Turn research findings into presentation outlines with narrative arc, data visualization suggestions, audience adaptation, and slide design guidance. Use when creating research presentations, conference talks, or findings briefings.
Structured frameworks for transforming research findings into compelling presentations across academic, industry, and executive contexts.
Presentation Structure Template
Standard Research Presentation (15-20 minutes)
PRESENTATION OUTLINE:
1. TITLE SLIDE (30 seconds)
- Clear, specific title (not clever, not vague)
- Author(s) and affiliation
- Date and venue
- Funding acknowledgment (if applicable)
2. OPENING HOOK (1-2 minutes)
- Start with a problem, question, or surprising fact
- Make the audience care before explaining the method
- Connect to their world (industry relevance, real impact)
3. BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT (2-3 minutes)
- What is known (brief literature positioning)
- What is NOT known (the gap)
- Why this gap matters (so what?)
- Your research question (single, clear statement)
4. METHODS (2-3 minutes)
- Study design overview (visual diagram preferred)
- Key methodological decisions and rationale
- Sample / data description
- Analysis approach (high-level, not every step)
5. RESULTS (5-7 minutes — the core)
- Lead with the main finding (not chronological)
- One key finding per slide
- Visualize data rather than tables of numbers
- Build complexity gradually
- Highlight what is new or surprising
6. DISCUSSION (2-3 minutes)
- What does this mean? (interpretation)
- How does it fit with existing knowledge?
- Limitations (honest, but don't dwell)
- Implications (practical, theoretical, policy)
7. CONCLUSION (1-2 minutes)
- 2-3 key takeaways (memorable statements)
- Future directions (what comes next)
- Call to action (if applicable)
8. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND Q&A (remaining time)
- Thank collaborators and funders
- Display contact information
- Open for questions
Skills relacionados
Short Talk Structure (5-7 minutes)
LIGHTNING TALK FORMAT:
Slide 1: Title + one-sentence summary of finding
Slide 2: The problem (why should anyone care?)
Slide 3: What we did (one visual of method)
Slide 4: Main result (one chart, one takeaway)
Slide 5: Supporting result (optional, only if critical)
Slide 6: So what? (implications + next steps)
Slide 7: Contact info + key reference
RULE: One idea per slide. No more than 7 slides.
If you cannot explain it in 7 slides, you do not
understand it well enough yet.
Narrative Arc Framework
Story Structure for Research
NARRATIVE ARC:
CLIMAX (Main Finding)
/ \
/ \
RISING ACTION FALLING ACTION
(Methods, Build-up) (Discussion, Context)
/ \
/ \
HOOK ─────────────────────────────────────── RESOLUTION
(Problem/Question) (Takeaways/Future)
IMPLEMENTATION:
ACT 1 — SETUP (25% of time)
"Here is a problem that matters to you..."
"Previous attempts have tried X, Y, Z but..."
"The question we asked was..."
ACT 2 — CONFRONTATION (50% of time)
"We approached this by..."
"What we found was..." [build tension with supporting data]
"The surprising part was..." [climax — main finding]
ACT 3 — RESOLUTION (25% of time)
"This means that..."
"The limitation is..."
"Going forward, we plan to..."
"What you can do with this is..."
Narrative Transitions
From
To
Transition Phrase
Hook
Background
"To understand why this matters, let me give you some context..."
Background
Research question
"This brings us to the question we set out to answer..."
Research question
Methods
"Here is how we investigated this..."
Methods
Results
"So what did we find?"
Result 1
Result 2
"Building on this, we also discovered..."
Results
Discussion
"What does this tell us?"
Discussion
Limitations
"Before we get too excited, there are important caveats..."
Limitations
Conclusion
"Despite these limitations, the evidence suggests..."
Conclusion
Call to action
"Here is what I hope you take away from this..."
