Katharina Alpers
Based on lectures: Indian-FETP, EPIET

Overview
– How to prepare
– the content
– the slides
– the speech
– How to deliver the presentation

Prepare the content
Ask details
• how much time do you have?
• is there time for discussion / questions?
• who are the other speakers? what will they present?

The SOCO
• Many presentations during the meeting
• Audience only remembers one thing from you
Think of one take-home message
Write down your SOCO in two or three lines
• easy to remember
• clear
• simple
• practical

Outline of your presentation for a 10 min presentation:
• Title (1 slide)
• Background (1 slide)
• Methods (2 slides, maximum 3)
• Results (3 slides)
• Limitations (1 slide)
• Conclusion (1 slide)
• Recommendations (1 slide)
• Acknowledgements (1 slide)

Focus on the SOCO
• Start by preparing the conclusions slide
• Prepare recommendations on the basis of conclusions
• Choose results supporting conclusions
• Explain methods to get the results
• Describe background

The slides
• Simple
• Structured
• Shorts / laconic
• Digital versus analog

Digital versus analog US pedestrians
Digital pedestrian Analog pedestrian
Pedestrian crossing
X = cross !

Analog pedestrians from around the world
Russia France Belgium
Burma
Spain Zimbabwe

"Rolling stones" from around the world
US France Italy
Germany Spain Ecuador

Design of the slides
– Clear Title
– Bullet points
Written text (‘digital’) visual reinforcement
– Tables, graphs, maps
Images (‘analog’) visual data

Avoid karaoke slides
–
We conducted a retrospective cohort survey including all people attending the visit of the park
–
A case was defined as a papular or papulo-vesicular pruritic rash, among participants, 12 hours or more after the exposition to seawater

Bullet points
–
Survey
• retrospective cohort
• all visitors to park
–
Case definition
• rash (papular or papulo-vesicular)
• > 12 hours after exposition

Text slides
–
Use keywords
–
Less than 12 lines
–
Maximum 5 words per line
–
Break line properly

Font
Prefer
Sans serif font
Bold type
Lower case letters
Good contrast
Avoid
Serif font
Normal type
UPPER CASE LETTERS
Poor contrast

Tables, graphs and maps
–
Simple
–
Self-explanatory
–
Title: what, who, where, when
–
Label the axes (graphs and maps)
–
Define abbreviations and symbols

Tables

One-variable table
Clinical symptoms among the cases of S. Typhimurium,
Oslo, Norway, May 1998
Symptoms
Diarrhoea
Fever
Headache
Joint pain
Muscle pain
54
35
12
4
4 n
Cases
%
100
65
22
7
7

Two-variable table
Distribution of the cases of S. Typhimurium-infection by age-group and sex
Age group (yrs)
0 - 9
10 - 19
20 - 29
30 - 39
40 - 49
50 - 59
60 - 69
70 -
Total
Male
7
5
5
2
24
0
2
1
2
Sex
Female
5
5
5
4
30
3
1
4
3
Total
6
54
3
3
5
5
12
10
10

Cohort study
Fish consumption, attack rate (AR) and relative risk (RR) of gastrointestinal illness among customers at Uncle Mike's
Fish & Chips, Cambridge, October 1, 2000
Ate fish
Did not eat fish
Ill
42
5
Total
58
64
AR/100
72
RR (95% CI)
9.3 (3.9-22)
8

Case-control study
Gastrointestinal illness and fish consumtion among customers at
« Uncle Mike’s Fish and Chips », Cambridge, October 1, 2000
Ate fish
Did not eat fish
Total
Cases Controls
34
8
42
20
62
82
Total
54
70
124
OR (IC 95%)
13 (5.3-33.0)
Ref

Graphs
MSM P&S Syphilis Cases by Hal-Year Interval
California, 2000-2002
300
250
200
150
100
50
0

Grouped bar chart
Percent
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
<16
Age and sex distribution of STI patients,
Germany Jan 2003-Jun 2005
Male
Female
16-20 21-25 26-30
Age group in years
31-35 35+

Line graph
Cases of X disease in a Country, 1995-2000
Cases per 100.000
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980
Year
1985 1990 1995 2000

Cases and deaths
Cases and deaths of X disease in a Country, 1995-2000
Cases and Deaths
90 per 100.000
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1955 1960 1965 1970 1975
Year
1980 1985 1990 1995
Cases
Deaths
2000

