10 Important Things to Consider in Presenting Your Research Proposal

For some students, presenting a research proposal can be a difficult task, as they need to convince others that their proposal is really worthwhile.

As a student, you should know that there are a lot of ways to make your presentation stand-out and make an impact on your audience. To help you, browse these 10 important things to consider in presenting your research proposal.

1. Planning your presentation

Why do we need to plan before we dive into the actual presentation? Planning is a great key to make sure that you are equipped and ready enough to present your proposal.

In planning your presentation, you should identify the purpose and aim of your research proposal, this will guide you and help you throughout your planning process.

Upon planning, you should consider making a presentation that includes the summary and main points of your research proposal. Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the tools you can use to organize your ideas and information, it will help you present your proposal in a well-organized manner.

Aside from using MS PowerPoint Presentation, you can also check these presentation alternatives for a unique and quality presentation.

Learning More About Microsoft Sway

Creating Presentations with Adobe Spark

2. Providing clear overview of research proposal

A research proposal needs to be clear on its purpose, content should be relevant to your topic and is well-written. Providing a clear overview of your research proposal will help the audience identify and define what you are really planning to accomplish, what do you want to do with it, and how are you going to do it.

A clear overview of a research proposal should include an introduction that explains the topic you are investigating, its background, and why it is important. A research proposal should also contain the literature review, the method, the conclusion, as well as references.

Here is a research proposal overview made by Lumen Technical Writing The Proposal Overview

3. Identifying audience

It is natural to have an audience while presenting, these are people who will give you time and attention throughout your presentation, these can be your classmates, teachers, or even co-researchers.

Involving your audience during your presentation can make you feel comfortable and less nervous. Knowing that they show interest in your research proposal will help you deliver it smoothly and confidently.

4. Applying the principle of design

Why do we need to apply the principle of design? Applying some principles will help you produce a more effective and attractive presentation. The basic principle of design includes;

Visual Hierarchy is the principle of arranging the elements in a way that indicates importance.

Slide Layout Design is based on how you will create your slides in a well-structured format.

Details are images, icons, and other multimedia. Incorporating details into your presentation will make it more lively and engaging.

Color should have high contrast so that they are easy to see, if you use dark background make sure to pair it with a lighter text, and a light background should have dark text.

Typography is the art of arranging text in a way that it will be readable and visually appealing to your audience.

5. Avoiding text overload

Too much text in your presentation can lead to confusion. In presenting your research proposal, includes only the main point to avoid information overload. Your slides will only serve as your guide and outline throughout your presentation.

Adding too much text doesn’t conclude that you gathered much information, always keep in mind that it is better to present by telling a story rather than reading what’s in your slide.

6. Using Graphics

Working with graphics will make your proposal well-constructed and gives you the chance to present your data in a visually compelling way. Graphics include tables and figures, such as bar graphs, pie graphs, maps, drawings, etc. Compelling tables and graphics will help you communicate your message effectively especially when you are presenting with data.

7. Rehearsing your presentation

How important is rehearsal? According to award-winning actor Michael Caine, “Rehearsal is the work; performance is the relaxation.” Rehearsing before the actual presentation will help you master your topic, and will give you an idea of what are the do’s and don’ts to make sure that you are more than ready to face your audience and deliver your presentation naturally.

8. Handling question time

One of the things you should consider is how to deal with questions during your presentation. Before your presentation, you should equip yourself with a broad knowledge about your proposal, and make sure that you have all the information you need to easily deal with questions related to your research.

Dealing with questions is sometimes frustrating, especially if you have communication difficulties and you are not fully armed with the right information.

9. Using body language

Using proper body language can help you engage your audience and be confident throughout your presentation. This will also create a good connection between you and your audience.

Proper posture and eye contact will be a great help to indicates that you are communicating with them and also show professionalism. Avoid doing gestures that can distract your audience as well as your co-researchers.

10. Checking Equipment

Check your equipment beforehand to avoid technical issues. Make sure that all your tools and materials are as ready as you. Checking it before presenting your research proposal will help you avoid and eliminate potential conflicts.