Giving a Memorable Technical Talk I. Vital Elements II. Mechanics of the Presentation III. Speaker Performance

Your purpose is to communicate, convince, and teach I. Vital Elements Your purpose is to communicate, convince, and teach If your audience walks away understanding your 1-3 main points, gains new appreciation for (or is convinced of) them, and remembers them, then you’ve done your job. Bring your audience on a journey of discovery Conclusions Interpretations, Implications Results, Findings Strategy, Methods, Information, Evidence Introduction, Motivation, Problem, Purpose, Outline

Giving a Memorable Technical Talk Vitals & Key Ingredients 3 Categories: I. Vital Elements II. Mechanics of the Presentation III. Speaker Performance

Giving a Memorable Technical Talk II. Presentation Mechanics & III Giving a Memorable Technical Talk II. Presentation Mechanics & III. Speaker Performance You will be most effective at: Communicating, convincing, teaching & Conveying a logical forward thought process If... II. Your presentation is understandable, illustrative, effective III. YOU are understandable, confident, relate to your audience

II. Presentation Mechanics First Lets Cover II. Presentation Mechanics

II. Presentation Mechanics First Lets Cover II. Presentation Mechanics

II. Presentation Mechanics: TIMING 30-minute talk (rule of thumb is 1 minute per slide) Introduction, motivation, purpose, problem, outline/summary (5-10 minutes) -background and why the study is important -what’s it about, what’s the purpose of the talk? -outlines what’s to come Strategy, method, information, evidence (5-10 minutes) Findings or results (5-10 minutes) -establish the key arguments -quantitative/objective products of strategy, data, evidence Interpretations or Implications (~5 minutes) -what can be or should not be inferred from results -what should the reader gain of value, or how should it change views Conclusions: (~1 minute) -reiterate the purpose and 1-3 main, take-home points B A

II. Presentation Mechanics First Lets Cover II. Presentation Mechanics

Remember, this is the 1st time your audience has seen the slide. Image Content: How much content is appropriate for ~1 minute per slide? Remember, this is the 1st time your audience has seen the slide.

Remember, this is the 1st time your audience has seen the slide. Image Content: How much content is appropriate for ~1 minute per slide? Remember, this is the 1st time your audience has seen the slide.

Enough to get 1-3 points across and no more. Image Content: How much content is appropriate for ~1 minute per slide? Remember, this is the 1st time your audience has seen the slide. Enough to get 1-3 points across and no more.

BUT if you want to get to a point of showing lots of concepts together

Then start SIMPLE…..

Allow your audience to absorb as you build…..

More and more information gradually….

Until you reach the full content.

Oh, and about showing PLOTS… Remember you are asking your audience to absorb the plot in ~1 minute so do them a favor. Take the time to describe each axis of the plot and point out the key trends that they are supposed to catch

Building text gradually is appropriate When you have 1-3 points you want to build But don’t go overboard Because you audience can see the blank space below & will start wondering whats coming next rather than focusing on the points you are trying to make And this can be a bit distracting, annoying, Let alone, time consuming!

Each “slide” should contain enough content to make 1-3 points and NO more.

Image Layout: Balance the size of text and images

Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y.1/2) Is this better? 30 10 20 3He/4He 0.7030 0.7020 0.7040 0.7050 0.7060 87Sr/86Sr 2 4 6 8 10 12 Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y.1/2)

Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y.1/2) Is this better? 30 10 20 3He/4He 0.7030 0.7020 0.7040 0.7050 0.7060 87Sr/86Sr 2 4 6 8 10 12 Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y.1/2)

How much text is appropriate for each slide?

About as much as they can read in ~1 minute. AND it helps to support text with images.

What about Colors? Black and White can be adequate

Use colors to distinguish, emphasize, clarify, & add a bit of life

IF they are used APPROPRIATELY! Keep ‘em tasteful and professional

What about Powerpoint Animations and Tricks? Use them to add a “bit” of variety, illustrate a point, &/or for emphasis. For example….. But its better to error on the conservative so as not to cause a DISTRACTION

Estimating tectonic strain Chapter 2 Methods Measure extension through magmatism versus faulting Magma injection emplaces new lithosphere Power point offers many possibilities for creating an ACTIVE presentation Lithosphere Asthenosphere M = fraction of total extension accommodated magmatically

Estimating tectonic strain Chapter 2 Methods magmatism Normal fault forms

Estimating tectonic strain Chapter 2 Methods Fault migrates away from axis magmatism

Estimating tectonic strain Chapter 2 Methods Heave Heave = horizontal fault displacement Total disp. (1-M) = New fault forms magmatism Thickened plate too strong to continue slip ½U M (1-M)

Image Design

What about YOU?

Speaker Performance Movement Voice Attitude Occasional Humor Helps Use deliberate hand gestures Moving around to reach out to audience Minimize nervous tics Voice PROJECT Vary pitch, volume, & speed Punctuate with pauses (avoid monotone) Attitude Be natural Be enthusiastic Smile Occasional Humor Helps

What about YOU?

Speak accurately. 12 minutes is not time for meaningless words/non-words… “Uhhh” “Like” “Uhmm” “Ya-know”

Systematic Fault Patterns on Earth Pointing specifies & focuses attention Systematic Fault Patterns on Earth

Preparation Practice/Rehearse until the timing is right until you know exactly what you are going to say with each slide but do not over-rehearse so you loose your flare

Preparation Know your audience Know your venue and equipment Check: computer pointer microphones platform By the way, its ok if your colors do not appear exactly as you do on your laptop. If you must mention so, do it only once & move on!

Giving a Memorable Technical Talk I. Vital Elements II. Mechanics of the Presentation III. Speaker Performance