It’s a familiar feeling for most scientists. We spend days preparing a talk, rehearsing the transitions, polishing the slides… and yet the moment the session ends, our message often dissolves from the audience’s memory. And we do the same when listening to others: we forget most talks almost immediately.
So where does all this effort go?
Most of us approach presentations by focusing almost exclusively on content. After all, our goal is to share our research, what we did, what we discovered, and what it means. And this is absolutely fundamental. Conferences exist so we can learn from one another.
But focusing only on content is precisely why so many presentations fail to make an impact.
Where presentations go wrong
The problem is rarely the science. It’s the overload. Too many slides. Too many details. Too many results squeezed into 15 minutes. And when everything is important… nothing stands out.
Then there’s the structure, often linear, predictable, and not especially memorable. As scientists, we tend to present information in the way we write papers. But a talk is not a paper. And our audience is not reading, they are listening, processing, reacting in real time.
The power of storytelling in science
This is where storytelling comes into play. And no, storytelling does not mean oversimplifying or dramatising your findings. It means giving your audience a clear, memorable path through your research.
A good scientific presentation should have:
- A relatable starting point: a problem, a question, a curiosity.
- A journey: what you explored, why you made particular choices, and where the unexpected moments were.
- A resolution: what you learned and why it matters.
Stories work because our brains are wired for them. They create anticipation, structure, and emotional engagement, even in technical topics. A well-told scientific story transforms data into meaning and helps your message stay alive long after the session finishes.
Less content, more clarity
Once the story is in place, everything else becomes easier. You cut the noise. You keep only the slides that serve the message. You leave space, space to breathe, space to think, space for the audience to follow.
Reducing content is not a loss. It is an act of generosity toward your listeners.
A practical guide for scientists
Because so many scientists struggle with these challenges, I wrote a short book a few years ago that became popular. It outlines a ten-step Winning Formula for designing and delivering effective scientific presentations.
It is practical, concise, and built from years of teaching scientific writing and communication to PhD students and researchers.
If you’re curious to explore the whole approach, the book is available on Amazon.