Oral Reports for Measurements Lab Logistics: when and where Content: what to talk about Technique: Organization, presentation

Logistics Where How long Other ITLL breakout room Total time: 10 min, plus time for questions (If you talk too long I will stop you and not let you finish. This is what happens at professional conferences!) Each team member should plan on speaking 3-5 minutes Other Put your presentation in your Z drive Turn in answers to questions Turn in print-out of slides, 2 slides per page

What you will turn in You will turn in answers to questions You WILL turn in one paper original of your presentation IN ORDER, STAPLED IN ADVANCE Print 2 slides per page

Elements of a Presentation Introduction Experimental Description Results and Discussion Conclusions References Make sure you cite on slides, and provide 3 references. Only 1 can be from website, and do not use wikipedia.

Don’t just show equations. Explain what they mean. More on Physics Make sure that you understand the underlying reasons for doing the experiment What is the BIG PICTURE What are the physical principles involved? How are the physical principles being used/explored in the experiment? Don’t just show equations. Explain what they mean.

Holding the Audience’s attention Presentation Technique Holding the Audience’s attention 100 50 Percentage of audience paying attention Time (min) Figure 1. The attention Curve beginning end

How do you Hold the Audience’s Attention? Be confident and Commanding Opening Start with a big picture that many people can relate to in some way. Try to present one theme, a key message, tell a story. Body Don’t say something that will cause loss of attention (“this is not important, but…”) Pay attention to how you link phrases (don’t use “next I want to talk about…”) Watch extraneous phrases, stay on message! Conclusion Signal end is coming (people will wake up!) Decide on the message you most want your audience to remember and deliver with impact

Tell your audience THREE times Tell them what you are going to tell them Then tell them Then tell them what you told them

Overheads/Slides Simple, uncluttered, with shorter phrases (not whole sentences) BLACK ON WHITE ONLY Approximately one per minute Very large type Print out a slide and drop it on the floor, can you read everything?

Graphics 3/4 of your slides should be GRAPHIC Schematic, flowchart, sketches, pictures, descriptive Make sure to include figure captions Optical Particle Counter Sample location Test Chamber, Vol = 1 L Figure 1. Temperature at three locations in the building, measured with four probes. Figure 2. Schematic of test chamber, top view.

IMPORTANT DETAILS Make sure numbers on chart axes are large Get ride of gray background on EXCEL CHARTs Check your significant figures Avoid charts that are redundant and/or nondescriptive Use labels and arrows to direct the audience, don’t use legends Make drawings functional. Pretty doesn’t count.

Example of Functional Not useful Useful Etc. Enlargement Contraction Bend Flow Direction Etc.

More Examples of Functional Ball indicating Flow rate magnetic pickup Scale to counter Rotameter Turbine meter

Other Slide Suggestions While working on your slides imagine that you are an audience member How can I make my point as fast, easy and clear as possible? Give essentials only, avoid boring detail Use pictures, bullets, shorter phrases Avoid tables, complicated equations If you use equations, label everything Slides should reinforce what you are saying Make sure you are connecting with your slides Make sure that there is a visual with every point you think is important Show uncertainty with measurements (error bars) State axes when presenting graphs

Uncertainty Analysis is Critical! Not an Afterthought Use error bars!

Speaking Suggestions Be confident when you speak, or fake it, otherwise your audience will not believe what you are saying Speak loudly and consistently (don’t trail off) Watch your inflection, you are making statements, not asking questions Be careful of the words: um, uh, sort of, basically, and, like, kinda of, so… Instead just pause and let your audience soak it in. Make eye contact and engage people Face the audience There is no reason to be nervous, just relax! Practicing will help with all of these things!

Finally... PRACTICE as a group (at least once!) Your audience is your peers and your professors Practice in front of them Direct the audience’s attention Positioning, where do you stand? Next to the screen Gestures, no pointing tools, use your hands, be directive, forceful Say “Thank You” at the end FINISH ON TIME!

Summary and Conclusions Start with a restatement of objectives Again describe briefly the methods State the important results: be quantitative with uncertainty State the important conclusions Comment on what should be done in future experiments, what would you recommend doing next?

References When you use an idea from a book, or paper, or website, you need to “cite” that idea. Please put the reference on the slide, can be at bottom, smaller font You must have 3 references, only 1 from a website. The others can be from your textbooks, books at the library, journal paper (can download from web or get at library). No citations from Wikipedia

Example Adverse health effects due to exposure to airborne particulate matter could be more significant than effects due to exposure to many other airborne pollutants (Vedal, 1997) Most health effects studies show associations with outdoor particle concentrations, not indoors Vedal, S. (1997) Critical review: Ambient particle and health: lines that divide, J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc. 47:551-581.