General outline for presentations
Oral presentations:
17.454
Date:
Speaker:
Questions from:
Paper Title:
Presentations are to be made on research papers - carefully select these, although your references can include reviews.
Each paper should be directly related to your term paper topic and directly cited as a primary reference. Since I will try to suggest that genes and proteins are important for all plasticity and resulting behaviour, it is suggested that you try to include information about genes and/or proteins in your presentations and/or term paper. Other key things will come up in class that can help you formulate your ideas. Please email me with questions.
Presentations should outline:
1)What the author(s) posed as a question, which will necessarily mean you have to outline the background they have given.
2)What the authors did to solve this problem, which can include comments about whether the solution was a good one. Indicate the methods used, what data was collected, and what the results were.
3)What the data mean. Discuss what the authors think it means.Discuss why you think it is important (why are you using it?).
Each presentation should be 7-10 minutes long + questions. Only 3 overheads should be necessary, try to limit yourself to that - points will be deducted for more. BIG text is essential. Do not put TOO much on your overheads. Notecards are acceptable, but you should not READ your presentation. You will be required to answer questions from your classmates, or myself.

Presentation days will include Wednesdays for approximately 7 weeks. On each presentation day you must be ready to present. Each week each of the students will be selected randomly to present. This selection will mean that the order you present each week may differ – sometimes you will present first, sometimes last. You must be ready when you are selected. You also should avoid missing these classes. Unless you have a doctor’s note other reasonable justification, you will not be able to do the presentation later. You will get a zero on that presentation.
Characteristics that will be scored:
Introduction- provides a captivating statement of introduction
0 1 2 3 4 5

Ready  - Promptly gets up
0 1 2 3 4 5

Has overheads organized - right number etc
0 1 2 3 4 5

Verbal style
Speaks clearly and audibly        
0 1 2 3 4 5

Enthusiastic about paper             
0 1 2 3 4

Avoids the “ums”, “ahs”, “uhs” and does not say 'like', 'you guys', etc. repeatedly.
0 1 2 3 4

Good speed
0 1 2 3 4

Not reading cue cards 
0 1 2 3 4

Non-verbal style
Appropriate gestures  
0 1 2 3 4

Eye contact
0 1 2 3 4

Does not fidget, dance, or otherwise distract with movements.          
0 1 2 3 4

Visual aids
Aids easy to read (good font etc.) - if hand written, easy to neatly!              
0 1 2 3 4 5

Aids easy to understand - pictures clear & labelled.
0 1 2 3 4 5

Content related to aids
0 1 2 3 4 5

Content
Author/paper title/etc
0 1 2 3 4

Introduction/purpose
0 1 2 3 4

Methods         
0 1 2 3 4

Results
0 1 2 3 4

Discussion
0 1 2 3 4

Interpretive
0 1 2 3 4

Conclusion – brings presentation to close           
0 1 2 3 4

Answers questions appropriately       
0 1 2 3 4

Asks questions of others
0 1 2 3 4 5

Total out of 100_______