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

2. 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

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

4. 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

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

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

7. 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

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

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

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

13. Then start SIMPLE…..

14. Allow your audience to absorb as you build…..

15. More and more information gradually….

16. Until you reach the full content.

17. 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

18. 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!

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

20. Image Layout: Balance the size of text and images

21. 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)

22. 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)

23. How much text is appropriate for each slide?

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

25. What about Colors? Black and White can be adequate

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

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

28. 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

29. 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

30. Estimating tectonic strain
Chapter 2
Methods
magmatism
Normal fault forms

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

32. 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)

33. Image Design

34. What about YOU?

35. 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

36. What about YOU?

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

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

40. 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

41. 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!

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