Secrets of Real-Life Learning Process in Scientific Presentation Raghavan B. Sunoj Professor of Chemistry IIT Bombay.

Secrets of Real-Life Learning Process in

Scientific Presentation

Raghavan B. SunojProfessor of Chemistry

IIT Bombay

Disclaimer!

• Characters presented or enacted in this talk are so real that any coincidence with many in the audience shall only be deemed deliberate.

• I can only say sorry, after the talk, if you want me to do so.

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OutlineOutline

1. Content Creation

2. Preparation and Practice

3. Delivery: On Stage Tips

4. Improvement: A Continuous Process

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Attitude

The secret of joy in work is contained in one word – excellence.

To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.

Pearl S. Buck (Nobel laureate, literature 1938)

Picture courtesy: cartoonstock.com (accessed on Feb 10, 2011)

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Contents: Most Important

Understand the topic very well

Forms the basis of confidence (poorer the contents lower the confidence)

• Should spend quite a bit of time in deciding what is to be (a) included, (b) stressed, and (c) flashed.

Know your audience

Never underestimate the audience. A good assessment of to whom you are going to talk to would be a bonus.

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Contents (continued)

Order of slides (Flow): Do you want to tell a story to the audience ?

or

You want them to make a story on your presentation?

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I come from haunts of coot and hernI make a sudden sallyAnd sparkle out among the fernTo bicker down a valley.

By thirty hills I hurry down, Or slip between the ridges, By twenty thorps, a little town, And half a hundred bridges.

Till last by Philip's farm I flowTo join the brimming river, For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever.

‘The Brook’ (Alfred Lord Tennyson)

Flow: Streamline ? Turbulent ? Chaotic ?R.B.SUNOJ

Contents (continued)

Decide on sequence of slides

You MUST know what slide comes next and what was the previous one. (Avoid back and forth movements between different slides)

In introduction: Describe background of the work with due credit to other people who have done similar work ahead of you (citations)

Good to have supporting slides (after a blank slide), which could even include answers to potential questions.

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Preparing slidesFont size: Minimum of 24 (in PowerPoint)

The size of the seminar room can vary, hence minimum font size should be adhered to. Even those sit in the last row should find it comfortable to read.

Color: Text should use dark colors like black or blue. Other colors are better reserved for emphasizing.

Highlights/underline etc., are good too.

Avoid using light colors.

Language: Simple and ‘telegraphic’ is better than long sentences.

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Preparing slides (continued)Contents : Clarity is the prime goal

Text• Do not pour too much text

• In case, it can not be avoided use ‘animation’ effectively. Bring blocks of text, one at a time.

Tables and Data• Avoid data intensive tables• Try using ‘representative’ set of data.• Use highlighting to bring additional emphasis on the most important numbers in a table

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High on TextAs matters stand today, many teachers are unable to do the best of which they are capable. For this there are a number of reasons, some more or less accidental, others very deep-seated. To begin with the former, most teachers are over-worked and are compelled to prepare their pupils for examinations rather than to give them a liberalizing metal training. The people who are not accustomed to teaching – and this includes practically all education authorities – have no idea of the expense of spirit that it involves. Clergymen are not expected to preach sermons for several hours every day, but the analogous effort is demanded of teachers. The result is that many of them become harassed and nervous, out of touch with recent work in the subjects that they teach, and unable inspire their students with a sense of the intellectual delights to be obtained from new understanding and new knowledge.

Bertrand Russell (‘The Functions of a Teacher’ from Unpopular Essays)

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High on Text

Clergymen are not expected to preach sermons for

several hours every day, but the analogous effort is

demanded of teachers. The result is that many of them

become harassed and nervous, out of touch with recent

work in the subjects that they teach, and unable inspire

their students with a sense of intellectual delights to

be obtained from new understanding and new

knowledge.

The people who are not accustomed to teaching – and

this includes practically all education authorities- have

no idea of the expense of spirit that it involves.

As matters stand today, many teachers are unable

to do the best of which they are capable. For this

there are a number of reasons, some more or less

accidental, others very deep-seated.

To begin with the former, most teachers are over-

worked and are compelled to prepare their pupils for

examinations rather than to give them a liberalizing

metal training.

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TS ΔG ΔH ΔEelec

anti-addition

8a-9a

si-re(300) 31.6 15.5 16.9si-si(300) 32.8 16.7 18.2

8b-9b

re-re(300) 34.6 19.3 20.5re-si(300) 34.4 19.2 18.2

syn-addition

8a-9a

re-re(60) 37.5 21.2 22.7re-si(60) 37.6 21.2 20.0

8b-9bsi-si(180) 44.2 28.7 30.1si-re(300) 44.8 30.4 31.5

Handling data-intensive slides (Example)

anti-addition is more preferredanti-addition is more preferred

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Preparing slides (continued)Uniformity and appearanceGraphics

• Having a ‘theme’ is good.