Audience Adaptation Matrix
Tailoring Content by Audience
Element
Academic Conference
Industry/Practitioner
Executive Briefing
General Public
Opening
Literature gap
Business problem
Bottom-line impact
Human story
Methods depth
Detailed, justify choices
High-level summary
Skip or one slide
Avoid jargon
Results focus
Statistical rigor
Practical applications
ROI / impact numbers
What changed
Visualizations
Detailed charts, tables
Clean charts, dashboards
Summary metrics only
Infographics
Jargon level
Field-specific terms OK
Industry terms OK
Plain language required
Everyday language
Slides per minute
1-1.5
1-2
2-3 (fast pacing)
1-1.5
Takeaway format
Future research
Action items
Recommendation
Memorable insight
Q&A depth
Methodological debate
"How do I apply this?"
"What should we do?"
"What does this mean?"
Audience Assessment Checklist
BEFORE DESIGNING YOUR PRESENTATION:
1. WHO is in the audience?
- Expertise level: [ ] Expert [ ] Knowledgeable [ ] General
- Role: [ ] Researchers [ ] Practitioners [ ] Decision-makers [ ] Mixed
- Size: [ ] Small (<20) [ ] Medium (20-100) [ ] Large (100+)
2. WHAT do they already know?
- Background in your field: [ ] Deep [ ] Some [ ] None
- Familiarity with your methods: [ ] High [ ] Low [ ] None
- Prior exposure to your topic: [ ] Extensive [ ] Limited [ ] First time
3. WHY are they here?
- [ ] Required (conference, class, meeting)
- [ ] Voluntary (interested in topic)
- [ ] Decision-making (evaluating your work)
4. WHAT do they need from you?
- [ ] Rigorous evidence and methodology
- [ ] Practical recommendations
- [ ] Strategic implications
- [ ] Inspiration or awareness
5. WHAT is their attention span?
- [ ] High focus (small seminar, engaged group)
- [ ] Moderate (conference session, last day)
- [ ] Low (after lunch, end of long day, virtual)
Adjust: pacing, interactivity, slide density
Slide Design Guidelines
Content Rules
SLIDE DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
1. ONE IDEA PER SLIDE
If a slide requires more than 6 seconds to understand,
it has too much content. Split it.
2. ASSERTION-EVIDENCE STRUCTURE
Title: A complete sentence stating the slide's message
Body: Visual evidence supporting that assertion
Example title: "Treatment group showed 40% faster recovery"
NOT: "Results" or "Figure 3"
3. TEXT LIMITS
- Title: 1 line, max 10 words
- Bullet points: max 3-4 per slide, max 8 words each
- Body text: avoid entirely (speak it, do not display it)
- Font size: never below 24pt (28-36pt recommended)
4. VISUAL HIERARCHY
- Most important element is largest
- Use contrast (color, size, weight) to direct attention
- White space is not wasted space — it aids comprehension
- Consistent alignment (left-align text, center figures)
5. COLOR USAGE
- Maximum 3-4 colors total
- One accent color for emphasis
- Sufficient contrast (check for colorblind accessibility)
- Dark text on light background (or vice versa consistently)
Slide Type Templates
Slide Type
Layout
When to Use
Title
Large title, subtitle, author, affiliation
Opening slide
Section divider
Single word or phrase, full-bleed
Transition between major sections
Assertion + chart
Sentence title + single chart
Presenting a finding
Assertion + image
Sentence title + photo/diagram
Context, methods, examples
Comparison
Side-by-side panels or split screen
Before/after, two conditions
Build slide
Progressive reveal (animation)
Complex concepts, step-by-step
Quote
Large text, attribution
Expert opinion, participant voice
Summary
3 key points, numbered
Recap and transition
Contact
Name, email, QR code, key reference
Final slide
Slide Count Guidelines
Presentation Length
Slide Count
Pace
5 minutes
5-7 slides
45-60 sec/slide
10 minutes
8-12 slides
50-75 sec/slide
15 minutes
12-18 slides
50-75 sec/slide
20 minutes
15-25 slides
50-80 sec/slide
45 minutes
30-45 slides
60-90 sec/slide
