Follow a Structure
Structure is important because it helps you to frame and organize your talk and establish flow. Structure provides a way to connect with the context (expectations) and audience (communication).
How Can You Find Your Structure?
Depending on your context (e.g., discipline, type of talk ) there may be a predetermined structure that you are expected to follow. In scientific contexts, a standard research talk typically follows the structure below. Standard research talks are usually presented in formal settings like conferences or meetings and are typically a set length of between 3 and 20 minutes.
| Sections of a Standard Research Talk | Section Description |
|---|---|
| Title | Your title is a phrase that hints to your audience what your talk is about; it is best to keep it concise yet descriptive (avoid unnecessary words). |
| Background | Your background contextualizes your talk by providing the relevance, current knowledge, and contribution of your research question. |
| Hypothesis | Your hypothesis should be clearly labeled or identified. |
| Methods | Your methods outline your research process. Describe your methods clearly and add any statistics if applicable. |
| Results | Your results are a large part of your talk timewise. If your results are incomplete, make sure to at least discuss: limitations, progress/challenges, and anticipated/preliminary results. |
| Conclusion | Your conclusion is a summary of your results and a discussion of implications. |
Sometimes, there is no predetermined structure for a talk. Talks such as grand rounds and lectures may not have a structure that you are expected to follow. For these types of talks, there are different ways you can find a structure that works for you, your talk, and your audience.
Here are a few examples of structures:
- Chronological: Begin with your earliest studies and track your scientific progress through subsequent studies.
- Step-wise: Start with the idea and carry your audience to the findings.
- Thematic: Follow a theme. Were there themes or patterns that emerged in your research that can frame your talk?
There are many other ways to structure your talks. Part of preparing for a talk includes exploring and being open to the various forms a talk can take.
Put it into Practice
Find recordings of a couple of talks that you enjoyed and try to identify how the talks were structured. You can do this by drawing out key themes they highlight throughout the talk or observing how the talk was framed at the beginning.
As you watch the talk, consider these questions:
- How are the talks structured?
- What verbal or written cues did the speaker use to outline their structure?
I Have a Structure? Now What?
Make an Outline
To start, it is helpful to refine your structure by mapping it out and creating an outline. This will help you build bridges between your content. In your outline, we recommend you do the following:
1. Determine if there are expectations – If possible, ask questions to confirm what expectations there are. Is a certain structure expected for the type of talk that you are giving? What do you need to learn about the expectations before beginning?
2. Document the structure – How are you structuring your talk? Or rather what is guiding your structure (themes, time, steps, or something else)? Start an outline based on your structure.
3. Start filling in the details – What are the specific themes, steps, or time frames you are using?
Once your outline is complete, you will need to consider how you will flow through that structure in your talk. Structure is closely linked with storytelling. How will you give your talk? How can you showcase your personality and authenticity during your talk?
Put it into Practice
Create an outline for your talk using the three steps above. You may produce many drafts before you come to an outline you are satisfied with and that’s okay.
As you create your outline, use this checklist:
- Learn from talks that you enjoy (or do not enjoy). What structures do they use?
- Understand your context. Is there a predetermined structure you are being asked to follow? What are the expected requirements?
- Document your structure and start filling in the details.
Toolkit
Rubric: Research Presentations (PDF)
Use this rubric to identify and assess elements of research presentations, including delivery strategies and slide design. This resource focuses on research presentations but may be useful beyond.
Next Step
Click on the box below to learn more about the importance of considering your audience.