Postgraduate Postgraduate Communication SkillsCommunication Skills

• 1. Oral Presentation Skills 1. Oral Presentation Skills • 2. Writing Scientific Papers and 2. Writing Scientific Papers and

reports reports • 3. Web Page Authoring and 3. Web Page Authoring and

Publication Publication • 4. Poster Presentation Skills4. Poster Presentation Skills

Layout of PresentationLayout of Presentation

• Poster Principles Poster Principles – motivation, strategy & presentation motivation, strategy & presentation

• Poster Composition Poster Composition – aesthetics, techniques and layout aesthetics, techniques and layout

• Computer Basics Computer Basics – some software and hardware issues some software and hardware issues

• A DemonstrationA Demonstration

Acknowledgements:Acknowledgements:

• Based on a workshop and set of Based on a workshop and set of slides first presented by slides first presented by

• Bill Jenkins Bill Jenkins • Kate Davis Kate Davis • Phil Stanford Phil Stanford

• … … in autumn, 1999in autumn, 1999

Posters are Important Posters are Important Communication ToolsCommunication Tools

• Especially for younger scientists Especially for younger scientists • Not a consolation Prize: Not a consolation Prize:

• More time to assimilate information More time to assimilate information • Interactive process (feedback) Interactive process (feedback) • Available for longer Available for longer • You meet your audience You meet your audience

• Often leaves a more lasting Often leaves a more lasting impression (good or bad)impression (good or bad)

Presentation EtiquettePresentation Etiquette

• avoid spicy food, heavy drinking on avoid spicy food, heavy drinking on the previous night the previous night

• arrive early and composed arrive early and composed • if you must leave for a bit, leave a if you must leave for a bit, leave a

sign such as “Back at 2:25” sign such as “Back at 2:25” • Be prepared to stay the course Be prepared to stay the course

• bring a bottle of water, and mintsbring a bottle of water, and mints

Practice Good Body Practice Good Body LanguageLanguage

• Avoid long conversations with pals Avoid long conversations with pals • Don’t lounge, read newspapers, eat Don’t lounge, read newspapers, eat

sandwiches, constantly check watch sandwiches, constantly check watch • Watch your position: don’t sit or Watch your position: don’t sit or

block view of the poster block view of the poster • Use the aisle to allow unattended Use the aisle to allow unattended

readers access to posterreaders access to poster

Maintain a Good AttitudeMaintain a Good Attitude

• Don’t be too aggressive or too shy Don’t be too aggressive or too shy • Smile, keep your humour, be patient Smile, keep your humour, be patient • Don’t invade other people’s space Don’t invade other people’s space • Avoid saying “May I help you?” Avoid saying “May I help you?” • Acknowledge waiting visitors Acknowledge waiting visitors

• with eye contact or gesture with eye contact or gesture • gently disengage “time-wasters” gently disengage “time-wasters”

– Defer to later discussion Defer to later discussion – Refer to literature (or handouts)Refer to literature (or handouts)

LogisticsLogistics

• Be sure to bring “the fixings” Be sure to bring “the fixings” • Take poster in a waterproof carrier (ink is wTake poster in a waterproof carrier (ink is w

ater soluble), hand carry on plane if possible ater soluble), hand carry on plane if possible • Set up and tear down at requested times Set up and tear down at requested times • Use poster well in between (not just “show tUse poster well in between (not just “show t

ime” ime” • Learn well: take time to observe others’ tecLearn well: take time to observe others’ tec

hniques (good and bad) hniques (good and bad) • What works and what doesn’t?What works and what doesn’t?

Provide Party FavoursProvide Party Favours• Bring A4 colour miniatures Bring A4 colour miniatures

• as a kind of business card as a kind of business card • in an attached pouch for unattended viewing in an attached pouch for unattended viewing • if it’s too small to read on A4... if it’s too small to read on A4...

• Have related materials handy Have related materials handy • more detailed plots, etc more detailed plots, etc • reprints reprints • blank paper blank paper • specimens, etc?specimens, etc?

Planning AheadPlanning Ahead• Think about your objectives Think about your objectives

• what do you want to accomplish? what do you want to accomplish? • who is the target audience? who is the target audience?

• Plan general layout Plan general layout • how big an area do you get? how big an area do you get? • Portrait or landscape? Portrait or landscape? • Do A4 prints for gestalt Do A4 prints for gestalt

• Don’t leave A0 printing to the last day Don’t leave A0 printing to the last day (esp. before a big conference)(esp. before a big conference)

Apply the KISS PrincipleApply the KISS Principle• Keep titles short, but informative Keep titles short, but informative • Have an prominent, visible abstract Have an prominent, visible abstract • Use the “1 & 10 minute rule” Use the “1 & 10 minute rule” • Avoid gratuitous Avoid gratuitous

• detail detail • colour colour • gimmicks gimmicks

• Promote a single coherent concept Promote a single coherent concept • what do you want them to remember?what do you want them to remember?

