Nature journal editors go to many conferences in the course of their work, so get to hear very many talks. The editors of Nature Methods 5, 371 – 372; 2008 and Nature Physics4, 429; 2008 have now distilled their experiences into editorials providing advice to everyone.
Nature Methods advice, summarized:
1. Plan for the allotted time.
2. Know your audience.
3. Define your goals.
4. Structure your talk.
5. Keep your slides simple (content).
6. Keep your slides simple (design).
7. Beware of animations and multimedia.
8. Watch your delivery.
9. Choose your words.
10. Rehearse!
Nature Physics advice:
We editors go to a lot of meetings, and have listened to a lot of talks. To hear a good talk can give you a reason for being. To hear a bad talk can make you wish you’d never left your hotel room. But even if your results won’t earn you a trip to Stockholm (yet), there is no reason they shouldn’t be the seeds for a lively discussion. And lively discussion is what it’s all about…......
Once you’ve cut, tightened and improved the content, deliver it again, listen to it again, and fix any remaining weaknesses, again. Then again. And again. Until you are so familiar with its structure and content that you could give it in your sleep. Familiarity fosters confidence, and a confident talk is a compelling talk. As it is with writing papers, so it is with giving conference talks — if your research is worth being presented to your colleagues, it’s worth being presented to them well.