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Presentation & PowerPoint Guidelines
A guide for Presenters in organizing and presenting their papers with clear visual aids.
I.

PRESENTER INSTRUCTIONS
1. A breakfast meeting will be held in the PCC at 0700 for all Presenters and Session Co-Chairs on the day of yoursession, including poster and non-paper poster sessions. Your table will be identified with your session number. If
you have more than one session number, please notify the Session Co-Chairs of your presence at both tables andmake an attempt to visit both tables during breakfast to meet with other session participants, especially for oral
sessions.
2. Please cooperate with your Session Co-Chairs in limiting your presentation time to a total of 25 minutes. The oral
paper presentation durations are estimated to be 20 minutes, with presenter introductions taking one minute, andquestions and answers taking up the remaining four minutes. Paper start times are posted in the Final Technical
Program and will not be deviated from by the Session Co-Chairs. Any canceled presentations will result in thattime slot being a 25-minute break. It is critical presentations start and end on time.
3. Please upload your PowerPoint presentation by “logging in” to our website http://wmsym.org/ and selecting“Submit/Manage Papers for WM2024”. This link will take you to a password protected page. It is highly
recommended that you have your presentation submitted by February 9, 2024.
4. Audio clips are NOT recommended because they will not be in the proceedings. Video clips should not be used in
a commercial format. If you plan to use video clips, please ensure they are embedded into the PowerPoint. It isbest to imbed videos linked to YouTube or other streaming services as these can be taken down or addresses canchange in the future.
5. Presenters who have video within their presentation should come to the Presenter and Co-Chair Information Desk,after checking in at the Conference, to check with our audio-visual team to ensure your video files will adequately
work. Please complete this video check by 1200 (noon) the day prior to your presentation.
All final presentations must be uploaded by 1200 (noon) the day prior to your session to ensure it is correctly
uploaded and for Co-Chair final review. Monday presentations need to be uploaded before 1500 on Sunday.
Presenters who have not uploaded their presentation by this deadline will have their presentation shown ascanceled at the session room entrance unless prior arrangements have been made with WMS Staff and you havereceived an email confirmation of those arrangements.
6. The presentation you upload through your profile will be accessible from the laptop computer on the podium inyour session room. It is strongly recommended that you bring a copy of your PowerPoint presentation on flash
drive as a backup in case of a problem with the original upload. You will, however not be allowed to use yourflash drive in the session room.
7. Please ensure your biographical information is up to date in the format in which you want session Co-Chairs topresent your biography.
8. Session Co-Chairs can not reschedule your paper within the session. Many attendees schedule their attendance atvarious sessions in accordance with the Final Conference Program. Records are being kept on the actual start
times of all oral session presentations.
9. All technical session rooms will be supplied with the following standard equipment:
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a. One LCD Projector with computer and appropriately sized screenb. One laser pointer and one podium microphonec. All requests for nonstandard equipment must be received prior to December 31, 2023.
II. DESIGNING AND PREPARING YOUR VISUAL AIDS
Most Presenters outline their presentations, and then determine the best way to illustrate their ideas. Others sketch theirideas first; then build their talk around these. As you proceed, be sure your figures and text support each other. Wait until
you have written your paper to have the final figures drafted. Legends on figures and table headings must be selfcontained. All variables must be identified. Not only will your figures be consistent, but you may also throw out manyrough figures in the process. Please use SI units of measurement.
Keep in mind that visual aids should enhance the presentation; they should not replace it or repeat it.
PowerPoint/Overhead Preparation Guidelines
1. Include only one concept/point/idea per slide (slide refers to the PowerPoint file). Capture the major point of thepresentation on the title slide. For your 20-minute presentation, you should have less than 20 slides in a 16:9 aspect ratio,
and any videos must be imbedded into the presentation using PowerPoint 2010 or later. A PowerPoint template is on thewebsite.
2. Use only key words, phrases, and/or concepts rather than sentences and paragraphs. You will explain/discuss these key
points in your oral presentation. Attendees will be distracted with the over use of words on a slide and it can distract fromthe conversation you are having with the audience.
3. Follow the 6 x 6 rule: Use no more than 6 words per line and no more than 6 lines per slide.
Use bullets when listing items. It is acceptable to use some other symbol in place of the traditional dot for a bullet.
However, be consistent in the use of a symbol throughout the presentation.
4. It is suggested to use Sans Serif fonts as they are more appropriate and legible than other fonts. Comic Sans MS is an
example of a “fun” Sans Serif font, but it can come across as informal. Arial is a more formal Sans Serif font. Times New
Roman is an example of a Serif font. Limit your fonts to only two (2) typefaces, preferably sticking with one.
5. Use a consistent combination of sizes and character enhancements for organization and emphasis. Character
enhancements include bold, italics, and underline. Use character enhancements sparingly. Avoid the use of italics andunderline if possible and use bold text for emphasis.
All text should be large enough to be read from any location in the room where the presentation is being projected. In
general, 40 point is appropriate for titles/main headings while 24-36 point is appropriate for subtopics - experiment byprojecting your slides before the actual presentation. Meet with Waste Management staff if you would like to use a roomprior to your presentation to get a feel for how it will look.
6. Use all capital letters for acronyms only. Text presented in all caps is difficult to read and can be perceived as yelling orover emphasizing a concept. First letters sentences or phrases should be capitalized. Title case should be used inheaders/slide titles.
8. Bar graphs, pie charts and line graphs are effective tools to show trends and statistics. Use contrasting, bright colors todelineate between categories. Simplify the graphs or show more of them. Avoid using figures with small text that could be
difficult to read, especially in plot axis.