60 minutes (with Q&A)
35-50 slides
60-90 sec/slide
Data Visualization Selection
Chart Selection Guide
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHART:
COMPARISON (between items):
Few items (2-5) → Bar chart (horizontal or vertical)
Many items (5-15) → Horizontal bar chart (sorted)
Over time → Line chart
Two variables → Scatter plot
COMPOSITION (parts of a whole):
At a point in time → Stacked bar or pie (max 5 slices)
Over time → Stacked area chart
Hierarchical → Treemap
DISTRIBUTION:
Single variable → Histogram or density plot
Compare groups → Box plot or violin plot
Two variables → Scatter plot with density
RELATIONSHIP:
Two variables → Scatter plot
Three variables → Bubble chart
Correlation matrix → Heat map
CHANGE OVER TIME:
Single series → Line chart
Multiple series → Small multiples (not spaghetti lines)
Cumulative → Area chart
Visualization Do's and Don'ts
Do
Don't
Label axes clearly with units
Assume the audience knows the units
Start bar chart y-axis at zero
Truncate axis to exaggerate differences
Use color meaningfully
Use color decoratively
Annotate key data points
Let the audience search for the insight
Simplify to the essential message
Show all the data you collected
Use consistent scales across comparisons
Change scales between related charts
Provide a descriptive chart title (assertion)
Use generic titles ("Figure 1")
Test for colorblind accessibility
Rely on red/green distinction
Speaking Notes Template
Per-Slide Notes Structure
SPEAKING NOTES FORMAT:
SLIDE [N]: [Title]
Duration: [XX] seconds
KEY POINT:
[The one thing the audience must understand from this slide]
SCRIPT (conversational, not read verbatim):
"[Opening line for this slide]...
[Supporting detail or transition]...
[Bridge to next slide]."
AUDIENCE CUE:
[Pause here / Ask question / Point to specific data]
FALLBACK:
[If running behind: skip this detail]
[If ahead of schedule: add this anecdote or example]
Timing and Pacing Guide
PACING STRATEGY:
OPENING (first 2 minutes):
- Speak slightly slower than natural pace
- Establish eye contact with different sections
- Pause after your opening hook for impact
MIDDLE (core content):
- Natural conversational pace
- Pause before and after key findings (2-3 seconds)
- Vary pace: slow for important points, normal for transitions
CLOSING (final 2 minutes):
- Slightly slower, more deliberate
- Pause before final takeaway
- End with a strong, definitive statement (not "that's it")
TIME CHECKPOINTS:
25% mark: Should be finishing Background/Context
50% mark: Should be in the middle of Results
75% mark: Should be starting Discussion
90% mark: Should be on Conclusion slide
RECOVERY IF BEHIND SCHEDULE:
- Skip one supporting result (keep main finding)
- Shorten methods to "we used X approach"
- Condense discussion to 2 sentences
- Never skip the conclusion or takeaways
Q&A Preparation
Anticipated Questions Framework
Q&A PREPARATION TEMPLATE:
CATEGORY 1: METHODOLOGY QUESTIONS
Q: "Why did you choose [method X] instead of [method Y]?"
A: [Prepared response with rationale]
Backup slide: [slide number]
Q: "What about [potential confound]?"
A: [How you addressed or acknowledged it]
CATEGORY 2: RESULTS INTERPRETATION
Q: "How do you explain [unexpected finding]?"
A: [Your interpretation + alternative explanations]
Q: "Is this statistically significant?"
A: [Specific numbers: p-value, CI, effect size]
CATEGORY 3: PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Q: "How would this apply to [specific context]?"
A: [Concrete application with caveats]
CATEGORY 4: LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE WORK
Q: "What are the biggest limitations?"
A: [Top 2-3 limitations, framed constructively]
Q: "What would you do differently?"
A: [Honest reflection + next steps]
CATEGORY 5: HOSTILE OR CHALLENGING QUESTIONS
Q: "This contradicts [other researcher's] findings..."
