How to Give a Talk Stephen Gilbert July 7, 2014
Doesn’t talking come naturally?
No.
It can be scary.
It can be boring, even soporific.
PracticeTechnique
What are you trying to tell to your audience?
You’re a passionate analytical authority.
Oh, and by the way…
Your message.
Messages
Please have 1-3 messages to convey.Each could be said in 30 seconds.
Our method of usability testing using bluetooth is better than existing methods.
Facebook Participation Increases Isolation Within
Rural Communities.
Sample Outline for an Academic Talk
Title/author/affiliation (1 slide)Motivation and Problem Statement (1-2) Why should anyone care?Outline of talk (1) Suggest you have an innovative solutionRelated Work (0-1) Cover superficially or omit; refer people to your paperMethods (1)Results (4-6) Do not superficially cover all results; cover key result well. Do not just present numbers; interpret them to give insights. No large tables.Summary (1)Future Work (0-1)Backup Slides (0-3)
The Real Outline
What’s the problem?
What have you done about it? (big
picture)
How are you different than other people?
What did you do really? (details)
How did you solve the problem?
Outline for a 10-minute REU talkTitle/author/affiliation (1 slide)Motivation and Problem Statement (1 slide) Why should anyone care? Suggest you have a solution. Related Work (1 slide) Cover quickly; refer people to your paper.Methods (1, 2 if really needed)Results (2-3 slides probably) Do not superficially cover lots of results; cover 1-2 key results well. Do not just present numbers; interpret them to give insights. No large tables of numbersSummary (1) What have you just told them? What's your contribution? Future Work (0 -1 slides) Where is this going next? (could omit) Backup Slides (0-3) Have these ready in case people ask questions. Usually charts/diagrams.
Don’t delay the message
First, there was the mouse. Then other interfaces…I’m working on the iPhone…My contribution is…
A problem to be solved is…My contribution is…Why does this matter? First there was the mouse…
Worse Better
Build
Story Arc with Signposting
What’s the problem?What’s the goal of this talk?
Where are we headed next?
Background – How does this help me?
Example 1Are we there yet?
Example 2Are we there yet?
Example 3Are we there yet? YES!
SummaryImplications, Next steps, Save the world
Thank you. Questions?
Level of interest
Time
An effective academic talk must:
Communicate arguments and evidencePersuade your audience they’re trueBe interesting and entertaining
What’s that mean?
From Paul Edwards’ How to Give an Academic Talk
Tips for your Voice
Breathe right (from gut, not chest)
When you inhale, your stomach
should push out.
puh! tuh! kuh!
Loud and deep
Silence
Repeat phrases
Learn from Great Speakers
TED Talks (ted.com)Ignite talks (igniteShow.com)iTunes U
And from bad ones
Conscience decision
Right now,Should they look at me or the screen?
Do my words need any visual aid?
Privacy: in public vs. private
Expectations of privacy depend on:ContextEase of access to dataThe person
Hello, Grandma?
Yes, hello Marco!
Do you like your birthday gift?
Why, yes, I do! The new iPhone is so
cool!I just jailbroke it and installed Linux on it.
Last tips
Use a remote control.
Never give a demo live.
Don’t look at the screen (your back’s to the audience).
Do look at someone.
Improv Activity
Get in pairs. Each pair draws a topic from the bowl.Each pair has 8 minutes to prepare a 3-minute talk where both speak. Your outline: Here’s a problem, 2-3 solutionsListening pair gives feedback: 2 min
8 min 3 min 2 min 3 min 2…
Basics
July 16: Poster Draft to CaglarJuly 28: Final Poster to Caglar
24” x 36” 30 – 60 pt font, 16pt minimum
Funded by NSF Grant CNS-1156841
Content
What will you present? (Not everything)
Think “Advertisement for Your Work”
What’s your message?
Content 2
1. What is the problem you are tackling?
2. What is the current state-of-the-art?
3. What is your key make-a-difference concept or technology?
4. What have you already accomplished?
5. What is your plan for success?
Presenting the Poster
Relate it to your audience Big pictureWhat do they have in common with you?What problem are you solving?
30 – sec pitch (elevator pitch)Elaborate afterwards if asked. Silence is ok.
Let the audience enter your story
You show: “Imagine you were in this situation…”They respond and engage. Eyes sparkle.
Eye contact (avoid looking down)
Look at your listeners
Glazing over? Question on lips?
To do this well, you need to practice your pitch so much that you don’t have to think.
Logistics
Stand to the side of your posterDon’t talk to the posterIf demoing: Have a driver and a speakerPractice
Practice
Practice
More Resources
A Verbose Guide to Presenting an Academic Poster
Kristy M. Ainslie, UNC Chapel Hill
http://colinpurrington.com/tips/academic/posterdesign
Deb Satterfield Video (pwd buildbetterposters)
Deb Satterfield Slides for that Video(use VRAC login)