1. Dr Gordana Kuzmanovska
Oral communication
Introduction to Intervention Epidemiology
Tunis, 5 November 2014
Dr Gordana Kuzmanovska
National Intitute of Public Health –The Former Yugoslave Republic of Macedonia

2. Learning objectives Present
Some tips to communicate effectively scientific information
Suggestions for:
Preparation of presentation
Delivery of presentation
Questions and answers section

3. Content What to communicate Preparing the content
Why to communicate
What to communicate
Preparing the content
Preparing the slides  Visual aids
Bullet points, tables, graphs and maps
Preparing the speech
Delivering the presentation
Questions and answers section

4. Why to communicate? Share results Inform, convince, persuade
Peer review
for MediPIET fellows to get their diploma…

5. What to communicate Understand your asignment !
What exactly should you present?
Original, new data, new findings, experiences
Who is your audience?
Education
Knowledge and expertise
Professional position
Cultural background
Their expectation of you

6. What to communicate S = Single O = Overriding C = Communication
Communication – SOCO
S = Single
O = Overriding
C = Communication
O = Objective
Single, concise, objective and precise message

7. The SOCO Many presentations during the event
Audience remembers only one thing
Think of one take-home message
Write down your SOCO in two or three lines
easy to remember
clear
simple
practical

8. Good SOCO: A logical deduction of the presentation
The SOCO is obvious, it does not even need a slide
Anything that is not essential to support the conclusion and recommendations is harmful and must be cut
Conclusion and recommendations
Results, their limitations and methods
Background and introduction

9. Preparing the content Outline your presentation Focus on the SOCO!
Start by preparing the conclusions slide
Prepare recommendations on the basis of conclusions
Choose results supporting conclusions
Explain methods to get the results
Describe background

10. Preparing the content Ask details (understand the context !)
how much time do you have?
is there time for discussion / questions?
who are the other speakers?
what will they present?

11. Preparing the content Outline your presentation Title (1 slide)
(for a 10 min presentation)
Title (1 slide)
Background (1 slide)
Methods (2 slides, maximum 3)
Results/Discussion (3 slides)
Limitations (1 slide)
Conclusion (1 slide)
Recommendations (1 slide)
Acknowledgements (1 slide)

12. Preparing the slides Tend the slides to be: Simple Structured
Short / laconic
Understandable
Digital versus analog

13. 
Visual aids
Visual aids

14. Digital versus analog US pedestrians
Digital pedestrian
Analog pedestrian
Pedestrian crossing
X = cross !

15. Analog pedestrians from around the world
Russia
France
Belgium
Burma
Spain
Zimbabwe

16. "Rolling stones" from around the worldUS
France
Italy
Spain
Germany
Ecuador

17. Preparing the slides  Visual aids
Bullet points
Written text (digital), visual reinforcement
Leave them alone!
Tables, graphs, maps
Images (analog), visual data
Give them the floor!
 Does the message come across?

18. Bullet points Use key-words Less than 5 words per line
No more than 12 lines
Break line properly

19. Bullet points Avoid karaoke slides!
We conducted a retrospective cohort survey including all people attending the visit of the park
A case was defined as a papular or papulo-vesicular pruritic rash among participants, 12 hours or more after the exposition to seawater

20. Bullet points Use key points! Survey Case definition
retrospective cohort
all participants
Case definition
rash (papular or papulo-vesicular)
> 12 hours after exposition

21. Bullet points Prefer Avoid Sans serif font Serif font Bold type
Normal type
Lower case letters
UPPER CASE LETTERS
Good contrast
Poor contrast

22. Tables, graphs and maps Simple Self-explanatory
Title: what, who, where, when (ex.)
Label the axes (graphs and maps)
Define abbreviations and symbols
Reference the source

23. Tables - example

24. Tables - example Symptoms n % Diarrhoea 54 100 Fever 35 65 Headache 12
Clinical symptoms among the cases of S. Typhimurium,
Oslo, Norway, May 1998
Symptoms n %
Diarrhoea 54
100
Fever 35 65
Headache 12 22
Joint pain 4 7
Muscle pain
Cases

25. Graphs - example

26. Graphs - examples

27. Graphs - examples
 Safe your ink

28. Maps - example
AIDS Annual Rates per 100,000 Population for Cases Reported May 1990 through April 1991
Legend (rate per 100,000)
0-5.9
6-11.9
20+
Maine
4.6 NH VT
3.6
Mass
15.0
Conn
14.9 NJ
31.3
Del
12.9 MD
21.2 DC
117.2
11.5
10.2
24.4
18.1
2.2
2.4
12.5
3.0
4.4
6.8
7.7
19.3
6.7
5.7
1.1
0.9
4.9
11.7
8.6
10.3
16.2
7.2
20.2
33.2
9.1
7.4
11.1
2.6
6.0
9.9
43.2
10.1
4.8
5.0
3.7
3.5
15.5

