Hi everyone,

I am going to present a paper at an international conference shortly. It's not the first time that I present, the problem is that I don't like reading and I usually talk over the slide show.
Everyone else, students or high-profile scholars, read their papers and I feel like the odd one out. I attended some workshops on how to present papers and I was told I shouldn't read - so I am a bit confused now. Any suggestion from anyone? I am scared to death about this forthcoming conference...

I think that is fine...that is what i have been told to do as well! Often if you go to a conferene or presentation and the person reads what is already there on the slide show it ends up being super boring...i always think "I can read myself!", specially if people get the handouts or you can email them the presentation, there isn't much point in just reading.
Sounds to me like you are diong fine, and being different to others doesn't mean being wrong.
Good luck! you'll be fine!

having done two conference presentations, I would say NEVER read from your paper.

1. It bores the audience.
2. Makes you look 'not very intelligent' (for want of a better word) and unable to coherently express your ideas.
3. No one will know what you're on about unless they've read your paper beforehand. So they won't ask questions. Which is what you don't want. Otherwise why bother going to a conference in the first place.

I always say - show off your work. Use one slide for every two minutes of your presentation. Don't flip them so fast, give the audience a chance to digest the slide - expecially the diagrams. Secondly, don't overcrowd them will all you know - just main points. And don't read - show them you know your stuff. They will be more interested and the whole experience will help your presentation skills (coherence) for your viva - eventually.

regarding being scared - i can totally relate to that. just 'be yourself.' don't try to be someone else, to be better than you actually are, or to be too scared to produce the quality that you actually are. see them as peers not examiners and you will be fine. try to anticipate the questions and prepare some answers before hand - maybe by presenting to a friend in your field? if there's a shocker - totally unexpected, say, ' That's a very good question. I've never thought about it that way. What does anyone else think?' Pass the question to the floor. There is always someone else who knows the answer.

I think one of the best ways to prepare a presentation is to write it before doing anything else--too many people make their slides first, but if you have your 'story' clear in your head then you can create the slides to accentuate what you want to say.
I only started doing this recently (after a presentation skills course) but I think it has really helped me refine my presentation skills.

Thanks you for your encouragement and suggestions!
You are right jojo, preparation is essential especially for the question session at the end. I feel fairly confident that I can handle that as I have - or at least I think I have! - a good knowledge of my topic and what has been published in that area. My problem is probably more related to the fact that English is not my mother tongue and also as the PhD progresses the environment seems to be more competitive and -I would say often aggressive. I often feel intimidated even if I am sure of my stuff...and I agree with you Pup, a good slide show is useless if you don't have a focussed and coherent paper first.

i agree with Pup. definitely know your story before you get there. your written English looks good to me. if it is of any consolation, English is my third language and i often feel the same before presentations. But am always surprised at how my English seems to be up to standard in conferences. Don't worry English in academia is very different from street English. You will be able to understand everyone and be understood by them. Remember, they are interested in the content of your paper and not in how you are pronouncing everything. By the way that reminds me that the best presentation in my subject area group last year was by an asian guy whose English wasn't all that - the odd hiccups here and there, but no one could miss the passion he had for his argument and how well he demonstrated it. believe in yourself and again, it's not an examination - so forget about being judged. . you'll be fine!

just have fun... enjoy what u are doing and saying and everyone else will!