======= Date Modified 21 17 2010 20:17:01 =======
I'm giving my first conference paper next week. It's a very general (only one or two big names in my field will be at my session, one of which is my sup!) and, from what I've heard "supportive", conference. I have half my paper/slides done and should have everything finished by the weekend. I'm pretty confident on my topic too. Yet, I still can't help a dose of the old nerves!! Anyone have any prep tips? :-)

Practice performing the paper at least a couple of times. It should make you more confident on the day, and - even more importantly - should flag up areas where you might go down unwelcome diversions, or edits that you need to make. Especially practice for timing. Actually record it if you can, time it, and play it back to pick up on potential problem areas and fix them.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll be fine. I always got through nerves for that sort of thing by thinking that in a certain amount of time it would all be over :)

I'm just in Kuala Lumpur on my way home from my first conference as a PhD student (although I have presented at a couple of conferences previously). 

I would take every opportunity to network with people and discuss your research - for me that has been the best thing to come out of the conference. Very eminent academics in my (very niche) field were willing to spend quite a lot of time discussing my research (which has hardly started) and made some great suggestions.  Make sure you have a business card to hand out (make them yourself if your uni don't provide them) so people know how to get in touch with you and maybe a copy of your paper (if already written) or a summary of your research to hand out. Also network on the social side as well - I find it quite difficult to start up conversations with people but managed it this time and (after a karaoke session late one night) made some more good contacts.

I recorded my presentation - not so I could listen to it but so I could get all the comments and suggestions.  Practice how you are going to deal with the comments which criticise your research (as I had) - I thanked them for their ideas and said I would think about how they could be included or the research could be adapted - if it's a valid comment then it may benefit you , if not then ignore it when you get home.

I have come away buzzing with ideas and changes to improve my proposal.

Follow up with people you particularly want to keep in touch with when you get back. I've sent brief e-mails saying how good it was to meet them, and suggested ways to stay in touch.

I must have done something right as the conference advisor has already said he hopes I will be in Oman at the next conference end 2011/early 2012.

I had my first conference presentation last Friday to an audience of about 80 people, so it's fresh in my head.

A few tips from the beginning - Have some idea of the work you want to do before you submit a really vague abstract to the organisers! Otherwise, like me, you'll be rushing through epxeriments the week before the conference, trying to find interesting data.

Right the presentation before you get on the train, otherwise, like me, you'll be rushing off to quiet corners during the breaks to produce your ppt instead of networking.

When you get there don't go out the night before and drink a) wine or b) strong coffee, otherwise, like me, you will only get two hours sleep for the whole two days and sit hyperventilating before you're called up. If you are in that situation focus on a calming flashing light on the amplifier rack behind the speaker and remember to breath!

Go through it a few times with supervisor until your happy with the content.

Practice the presentation. Over and over again.

Don't be surprised by anything through lack of preparation - go and stand by the podium when everyone is at lunch and look into the room. If you have the option for a lapel mic. or a podium mic. choose the lapel mic. to enable you to walk in front of the podium if you need to. If you stay behind the podium you are normally side on to the screen and any laser pointering will be tricky.

Practice practice practice <- most important step. Run through it in your mind many times, remembering that it is interesting and fascinating stuff you're doing and there will be equals in the audience who want to learn from you.

I knew I'd get nervous when I was called up so during my practice I clinged to the trigger "good afternoon", if I can stand upright and say that everything else will follow ".. my name is and I am going to talk about" your topic, your chance to tell loads of people how fascinating your work is.

You can make it difficult for yourself (which I did) by not including all your text in the ppt and reading it verbatim like some people do. This is boring. Page of text goes up, everyone reads it, then the speaker reads it. Boring. Instead have the story in your mind, highlighted with bullet points, clear graphs and pictures on the ppt. Speak idea first THEN bring up bullet point. If you pull it off (which I did :-) you can recount the story fairly fluently without looking down at cue cards or your monitor, people make eye contact with you and give lots of reassuring nods etc which make you relaxed, whilst behind you the bullet points appear a few miliseconds later. It's subtle, much harder work but really makes a difference and stops the 'death by powerpoint' feeling.

Don't be tempted to wonder off on tangential thoughts, stick to the story.

It is better to allow yourself to stop to clear your throat, breath, sip from a glass of water than to race through with a crackly voice trying to reach the end. These pauses give a nice pace - speak, bullet point, pause, people read and think then move to next sentance.

When you finish, keep the acknowledgements brief. Smile, ready for some fascinating questions you probably haven't considered. You probably have but it's nice to get a different angle on your work from someone other than your supervisor.

Don't be disappointed when your supervisor just says "that was ok", there's no huge prize other than a few people coming up to you with daft ideas.

Relax.


8-)

Meant to say - thanks for all the advice guys! It went really well.. one awkward question (always the way ain't it!), but went ok besides :) My supervisor and HOD went and were very pleased :)

ok I realise you've done your talk, sorry I missed the advice bit before, but for the future, I'd definitely recommend Rescue Remedy! No matter how well I've prepared my talk I still get nervous and this definitely helps calm me down! Whether it's a placebo effect or those flower extracts really do something to calm me, I don't care, it works! Tastes just disgusting though so keep a bottle of water handy to wash it down! Glad it went well too!

Glad it went well for you!

======= Date Modified 08 May 2010 23:18:19 =======
Glad it went well :-)

I echo what algae queen says about Rescue remedy but have another tip relating to it - you can now get it in pastilles - in original (ie fairly yuk) flavour or blackcurrant. I keep a tin in my desk so if I have a stressy meeting coming up I take a couple.:-)