AGU 2000 FALL MEETING
GUIDELINES FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS

1. General Information
   
   • With submission of your abstract to the 2000 Fall Meeting, you agreed to present your abstract on the day, time, and in the mode of presentation assigned by the Program Committee. You have been assigned to an ORAL session at the time listed on your acceptance letter; this cannot be changed.
     
     
   • Schedule times given in the abstract volume are subject to change without prior notice. Check the At-Meeting Program and the Addendum for any program changes.
   
   
2. Your Presentation
   
   • Contributed papers are generally allotted 10 minutes for presentation, and 5 minutes for discussion and changeover time. Some invited papers will have 15 minutes for the presentation. Session presiders will hold you to the allotted time.
     
     
   • Discuss the same material as reported in the abstract.
     
     
   • Prepare your presentation in advance so that your ideas are logically organized and your points clear. At the very least, write a detailed outline of your presentation. Address the essential points and leave the details for publication.
     
     
   • Rehearse. If possible, give your talk to one or more colleagues and ask them for suggestions for improvement. If your presentation runs longer than the allotted time, eliminate the least essential material and rehearse again.
     
     
   • Give an opening statement to acquaint the audience with the nature and purpose of the study.
     
     
   • Speak slowly and clearly. Word choice should be simple: Use active words, short sentences. Words should reinforce visual material.
     
     
   • Be considerate of the other speakers and the audience by staying within your allotted time. This is essential to ensure adequate time for questions and discussion and adherence to schedule.
     
     
   • Use the public address system and speak into the microphone toward the audience at all times. When using the lavalier microphone clipped to your lapel, it may be difficult for the audience to hear you if you turn your head away from the microphone. If you need to see what is being shown on the screen, have pictures or copies at the speaker's podium.
     
   
   
3. Slide and Viewgraph Preparation
   
   • Slides and viewgraphs must be well designed, simple, and readable by everyone in the audience. It is worthwhile to use professional preparation services, if possible.
     
     
   • Use as few slides and viewgraphs as are really needed and can be discussed in the time allotted. As a general rule, use one slide for each 1 or 2 minutes of presentation.
     
     
   • Devote each slide and viewgraph to a single fact, idea, or finding. Illustrate major points or trends, not detailed data. Do not show long or complicated formulas or equations. Each slide should remain on the screen at least 20 seconds.
     
     
   • Use the absolute minimum number of words in the title, subtitles, and captions. Remember that standard abbreviations are acceptable.
     
     
   • Use bold characters. Do not use fancy serifs. A rule of thumb for the minimum height of readable lettering (size) is 3 millimeters on finished slides. Do not make slides from illustrations or tables that were prepared for publication. They are rarely satisfactory. A good way to test your material is to stand 1 foot away for every inch of original copy width. If you can't read it from that distance, then your audience will not be able to read it either when it is projected.
     
     
   • Table Preparation: Do not use more than three or four vertical columns and six to eight horizontal lines. If there are any more columns or rows, the information will not be readable. Do not use ruled vertical or horizontal lines; they distract the eye and clutter the slide. Whenever possible, present data using bar charts or graphs instead of tables. Colored graphs are very effective.
     
     
   • Graph Preparation: Generally, do not use more than one or two curves on one diagram; a maximum of three to four curves may be shown, but only if well separated. Label each curve; do not use symbols and a legend. Do not show data points unless scatter is important.
     
     
   • Color adds attractiveness, interest, and clarity to slide and viewgraph illustrations and should be used whenever possible. If you use color, remember that contrasting colors are easier to see.
     
     
   • Use 2" x 2" paper or plastic mounted slides, designated for a 35mm slide projector. Be sure that they are clean and in good physical condition.
     
     
   • Critically examine every slide and viewgraph and try out the entire set under adverse light conditions before using them at a meeting. It is sometimes impossible to provide excellent light conditions at meetings.
     
     
   • Mark a large positioning dot or make a notch in the lower left hand corner of each slide when it is laid flat so it may be read. Rotate 180^o for loading into a carousel. A notch or dot makes it easy to see that all slides are correctly positioned in the slide tray. Number every slide in proper sequence. This is important because slides may be dropped or become disarranged. Check your slides in a slide viewer prior to the start of your session.
     
     
   • An introductory and concluding slide and viewgraph can greatly improve the focus of your talk.
     
     
   • Each oral meeting room will be equipped with two 2" x 2" (35mm) slide projectors, two overhead (viewgraph) projectors, an electric pointer, and two screens. If you require additional equipment, you will incur a fee. Please use the Additional Audio Visual Equipment Order Form. If you have questions please contact AGU's Meetings Department by November 24, 2000, at 1-202-777-7332, or by e-mail at: meetinginfo@agu.org to receive further information on audio-visual.
     
     
   • Slide viewers will be located in the Session Prep Area located in Hall D of the Moscone Center. Speakers may preview slides between 0730h-1700h Friday through Tuesday. Assemble your slides in one of the carousel trays provided for your convenience. In the session room, place the carousel (labeled with your name and paper number) on the slide projector just prior to your presentation. After the presentation, you must remove the slides and leave the carousel tray on the projector cart or return it to the Session Prep Area.
     
     
   • If you would like to preview your viewgraphs, you may use one of the overhead projectors set in a meeting room either before 0815h or during the lunch break from 1215h-1315h.