because of the tight schedule, you will not be able to solicit questions after your 15-minutes are through. You may be able to answer additional questions individually following your presentation.
- If someone asks you a question that you cannot answer, be candid yet professional. Sample responses include, "I didn't consider that aspect in my research" or "I don't have the answer to that question at this time, but if you'd like to give me your name and address, I'd be happy to contact you later."
- Consider having a few copies of your paper available for those who are really interested. If you paper is too long for this, consider having copies of your abstract. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number. You might encounter a graduate school recruiter who could use this information.
- Remember to smile, smile, smile (and try to have fun)!
Adapted from Myra J. George, © 2000