SPEAKER CHECKLIST

Dear Speaker,

 Thank you for presenting an abstract at the upcoming ISPCAN International Congress! Below you will find a helpful speaker checklist. If you still have questions, please feel free to contact the Congress Secretariat at congress2006@ispcan.org:

In Advance of the Congress

Practice your presentation, including your PowerPoint presentation and make necessary notes.

All session rooms will be equipped with a laptop computer and LCD projector. Larger rooms (with capacities of 100 or more) will have microphones.

A speaker room will be available at the Congress venue. The speaker room will have an LCD projector and laptop and speakers will be able to use the room during Congress working hours to practice presentations.

The Congress Organizers will be unable to accommodate requests for VCRs, overhead projectors, or other types of AV equipment

You are responsible for bringing your own handouts (we recommend 35-75). Handout printing/photocopying onsite will be at the speaker’s own cost.

Onsite:

1. Check the room

Find out when you can access the room (eg if is there a session there immediately before yours, you will need to check earlier in the day)
Make sure the room has the equipment and set up required by your presentation
Check that you can operate the equipment needed for your presentation
Speak with your AV technician/ volunteer, agree your respective roles and know where and how to contact her/him if you need assistance during your presentation

2. Prepare for your session

Get to the room at least 5 minutes before the start time. Introduce yourself to session chair and confirm arrangements for presentation. If there is more than one speaker, check and confirm arrangements for:

• introductions (all at beginning or interspersed, what you will say)
• order (see program)
• linkages and overlaps
• questions (after each presentation)

Confirm with chair on the following issues:

• use of lectern
• where you will sit when not speaking
• where you will present

The session chair is responsible for monitoring the time of presentations; please assist the chair by keeping to the allocated time for your presentation:

• Workshops: 45 minutes
• Papers: 20 minutes
• Interactive Presentations: speakers will be expected to present besides their presentations during the specified session time and to join in the group discussion with other presenters in that session afterwards.
• Symposium: allocation of time for individual speakers will be decided by the symposium chair
  

3. During your presentation

• Keep track of time cues from chair.
• Since most of the attendees will not be native English speakers, speak slowly, clearly and avoid unnecessary jargon.
• For paper presentations, leave 5 minutes at the end for questions. For workshops, you may choose to answer questions throughout your presentation if it will enhance the progression of the presentation.
• Monitor audience reaction to key points you might want to address during the discussion time.

If you receive the signal from the chair that it is stop time and you are not finished, please be considerate of other speakers in your session and finish your presentation quickly.

4. Discussion and questions period

• The Chair will handle the monitoring of questions and discussion.
• Listen intently to questions. If you are unsure of a question, repeat it back to the questioner in your own words to insure understanding.
• Take questions from all areas of the room equally.
• Prevent dominance by an individual questioner.
• When allocated time is almost up, state that you will take one final question. You may invite individuals to approach you after the session to discuss topics further.