The Art of Presenting: Delivering Successful Presentations in the Social Sciences and Humanities

Delivering professional presentations of scientific work is an important part of an academic's life. Oral presentations are important not only because you present your scientific work, but also because you present yourself to potential hiring committees, grant committees, and collaborators. This book uses insights from the field of psychology, as well as from the theatre, to teach you how to make a lasting impression. It addresses core topics such as how to design presentation slides, how to practice, and how to deliver your presentation to a range of audiences. Useful exercises are provided to help you cope with presentation anxiety, make the most out of conferences, and adapt your presentation to various formats, audiences, and cultures. It is not easy to present with impact, but this book contains the guidance you need to master the art of presenting.

Table of Contents:
Part I. Preparing your Presentation: 1. The core message; 2. The pieces of the puzzle; 3. It's all about design: slide design; 4. Practice, practice, practice; Part II. Delivering your Presentation: 5. The moment of truth: Stand up and deliver; 6. Discussion time; 7. Verbal and non-verbal behaviour; 8. How to deal with stress; Part III. Adapting your Presentation: 9. Various presentation formats; 10. Cultural differences; 11. Addressing different audiences; Part IV. Attending Oral Presentations: 12. How to be a good audience member; 13. Making the most of conferences; References; Index.

About the Author :
Fieke Harinck is Assistant Professor in social and organisational psychology, with almost 30 years of experience in giving academic presentations. She has taught many presentation courses for Ph.D. students, in which she uses her psychological knowledge and her experience as an improvisation actress. Esther van Leeuwen has been Assistant Professor in social and organisational psychology since 1997. She is highly experienced in delivering international presentations for scientific and non-scientific audiences, where she uses her scientific knowledge of psychological principles to improve the design and delivery of oral presentations.

Review :
'This book should be the go-to resource for anyone who wants to improve their oral presentation skills. It covers every aspect of presenting, from preparation to stress-management. The authors benefit from their own rich experience with presenting scientific work and write in an accessible, often humorous way.' Bianca Beersma, Full Professor of Social Sciences and Organisation, Vrije University, the Netherlands 'Finally, a book that gives invaluable advice and examples on how to prepare and give presentations. I wish I’d had this earlier in my career … but I can use it now (maybe you can teach an old dog new tricks)! I am definitely assigning this book to our incoming graduate students.' Kipling D. Williams, Distinguished Professor, Purdue University, USA 'Find the answer to any questions you can think of about scientific presentations in this book. It advises on a wide range of subjects, from poster presentations to TED talks. Tips, check-lists, and techniques are supplied in an encouraging manner. This is an indispensable resource for early career researchers and senior scientists.' Kai Sassenberg, Head of the Knowledge Media Research Center’s Social Processes Lab and full Professor, University of Tübingen, Germany 'This is a highly accessible, practical guide to presenting and is a must-read for any academic. You will find everything there is to know about presenting, from designing slides to managing presentation anxiety, and it reminds you of the main target of any academic presentation: delivering your core message.' Esther Kluwer, Associate Professor of Social Psychology, Utrecht University, and Professor (by special appointment), Radboud University, the Netherlands