Presentation types and duration
- Oral presentation: 7 minute presentation in the auditorium plus 2 minutes for questions.
- Digital poster presentation: 2 minute presentation in the auditorium plus 1 minute for questions.
- Printed poster: Present your poster to interested attendees in the foyer during comfort breaks.
All researchers' presentations and posters will be available online via researchdays.co.za/abstracts
Use these Powerpoint templates
Download the appropriate Research Day Powerpoint template to prepare your presentation or poster:
- Download template for Oral presentations.
- Download template for Digital poster presentations.
- Download template for Poster presentations.
SMU will print your poster for you if it is uploaded before the deadline.
Instructions for uploading your presentation were emailed to all researchers.
Uploading your presentation
Use the dedicated upload link emailed to you. If necessary contact hello@researchdays.co.za for assistance.
Prepare a recorded narration (optional)
Due to the limited time available for presentations, and to provide greater access to your research all presenters are encouraged to upload a recorded narration of their presentation.
- Narrations must be in mp3 format and maximum file size is 25MB
- Use any tool to record your narration. There is a simple free online recorder at https://www.rev.com/onlinevoicerecorder
Slide Layout and Design:
Visual Elements and graphics
• Use visuals sparingly and ensure they are clear and relevant.
• Avoid cluttered slides that distract from your message.
Bullet Points and Text:
• Use bullet points for key information.
• Limit text on each slide to enhance readability.
Font and font size
• Ensure that your text is large enough to be easily readable by the audience.
• Use a consistent font size throughout (for oral presentations we recommend a font size of 24pt. For digital posters the font size should not be less than 8pt.).
For Posters
Use the provided templates to prepare your poster. Note that the templates differ for digital presentations (presented in the auditorium) and printed posters.
Edit the templates to suit your research content.
Once uploaded, SMU will print your poster for you.
Oral presentations:
Introduction and Background
• Summarise relevant background information.
• Clearly state the purpose and objectives of your presentation.
Methodology
• Summarise your research design, methods, and data collection procedures.
• Use visuals (e.g. charts, tables, diagrams) to enhance understanding.
Results and discussion
• Report your main finding combined with interpretation and significance.
Conclusion
• Summarise the main points and conclusions of your research.
• Clearly state the significance of your study and potential future research directions.
Preparation
Practice and Timing
• Rehearse your presentation to ensure it fits within the allocated time.
• Practice speaking clearly and confidently.