Three Most Important PointThree Most Important Pointss

• Simplicity Simplicity • Structure Structure • FlowFlow

Combining text and imagesCombining text and images• Use a balanced approach Use a balanced approach

– commonly 1/3 text, 2/3 image (not rigid) commonly 1/3 text, 2/3 image (not rigid) • Font point sizes and combinations Font point sizes and combinations

– Use a heirarchy of sizes: Use a heirarchy of sizes: • Headings 100pt Headings 100pt • Sub-headings 40pt Sub-headings 40pt • Text 18pt Text 18pt • References 12-14 pt References 12-14 pt

– Keep to one font e.g. Helvetica/Arial Keep to one font e.g. Helvetica/Arial • choose one that is easy to read choose one that is easy to read • avoid excessive bold, italics, underlineavoid excessive bold, italics, underline

Headings, labels, logosHeadings, labels, logos• Use headings and sub-headings Use headings and sub-headings

• Keep main heading short, use total width Keep main heading short, use total width • Sub-heads help to emphasize text blocks Sub-heads help to emphasize text blocks

• Clearly label all images & figures Clearly label all images & figures • Provide links with text (by color, lines, and Provide links with text (by color, lines, and

location) location) • Acknowledge/cite sources (if not yours) Acknowledge/cite sources (if not yours)

• Include logos (if appropriate) Include logos (if appropriate) • For joint projects with others For joint projects with others • To acknowledge sponsorsTo acknowledge sponsors

Importing Graphics and Importing Graphics and ImagesImages

• Layout programs are not word processors Layout programs are not word processors • text, equations text, equations

• … … and not spreadsheets and not spreadsheets • tables, charts tables, charts

• … … nor stats/graphics packages nor stats/graphics packages • graphs, plots graphs, plots

• … … nor image processors nor image processors • photos (from digital camera or scanned) photos (from digital camera or scanned)

• Also need to insert Also need to insert • maps, line drawings, schematic figures maps, line drawings, schematic figures • images from the webimages from the web

Importing Graphics and Importing Graphics and ImagesImages

• There are two basic kinds of files: There are two basic kinds of files: • vector graphics: vector graphics:

– e.g., postscript, windows metafile, HPGL e.g., postscript, windows metafile, HPGL – infinite resolution, scales up gracefully infinite resolution, scales up gracefully – produced by GMT, MATLAB, Illustrator, AutoCAD produced by GMT, MATLAB, Illustrator, AutoCAD – smaller memory demands, smaller files smaller memory demands, smaller files

• bit-mapped graphics bit-mapped graphics – e.g., gif, tiff, bmp, jpeg, compressed (lossy) e.g., gif, tiff, bmp, jpeg, compressed (lossy) – fixed resolution, grainy on magnification fixed resolution, grainy on magnification – photos, web images, paint programs photos, web images, paint programs – large memory requirements if big large memory requirements if big – colour depth importantcolour depth important

• Determined by file endingsDetermined by file endings– .gif /.jpg/.bmp/.ps .wmf.gif /.jpg/.bmp/.ps .wmf

Vector vs. Bitmap?Vector vs. Bitmap?

• They may look similar until you They may look similar until you “blow them up”“blow them up”

– Vector GraphicVector Graphic

– Bit MappedBit Mapped

Use ColourUse Colour• Provides impact, draws immediate attention Provides impact, draws immediate attention • Highlighting key elements Highlighting key elements

• linking items, e.g. images, plots, or text linking items, e.g. images, plots, or text

• Colour within text Colour within text • Draws attention to an important section Draws attention to an important section

• CAVEAT EMPTOR CAVEAT EMPTOR – But avoid clashes and over-use But avoid clashes and over-use

• Looks amateurish, cluttered, distracting Looks amateurish, cluttered, distracting – Ink or dye not the same as screen phosphor Ink or dye not the same as screen phosphor

• experiment small before you “go to pressexperiment small before you “go to press

Overall CompositionOverall Composition

• Use colour in plots, but consistently, nUse colour in plots, but consistently, not gratuitously (use a scheme!) ot gratuitously (use a scheme!) – Use: Use:

• larger fonts larger fonts • larger data points larger data points • thicker lines thicker lines

– Scale up as much as possible Scale up as much as possible • Use vector graphics files rather than biUse vector graphics files rather than bi

t-mappedt-mapped

Overall CompositionOverall Composition

• Continuity of text Continuity of text – Obvious flow from 1 section to next Obvious flow from 1 section to next

• Consider length of lines for readability Consider length of lines for readability • Form should follow function Form should follow function

