From data to decisions: How to avoid death by PowerPoint and accelerate clinical adoption of your study outcomes.

You’re not alone—common presentation challenges

Many surgeons, including ourselves, encounter similar obstacles when presenting research. Presentations are often overloaded with information, making slides difficult to follow and diluting the impact of key findings. Some lack a clear narrative, focusing solely on data without sufficient context or explanation, which can be hard for the audience to engage with. There is also the risk of using language or technical detail that does not match the audience’s background, limiting understanding and discussion.

Speaking confidently and engaging with the audience are skills that require practice, and managing time effectively during a presentation is a common concern. The list goes on – but how can we be proactive and better prepared?

6 principles for effective research presentations

To enhance the impact of your presentations, several strategies are worth considering. These are some tips and tricks that we have learned along the way.

1. Know your audience

Knowing your audience is fundamental to effective research presentation. Whether speaking to CMF specialists, general surgeons, or a broader medical audience, adjusting the level of detail and terminology accordingly helps ensure your message is received as intended. Providing necessary background and avoiding assumptions about prior knowledge can make your research more accessible and relevant. 

For example, when presenting to a multidisciplinary team, briefly outline the clinical relevance before delving into technical details. We find that engaging listeners directly, for example by asking questions or inviting them to interpret a clinical image, creates a more interactive and attentive atmosphere.

2. Structure can make it or break it

A logical structure guides the audience through your research. There are many ways to go about this. We recommend starting with a strong opening that captures attention, such as sharing a rare case or posing a clinical question for the audience to consider. Present the case, follow with relevant imaging, discuss assessment and treatment, and then reveal the outcome. This flow helps maintain interest and provides a clear narrative.

Summarizing at the end reinforces the main points and ensures the audience leaves with a clear take-home message. Consider starting with a clinical question or problem statement, as this sets the context and relevance for the audience right away.

For example, at a prior FACE AHEAD, many presenters began by highlighting a challenging or unusual patient case that immediately resonated with the audience. One memorable session opened with the story of a complex condylar fracture, inviting attendees to consider possible approaches before revealing imaging and treatment details. This strategy not only engaged the audience but also set the stage for an interactive discussion about best practices and new techniques. By structuring the presentation around a real-world scenario, the speaker was able to make the research findings more relatable and applicable to everyday clinical practice.

3. Clarity is key

Clarity should be prioritized throughout. Focus on the most important findings and minimize extraneous information. Slides should be simple—less is more. Avoid clutter, stick to one main idea per slide, and use concise text rather than lengthy paragraphs.

Well-designed visuals, such as diagrams, tables, and clinical images, can be powerful tools for supporting your message. However, these images, icons, and charts should be relevant and help convey your point, not just fill space. For example, when illustrating the classification of condylar fractures, clear figures can demonstrate anatomical and clinical details in a memorable way. Similarly, a visual explanation of the mechanism of secondary enophthalmos can immediately communicate the concept without excessive explanation.

Slides should be easy to read, with clear labels and concise text. The “assertion-evidence” slide design is particularly effective: start each slide with a clear statement and support it with data or relevant visuals. Limiting slides to one main idea for each, using short direct sentences rather than dense bullet points, and highlighting key rows or columns in tables with color or bolding can all help emphasize your most important results. For data, simple graphs, such as bar, line, or pie charts, are often most effective, especially when annotated directly with key findings.

4. Get the audience excited and engaged

Encourage questions and discussion when possible. Making eye contact, using body language and gestures, and varying your tone and pace all help maintain interest. Interact with your audience by asking questions, involving listeners, and responding to feedback. Introducing rhetorical questions and allowing brief pauses after key points gives the audience time to absorb information and reflect on its relevance. Sharing brief, anonymized case examples or clinical anecdotes can make your findings more relatable.

5. Practice makes perfect

Rehearse your presentation to ensure smooth delivery and adherence to time limits.  Practicing with colleagues can help identify areas for clarification and improve overall confidence. Recording practice sessions and reviewing them for pacing, clarity, and volume is a useful technique. Timing each section of your talk ensures you stay within allotted limits, and preparing concise answers for anticipated questions allows for effective engagement during Q&A. Practicing transitions between slides, particularly when moving from background to results or discussion, helps maintain flow and coherence. 

Train yourself to avoid reading directly from your slides and instead use them as prompts for deeper explanation tends to make the presentation more enjoyable for those in the audience. 

6. Avoid awkward technical mishaps

Managing technical aspects is another important consideration. Test slides and equipment in advance to prevent disruptions. Familiarize yourself with the AV setup at the venue, including clickers, microphones, and screen resolution, if possible, to avoid last-minute issues.

Use high-contrast colors and readable fonts for accessibility, and limit animations and transitions to those that genuinely aid understanding. Bring your presentation in multiple formats—such as USB, email, or cloud storage—to provide a safety net. Embed videos or images directly in slides, rather than relying on external links, for reliability. This will allow you to stay focused on the important things you have to say and not be distracted by foreseeable technical issues.

Good research presentations matter more than you think

Effective presentation skills benefit not only individual surgeons but the CMF field as a whole. They facilitate the exchange of ideas, support the adoption of new techniques, and contribute to ongoing professional development.

As our field continues to evolve, the ability to communicate research findings clearly will remain a core academic competency. Sharing experiences and research through presentations not only educates others, but also builds professional networks, fosters international collaboration, and strengthens the academic community. Opportunities to present at forums like FACE AHEAD or publish in journals such as CMTR allow us to showcase our work and connect with colleagues worldwide. These activities are crucial for effective knowledge translation, ensuring that research is not just shared but also understood, adopted, and applied in clinical settings across the globe.

For CMF surgeons, presenting research is an integral part of academic practice. By focusing on clarity, structure, and audience engagement, we can ensure that our work contributes meaningfully to the advancement of CMF surgery. Investing time in developing these skills is a practical step toward enhancing both individual and collective progress within our specialty. To accelerate the translation of our research from publication to clinical practice, we must take proactive steps to educate, inform, and engage others in meaningful discussions about the value our findings bring to patient care. Take advantage of opportunities to present at academic meetings and publish in open access journals. Together, we can advance the quality and impact of CMF research communication.