Seminars and Lectures BIOL5700 Hal Whitehead

Seminars and Lectures What do you like? What do you dislike?

Seminars and Lectures: Think of the audience

Think of the audience Do you like talks or lectures that: –try to say too much? –are poorly prepared? –run over time? –are inaudible? –go too fast for you to follow? Who are the audience?

Think of the audience Be direct Make it understandable Be enthusiastic

Seminars and Lectures: Title: clear and descriptive Do not start with crucial information Say: –Why you did it –How you did it –What you found –What you think it means –Then stop

How to make yourself heard and understood: Look at audience, upwards Speak to people at back of room Simplify results –graphs better than tables usually

Using notes Do not read talk unless horribly nervous If fairly nervous –have backup readable version –series of ideas, on cards, numbered –have first (and last?) parts written out –let Powerpoint lead you through

Timing Check Leave some slack About one Powerpoint slide per minute

Verbal style Short words and sentences Finish every sentence Speak slowly (T.W. Fline) Speak loudly (consistently) Check yourself on tape or video Reduce number of words Avoid “Anderm” or “OK” Speak distinctly (T.W. Fline) Avoid cliches Use “I” sometimes

Maintaining audience interest Tell story Tell occasional funny jokes A few good “pretty” slides Recapitulate: – “What I hope I hope I have shown you so far” Visual, acoustic, olfactory, tactile aids

Use of Powerpoint Good...Bad...

Figures versus Tables??

In Presentations (Powerpoint, slides or overheads): Generally use figures Use tables when: –Numbers are important –Fewer than ~10 numbers (minimum digits)

Tables in Presentations: Number of Limbs Birds4 Mammals4 Spiders8 Insects6

Tables in Presentations:

Do not usually present the same data as both Tables and Figures

Figures: Pseudo 3-D

(Real) 3-D displays

ColourColour Beware: Rainbow~=Horsehoe

Figures and Tables: Summary Presentations –Usually use Figure rather than Table –Keep it very simple General –No pseudo 3-D! –Use 3-D and colour sparingly and carefully