Transcript How to Give Talks

How to Give Talks
Will G. Hopkins
Physiology and Physical Education
University of Otago
Dunedin, New Zealand
© 2001
Overview
 Giving a good talk is an essential skill for
researchers and instructors.
 You want feedback on your data or ideas, so
put them across well.
 Conferences are fun - if you give your talk
well.
 It’s all a game. Learn the rules and you’ll
enjoy it more.
Topics in This Presentation





The Talk Itself
The Discussion
The Slides
For the Audience
For the Chairperson
The Talk Itself - General
 Paint a big picture first, then zoom in on your
little pixel.
 Impress by informing, not performing.
 You know more about the topic than most of
the audience. Get down to their level.
 Avoid jargon, be colloquial, but be precise.
 A short relevant joke is great. Anything else is
tedious.
 Never apologize.
[Down Under joke]
The Talk Itself - Preparation
 Rehearse!
 Present it to colleagues early enough to
make major changes, if necessary.
 Run through it again at the conference well
before your session.
 Check out the controls for the lights,
projector, pointer, and microphone before
your session.
The Talk Itself - Delivery (1)
 Relax… Who will care in 100 years time?
 Don’t read out the title if the chair has.
 Avoid trivial opening remarks.
Get on with it.
 Don’t read the talk verbatim!
Ad lib it from notes of the main points.
The Talk Itself - Delivery (2)




Speak slowly, loudly, clearly.
Keep your mouth near the microphone.
Keep facing the audience.
Make eye contact with as many people as
possible.
 Avoid verbal or postural mannerisms that
distract or annoy.
The Talk Itself - Delivery (3)
 Avoid long quotes on a slide, and don’t read
them out verbatim.
 Point to detail on a slide as you explain it.
 Explain the axes of a graph.
 Don’t go over time.
 Don’t finish with “any questions?”
 Finish with “thank you.” Then flick up a
black slide, especially with PowerPoint.
The Talk Itself Using Hardware (1)
 Control the light pointer.
• Use both hands to limit shaking.
• Or brace your hand against the lectern.
 Don’t use the blackboard or whiteboard
during the talk.
 For long intervals between slides, put the
lights on, and turn off the projector or have
a black slide.
The Talk Itself Using Hardware (2)
 Two projectors are for experts.
 Run different media in series, not in
parallel.
 Make sure a video is ready to go with the
touch of ONE button.
Question Time
 Make the most of it - you usually get
helpful suggestions.
 Prepare answers for some questions. Use a
stooge to ask them.
 Have extra slides ready.
 Be thankful and polite - employers and
reviewers may be in the audience.
The Slides - General
 Use 35 mm or PowerPoint at conferences.
 Take a backup copy of PowerPoint slides.
 Use OHP transparencies only for local
seminars and last-minute ideas or data.
 Think simple.
 Use BIG standard fonts.
 Run a spelling check.
 Avoid irrelevant slides of athletes.
[Sport vs science joke]
The Slides - Content
 Title: include collaborators and funders.
 Next slides: e.g. background, research
question, methods, results, summary.
 Don’t waste a slide on the above list.
 A relevant joke slide is OK.
 How many slides? Count on about
1-2 minutes per slide.
 Use duplicate slides rather than back track to
a previous slide.
The Slides - Tables and Figures
 Never copy them 1:1 from a paper. Enlarge
or redraw.
 Include a title.
 Use a bare minimum of digits.
 Include SDs, not SEMs.
 Use * and * * rather than P values.
 Better still: show likely range of true values.
 Avoid test statistics (t, F, c2).
Characteristics of athletes in sprint and endurance
sports
sprint
endurance
females
age (y)
height (cm)
weight (kg)
males
age (y)
height (cm)
weight (kg)
22 ± 4
172 ± 8
66 ± 7
26 ± 5
171 ± 8
63 ± 6
19 ± 4
180 ± 9
73 ± 8
25 ± 4
177 ± 9
67 ± 8
N = 96-231. Data are mean ± SD.
Protocol for study of cognitive function in
orienteers
SS
S
P
B
0
M
S
P
O
10
20
M
S
P
O
exercise
30
40
time (min)
M - map reading test
P - Peripheral vision test
S - Stroop color-word test
B - blood lactate assay
O - oxygen uptake assay
M MM M M
S S
S
P P
P
OB
B
50
60
70
The Slides - Graphs
 Use graphs in preference to tables.
 Use the right kind of graph for the data.
 Label individual lines or bars rather than
use a key.
 Use a bare minimum of ticks and numbers
on axes.
 Use LARGE symbols on plotted points.
Vary symbol shape for the colorblind.
This:
Not this:
Effect of drug or placebo on maximum oxygen
uptake during 16 weeks of training
70
baseline
drug or placebo
drug
maximum
oxygen
60
uptake
(ml.min-1.kg-1)
*
*
placebo
50
0
Data are means and SDs.
4
8
12
time (weeks)
16
Reaction time of novice and elite athletes in three
phases of training
novice
pre-season
build-up
taper
elite
†
pre-season
build-up
taper
80
Data are means and SDs.
*
100 120 140 160
reaction time (ms)
For the Audience




Get there on time.
Don’t snigger at foolish speakers.
Don’t annoy your neighbour.
Make your questions pithy, and don’t show
off TOO much.
 Ask a simple question: the answer will help
other people understand.
For the Chairperson At the Start
 Check out the hardware beforehand.
 Meet the speakers and arrange a signal to let
them know when time is up.
 Introduce yourself and the session.
 Name the speaker and read the title.
 Eulogize the big shots.
 Say when questions can be asked.
 Fix any problems during the talk.
For the Chairperson At the End
 Warn speakers when time is nearly up.
 Lead the applause.
 Invite questions if time permits, or ask
people to meet the speaker afterwards.
 Have a question ready in case no-one asks
any.
 Finish the session with thanks to the
speakers, then lead more applause.
In Conclusion...
 Be obsessional! Give it your best shot.
 Be creative - break the rules sometimes.
 Will it help get the message across?
• Yes: Do it.
• No: Drop it.