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Communication Skills����
Writing Presentations
Posters
PowerPoint
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 1
Scientists and Engineers
Are trained to:
analyze critically
be suspicious
be doubting
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 2
Communication Warning
Who will be reading your work ?
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 3
Technical Journal Paper Skilled referees Peers
Research Proposal Funding agency Skilled referees
Thesis Supervisor Examiners
Popular Ar>cle Public
Writing voice
Consider:
“We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.).”
Contrast with:
In this paper, a structure is suggested for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.).
Watson JD, Crick FHC. Molecular structure of nucleic acids. Nature. 1953;171:737-738. http://www.biomedicaleditor.com/active-voice.html#ixzz278PTQ0ln
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 4
Technical Papers
• Avoid Abbreviations
• Use Past Tense for Work Completed
• First vs. Third Person
• Use Active Verbs
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 5
http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWgeneral.html ( accessed Sept 21 2012)
How to Write��Advice by Boice and Gray��
I
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 6
Doing Good Things Better, Brian Martin http://www.bmartin.cc/pubs/11gt/
Issues Best Practice
Binge writing habit
Practice daily (5 days a week works too). 15-30 minutes per day but then STOP.
Distractors
Eliminate all people, email, TV, phone, do not even open the web for references
“Perfectionism is a deadly enemy of good performance”
Write before you are ready
Writing Skill References The ACS Style Guide: A Manual for Authors and Editors, Second Edition Edited by Janet S. Dodd http://www.oup.com/us/samplechapters/0841234620/?view=usa The Science of Scientific Writing by George D. Gopen and Judith A. Swan free pdf – Sigma Xi American Scientist http://www.americanscientist.org/issues/pub/the-science-of-scientific-writing Doing Good Things Better, Brian Martin http://www.bmartin.cc/pubs/11gt/ A quick look on Amazon.com Communicating in Science: Writing a Scientific Paper and Speaking at Scientific Meetings (2nd Edition) by Vernon Booth Scientific Writing and Communication: Papers, Proposals, and Presentations by Angelika H. Hofmann Science Research Writing: A Guide for Non-Native Speakers of English by Hilary Glasman-deal The Craft of Scientific Presentations: Critical Steps to Succeed and Critical Errors to Avoid by Michael Alley How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper (Day)) by Robert A. Day
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 7
PRESENTATIONS��
powerpoint and posters
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 8
Teaching Lectures
Presentations
Technical Keynotes Informational
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 9
Know Your Audience
Time of day
Assume they can read
They are thinking “Why should I listen ?”
Tune out time: Non-experts 2 minutes
Experts after 5 minutes
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 10
Challenges For Presentations
1. Competition: Text on paper can provide more information than verbal communication
2. Getting the message through
• 7% is what you say
• 38% Paralinguistic (the way you say it)
• 55% Body Language
• People process at 500 wpm, Presenters talk at 150 wpm
• 12 seconds sound bite training
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 11
Character Traits
Are you :
Introverted ?
Extroverted ?
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 12
Confidence
Know you are an expert
When you are done, your audience should:
• Understand your work and contribution
• Understand your approach and how it differs from other’s work
• Decide if your work could lead to a collaboration to advance research
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 13
Confidence
Record yourself – and watch (painful)
1st practice – use notes and develop rhythm
2nd – 4th practice – make notes of difficult transitions, phrases, or wording
5th - 7th practice – focus on developing and sustaining energy
+ Once you feel like you know it – do a couple more times.
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 14
Connectivity of Topics
Make it a story. People remember stories.
1. Presentation of Work Results
l Focus on quality of work – beauty of results
2. Speech
l Emotional !
l Watch audience reactions
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 15
Care! Plan !
1. You have be engaged and enthused
2. Know your material
3. Practice
4. Turn off IM, email
5. Turn off screensaver, suspend
6. Buy a remote presentation mouse
7. Arrive early (check setup, room)
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 16
Content
l Include only the important ideas
l Do not reduce effectiveness with quantity
l For explanation of complex information use Particular, General, Particular
Give a particular specific example, then a general overview, followed by a repeat of the particular to reinforce the point.
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 17
Content - Slides
Explanations: 15 word max per point
Rough Guide Rules:
10-20-30 or 20-20 10 slides 20 slides
20 minutes 20 seconds/slide
30 font minimum
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 18
Be in control – all the time
1. Eye contact
2. Facial Expressions
3. Gestures
4. Posture and body language
5. Proximity
6. Breath in, not out
7. Speak loudly and clearly
8. Learn to read the audience reactions
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 19
Nothing should force the elimination of any part of the message………
Time constraints
Culture – based content
Difficult verbal content
Data NEVER Speaks For Itself��
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 20
Vocals
Volume Tone Pitch Pace
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 21
Creating
Effective
Visuals
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 22
Do Not Use (Over-Use) Laser Pointer
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 23
Use San Serif Fonts
Nanotechnology Times New Roman 32 Nanotechnology Comic Sans 32 Nanotechnology Arial 32 Nanotechnology Lucida Sans (coding) 32
Use 44+ for titles
Use 32+ for bullets
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 24
• NEVER Ø NEVER v NEVER Use Bullets for Reading
Bullets
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 25
4 - 6 Lines of Text MAX
6 Words per Line MAX
When Bullets are Necessary
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 26
Use “Talking Messages”
Make use of:
Callouts
Balloons
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 27
Standard MS Format
1st Qtr2nd Qtr3rd Qtr4th Qtr
Omit Border Title must
reinforce message
Audience must read and match
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 28
Third Quarter results did not carry through to Fourth Quarter
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
2nd Qtr
1st Qtr
20.4 20.4
27.4
90.0
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 29
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 30
No Y Axis (superfluous)
Y label readable without spine damage
Left Alignment – clean look
Attractive Font (not default)
Grid lines do not compete with data
Attractive color, de-saturated
Shading, shadow are attractive but do not overdue
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 31
No legend Label line directly
Background/grid lines inverted for clarity
Line Style distinction (color is better if possible)
Taking Questions
l Listen intently, ask for clarification if needed.
l Do not answer questions with questions.
l Let the questioner finish the question.
l If poorly presented, repeat the question.
l Buy time to think (if necessary) .
l Off-the-wall questions should not sidetrack you.
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 32
Answering Questions
l 10 to 40 seconds answers.
l Direct your remarks to the entire audience.
l If you do not know the answer, be honest
l If someone takes issue praise their point, make your counterpoint and and leave alone
l Don't apologize (unless you are absolutely sure you are wrong)
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 33
Presentation Books
Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery (2nd Edition) (Voices That Matter) by Garr Reynolds
slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations by Nancy Duarte
Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft PowerPoint to Create Presentations that Inform, Motivate, and Inspire (Business Skills) (English and English Edition) by Cliff Atkinson
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward R. Tufte
Show Me the Numbers: Designing Tables and Graphs to Enlighten by Stephen Few
October 7 2012 Communication Skills 34
