Images and Visuals
If your presentation includes visuals, make sure to select them carefully. You’ll want to find images or tables that are visually appealing and that emphasize key aspects of your work. Most importantly: strive for simplicity! Cluttering your slides with images and text can overwhelm your audience.
- 10 Tips on How to Make Slides That Communicate Your Idea, from Ted’s In-House Expert, TED
- How to Add Powerful (and Legal) Images to Your Presentations, by David Teten
- Presentation Zen, by Gar Reynolds
- 10 Tips for Designing Presentations That Don’t Suck, by Joshua Johnson
- Get access to high-resolution images from professional photographers through our campus' Digital Asset Library and the UC-wide Digital Asset Library (all photos come with photographer information for proper attribution)
Performance
Giving a speech can be a nerve-racking experience, but it is important to practice this skill in order to become more confident and comfortable in front of others.
- Tips and Techniques for More Confident and Compelling Presentations, by Matt Abrahams
- Conquering Stage Fright, by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- 3 Tips for Presenting in English When You're Not a Native Speaker, by Deborah Grayson Riegel
- Four Ways to Make Your Research Presentation Stand Out, GradLife blog
- Presentation Practice Rooms, UCSB Library
Example Talks
There are a number of discipline-specific resources that may help you as you prepare to communicate both inside and outside of your discipline.
- "Talk nerdy to me," TED Talk with Melissa Marshall
- Communication 101: Communication Basics for Scientists and Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- 3 Minute Thesis Competition Winners: Winning presentations from a multi-university thesis competition in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and the South Pacific
- CGS Virtual 3MT® and Showcase, by the Council of Graduate Schools