29. Maps – example
Incidence per 100,000
population
>
20.0
AIDS Annual Incidences per 100,000 Population for Cases Reported May 1990 through April 1991

30. Line graph-cases and deaths
Graphs - examples
Line graph-cases and deaths

31. Graphs - examples
Semi log scale

32. e-Exercise

33. Preparing the speech Prepare a script
Necessary to most speakers, especially
beginners and
non-native speakers
Requires preparation
Allows estimating timing precisely
Facilitates coaching
Decreases sources of uncertainty
Reassures the speakers

34. Preparing the speech Prepare a script
Use “lecture notes” in the presentation software
Copy the content of your slide into the lecture notes
Edit to make full sentences
Add “off” comments:
“Use pointer”
“Pause”
Use large fonts (e.g., size 16)
The script

35. Preparing the speech Practice on your own Walk through your text:
is the sequence logical?
is all relevant information there?
remove redundant information, explanation
avoid very technical details, and
avoid speaking in ”jargon”
Watch time, pace and clarity
Practice with critical colleagues

36. Delivering the presentation

37. Delivering the presentation
Day D
Get prepared
be rest, no distractions, no nervous
no stimulating substance, no beta-blocker
arrive early, explore the facilities
Your look
feel comfortable, be yourself
but dress formal
don´t distract the audience with your “look”

38. Delivering the presentation
Nerves:
normal, good stimulant
Going on the stage
memorise the first sentence
install your material, look around
set micro to feel comfortable

39. Delivering the presentation
Delivery on stage
Stand upright, catch attention
Make eye contact
Mind your pace of speech
Mind your volume
Watch time
Don’t looking or sounding bored !
And,
Don’t forget to thank the audience at the end!
In time whe you are on the stage …
It would be good to stand upright while speaking…. Catch attention
During the presentation get in touch with audience:
Look at the audience, make eye contact... Don’t look at one point, ore one person only...
You have to watch the volume and pace of your speech, do not talk too quietly, but do not cry, and
Don’t speak monotonous – your voice will going to sleep listeners, they will stop listening ...
Emphasize the importance of certain points, sentences, etc.
If you see that audience stops listening, ask the audience did it follow you?
Ask:
Did my message come across?

40. Delivering the presentation
Avoid
Tics, manerism,
Unnecessary movements, gestures
Hands in pockets,
Use of the pointer - If you tremble, minimize its use/don’t use it
Overcrowded slides (“...you may not be able to read this, but...”)
Apologies, long sentences
Compensating nerves with humour

41. Delivering the presentation
It may be a problem
Excess of self confidence
- Going over time
- Provision of excessive amounts of details
- Loosing the focus
- Appearing arrogant
Lack of self confidence can be addressed
- Preparation to stay on time
- Removal of excessive details
- Keeping the focus

42. Delivering the presentation
Interaction with the audience
Presenters talking without reference to slides
audience gets lost and stops listening!
Presenter simply reading slides
audience stops listening!!!
important explanation comes,
audience not paying attention any more

43. Delivering the presentation
Bio feedback
Reactions of the audience
fascinated
writing
yawning
puzzled
Your own reactions
heart rate , breathing  (take a pause, sip)

44. Delivering the presentation
Finish on time
Presenter on time
Relaxed the audience
Triggered a desire to ask questions
Did not say everything known
Will be asked on something s/he knows
Presenter over time
Exhausted the audience
Suppressed any desire to ask questions
Said everything known
Will be asked on something s/he does not know

45. Questions and answers section

46. Questions and answers Preparing for questions & answers session
Practise with you colleagues
Frame points covered too briefly in the slides
Prepare short answers
Prepare two or three more slides

47. Questions and answers Listen to the question Write it down
(may be more than one)
Thank the person for asking the question
Answer briefly and precisely

48. Questions and answers Avoid being defensive Challenging question
Speakers who acknowledge weaknesses - gain more respect and are not challenged
Defensive speakers get challenged more
Challenging question
Acknowledge: “This is a valid point”
Sympathize: “This is a point that needed to be raised”
Respond: “I am now going to clarify”

49. Questions and answers When you do not know the answer
Do not panic, and still say “thank you”
Ask for the person’s opinion
Ask for a colleague’s opinion
Ask for the audience’s opinion
Suggest to discuss the point over coffee!!!

50. and my SOCO was… Important to remember that:
Only one message will reach your audience!
Presentation must include only the elements to support your message!
Your visual aids are aids!
It is possible for presentation and questions to be prepared in advance!

51. Did my message come across?

52. Dr Gordana Kuzmanovska
Thank you
Dr Gordana Kuzmanovska
National Intitute of Public Health – The Former Yugoslave Republic of Macedonia