Giving a Great Science Talk Garrett Apuzen-Ito Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, SOEST, University of Hawaii Garrett Apuzen-Ito Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, SOEST, University of Hawaii Effective speaking is important for anyone who has gained knowledge & formed an opinion and wants others to know about it Speaking is crucial in many professions outside of academia In SCIENCE speaking--like publishing--is part of the process. Science is about making discoveries and telling the world about it. Effective speaking is important for anyone who has gained knowledge & formed an opinion and wants others to know about it Speaking is crucial in many professions outside of academia In SCIENCE speaking--like publishing--is part of the process. Science is about making discoveries and telling the world about it.

I. Vital Elements II. Mechanics of the Presentation III. Speaker Performance Giving a Great Science Talk Science Talk Giving a Great Science Talk Science Talk

I. Vitals Elements

If your audience walks away understanding your main points, gains new appreciation for (or is convinced of) them, and remembers them, then you’ve done your job. FIRST AND FOREMOST: Your purpose is to… Communicate, Convince, and Teach Now here’s the main point No matter how you do it (almost). WMDs! It is essential that YOU know your main points. You should have 1-3 main points and no more.

How Many Points Should You Make?

Elements of a formal science talk: I. Motivate & Introduce the Scientific Questions, Problem, or Hypothesis, and Outline Your talk II. Strategy, Methods &/or Data III. Results and Interpretations IV. Conclusions Elements of a formal science talk: I. Motivate & Introduce the Scientific Questions, Problem, or Hypothesis, and Outline Your talk II. Strategy, Methods &/or Data III. Results and Interpretations IV. Conclusions Tell ‘em what your gonna tell ‘em } Tell them. } Tell ‘em what you told ‘em }

} } This format represents a system of logical reasoning. An underlying thread along which your story progresses. I. Motivate & Introduce Science Questions, Problem, or Hypothesis & Outline Talk II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. Results/Interpretations IV. Conclusions I. Motivate & Introduce Science Questions, Problem, or Hypothesis & Outline Talk II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. Results/Interpretations IV. Conclusions

More generally … a “science-related” talk is organized as: I. Motivate and Introduce the Topic/Goal II. Define Strategy and Concepts III. Explain New Information, Ideas, Evidence IV. What “You” Learned (1-3 main points) More generally … a “science-related” talk is organized as: I. Motivate and Introduce the Topic/Goal II. Define Strategy and Concepts III. Explain New Information, Ideas, Evidence IV. What “You” Learned (1-3 main points) Tell ‘em what your gonna tell ‘em } Tell them. } Tell ‘em what you told ‘em }

1 st Your audience needs to know WHY your talk is work listening to. “Tides are important because…” 2 nd Your audience needs to know the goals (question, problem, or hypothesis your addressing) 3 rd Outline your talk. i.e., tell you’re audience what your going to tell them. 2 nd Your audience needs to know the goals (question, problem, or hypothesis your addressing) 3 rd Outline your talk. i.e., tell you’re audience what your going to tell them. “The problem I’d like to address is…” I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals, Question, Problem, Hypothesis & Outline your talk

II. Strategy, Methods &/or Data The strategy had better be appropriate for addressing your goal/question/problem/hypothesis “I will measure the level of high tide each day” I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals, Question, Problem, Hypothesis & Outline your talk

III. New Information, Results, Interpretations New Info or Results. Graphs show trends of data. Objective outcomes of analyses are presented. Judgements made about the significance of the results New Info or Results. Graphs show trends of data. Objective outcomes of analyses are presented. Judgements made about the significance of the results “Monday the tide covered the rock Tuesday it reached the tree Tomorrow…. Uhm, can you swim?” II. Strategy, Methods, &/or Data I. Motivate & Introduce the Question, Problem, or Hypothesis, & Outline your talk

III. New Information, Results, Interpretations Recap and clearly state your 1-3 points. “Got it??” II. New Information, Strategy, &/or Data I. Motivate & Introduce the Question, Problem, or Hypothesis, & Outline IV. What “You” Learned, Conclusions

