CONTENTS:

1. Introduction
2. Oral Presentation
3. Visual Presentation using 35 mm slides (analog presentation)
4. Visual Presentation using Overhead Projector (OHP) Viewgraphs
5. Digital Presentation
6. Poster Presentation

INTRODUCTION

This manual for the presentation of technical papers has been prepared in order to improve the quality of the International Congress and the Mid-Congress Symposia of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS). All authors and speakers are requested to consider the following recommendations to improve the effectiveness of their technical presentations:

(2) Keep the oral presentation within the allotted time slot.

(3) Use visual aids during the technical presentations.

(4) Prepare slides (analog or digital) or viewgraphs for legible viewing.

Considering these recommendations, this manual aims to improve the Congress /Symposium by providing the speakers and authors with some techniques for more effective oral presentation, slides, overhead projector viewgraphs and posters.

With the development of the multimedia presentations, use of the computer to design slides and project them during the presentation has become more popular than the other presentation.

(1) The best way to speak is clearly and simply while looking at the audience.

(2) Speak, don't murmur!

(3) Don�t speak for yourself or to the screen, speak for the others, especially for those in the most remote corners. Do not speak to the nearest sitting people. Place a known person into the corner of the room where it is most difficult to understand, and watch this person's signals while speaking.

(1) You must speak slowly in consideration of the international participants as well as for the simultaneous interpreters.

(2) This applies especially to those speakers who speak their mother languages. For example, American or British people speaking English should reduce the speed of speaking for those whose mother tongue is not English.

(1) In order to make effective oral presentations, you should prepare effective slides (analog or digital) or overhead projector (OHP) viewgraphs, but whenever possible, avoid mixing these two different types of visualization.

(2) You must prepare a suitable number of slides (analog or digital) or OHP viewgraphs considering the time limitation.

(3) Don't prepare too many slides, (see guidelines in (4) below). You cannot manage to show all of them in only 15 minutes.

(4) Please limit comments on each slide or viewgraph to one main topic, which can be explained in one minute. According to educational experiments, 30 to 50 seconds have been determined to be sufficient time to focus on a topic. If you speak for more than two minutes on one slide or viewgraph, you may lose the audience. Therefore, around 15 slides appear to be a suitable number for a 15-minute presentation.

(5) Please refer to sections 2 and 3 for proper preparation of slides and OHP viewgraphs, respectively.

1.4 Time Allocation

(1)You must plan carefully the allocation of time available.

(2)First, you must explain the background and objective(s) of your study in one or two minutes, preferably with a slide or an OHP viewgraph.

(3)Second, you should show the overall flow of your study or its concept with a slide or an OHP viewgraph in one or two minutes.

(4)Third, explain the methodology with a few slides or OHP viewgraphs in a few minutes.

(5)Then you may continue the detail of the study including data used, case studies, results of the study, etc. with several slides or OHP viewgraphs in several minutes.

(6)You should not include too many details, but rather focus on the highlights.

(7)Then you should present an analysis of your study with a few slides or OHP viewgraphs in one or two minutes.

(8)Finally, you should present the conclusion(s) with a slide or OHP viewgraph.

(9)Don't read long texts, but summarize the main points.

(10) If you are an experienced speaker then you know that a rehearsal in front of some friends is the best preparation. They help to review the time of your presentation, and you may consider then leaving out parts of the presentation in case the chairperson has to reduce your time.

(11) The following time allocation is provided as a guide for a 15-minute presentation:

(1) Familiarize yourself with the daily time schedule and make sure, when it will be your turn. Note particularly the instructions for contacting the chairman and making contact with the AV office.

(2) Familiarize yourself with the facilities available and do that, whenever possible, the day before. That is, how to project your slides or viewgraphs, room lighting, speaker timing devices, microphones, pointers, height of reading desk, manuscript illumination, etc. Check the best position of microphones according to its "characteristic".

(3) Prepare a number of manuscripts, at least special technical terms, for the interpreters (if provided), and hand it over to them, if possible, the day before.

(4) You should arrive 15 minutes before the technical session in which you are to speak. At that time, the session chairperson will communicate any last minute changes.

2. VISUAL PRESENTATION USING 35 mm SLIDES

2.1 Common Errors

(1) The size of character is too small to read from the seats in the back of the room.

(2) The thickness of lines in a graph is too thin.

(3) The contrast in the slides is either too low or the tone is too dark.

(4) The important details are not large enough.

(5) There are too many words or details.

(6) The overhead projector or other light source is on, and its light disturbs colours and contrast.

2.2 Guidelines for Preparation

(1) Use a dark-colored background, such as dark blue, dark green or dark orange.

(2) Limit each slide to one main idea, which can be explained within one minute. Therefore, use several slides rather than one complicated slide.

(3) Design a slide with width to height ratio of 1.5 to 1 because a 35-mm slide has a size of 36 mm wide and 24 mm high.

(4) Do not duplicate the text of your paper in a slide. You can read the text at a distance of 30 cm, but you cannot read the text of a 2 m high image at 20 m distance. It is too small to be read from the rear seats.

(5) If you can read slides without a magnifier, people in the rear seats can probably read them on the screen as shown below.

If you can read slides without a magnifier,
they can probably be read on the screen.

(6) You must be careful with crowded tables of more than 10 lines. In such situations reduce the data to essential figures and use less than 10 lines.

