How to Give an Academic Talk Paul N. Edwards School of Information and Dept. of History This work is...
41
How to Give an Academic Talk Paul N. Edwards School of Information and Dept. of History This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internati onal License . The terms of this licence allow you to remix, tweak, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as you credit me and license your new creations under the identical terms. Quasi-permanent URL: pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalkslides.pdf Monday, June 20, 2022 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
How to Give an Academic Talk Paul N. Edwards School of Information and Dept. of History This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
How to Give an Academic Talk Paul N. Edwards School of
Information and Dept. of History This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
International License. The terms of this licence allow you to
remix, tweak, and build upon this work non-commercially, as long as
you credit me and license your new creations under the identical
terms.Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0
International License Quasi-permanent URL:
pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalkslides.pdfpne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalkslides.pdf
16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 2
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards,
University of Michigan
Slide 3
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 4
The awful academic talk Speaker sits down Speaker reads
Monotone Sentences long, complex, jargon-filled Exceeds time limit
16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 5
Why are so many talks so terrible? Stage fright Academic
culture(s) Public speaking skills arent taught Students learn from
professors bad habits Most talks arent rehearsed 16 June 2015 Paul
N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 6
Listening is hard work Conference audiences: many talks over
many hours Job talks: many candidates Limits to human attention
span (~40 minutes) Competing distractions Other talks
Internet/email Other concerns 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards,
University of Michigan
Slide 7
Purposes of public speaking Communicate arguments and evidence
Persuade audience that they are true 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards,
University of Michigan
Slide 8
Structures and contents A talk is not a paper Give away your
punch line: summarize Claims and evidence What matters is why Focus
on main points What do you want your audience to remember? What can
your audience remember? 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 9
Purposes of public speaking Communicate arguments and evidence
Persuade audience that they are true Engage (excite, interest,
entertain) The forgotten purpose Mistake: equate engaging with
superficial 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 10
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 11
Why engage and entertain? To communicate and persuade You need
your audiences full attention and your audience needs your help to
maintain focus 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 12
Engaging your audience Physical presence Sitting vs. standing
Be the dominant animal Talking vs. reading Moving vs. standing
still Always face audience Make eye contact! Or at least look like
it Dont side the room 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 13
Engaging your audience Vocal production Loud and clear! Talk to
the back row Breathe! Use the diaphragm Speak from the belly, not
the head Belly opens on inhale, contracts on exhale Use sound
reinforcement 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 14
Engaging your audience Vocal technique Things to watch out for:
Uptalk Monotone Like, yknow, ummmm The sound of authority: speak at
the low end of your range 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University
of Michigan
Slide 15
Engaging your audience Take control of the environment
Temperature Light Noise and distractions 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 16
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 17
Using presentation software Less is more Text: keep it simple
Use images! Slide backgrounds: simple, bright Avoid glitzy special
effects 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 18
death by powerpoint
Slide 19
About Powerpoint Less is more 20-30 words per text slide USE
images USE ability to have many slides Practice! Dont watch screen
-- use your laptop or notes Slide backgrounds: simple, bright
Backup, backup
Slide 20
About Powerpoint Less is more 20-30 words per text slide USE
images USE ability to have many slides Practice! Dont watch screen
-- use your laptop or notes Slide backgrounds: simple, bright
Backup, backup Less is more 20-30 words per text slide USE images
USE ability to have many slides Practice! Dont watch screen -- use
your laptop or notes Slide backgrounds: simple, bright Backup,
backup
Slide 21
R s calculated using Ficks 1 o law of diffusion using Moldrup
et al. 1999 model Critical parameters: CO 2 P Flux= -D s C z D s /D
a = D s D a s s= silt + sand b m
Slide 22
R s as a function of T,
Slide 23
other ways to use powerpoint 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards,
University of Michigan
Slide 24
a word 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 25
or an image 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 26
climate change 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 27
16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 28
even more radical: 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan dont use it
Slide 29
Using presentation software Less is more If you use video: keep
it short Dont talk to the screen Use your laptop or notes 16 June
2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 30
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 31
Timing Respect your audience, and your colleagues: finish on
time!! Use a timer or watch Know what you can skip and its not your
conclusions. Dont draw attention to mistiming Create a standard
slide length 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 32
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 33
Practice, practice, practice! Rehearsal matters more than slide
prep Time yourself Improvising? Practice, and account for the time!
16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 34
practice!!!!!
Slide 35
Murphys Law: planning for disaster Use your own laptop Backup,
backup, backup!! Bring a printout Imagine (and plan for) the worst
possible audience 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 36
Summing up: usually better Talk Stand Move Speak loudly Face
the audience Make eye contact or fake it Focus on main arguments
Summarize at beginning and end Use visual aids Finish within time
limit Rehearse Respond to audience 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards,
University of Michigan
Slide 37
Today What public speaking is for, and why its hard How to
engage your audience Physical presence and vocal techniques Using
presentation software Timing Rehearsal: the key to success
Troubleshooting: handling difficult situations 16 June 2015 Paul N.
Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 38
Troubleshooting Difficult people Interruptions Heckling
Difficult vocal problems High-pitched voices Quiet voices
Second-language issues 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 39
Troubleshooting Difficult rooms Dark Large, without sound
reinforcement Steep pitch Difficult audiences Very small Not your
field Hostile 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of
Michigan
Slide 40
Emulate excellent speakers Not just what they say But what they
do 16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan
Slide 41
Whatever you practice, you get good at How to Give an Academic
Talk (written version): pne.people.si.umich.edu/PDF/howtotalk.pdf
16 June 2015 Paul N. Edwards, University of Michigan