Semi log scale
Cases and deaths of X disease in a Country, 1995-2000
Cases and death per
100.000
100,000
10,000
1,000
Cases
Deaths
0,100
0,010
0,001
1955 1960 1965 1970
N.B.: data from 1997 for mortality are missing
1975 1980
Year
1985 1990 1995 2000

“Epicurve”
Cases of salmonellosis (n=65) by date and time of onset of illness. Hospital A, Dublin, August 2006
15 cases
14
8
7
6
5
4
13
12
11
10
9
3
2
1
0
1 case patient
1 case staff member
00061218000612180006121800061218-
27 August 30 August 28 August 29 August
Date and time of onset

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
What’s “wrong” here?
Cases of meningococcal disease in Dublin by serogroup
B C Y
Serogroup
W Unknown

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Cases of meningococcal disease in Dublin by serogroup
B C Y
Serogroup
W Unknown

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Cases of meningococcal disease in Dublin by serogroup, 2011
B C Y W Unknown
Serogroup
 Safe ink!

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Cases of meningococcal disease in Dublin by serogroup, 2011
B C Y W Unknown
Serogroup
 Safe ink!

Maps
AIDS Annual Rates per 100,000 Population for Cases Reported
May 1990 through April 1991
3.5
11.5
10.2
24.4
2.2
18.1
4.4
6.8
3.0
15.5
2.4
12.5
7.7
0.9
4.9
1.1
3.6
5.7
6.7
19.3
3.7
6.7
2.4
11.7
10.1
4.8
5.0
6.0
9.9
2.6
11.1
43.2
8.6
7.2
10.3
7.2 20.2
9.1
7.4
16.2
33.2
Maine 4.6
NH 4.6
VT 3.6
Mass 15.0
Conn 14.9
NJ 31.3
Del
MD
12.9
21.2
DC 117.2
0-5.9
6-11.9
12-19.9
20+
Legend (rate per 100,000)

Maps – example
AIDS Annual Incidences per 100,000 Population for Cases
Reported May 1990 through April 1991
Incidence per 100,000 population
0.0-5.9
6.0-11.9
12.0-19.9
> 20.0

Brightness
Quantitative
Colours
Hue
Qualitative

Prepare a script
• Necessary to most speakers
• beginners
• non-native speakers
• Decreases sources of uncertainty
• Reassures you
• Allows precise timing
• Facilitates coaching

“lecture notes”
• In the presentation software
• Copy the content of your slide into the lecture notes
• Edit to make full sentences
• Add “off” comments:
– “Use pointer”
– “Pause”
• Use large fonts (e.g., size 16)
The script

Prepare the speech
– Practice on your own
– Walk through your text
• is the sequence logical?
• is all relevant information there?
• remove redundant information
• avoid very technical details and jargon
– Watch time, pace and clarity
– Practice with critical colleagues
 Does our message come across?

Delivering the presentation
– Day D
• Get prepared rest, healthy distraction no stimulating substance, no beta-blocker arrive early, explore the facilities
• Your look feel comfortable, be yourself but dress formal don ´t distract the audience with your «look»

Delivering the presentation
– Time T
• Nerves: normal, good stimulant
• Going on stage memorise the first sentence install your material, look around set micro to feel comfortable

O n stage
• Stand upright
• Mind your pace of speech
• Mind your volume
• Make eye contact
• Interact with audience
• Refer to slide
• Finish on time

Avoid
• Hands in pockets, tics
• Unnecessary movements
• If you tremble, minimize the use of the pointer
• Overcrowded slides
• Apologies

Prepare for Questions and Answers
– Practise with you colleagues
– Think of possible questions
– Prepare short answers
– Prepare two or three more slides

Questions and answers
– Listen
– Write (may be more than one)
– Thank the person for asking the question
– Answer briefly and precisely
– Avoid being defensive

Challenging questions
Do not panic!
• acknowledge: “ This is a valid point”
• sympathize: “ This is a point that needed to be raised”
• respond: “ I am now going to clarify”
• Ask for the audience’s opinion

my SOCO …
When communicating the results of your investigation
• Adapt the content to the audience
• Concentrate on only one message
• Include only the elements to support your message
• Use your visual aids as aids
• Prepare in advance
• your presentation
• Possible questions

Thank you very much for your attention
Did my message come across?