Communication Best Practices

In order to get the most out of the Student Research Symposium, you have to be prepared. SRS will give you the opportunity to make professional contacts, improve your ability to articulate your thoughts, and practice effective presentation techniques. In this training, you will learn the best practices for talking about your research, using body language, presenting yourself appropriately, networking, and collaborating with your mentor.

Talking About Research

If you are presenting a poster, you will be conversing with an individual or a small group. If you are giving an oral presentation, you will be speaking in front of a larger group. Although this may cause anxiety, there are things you can do to overcome it.

The best thing you can do is channel that anxiety into enthusiasm. You wouldn’t spend so much time on this research if you didn’t care about it, so show that to your audience. You can also convince your audience that you’re confident, even if you don’t feel it. Do this by pulling your shoulders back and lifting your chin slightly above level. Search out encouraging faces and make eye contact with people who are smiling or nodding at you.

It can also help to talk almost as if you are having a conversation with a friend—slow down your speech, vary your speech patterns, and be a little laid back. This does not mean, however, that you should use slang or other inappropriate language. Keep it professional, but relaxed.

The most effective tool you have for a successful presentation is practice. You’ve probably heard this a lot, and that’s because it’s true. The more you practice, the more knowledgeable, confident, and prepared you will be. 

Using Body Language

Although the material of your presentation is important, your body language can tell your audience an entirely different story. Express confidence, friendliness, and professionalism by using the following ten techniques:

  1. Have a firm handshake.
  2. Be friendly. Make eye contact and smile. Extend a simple greeting to everyone you encounter.
  3. Avoid playing with your hands or touching your hair. This will make you appear anxious.
  4. Don’t chew gum during a presentation. If you need to freshen your breath, be sure to spit out gum prior to presenting, or grab a breath mint and use it quickly.
  5. Don’t rock back and forth on your feet or shift your weight between your feet.
  6. Rest your arms comfortably at your sides. Don’t stand with your arms folded or partially crossed. Do not put your hands in your pockets.
  7. Use your hands as you talk. It is difficult to stop yourself from folding your arms or putting your hands in your pockets, but if you gesticulate as you talk, you keep your stance open as well as engage your audience.
  8. Lean forward slightly when your audience asks a question or makes a comment, and nod to show your interest. Wait a brief moment after they finish speaking to ensure that you do not interrupt and that they have said everything they wish to say.
  9. If you are using notecards, practice with them often so you aren’t tempted to fiddle with them when you get nervous.
  10. Keep your cell phone on silent in your bag. You can check it before and after your session, but make every effort to keep it put away during your entire session.

Be confident in yourself while giving your presentation. This will come across in your body language.

Presenting Yourself

When you come to present, you should be wearing “business professional” attire.

This means that your appearance should be clean and well-kept and your clothes wrinkle-free and well-fitting. Be sure that you smell nice, but not strongly of perfume or cologne. Your shoes should be dress shoes, not flip-flops, sandals, or tennis shoes. Typically, business professional attire will include a suit and tie, pantsuit, or a dress with a blazer or jacket. Be careful when choosing your outfit that you will be comfortable. You should not need to adjust hemlines during your session, and your shoes should cause no pain.

Your goal with business professional attire is to be comfortable, but not casual. This style of dress will impress your audience, as well as help you to feel confident. 

Networking

The value of networking is often stressed, but the idea of what networking actually means can be confusing. What should you expect from building a network? Who should you interact with at a conference? How can conference networking be less awkward?

Expectations change the tone of networking. The goal of networking is to build a network. It is not to get a job, an internship, a graduate school assistantship, or career advice. These can be fruits of a healthy network, but your network will suffer–and conversations will get awkward–if you start networking solely to get a job next week.

An obstacle to many for conference networking is not knowing who to talk to. In short, do not hesitate to talk to anyone. The trick is to gauge the person’s interest in talking, their potential value in your network, and to be positive with everyone. “Hi, I’m _____.” is a simple way to start a conversation. Ask event-specific questions like, “Why did you decide to attend the conference?”.

As you gradually build your network, the anxiety associated with networking will gradually decrease, and you will begin to see the fruits of your labors.