Good presentation skills are extremely important for scientists to effectively communicate their ideas. In his Editorial in Angewandte Chemie, Craig J. Hawker from the University of California, Santa Barbara, USA, discusses how students will be better prepared for their future careers if they are given more guidance in preparing and delivering effective presentations.

He gives some points on what makes an effective presentation and rules for creating good slides, including giving only one message per slide, and the avoidance of reproducing figures directly from manuscripts. Good habits for delivering the presentation, such as engaging with the audience and not using “filler” words are also discussed. Hawker also suggests that all researchers need to be proactive in constantly trying to improve their presentation skills, in particular by asking for feedback when possible.

• Effective Presentations—A Must,
  Craig. J. Hawker,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013, 52(14).
  DOI: 10.1002/anie.201209795