• Equal distances between elements Equal distances between elements • Total layout becomes tidier & easier to look Total layout becomes tidier & easier to look

at at • Consider balance and symmetry Consider balance and symmetry • Think of overall structureThink of overall structure

Overall CompositionOverall Composition

• Uncluttered simplistic approach Uncluttered simplistic approach • Applies to any presentation Applies to any presentation

• Providing sufficient impact / Final reviProviding sufficient impact / Final review ew

• Solicit comments from colleagues Solicit comments from colleagues • Use the 1 Metre testUse the 1 Metre test

Graphics packagesGraphics packages

• Composition/Drawing packages: Composition/Drawing packages: • CorelDraw 9 (site licence) CorelDraw 9 (site licence) • Adobe Illustrator (bundle deal) Adobe Illustrator (bundle deal) • Freehand (Kate Davis) Freehand (Kate Davis) • Powerpoint (very limited) Powerpoint (very limited)

• Image editing and manipulation: Image editing and manipulation: • Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop • Corel Photopaint Corel Photopaint • + a host of other, less capable+ a host of other, less capable

Graphics packagesGraphics packages

• Use composition/drawing software, which gUse composition/drawing software, which generate vector graphics, as bit-mapped grapenerate vector graphics, as bit-mapped graphics are hugely memory intensive hics are hugely memory intensive

• E.G., the bit content of an A0 (~1.2 x 0.8 m) pE.G., the bit content of an A0 (~1.2 x 0.8 m) plot at modest resolution (600 dpi) and reasonlot at modest resolution (600 dpi) and reasonable colour (24 bit) requires a gargantuan able colour (24 bit) requires a gargantuan

• 1.67 Gigabytes! 1.67 Gigabytes! • Result: computer and printer choke and diResult: computer and printer choke and di

e...e...

Graphics packagesGraphics packages

• Computer Systems need adequate meComputer Systems need adequate memory mory

• Particularly if editing images - eg Photoshop idParticularly if editing images - eg Photoshop ideally needs 4 - 5 times as much RAM as the sizeally needs 4 - 5 times as much RAM as the size of image that’s being edited. e of image that’s being edited.

• Printing images Printing images • Better to print images from Illustrator or CorelBetter to print images from Illustrator or Corel

Draw rather than Photoshop or PhotoPaint- mDraw rather than Photoshop or PhotoPaint- makes more economic use of resources, smaller akes more economic use of resources, smaller plot file.plot file.

Plotting postersPlotting posters

• Main large-format plotter at SOC is the Main large-format plotter at SOC is the Hewlett-Packard DesignJet 650C Hewlett-Packard DesignJet 650C

• Commonly known as the ‘A0 plotter’ Commonly known as the ‘A0 plotter’ • Located in Room 234/09 Located in Room 234/09

• A4 colour prints can be made in post-gA4 colour prints can be made in post-grad office rad office

• A3 colour prints can be made through A3 colour prints can be made through graphics office (K. Davis)graphics office (K. Davis)

Plotting postersPlotting posters

• Contact ITG if you are plotting on Contact ITG if you are plotting on the A0 Plotter: the A0 Plotter: – Is the queue “active” (this is the “place” Is the queue “active” (this is the “place”

where you submit your jobs)? where you submit your jobs)? – Is the plotter “up and running”? Is the plotter “up and running”? – Is the right paper loaded? Is the right paper loaded?

• ““draft” paper draft” paper • Glossy paperGlossy paper

Installing Printer DriversInstalling Printer Drivers

• You need the printer drivers on your PC You need the printer drivers on your PC to use plotters to use plotters

• Acquisition, installation information on Acquisition, installation information on ITG web pages (“intranet”) ITG web pages (“intranet”)

• The DesignJet supports two plot formatThe DesignJet supports two plot formats: s:

• HPGL and Postscript (for PC and UNIX) HPGL and Postscript (for PC and UNIX) • Further installation information, etc on Further installation information, etc on

GSSOC web siteGSSOC web site

A Demonstration using A Demonstration using CorelDraw 9CorelDraw 9

• SOC site licence, therefore available SOC site licence, therefore available • get CD from Tim Henstock get CD from Tim Henstock

• A capable software package A capable software package • although a steep learning curve, fairly user frialthough a steep learning curve, fairly user fri

endly endly • growing base of expertise, books available growing base of expertise, books available • latest version latest version

• You could use PowerPoint… but it has You could use PowerPoint… but it has limitations.limitations.

A Demonstration using A Demonstration using CorelDraw 9CorelDraw 9

• CorelDraw is a page composition CorelDraw is a page composition program program – Creates vector graphics Creates vector graphics – Embeds both vector and bit-mapped Embeds both vector and bit-mapped

graphics graphics – Outputs both vector and bit-mapped Outputs both vector and bit-mapped

graphics graphics

• Comparable to Adobe IllustratorComparable to Adobe Illustrator