Build a Theme by Re-emphasizing the Goals I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals/Hypothesis/Question II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. New Information/Results IV. What you’ve learned/Conclusions I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals/Hypothesis/Question II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. New Information/Results IV. What you’ve learned/Conclusions random bunch of (albeit jewels of) information Establish the thread that ties all the pieces together

Tell a Story. Take your Audience on an Adventure Take your audience from the starting point (A), lead them forward step-by-step along your journey of discovery to your conclusions (point B) Take your audience from the starting point (A), lead them forward step-by-step along your journey of discovery to your conclusions (point B) A B I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals/Hypothesis/Question II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. New Information/Results IV. What you’ve learned/Conclusions I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals/Hypothesis/Question II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. New Information/Results IV. What you’ve learned/Conclusions Tell ‘em what your gonna tell ‘em Tell them. Tell ‘em what you told ‘em

I. Vital Elements II. Mechanics of the Presentation III. Speaker Performance Giving a Great Science Talk Science Talk Giving a Great Science Talk Science Talk

First Lets Cover II. Presentation Mechanics First Lets Cover II. Presentation Mechanics

II. Presentation Mechanics: TIMING 12-minute research (i.e., for final projects) talk 12-minute research (i.e., for final projects) talk (about 1 minute per slide) II. Presentation Mechanics: TIMING 12-minute research (i.e., for final projects) talk 12-minute research (i.e., for final projects) talk (about 1 minute per slide) A A B B I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals/Hypothesis/Question II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. New Information/Results IV. What you’ve learned/Conclusions I. Motivate & Introduce the Goals/Hypothesis/Question II. Strategy/Methods/Data III. New Information/Results IV. What you’ve learned/Conclusions (1-2 minutes) (3-5 minutes) (1-2 minutes) A A B B

II. Presentation Mechanics

Image Content: How much content is appropriate for a single slide, considering that this is the 1 st time your audience has see it?

Image Content: How much content is appropriate for a single slide, considering that this is the 1 st time your audience has seen it?

Enough to get 1-2 points across Image Content: How much content is appropriate for a single slide, considering that this is the 1 st time your audience has seen it?

BUT if you want to show a lot of information for comparison..

DON’T take giant steps and flood them with it all at once

But build the content with baby steps...

allow your audience to follow as you build…..

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

Tell a Story. Take your Audience on an Adventure A B Each slide should take the audience from where you left them in the previous slide so that successively, the talk progresses steadily along the story line and move them forward

Image Layout: Balance the size of text and images

3He/4He 87Sr/86Sr Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y. 1/2 ) Is this better?

3He/4He 87Sr/86Sr Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y. 1/2 ) Is this better?

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

II. Presentation Mechanics

I. Vital Elements II. Mechanics of the Presentation III. Speaker Performance Giving a Great Science Talk Science Talk Giving a Great Science Talk Science Talk

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

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

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

3He/4He 87Sr/86Sr Square-Root Seafloor Age (m.y. 1/2 ) Remember: Describe the axes and point out key features. You MUST budget time for this. Remember: Describe the axes and point out key features. You MUST budget time for this.

Repeat or summarize the question; if needed (paraphrase it to your advantage) Answer simple factual questions simply & factually Answer the question being asked Never bluff. If you don’t know the answer, say so… strategically. “I’ll have to give that some more thought….” “Good question, I hadn’t thought of it in that way before. Lets discuss this further.” Repeat or summarize the question; if needed (paraphrase it to your advantage) Answer simple factual questions simply & factually Answer the question being asked Never bluff. If you don’t know the answer, say so… strategically. “I’ll have to give that some more thought….” “Good question, I hadn’t thought of it in that way before. Lets discuss this further.” Answering Questions

LAST BUT NOT LEAST PRACTICE 1 2 3

A B Giving a Great Science Talk Giving a Great Science Talk Tell ‘em what your gonna tell ‘em Tell them. Tell ‘em what you told ‘em