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9. Use consistent backgrounds for each slide. Consistency from one slide to the next is very important to the overall
impact of your presentation and keeps from distracting the audience. Try to keep slide titles in the same consistentlocation, size, and orientation.
10. Choose a color combination that is pleasing to the eye as well as legible. Use a color for the wording that has a very
high contrast to the background. A gradated background that transitions from dark to light can make words difficult toread as the contrast changes. Just a simple white with dark lettering or dark with light lettering is very effective. Use nomore than four (4) colors.
11. Use graphics and/or photographs only to emphasize and/or illustrate a point or convey an idea. Avoid using graphics
simply to fill up space.
12. Most importantly, use the KISS method— “Keep It Simple, Speaker!”
III. DELIVERING YOUR PRESENTATION
Some of the rooms at the Conference are large and seat up to 300 people. This expanse will make it necessary for you touse one of the microphones and will lend a greater formality to your presentation. Strive for the directness and eye contactthat you would employ in a smaller setting to “connect” with the audience (which may be large). A few tips for yourpresentation:
Don't read directly from your PowerPoint Presentation:
A few notes on index cards can help you make transitions in your presentation. State the main headings and subheadings
in your notes so you don't falter. Pauses aid the listener--so if you do falter, just consider it a pause. You can also use notes
within in PowerPoint as additional support during you presentation.
Memorizing:
Memorizing, like reading, can limit spontaneity and detract from your enthusiasm. Some Presenters memorize their
opening and closing remarks to allow them to look directly at their audience with undivided attention. Try to avoid
memorizing or reading your entire Presentation, but if you must use these tools in part of your program, use themcarefully so as not to detract from the Presentation quality.
Avoid Pomposity:
Be direct and respectful toward those you are addressing while you are presenting. Be cautious about using such words orphrases as "obviously" and "as you can clearly see from the figure." This approach projects a pretentiousness that you
don't intend. Strive for a talk so clear and obvious that these phrases would be unnecessary. Avoid distracting movement
and unintentional body language:Be aware of your body's nervous gestures. Some things to watch out for are playing with the pointer, jangling keys orchange in your pocket, and moving your arms a lot.
Practice and use appropriate and deliberate gestures for emphasis. Practice will channel your nervousness into usefulgestures.
Don't argue:
As you receive questions from listeners, be gracious, whether the questioner is or not. Remember, they are as intelligent
as you but may not be familiar with the specifics of your work.
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Be kind to the novice; your patience will encourage questions the audience member may fear will sound ignorant.
Everyone notices the spirit in which a question is asked. They will also remember the spirit in which your reply is offered.
Microphone technique:
Keep your mouth within six inches of any microphone, not on it. Ask and verify that those in the back of the room canhear you. Do not turn away from the microphone or your voice will fade.
IV. PRESENTATION EVALUATION
Oral Presentations are evaluated as part of the continuous improvement process for Conference quality. Mechanicalaspects which can be measured simply and objectively will be handled by our Student Assistants operating the projectors.
Session Co-Chairs and Volunteer Evaluators will provide evaluation on aspects requiring experienced professional
judgment.
Factors evaluated by the Session Co-Chairs and Volunteers include but are not limited to the following:
1. Technical Quality
1.1 Logical development
1.2 Relevance of arguments
1.3 Topic or Issue is clearly identified
1.4 Conclusions, relevance and significance1.5 Validity of data
1.6 Completeness of data
1.7 Innovative or original concepts
1.8 Technical treatment or approach valid
1.9 Solutions to the problem or text support the conclusions
1.10 Adherence to the reviewed approved initial abstract
2. Organization
2.1 Coordination of narrative with slide presentation
2.2 The information flow to a well-ordered conclusion
3. Presentation Quality
3.1 Visuals, quality and relevance to conveying information or commanding audience interest
3.2 Interaction with the audience
3.3 Projection
3.4 Speaking cadence
3.5 Microphone Technique and sound volume for all attendees in the room
V. BEST ORAL PAPER/PRESENTATION COMPETITION
The American Nuclear Society (ANS) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) help honor the Best
Oral and the Best Poster Presentations and Papers through annual awards. Award recipients will be recognized and will
receive their awards at the following year’s Conference. These Presentations and Papers are judged according to specifiedcriteria. Note that the Session Co-Chairs and designated Judges perform the initial screening of the Presentations. The
papers recommended by the Paper Reviewers also determine eligibility.

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