Library of Congress. (2011). Poster for the U.S. Department of Agriculture promoting victory gardens, showing carrots, lettuce, corn, tomatoes, and potatoes growing.
Presenting Your Research
The oral presentation to the judges is the most important factor in determining your place award or your monetary and/or prize award. The judges are experts in their fields, so you cannot fool them! You must know your project and background very well!
Here are some guidelines to follow:
- Relax, smile, and be confident! Knowledge and practice will give you this. Speak with an appropriate volume.
- Dress appropriately. Professional, business-like attire: girls in dresses or dressy pants or pant-suits; boys in dress slacks, shirt and tie, and if possible a suit jacket.
- Be respectful of the judges, peers at the fair, fair/mall visitors, and teachers from other schools.
- Watch your body language. Make sure it says that you are confident and in control. Look people in the eye when you speak to them.
- Pause, breathe deeply and collect your thoughts if you lose your place or cannot answer a question immediately. Ask to think for a minute! This is completely acceptable and much better than providing a false answer to an expert. If you absolutely cannot think of an answer, say, “That’s something I will have to research the answer to!” and “That’s an idea that would’ve helped me understand…Thank you.” Etc.
- Make eye contact with the person you are speaking to and use your board to keep your place and show data, patterns, and trends. Point to things on your graphs or pictures to help explain.