Each slide should preferably have a heading

• Do not think that slides with a heavy dose of graphics would please ‘them’

[Cake (content) is a must! Graphics is just an icing on the cake]

• Do not spend too much time ‘decorating’ your slides. If you have buffer time after the contents are ready, you may want to ‘beautify’ the slides

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Preparing slides (continued)Uniformity and appearance• Figures should be of good quality, readable from distance

• May include slide numbers

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Now that you have your slides ready ….What next?

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1. Content Creation

2. Preparation and Practice

3. Delivery: On Stage Tips

4. Improvement: A Continuous Process

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Preparation and Practice

Picture courtesy: cartoonstock.com (accessed on Feb 10, 2011)

Fight-or-flight

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Preparation and PracticeDon’t be casual: Learning how to give a talk is an important step in ones career.

Beginners: First, practice in front of a mirror (closed door)

Practice: Close your eyes and DREAM

Next, give mock presentations to a friendly group of people

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Preparation and Practice

Time management is important

(recommendation: about 2 minutes per slide for results and discussion)

Avoid elaborate introduction

Do not pack 30 slides for a 10 minutes presentation (numbers would vary depending on your natural speed of speech)

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1. Content Creation

2. Preparation and Practice

3. Delivery: On Stage Tips

4. Improvement: A Continuous Process

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You are on stage!

Its time to perform

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On stage: First minuteNot a 100 M dash! [Go slow to begin with]

Do not rush to the stage

A smiling face is the best way to greet

Spend about 30 seconds doing nothing!

check the collar mike, adjust its position, talk soft, read the title, check the pointer-as if you have invented it

Suppose you are still tensed (take a deep breath)

• It is okay to carry a bottle of water with you on stage• Dry mouth should be immediately addressed

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Do your job as best as you can.

The stage belongs to you, and only you!

It is an opportunity to perform

Do not worry about being judged

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On stage: Next few minutes

Start looking at the audience

If you see just darkness, you are not alone!

Faces would soon become clear!

•Avoid looking at the roof, sky, and the stars (Those are not going to help!)

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Non-verbal CommunicationTalk to the audience (not to your own slides)

Picture courtesy: TM2.com and pollsb.com (accessed on Feb 10, 2011)

Slides are for audience NOT for you to read: AVOID reading from slides

Slides are only a reinforcement tool to convey what you want to convey.

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On stage: Next few minutesDo not look at your supervisor! Look at ‘friendly’ faces around.

Scan different blocks of your audience (You can readily spot sleeping beauties and disinterested folks out there: Never mind)

Try to move around, rather than staying static (like a statue!)

The key isTalk to me, I will forgetShow me, I will understandInvolve me, I will remember

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Speech

Stick to natural (yours) English speaking

Use simple words that you are familiar with

You don’t have to speak like a native English speaker.

Avoid mugging someone’s text

“I was simbleee going from POOST OOFFICE to HOOSTEL OOFFICE

To find bhare (where) my bhile (file) was. At last I found it underrr my TABAL (table). I then took an AAPPAL (apple) and raaaaann to the class ..e’ But I was lat-eahh (late)

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Speech (continued)

Don’t go too fast

Don’t go too slow either

Speak loud and clear (do not murmur)

Picture courtesy: savagechickens.com (accessed on Feb 10, 2011)

Modulations and demodulations are important

(e.g., when periodic or ‘local’ summary is statedWhen major digressions or deviations are taken)

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Words to avoid

“this thing”, “that thing”

“ki” “tho”

Matlab “math – lab”

मतलब

Borrowed from ‘Junta’s Dictionary’ (IIT Bombay)!

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Now that the talk is over ….What next?

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Taking questions

Listen to the questions carefully

If the question is good, say that it’s a good question, and answer

If you do not know an immediate answer, try taking some time, THINK, and respond.

If you have no clue, say that ‘I am sorry, I can’t answer that’

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1. Content Creation

2. Preparation and Practice

3. Delivery: On Stage Tips

4. Improvement: A Continuous Process

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Continuous improvements

Learn from other speakers when you attend conferences

Time-management would improve as you gain more experience

e.g., No fixed number of slides are required, instead you can take a decision ‘on-stage’ (with larger number than what is required)

Speed up and slow down after looking at elapsed time

Humor would add value. Preplanned humor often does not work (beware!)

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What I have tried to do ….

As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person

Paul Shane Spear

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What you could do ….

Yesterday is a cancelled check

Tomorrow is a promissory note

Today is the only cash you have

So spend it wisely

Sandra Carey

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