A High Schooler’s Guide to Doing Research (Part 6): Writing & Presenting Your Work

At this point in your research journey, you’ve put in weeks or even months of effort. You started with curiosity (Part 1), narrowed your question (Part 2), dug through background knowledge (Part 3), designed a methodology (Part 4), and collected and analyzed your data (Part 5). Now, you’ve reached the stage where all that work is ready to be transformed into something others can see, understand, and appreciate: writing and presenting your research.

This step may feel less glamorous than running experiments or coding models, but it is arguably the most important. If your work stays hidden in a notebook or a spreadsheet, it doesn’t contribute to the larger conversation. Writing and presenting are how you take private discovery and make it public knowledge. It is also the stage where your ability to communicate can amplify your impact. After all, history is full of brilliant ideas that went unnoticed simply because they weren’t explained well.

Why Writing and Presenting Matter

Writing and presenting serve different but complementary purposes. Writing forces precision. When you sit down to write, you must organize your methods and results clearly, check your logic, and explain why your findings matter. Writing also creates a record others can build on - without it, your research risks vanishing when the project ends.

Presenting, on the other hand, is about persuasion and connection. A written report may reach those who have time to study it in detail, but a presentation brings your work to life in real time. Through tone, visuals, and storytelling, you can inspire your audience, answer their questions, and show your enthusiasm.

Together, writing and presenting are the “final translation” of your project: turning complexity into clarity, numbers into meaning, and process into story.

Step 1: Understanding Your Audience

Before you begin writing or designing slides, pause and think about your audience. Are you writing for teachers who want to see rigor? Judges who care about originality? Classmates who may not understand technical terms? Adjusting your tone and level of detail makes your work not just impressive but accessible.

For example:

• If you’re writing for a science fair, include detailed methodology and data visuals. Judges want to see transparency and reproducibility.

• If you’re preparing for a class presentation, focus on clarity and engagement. Too much jargon might confuse peers.

• If you’re entering a competition, emphasize the novelty and potential impact of your work.

  
  

The same content can be framed differently depending on who is listening. Understanding your audience is the first step to effective communication.

Step 2: Structuring Your Written Report

Most reports follow a universal structure, often abbreviated as IMRaD: Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion. Here’s how to think about each section in more depth:

1. Abstract – Think of this as your “movie trailer.” In just a few sentences, explain your research question, methods, main results, and conclusions. A strong abstract lets a reader quickly grasp the essence of your project and decide if they want to read more.

2. Introduction – Set the scene. Why does your topic matter? What have others already studied (background research from Part 3)? What gap were you trying to fill? End your introduction with your research question or hypothesis so it’s crystal clear.

3. Methodology – This is your playbook. Be detailed and precise so that another student could repeat your project just by reading your method section. In biology, this may mean specifying concentrations or timing; in computer science, exact model parameters and dataset splits; in social science, survey design and participant demographics.

4. Results – Present only what you found, not your interpretation yet. Use graphs, tables, or figures to make your results easy to digest. Imagine your results as the “evidence exhibit” in a courtroom — objective, clear, and neatly displayed.

5. Discussion – Now, connect the dots. Interpret what your results mean. Do they support your hypothesis? How do they compare to other studies? What limitations exist, and what could future research explore? The discussion transforms raw findings into insight.

6. Conclusion – End strong by summarizing your main takeaway. One to two paragraphs is enough. This is what you want your reader to remember when they put your paper down.

7. References – Cite everything. Not only does this give credit, but it also shows you built your work on a solid foundation. Use a consistent citation style (APA, MLA, IEEE, or whichever your teacher/competition requires).

A polished report doesn’t need to be 20 pages long. What matters is clarity, logical flow, and attention to detail.

Step 3: Writing with Clarity and Precision

Strong writing is about being clear, not sounding fancy. Many students fall into the trap of long, convoluted sentences, thinking they sound “academic.” But judges and teachers appreciate simple, precise writing more than confusing jargon.

• Prefer active voice: “We measured pH” is better than “pH was measured.”

• Be specific: Instead of “plants grew a lot,” say “plants under blue light grew an average of 4.2 cm taller.”

• Use transitions: Smoothly guide your reader from one section to the next so your report reads like a story, not a checklist.

• Support with evidence: Every claim should link to your data or sources.