(7) For all artwork such as figures, graphs and diagrams, use a template of 15 cm by 10 cm. Use line width and height as follows for greatest legibility:

(1) Give your slides to the projectionist at least 30 minutes before your session.

(2) It is best to check and rehearse your slide presentation so that you will be familiar with the sequence and timing.

(3) You should load your slides into the tray by yourself. First, keep your slide so that it reads correctly on hand viewing. Then rotate it 180 degrees that means upside down, and put it into the tray. Leave the first slot of the tray empty.

3. VISUAL PRESENTATION USING OVERHEAD PROJECTOR VIEWGRAPHS

(1) The worst error is to reproduce 12 point text from a page format size of A4 or B5 to OHP viewgraph form and project it. The projected characters are too small. This type of viewgraph is of little value to the audience.

(2) The size of the characters is too small and the widths of lines or curves are too thin to be read from the rear seats.

(3) The information is too overloaded with data. (Two or more simple viewgraphs are better than one complicated viewgraph.)

3.2 Guidelines for Preparation

(1) Limit each viewgraph to one main idea that can be explained within one minute. Therefore, use several viewgraphs rather than one complicated one.

(2) The effective size of a viewgraph should be 16 cm wide by 20 cm high. This will make it convenient for the entire audience to read.

(3)If preparing viewgraphs from a word processor, use 24 point font without reduction.

(4) For artwork, such as graphs, figures, diagrams, etc., don't reproduce it from a book or your paper, but redraw it.

4. DIGITAL PRESENTATION
(Audio-visual Presentation / Power Point Presentation)

4.1 General

(1)It is now normal practice for LCD projectors to be provided to make PowerPoint presentations at meetings. The make and specifications of these vary from meeting to meeting so that presenters need to be prepared to be flexible. The meeting organiser should give specific information on the type of projector to be used, the way in which the projection will be handled and whether presenters will be allowed to use their own laptop.

(2)Presenters must carefully read the instructions given and come to the meeting with their presentation on the specified medium and in the required format. Presenters must check with the organisers in good time before their presentation to ensure that their slides can be projected correctly.

(3)It is possible that some objects cannot be presented. It is always recommended that presenters have a backup conventional presentation in case of failure of the digital version.

4.2 Preparing Your Paper

(1)Use either dark backgrounds with light colours or use a white background with dark lettering for your text.

(2)Use a consistent background throughout. Changing backgrounds, fonts, graphics makes your reader confused.

(3)Use only two different types fonts

(4Use text that is 24pt or larger and do not use smaller than 16pt. Standing around 3 meters (9 feet) away from a 15" monitor has the same effect as holding a slide at arms length

(5)Use Ariel or Helvetica fonts, because they are bolder and easier to read. Do not use "Times" or any other serif font

(6)Use a maximum of 4 or 5 different point sizes

(7)Use a maximum of 4 colours on a slide

(8)Add Clip art only to add impact to a specific message, but not on every slide. PowerPoint understands the following formats: GIF, BMP, JPEG and TIFF. It is not recommended copy and paste from a different software program to PowerPoint.

(9)Some of your graphics may need the portrait layout. PowerPoint does not enable you to use portrait and landscape slides in the same presentation. We recommend using either one or the other, Landscape preferred. If you need to insert portrait graphics in your landscape presentation, just insert your graphics in that layout. This means that there will be blank spaces on the sides, but it is better than not having them at all.

(10)Always check your presentation on a projector before the meeting.

5. POSTER PRESENTATIONS

5.1 Common Errors

(1) The size of characters is too small to be legible from a 2 or 3 meter distance.

(2) Only copies of the paper are put on the board.

(3) Only pictures or tables are put on the board without any explanation or title.

(4) The overall configuration of the study is not clear because there is no flowchart.

5.2 Guidelines for Poster Presentations

(1) Design the space allocation carefully using several well balanced sections including title, objectives, methodology, input data, case study, results, analysis, conclusion(s), etc. All sections should be well-presented using colored paper or a colorfully painted border. Sections may be connected by arrows to show the flow of the study.

(2) Use large characters that are at least 1 cm high and have a line width of at least 1 mm. The larger the better.

(3) Use a light-colored background, such as light blue, pink, or yellow, rather than white.

(4) Give each section a title and a brief explanation.

(5) Prepare enlarged photographs with a minimum size of 20 cm by 25 cm (8 inches by 10 inches).

5.3 Poster Presentation Preparations

(1) Identify your paper number and confirm the location where to display your poster.

(2) Display your poster according to the predesigned allocation using pins and tapes. Although pins and tapes are usually provided by the Organizing Committee, you can use your own if you want to use special colors.

(3) You will receive a designated time slot in the technical program during which you are to provide an oral presentation of your paper at your poster display. Additional time will be allocated for display only of your poster paper.

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*) 1st Edition was prepared in 1987 for the XVI ISPRS Congress, Kyoto, Japan, by S. Murai, Congress Director

2nd Edition was prepared in 1989 for the XVII ISPRS Congress, Washington D.C., USA. by the Congress Organizing Committee and L. Fritz, Congress Director.

3rd Edition was prepared in 1996 for the XVIII ISPRS Congress, Vienna, Austria, by the Congress Organizing Committee, P. Waldhäusl, Technical Programme Director, K. Kraus, Congress Director

4^th Edition was prepared in 2001 for the XXth ISPRS Congress by the Congress Organising Committee, Conference Director O Altan.