Sigma Xi
Student
Research
Showcase
CREATING A
PRESENTATION SITE
I. Showcase Overview (content submission and participation with judges)
II. Creating a Presentation Site
III. Sharing your Presentation
IV. Student – Judge Discussion Period
V. Awards
CONTENT
1. Obtain Preliminary Approval : submit project description
2. Create Presentation Site: after you have been approved to
participate, create a presentation site
3. Submit Presentation: submit the URL of your presentation
to Sigma Xi submission deadline.
4. Participate in the Student Showcase
Discussion Period via blog (Monday – Friday)
Final Judge evaluations (Sunday evening)
Awards announced (Monday)
SHOWCASE OVERVIEW
CREATING A PRESENTATION SITE
The following description explains how to create a presentation site using
the free blogging software provided at www.tumblr.com
You may choose to use other blogging software such as WordPress
or host your own html webpage.
Regardless of the software you choose, your presentation site MUST
have the following:
An abstract that describes your research project (200 words
maximum)
A technical slide presentation
A brief (2-3 minute) informal video introduction of you and your
research aimed at a general (non-technical) audience
A discussion widget similar to DISQUS (described further below)
Create a free account at www.tumblr.com
Don’t forget to verify your email address
From the Dashboardgo to your TumblrPage (blank workspace you can now customize)
Click on
HOW TO USE TUMBLR FOR YOUR SITE
On the Customize page you may create the look and basic features of your page
The default Theme is fine or you may select another
Title should be brief statement of the focus of your research (not formal research title)
Description should tell who you are and list your institution
Add DISQUIS (recommended) or other discussion widget to your site.
Register (free) at www.disquis.com
Verify your email address as requested
On the DISQUIS installation page, select the tumblrplatform and follow the steps
You must allow Guest Commenting under Admin> Settings > Community Rules > Allow Guests to Comment
ADDING A DISCUSSION WIDGET
Remember – blog software (like Tumblr) will place the most
recently added item at the top.
If you want your page to appear (from top to bottom) as Abstract
> Presentation > Video, then you need to post in reverse order:
Video > Presentation > Abstract.
We do not require a specific order – just that all three elements
(plus a Discussion widget) appear on your page.
CONTENT PLACEMENT
From Dashboard select Text
Under “Title” enter “Abstract”
In the “Post” field enter your formal project title followed by your abstract contents (~200 words)
Select “Publish Now” if you are satisfied with the placement order of the abstract (see previous slide). You may return to edit abstract contents later.
ADDING AN ABSTRACT ON TUMBLR
Blog software often has limited text formatting capabilities
If you need special characters, you may cut and paste from a word processing software
Many special characters will work
such as ≤, Σ, Δ, Ʊ
Subscripts and Superscripts often will not display
Example: C6H12O6 may appear as C6H12O6
You may wish to say “Glucose” rather than C6H12O6
You may also insert an image of a complex formula or concept
You may edit using the HTML feature if you have that expertise
EDITING CONTENT
Upload the technical slide presentation to a hosting site such as SlideShare or Google Docs
Generate embed code from the slide hosting site
Add a “Text” post on Tumblr
Click on the .HTML Code Button
Insert the embed code and save
ADDING A SLIDE PRESENTATION (TUMBLR)
Hint: Adding the slide presentation to the same post as the
abstract is an easy way to maintain the positioning. Using
Tumblr, you may accomplish this by doing the following:
• Open the “Abstract” post by clicking edit
• Click on the .HTML button and scroll to the bottom
• Insert the embed code and save
Otherwise, you may add the presentation as a separate post
(see previous slide).
From the Dashboard, select Video
You my embed the video from a hosting site (YouTube, Vimeo) by adding the URL or you may upload the video directly
Adding a caption is optional but often a nice touch
ADDING A PERSONAL VIDEO USING
TUMBLR
Submit the URL of your presentation site by email to
Your site will be linked at the Student Research Showcase hub
hosted at www.sigmaxi.org
You may view student presentations and other content at the
Showcase hub
SHARING YOUR PRESENTATION SITE
During the week of the Showcase (Monday -Friday), judges will pose questions to you on your site (via DISQUIS)
Once a judge (or anyone) has posted a comment, you will receive an email notice from DISQUIS
Log into your DISQUIS account to reply to the comment as well as to "Delete", "Approve", or "Spam“ as appropriate
STUDENT – JUDGE DISCUSSION PERIOD
After the discussion period ends, judges will provide
evaluations and rank the best presentations
Awards will be announced on the Monday after the conclusion
of the Showcase
Award winning presentations will be featured on the Sigma Xi
website and in American Scientist Magazine
Top High School, Undergraduate and Graduate Presentations
will receive a cash award.
All student presenters will receive feedback from judges
RECOGNIZING OUTSTANDING
PRESENTATIONS