08.23.2022
Preparation:
Over the past few months, I have been preparing for a research summit at the University of Wisconsin – Superior. Many McNair Scholars from other UW – System Schools attended the conference to learn about networking, graduate school preparation, poster and oral presentations. I will admit, I was nervous to present my research in front of individuals who fit the profile I am studying; however, the preparation and presentation went much more smoothly than I initially anticipated.
The preparation started by conducting as many interviews as I could and performing a preliminary analysis of the information collected. I noticed that many individuals commented on similar things; the benefits of having a cohort of individuals who are on a similar path, difficulties with a phenomenon called imposter syndrome, and funding of their education. There were many similarities throughout the interviews and finding the most important information proved to be a large task.
Next Steps:
I then moved on to compiling information for a rough draft for my poster. I realized that I needed to include additional pieces of information including the guiding theory of my research, the methodology used, as well as determining what my next steps were. I worked my way through editing a poster template from UWEC and used that to organize all of the information I needed.
When creating a poster, it is vital to display the information in a way that does not overwhelm the reader. Bullet points, lists, and small blocks of text are all useful when compiling information for a poster. I organized my information starting with my abstract, which outlines the purpose of my study and provides background information. This I left as a small block of text to ensure it was easily understood whether I was there to explain or not. I then worked with McNair staff and my mentor to decide how to best lay out the information for reader accessibility. There were many things that shifted throughout the creation of the poster and my first draft was vastly different from my final draft.
What I Learned:
The conference had all participants perform an oral presentation, which was not the initial understanding of how we were going to present our research. However, I decided to continue with the presentation and shift my way of displaying my research. I utilized the initial poster I created but made sure to think of the most important information to highlight orally. We only had 10 minutes to present and answer questions, so it was important that I stayed on track when sharing my research.
Overall, I thought my first research presentation was a positive experience. I obtained information from the other presenters on how to best answer questions, appropriate body language, and many other tips I found beneficial for my own presentation. Through my own speaking experience, I gained the confidence and the understanding of how to best present my research. I was only halfway through conducting interviews when I performed this presentation, which raised my confidence for future presentations. Having a completed project, with my objectives met, would aid in my ability to answer questions about how this research can be used in the future. I also believe that with more preparation after all interviews are completed, I will be able to present my research orally in a more structured manner.
This experience was valuable in many ways. It gave me the confidence to move forward with future presentations, conferences, and showed me the value of this research. By being able to present to an audience of individuals who are within the population under investigation, I am feeling more positive about the outcome of this research and my future direction of student affairs.