Think of your paper as teaching someone else your journey. If they walk away knowing exactly what you did, what you found, and why it matters, you’ve succeeded.

Step 4: Preparing Your Presentation

A presentation is not just your paper on slides. It’s a distilled, spoken version of your story designed for listening, not reading. The best presentations are memorable because they flow like narratives.

A classic structure is:

1. Hook – Start with something attention-grabbing: a surprising fact, a question, or a short story. For example, “Did you know that 90% of teens check social media before bed — and that this may be linked to anxiety?”

2. Context – Briefly explain why this question matters. Use one or two sentences to anchor your audience.

3. Research Question – State it clearly. If your audience forgets everything else, they should remember the question you asked.

4. Methods – Share the essentials. You don’t need every detail - just enough so the audience trusts your process.

5. Results – Highlight your most important findings with visuals. A single clear graph is better than five cluttered ones.

6. Interpretation – Explain what the results mean in plain language. Why do they matter? What insight do they give?

7. Closing Message – End with your key takeaway. What is the “so what” of your project?

This flow works whether your presentation is 5 minutes or 20.

Step 5: Designing Strong Visuals

Slides should support your voice, not replace it. A good rule of thumb: one main idea per slide.

• Keep text minimal: Use short phrases or keywords, not full paragraphs.

• Use visuals: Charts, photos of your experiment, screenshots of code, or diagrams make your work more engaging.

• Highlight key data: Circle, color, or enlarge the parts of graphs you want the audience to focus on.

• Be consistent: Fonts, colors, and styles should match for a professional look.

Remember: your audience can either read your slides or listen to you, but not both. Make slides simple enough that their attention stays on you.

Step 6: Practicing Your Delivery

The way you deliver your presentation is just as important as what’s on the slides. Judges and teachers can often tell within the first minute whether a student is confident and prepared. Here's some tips that I have:

• Practice out loud: Reading silently is not enough. Hearing yourself say the words will show you where you stumble or need smoother transitions.

• Time yourself: Always know how long your talk is, and leave space for Q&A.

• Use natural body language: Make eye contact, gesture with your hands, and avoid standing stiffly.

• Control your pace: Nervousness makes people speed up. Practice slowing down, pausing for emphasis, and breathing steadily.

A trick: instead of thinking, “I am presenting my research,” think, “I am telling the story of what I discovered.” Storytelling shifts your mindset and makes you more engaging.

Step 7: Handling Q&A with Confidence

Many students fear the Q&A portion more than the presentation itself. But questions are not traps - they are opportunities to show you understand your project.

To prepare:

• Brainstorm 5–10 questions someone might ask. For example: “Why did you choose this method?” “What were your limitations?” “How would you expand this project?”

• Practice answering clearly and concisely. Don’t ramble; give one or two sentences, then stop.

• If you don’t know, be honest. Say, “That’s a great question - I didn’t explore that this time, but it would be an interesting direction for future work.”

Judges and teachers respect honesty and reflection far more than bluffing.

Step 8: Building Confidence and Perspective

Finally, remember that writing and presenting are not about perfection. They are about sharing your journey. Even if your experiment “failed” or your model underperformed, what matters is that you asked a question, pursued it systematically, and learned something along the way. Presenting gives you the chance to highlight the process as much as the result.

Every presentation is also practice for the future. Communication is one of the most valuable transferable skills you will develop. The more you write and present, the more confident you’ll become - not just in research, but in any field.

Final Verdict

Writing and presenting are where your research finally takes shape for others to see. Writing forces clarity and creates a permanent record of your findings. Presenting brings your work to life, allowing you to inspire, persuade, and connect with an audience. Both require preparation, clarity, honesty, and confidence.

If research is about discovery, writing and presenting are about sharing that discovery with the world. Without this step, your work stays invisible. With it, your ideas become part of the larger conversation.

In Part 7, I’ll discuss what comes after your first project: publishing your work, competing in fairs and conferences, and continuing your journey as a researcher. Because research doesn’t end with one paper or one presentation - it’s a process of lifelong curiosity and growth.

About the Author: I'm Jophy Lin, a high school junior and researcher. I blog about a variety of topics, such as STEM research, competitions, shows, and my experiences in the scientific community. If you’re interested in research tips, competition insights, drama reviews, personal reflections on STEM opportunities, and other related topics, subscribe to my newsletter to stay updated!