its really a useful msg. thanks for tips

No offense C-A but I disagree with a few of your points. But the first point I am in total agreement with you- your talk needs to be engineered with your audience in mind. This means changing the talk if you give it multiple times to different audiences. Easier said than done of course

These are the bits I might avoid though.

Don't take prompter cards etc. You'll just end up reading off them and not talking to the audience. Most people use some sort of powerpoint set anyway- those are your cue cards. Know your talk and know your material.

If you are a fidgetter DO NOT take something up there that you'll end up playing with. If you are a guy take the keys out of your pocket. You don't want to see what that looks like to the audience...

Re-iterating the other posts; use notes that are clear enough for you to follow both in terms of what they say and their physical layout - I double line space and 18 point mine, have abbrevaited sentences for the argument I am following but have quotations written out in full). No matter what I wouldn't aadvise writing the whole thing out verbatim - you will end up readin it and your presentation will sound stilted and dull.

Powerpoint is so difficult to use properly. I agree with the above postings; only use a 'slide' if it enhances or expands on your argument. Do not use it (as oh so many lecturers do) as your notes - you will just end up repeating everything on the slide.

When you move on from the point your slide makes, remove the image. I place blank slides as place holders so that the audience isn't distracted from my current point by the one I made 2-minutes ago.

I would also add that preparation is vital. Know which slides are coming up in what order and have the confidence that they will do so, so that you aren't constantly looking over your shoulder to check that they are there!

A preview tip - if you are unsure how you are viewed when you present either try and have a dress rehearsal recorded or the presentation itself.

While it may seem confronting it is a great way of detecting negative presentation habits.

The best way of picking them up is to run the playback at a faster speed (ie fast forward) this way frequently used gestures are highlighted - and once aware it is much easier to work on removing them from your next presentation.

A previous commenter said to not write out your talk verbatim. However, when I prepare a new talk, I do initially write it out all verbatim, as a script. I find that the process helps firm the material in my mind. I then read what I have written to myself to hear it in my mind's ear. However, I do NOT have the script in front of me when I rehearse the talk, and I certainly do not have it anywhere on or near my person when giving the talk for real.

As far as powerpoint or not -- I suppose it depends on what field you are in and what you are talking about. My field is math, and almost always there are equations, diagrams, etc. that need to be displayed. If one has the time to write these on a chalkboard / whiteboard during the talk, then this has the benefit of naturally pacing the material. But if there are very many of them and they are complex, or if like me you have to take too long a time in order to write it all out legibly, then slides of some sort (powerpoint or transparencies on OHP) are handy. I am learning to write very few words on such slides, sticking mainly to equations and diagrams, and let my talking do the talking. In my first talk I used a laser pointer, but I have dropped it since. If the display screen is within easy reach, I will often stand next to it and point with my hand to what I am referring to. A little physical movement seems to help put me at ease, and people don't seem to mind.

I find that index cards with printed cues are much better than reading from a script, I do keep my paper with me too, I usually need it when asked questions.

I recently had to give a pecha kucha presentation which is where simplicity becomes the most important element of your presentation.

Someone told me that a presentation slide should follow a 6 - 6 rule, 6 lines with 6 words each is the most text you should put on.

In a pecha kucha I reckon that goes down to 3 - 6 at least.

I spoke to a proof reader yesterday who said that the main piece of advice they gave to academics when checking their work was that they used sentences and words that were much too long.

It is natural in academia to drag sentences out into entire paragraphs. Try to focus on using short words and sentences to convey your message clearly and simply.

This is especially true for posters and conference presentations when not everyone will be an expert in your field.

Presentations are difficult and I get jealous of the people who breeze through and seem to be able to do everything at once!

I would say what I have found is really useful to make sure I speak up is to imagine that my voice is filling the room. I also always check that the back can hear me and when I address them and they answer yes, I know that each time I speak after that I have to imaging I am addressing the back of the room in the same way and that my voice is reaching the back. Also I try and speak slowly because I have been criticised many times for rushing through and mumbling as a consequence and I have found that slowing down makes it easier to speak louder.