Oral Presentation Guidelines

PowerPoint Submission Deadline: Sept. 25.

Please return to you acceptance letter/invitation to upload your PowerPoint file.

PowerPoint Presentations – General

  1. Presentations may only be given as PowerPoint presentations. No other audio-visual medium (e.g., slide, video, or overhead) or software is allowed.
  2. Prepare your presentation as a single PowerPoint file to run on an IBM compatible computer as a Microsoft Office 2007 format file.  Computers available at the meeting will run PowerPoint 2007. Save your file as a normal PowerPoint file (.ppt).  Do not save your file as a PowerPoint Show (.pps) file.
  3. All presentations must run on the Windows operating system.  Conference computers will run on Windows XP Professional (or more recent version).  If at all possible, please create your presentation on the same version of Windows or at least test it on this version before submitting it.
  4. PowerPoint presentations must be submitted in advance of the conference using our online submission system by Sept. 25, 2012. Primary authors will be sent an email with instructions for uploading your PowerPoint file.  No changes will be permitted after Sept. 25 in order to allow time for proper testing of all presentations. Name your PowerPoint file with session number and primary author’s last name, e.g., 9_Smith.
  5. If no a/v support required, please email tricia@wildlife.org by Sept. 25. This will ensure that your presentation is not dropped from the program and that you do not receive additional emails.
  6. If you are unable to submit your presentation by the due date as a result of technical difficulties, special arrangements will need to be made, please contact Tricia Fry at tricia@wildlife.org .
  7. Bring one copy of your presentation to the conference on a USB media storage device. This copy is to be used as a backup by you and the conference organizers if required. Make sure your presentation files are properly labeled with session number and primary author’s last name (e.g., 9_Smith). As an additional backup measure, consider saving an extra copy of your presentation on your web-accessible local server.
  8. Conference organizers will load all presentations on conference computers.  Presenters will NOT be allowed to use their own laptop computers.  MacIntosh computers will NOT be available.
  9. All presenters will be given the opportunity to check their presentations on-site, before their presentation time.  You are encouraged to review your presentation at least 24 hours before your scheduled presentation, especially if it has any special or technically complex elements.
  10. Remember your presentation is limited to 15 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions. You will not be able to extend your time if you have technical problems during your talk.

Advice on Production of  PowerPoint Graphics

  1. Keep visual aids simple. Convey only one idea per table, figure, or title slide. Figures from publications, theses, or dissertations normally do not make good PowerPoint slides. Too much detail detracts from the primary message of the slide.  Use appropriate blank space.
  2. Slides should be readable to the unaided eye. You will be speaking in a large room. Text on title slides should be restricted to 7 lines. BIG IS BEAUTIFUL and easy to read.
  3. Use appropriate and compatible colors for type and backgrounds; don’t be exotic. Avoid white backgrounds.  Color combinations with pleasing contrasts are preferable. Examples of suggested combinations are: white or yellow type on a blue background, and yellow type on a green background. Do not use colors you have not tested before. Avoid dark slides and overly dark backgrounds.  Remember that color blind people cannot distinguish between red and green.
  4. Simple typefaces are preferable to fancy fonts. Bold type may be effective on title slides.
  5. Slides of scenes or organisms should clearly show what you want the audience to see.

Advice on Production of PowerPoint Presentations

  1. Do all cropping of images in an image processing package, not in PowerPoint. Save the cropped image as an external file and then insert the image into your presentation. We suggest saving image files in Portable Network Graphics format as the most space efficient and easiest to use format in PowerPoint presentations. If possible, reduce the resolution of pictures. Resolutions greater than 120 dpi do not improve the projected image, but do bloat file size and slow presentation loading time. This can be done on any picture in your PowerPoint; right click on a picture and select Format Picture→ Compress, then check the boxes to select “ALL pictures in document” and for “Web/Screen display.” This will allow easier upload and a good resolution.
  2. Use Arial or Times New Roman fonts for all slides. This is to prevent problems with incorrect font/character substitution that occurs when presentations are prepared in fonts not available on the conference computers.  If you must use fonts other than Arial or Times New Roman, EMBED them in your presentation when saving it as follows: (a) in the ‘File’ menu, click ‘Save As;’ (b) in the ‘Save As’ window, click ‘Tools;’ (c) in the ‘Tools’ menu click ‘Embed TrueType Fonts.’ You can embed any TrueType font that comes with Windows. Other TrueType fonts can be embedded only if they have no license restrictions. If a font can’t be embedded (for example, it’s not marked as being editable or installable), a message appears to tell you why. Saving a presentation with embedded fonts increases the file size of your presentation.
  3. Keep your presentation as simple as possible to avoid hardware and software conflicts. Audio and video files, animated text, animated figures, superscripts, and subscripts cause most of the problems.
  4. Check to be sure you are using the correct version of PowerPoint and Windows. See PowerPoint Presentations – General 2 and 3, above.
  5. Complicated presentations may not display the same way on the conference computer as on your own computer. If at all possible, review your presentation on the conference computer in the speaker check-in room prior to your talk.
  6. You might find the following site helpful in answering your PowerPoint questions: http://www.computertips.com/Microsoftoffice/MsPowerPoint/aheader.htm.

At the Conference

  1. Register upon arrival at the conference.
  2. If you were unable to use the advance online submission system and made prior arrangements with the Audio Visuals Subcommittee, please turn in your USB device in the speaker preview room immediately following registration.
  3. Check your presentation in the speaker preview room at least 24 hours prior to your session. The speaker preview room will have all of the necessary equipment for viewing your previously submitted PowerPoint presentation.
  4. Arrive at your session 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the SESSION (not your presentation). Meet the session moderator and audio-visual volunteer. Become familiar with the room and with the operation of the ‘forward’ button for your PowerPoint presentation.
  5. Each session room will be equipped with a LCD (data) projector and a PowerPoint compatible laptop computer.  An audio-visual volunteer will open and close your presentation. You will advance your own slides.
  6. Contributed paper (and most symposium) presentations are limited to 15 minutes plus 5 minutes for questions. Under no circumstances may your presentation last longer than 20 minutes. The moderator will be aggressive in monitoring times.The 5-minute question period also allows people to move between session rooms.
  7. The moderator, not the speaker, asks for questions from the audience.
  8. If you left your USB device in the speaker check-in room, please pick them up anytime following your presentation.
TWS Annual Conference