1. Academic Communication Lesson 6
Pick up handout at front.
One copy for each student.
Please sit in pairs.
Each person needs one partner.
Course Website: staff.ustc.edu.cn/~acadcom

2. Listening to Conclusion Sections
Read your Conclusion transcript to your partner.
Listen to your partner’s Conclusion and time how long it takes
Does it sound like your partner is actually speaking to you (good) or like they are just reading a paper’s text (bad)?
After listening to each other, trade transcripts and check your partner’s

3. Does your partner’s Conclusion section transcript…?
…start with words “In conclusion,…” or something similar to indicate the talk is ending?
…summarize 2-4 main points of the body in one sentence each? Must be concise!
…emphasize the central idea – the most important result of the research?
…remind the audience of the motivation or give an application?
…mention an open question or give a future research direction? Specific! (not “improve our result”)
…end with “Thank you” and inviting questions?
…last for seconds?

4. Checklist for Presentation Part 4A: Detailed Planning Outline
includes timing for each slide
may even include specifics like gestures or tone of voice

5. Checklist Part 4B: Wording and/or Transcript
Exact wording for key points is vital for any presentation
Read the sentences out loud
difficult word combinations?
difficult sound combinations (words)?
Choose words that are easy to say when you’re nervous: e.g. Do you want to say “x to the fifth” or “x to the power of five”?

6. Checklist Part 4B: Wording and/or Transcript
Always write exact wording for key points
Should you write a full transcript?
(every word, for every slide?)
For this course: Yes
See handout
Bring to class for Lesson 8 (two weeks from today) a printout of your transcript

7. Speaking of careful wording…
Informal conversation:
Most people use “think”
Formal prepared presentation:
Avoid saying “think” in the prepared part.
“Think” is OK in the Question/Answer part.
In a prepared talk,
more careful wording is expected!

8. Useful Sentence Patterns
See the reference sheet available on the course website for Lesson 6. (
Feel free to use these patterns where you can in your presentation.

9. Examples from “Useful Sentence” reference sheet (available on website)
As in <some previous time>, <something was done>.
As in 1993, studies recommending computerized coordination of traffic lights were ignored.
As in <some previous time>, <somebody did something>.
As in early 1993, people tended to ignore inconvenient traffic regulations.

10. Examples from “Useful Sentence” reference sheet (available on website)
Because they <did something>, <the things represented by “they”> <had some effect>.
Because they disobeyed traffic laws, taxi drivers caused many traffic jams.
By <[month [day],] year>, <somebody> had <done something>.
By 1992, the traffic commission had realized there was a serious problem and started to investigate possible solutions
By January, 1992, the traffic commission…
By January 27, 1992, the traffic commission…

11. The reference sheet has 22 patterns
22 Examples on “Useful Sentence” reference sheet (available on website)
The reference sheet has 22 patterns
Use these to increase the number of good English sentence patterns you use in your presentations
Impress your teacher!

12. Speaking of careful wording…
See “Degrees of Belief” on handout
Use precise wording as on the handout
Handout gives examples
% numbers are approximate

13. Activity: Describe the new animal
Genetic engineering: Combine the DNA
What would the new animal be like?
For different features, use appropriate probability sentences.
Do not use the word “think”!!!
Bad: “I think it would eat meat.”
Good: “Probably it would eat meat.”
“It probably would eat meat.”

14. Activity: Describe the new animal
Can use present tense as if it were in front of you:
It may be able to swim.
Can use future or conditional tense as if you were predicting results of an experiment:
It will eat meat.
It would probably be yellow with black stripes.

15. Each pair: Discuss your new animal
Name the new animal
Describe the animal to each other
Use all degrees-of-belief sentence patterns
E.g. What may or may not be true? What must be true? What certainly is not true?
Lives where? Can swim? fly? climb trees? Eats what? Dangerous? Make good pet? Taste good to eat? Has stripes? wings? How many legs? What size? Fast? Slow?...
After a few minutes, draw a picture

16. Tell another pair about your animal
You are not allowed to say the word “think” when answering a question.
Ask questions about the other group’s animal
Answer questions about your animal, using the degrees of belief vocabulary and sentence patterns.

17. Please give back all the animal cards at the end of this class!!

18. Homework due 2 weeks from today
Bring to Lesson 8 a printout of your full presentation transcript.
Must include printouts of the slides
Must include what you will say for each slide. Split up the text according to slides.
“Slide 1: <The sentences you will say>”
“Slide 2: <The sentences you will say>”
etc.
Write out on the transcript the exact words you will say while the slide is showing!
Not “I’ll read the slide” or “I’ll make comments.”
Must include the timing (duration) for each slide