How to prepare your 15-minute paper presentation.
Human and Machine Learning, SP26 — Chiba Tech SDS
Each student gives one ~15-minute presentation of an assigned paper from the week's presentation candidates, followed by ~5–10 minutes of discussion that you facilitate. The presentation is 7.5% of your grade.
See the Readings & discussion game plan for how signups work.
The focus is how the mathematical model connects to cognitive science, and the evidence the authors provide for that connection. Papers often have more material than you can cover in 15 minutes — your job is to pick the 2–3 ideas that matter most, explain them clearly, and tee up a good discussion.
If you're concerned about your presentation, DM Prof. Austerweil on Slack to schedule a 1-on-1 — at least one week before your slot. We'll talk through what to focus on and what to skip.
Organize your talk around these. They are also good questions to hold in mind when you're reading any paper in this course.
End with at least 3 discussion questions meant to generate 5–10 minutes of class conversation.
| Criterion | Points |
|---|---|
| Understanding of the paper | 2.25 |
| Covering key aspects of the paper | 2.25 |
| Presentation clarity | 1.50 |
| Appropriate discussion questions (at least 3) | 0.75 |
| Appropriate use of time | 0.75 |
Keep slides minimal. Effectiveness is the goal, not polish. Fancy transitions and elaborate designs are actively discouraged — they distract from the paper. Favor the minimum amount of text that still makes your presentation comprehensible.
Not every point needs its own slide. Group related ideas.
Present equations, but always explain what they mean. Don't just show the formula — walk through what each symbol represents and why the equation is the right one for the problem.
Use graphs from the paper to discuss results. But make sure axes are labeled, lines are legible, and there's a title. Always explain what is being plotted, why the graph matters, and what pattern readers should take away. Understanding what the graph conveys is more important than quoting p-values without context.
Don't use text smaller than 24pt. If you can't fit it, it shouldn't be on the slide.
Take a breath every few slides. Talk slower than you would in conversation. Pauses are your friend.
You don't have to use all the time. If you can present the important details in 12 minutes instead of 15, that's great — it leaves more room for discussion and for the other things scheduled that day. Just don't run over.
Practice out loud at least once. It's especially effective if you can get a friend to listen.
The framing questions above are adapted from Tom Griffiths.