A: [Acknowledge, explain differences, avoid defensiveness]
STRATEGY FOR UNKNOWN QUESTIONS:
"That is a great question. I do not have data on that
specifically, but based on what we observed, I would
hypothesize that... I am happy to follow up after the
session with more detail."
Q&A Best Practices
Situation
Response Strategy
Question you know the answer to
Concise answer + one supporting detail
Question you partially know
Answer what you can, acknowledge the gap
Question you don't know
"I don't know, but here's what I think..."
Hostile or loaded question
Reframe neutrally, answer the valid part
Overly long question
"If I understand correctly, you're asking..."
Question outside scope
"That's interesting — it's outside this study, but..."
No questions from audience
Have a self-asked question prepared to break silence
Poster Presentation Layout
Standard Research Poster (48" x 36")
POSTER LAYOUT:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TITLE │
│ Authors, Affiliations │
├──────────┬──────────┬──────────┬────────────────┤
│ │ │ │ │
│ INTRO │ METHODS │ RESULTS │ RESULTS │
│ │ │ (Chart 1)│ (Chart 2) │
│ Research │ Design │ │ │
│ Question │ diagram │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
├──────────┴──────────┼──────────┴────────────────┤
│ │ │
│ KEY FINDINGS │ CONCLUSION + REFERENCES │
│ (3 bullet points) │ + QR code to full paper │
│ │ │
└─────────────────────┴────────────────────────────┘
POSTER RULES:
- Readable from 4 feet away (title: 72pt, body: 28-32pt)
- Maximum 800 words total
- Figures > text (60/40 ratio minimum)
- Flow: top-left → bottom-right (Z-pattern)
- Include QR code linking to paper, data, or slides
- White space between sections aids navigation
Conference Abstract Template
Structured Abstract (250-300 words)
ABSTRACT FORMAT:
TITLE: [Specific, descriptive — avoid question format]
BACKGROUND: [2-3 sentences]
[What is known + what gap exists + why it matters]
OBJECTIVE: [1 sentence]
[Clear statement of what this study aimed to do]
METHODS: [3-4 sentences]
[Study design, participants/data, key measures, analysis]
RESULTS: [3-4 sentences]
[Main finding with numbers: effect sizes, p-values, CIs]
[Secondary findings if space permits]
CONCLUSIONS: [2-3 sentences]
[Interpretation of findings + practical significance]
[One sentence on limitations or future directions]
KEYWORDS: [3-5 terms, separated by semicolons]
Abstract Quality Checklist
Element
Check
Status
Title is specific and informative
Not a question, not vague
[ ]
Background establishes the gap
Why this study was needed
[ ]
Objective is a clear single statement
One research question
[ ]
Methods include design and sample
Enough to assess validity
[ ]
Results include actual numbers
Effect sizes, not just p-values
[ ]
Conclusions match the results
No overclaiming
[ ]
Within word limit
Usually 250-300 words
[ ]
Keywords are searchable terms
Standard terminology
[ ]
Presentation Rehearsal Protocol
REHEARSAL STAGES:
STAGE 1 — SOLO RUN-THROUGH (day -7)
- Read through slides and notes
- Time yourself
- Identify awkward transitions and fix them
- Mark slides that need simplification
STAGE 2 — RECORDED PRACTICE (day -5)
- Record audio or video of full presentation
- Watch/listen for: filler words, pacing, clarity
- Check: are you reading slides or speaking naturally?
- Adjust timing for problem sections
STAGE 3 — PRACTICE AUDIENCE (day -3)
- Present to 1-3 colleagues or friends
- Ask them: "What was the main takeaway?"
- If they cannot answer clearly, revise that section
- Practice answering their questions
STAGE 4 — FINAL POLISH (day -1)
- One final timed run-through
- Verify all technology works (projector, pointer, backup)
- Prepare backup: USB drive + cloud link + printed notes
- Get adequate sleep