Presentation designed for graduate students learning to give professional presentations. Based on my pedagogical essay How to Give an Academic Talk (http://pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalk.pdf).
Measures of Central Tendency: Mean, Median and Mode
How to Give an Academic Talk Guide
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Quasi-permanent URL: pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalkslides.pdf
How to Give an Academic Talk
Paul N. Edwards
School of Information and Dept. of History
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
2. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
3. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
4. The awful academic talk
Speaker sits down
Speaker reads
Monotone
Sentences long, complex, jargon-filled
Exceeds time limit
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
5. Why are so many talks so terrible?
Stage fright
Academic culture(s)
Public speaking skills aren’t taught
Students learn from professors’ bad habits
Most talks aren’t rehearsed
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
6. Listening is hard work
Conference audiences: many talks over many hours
Job talks: many candidates
Limits to human attention span (~40 minutes)
Competing distractions
Other talks
Internet/email
Other concerns
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
7. Purposes of public speaking
Communicate arguments and evidence
Persuade audience that they are true
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
8. Structures and contents
A talk is not a paper
Give away your punch line: summarize
Claims and evidence
What matters is why
Focus on main points
What do you want your audience to remember?
What can your audience remember?
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
9. Purposes of public speaking
Communicate arguments and evidence
Persuade audience that they are true
Engage (excite, interest, entertain)
The forgotten purpose
Mistake: equate “engaging” with “superficial”
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
10. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
11. Why engage and entertain?
To communicate and persuade…
You need your audience’s full attention
…and your audience needs your help to maintain
focus
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
12. Engaging your audience
Physical presence
Sitting vs. standing
Talking vs. reading
Moving vs. standing still
Be the dominant animal
Always face audience
Make eye contact!
Or at least look like it
Don’t “side” the room
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
13. Engaging your audience
Vocal production
Loud and clear!
Breathe!
Use the diaphragm
Talk to the back row
Speak from the
belly, not the head
Belly opens on
inhale, contracts on
exhale
Use sound
reinforcement
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
14. Engaging your audience
Vocal technique
Things to watch out for:
Uptalk
Monotone
Like, y’know, ummmm…
The sound of authority:
speak at the low end of
your range
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
15. Engaging your audience
Take control of the environment
Temperature
Light
Noise and distractions
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
16. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
17. Using presentation software
Less is more
Text: keep it simple
Use images!
Slide backgrounds: simple, bright
Avoid glitzy special effects
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
19. About Powerpoint
Less is more
20-30 words per text slide
USE images
USE ability to have many slides
Practice!
Don’t watch screen -- use your laptop or notes
Slide backgrounds: simple, bright
Backup, backup
20. About Powerpoint
Less is more
20-30 words per text slide
USE images
USE ability to have many slides
Practice!
Don’t watch screen -- use your laptop or notes
Slide backgrounds: simple, bright
Backup, backup
21. Rs calculated using Fick’s 1o law of diffusion
using Moldrup et al. 1999 model
Critical parameters:
CO2
P
Flux= -Ds C z
Ds/Da=
Ds
Da
s
s= silt + sand
b
m
29. Using presentation software
Less is more
If you use video: keep it short
Don’t talk to the screen
Use your laptop or notes
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
30. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
31. Timing
Respect your audience, and your
colleagues: finish on time!!
Use a timer or watch
Know what you can skip…
…and it’s not your conclusions.
Don’t draw attention to mistiming
Create a standard slide length
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
32. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
33. Practice, practice, practice!
Rehearsal matters more than slide prep
Time yourself
Improvising? Practice, and account for the time!
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
35. Murphy’s Law: planning for disaster
Use your own laptop
Backup, backup, backup!!
Bring a printout
Imagine (and plan for) the
worst possible audience
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
36. Summing up: usually better…
Talk
Stand
Move
Speak loudly
Face the audience
Make eye contact
or fake it
Focus on main
arguments
Summarize at beginning
and end
Use visual aids
Finish within time limit
Rehearse
Respond to audience
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
37. Today
What public speaking is for, and why it’s hard
How to engage your audience
Physical presence and vocal techniques
Using presentation software
Timing
Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
40. Emulate excellent speakers
Not just what they say —
But what they do
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014
41. Whatever you practice,
you get good at…
“How to Give an Academic Talk” (written version):
pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalk.pdf
Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
22 January 2014