Presenting your work is another essential part of the research. There are multiple aspects of it because sometimes you are giving presentations/demonstrations of the progress you’ve made, and sometimes you need an information hub, where you store in an understandable manner parts of your research, while others can view or even edit it.
For presenting your research, most likely, your institute has a template you should use, or if you’re at a conference, they often provide one. MS Powerpoint is widely used and probably has all the features you want to include in your presentation. The previously mentioned YouTube channel has a separate playlist for Powerpoint tips:
3 PowerPoint HACKS for INSTANT Improvement (incl. Morph between Shapes)
Also, this ex-Microsoft employee shares content about most MS products, including Powerpoint:
What you can also do, if you’re not limited to using institutional templates, to download some clean and well-designed ones, e.g. from SlidesCarnival. If you need some extra icons in your presentation, there are sites like TheNounProject or Flaticon, where you can download them.
4 FREE Tools to Improve Your Next Presentation!
Preparing an effective presentation requires strategic planning and thoughtful execution. First, familiarize yourself with the format, understanding the expected length of the presentation and subsequent Q&A session. Structure your presentation coherently, starting with a title, then a problem statement, identification of the knowledge gap, objectives, methods, sampling, analysis, and data collection, then a conclusion, and finally, addressing limitations, application, and future steps. Avoid overloading your slides with information; remember, this isn't about transferring your entire thesis onto slides but presenting a concise, accessible, and persuasive narrative. Consider the 3-minute Thesis approach, honing in on key elements and emphasizing your strongest points. Be selective about the information you include, and prioritize clarity and impact over exhaustive detail. Use clear, easy-to-read fonts, and aim for no smaller than size 20 to ensure readability (you can test this by zooming out to 40%). Reduce text density by using graphs, charts, or other visual aids to represent complex data, making it easier for your audience to grasp. Finally, strive for a clean, professional look by minimizing the use of different fonts and colors. Avoid unnecessary animation or transitions, which can distract from your message. Following these guidelines will aid you in delivering a compelling, memorable presentation.
You should not overdo the animation and design of the presentation. The design is often lost due to the room's lighting or a low-quality projector. There are some general rules for a presentation that you should follow:
5 QUICK Ways to Improve Your PowerPoint Design
What you can still consider is checking how major firms present their materials. It worth checking McKinsey in this case:
PowerPoint Storytelling: How McKinsey, Bain and BCG create compelling presentations