SCIENTIFICALLY SPEAKING - The Oceanography Society
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SCIENTIFICALLY
SPEAKING
Tips for Preparing and
Delivering Scientific Talks
and Using Visual Aids
CONTENTS Introduction ............................................................................. 1 Poster Presentations ................................................................. 1 Oral Presentations.................................................................... 5 The Commitment .................................................................... 5 Preparation ............................................................................... 6 Visual Aids .............................................................................. 11 Electronic Presentation Pitfalls ............................................. 17 Delivery................................................................................... 20 Q&A Pointers ......................................................................... 20 Handouts ................................................................................ 22 Impromptu Talks ................................................................... 22 Addressing a Nonscientific Audience .................................... 23 Conclusion ............................................................................. 24 Original text by Judith P. Rhodes, edited by The Oceanography Society Council and Vicky Cullen (1995), and supported by a grant from the Office of Naval Research. Updated and revised in 2005 by Ann Gargett and Mark Abbott; edited by Ellen Kappel. Graphic design by Johanna Adams. Support for printing the revised edition was supplied by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Single copies of Scientifically Speaking are available by writing to info@tos.org or by going to the TOS website at http://www.tos.org/resources/publications/sci_speaking.html. Cover graphics: Top right and top left, courtesy of A. Gargett, Old Dominion University. Bottom right, courtesy of M. Freilich, Oregon State University. Bottom left, from http://marine.rutgers.edu/cool/ info/leomap.html. ©2005 The Oceanography Society Permission is granted to reprint in whole or in part for any noncom- mercial, educational uses. The Oceanography Society requests that the original source be credited.
INTRODUCTION
From graduate school to retirement, giving presentations is
part of the fabric of scientific life. In the course of that life, If presentations are not of the highest caliber in both
scientists generally progress from “entrance” poster presen- content and delivery, communication is flawed and
tations, to short oral presentations, to longer invited lec- science is neither properly served nor facilitated.
tures. Although the first edition of this booklet focused on
the latter, this version addresses all three forms of presenta-
tion because each has its own challenges—challenges that
must be identified and met if effective scientific communi- other scientific situations, such as committees, boards, and
cation is to happen. public-policy discussions.
Although scientific presentations are an accepted means To improve the flow of information among scientists, this
of accomplishing the exchange of knowledge and informa- publication attempts to provide advice and observations
tion that is essential to scientific endeavor, many posters are on preparing and delivering scientific presentations, tak-
ineffective communication tools and far too many bad talks ing these in career order, starting with poster presentations
are still being given. If presentations are not of the high- and moving on to oral presentations, both short and long.
est caliber in both content and delivery, communication is Many of the oral presentation points will apply to any public
flawed and science is neither properly served nor facilitated. speaking situation, although others are unique to a scientific
Development of good public speaking skills will also make environment. We hope that the material assembled here will
positive contributions to many other aspects of an individ- be of value to the scientific community. Future posters and
ual’s career, given the importance of oral communication in talks will tell.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Since the first edition of this booklet was published in 1995, • Choose a short title (!)
poster presentations have become the norm throughout • Use a smaller font for the poster author(s), an even smaller
scientific careers, but most particularly at the early career one for associated institutional information (and abbrevi-
stages when (positive!) attention at meetings can lead to the ate this—no one needs your street address).
postdoc or job of your dreams. Although fancy graphics are • Leave out institutional “brands” or logos
certainly no substitute for content, realize that for maximum
effectiveness, posters require not only scientific care, but also The second important thing a poster must do . . .
graphics flair.
Anyone who has entered a meeting room filled with 200+ DELIVER YOUR MESSAGE QUICKLY!
posters subconsciously realizes the first important thing a
poster must do for its presenter: This point is less obvious, but equally true in the era of tele-
vision sound bites, Internet surfing, and decreased attention
GRAB ATTENTION! spans. Ask yourself how much time you are willing to spend
trying to grasp the importance of science in a poster when the
To grab attention, at least some (ideally all) of your title presenter is absent (which happens a lot—people often cruise
should be in type large enough to be read from 6-7 m away. poster sessions before and after any allotted presentation
To make room for this attention-getting device: time). If it’s longer than 2-3 minutes, you’re pretty unusual.
1
• Poster title is too long
EXAMPLE OF A “BAD” POSTER
This poster was designed to be 6 feet wide by 4 feet high.
Unfortunately, there is simply too much content. The
vatory: • Type is too small
• Was not carefully proof-
read (see error
results are text and graphics set too small to be easily
legible. The background photo makes it even harder to on in s in title)
read. Unnecessary logos add to the visual confusion.
Langmuir Supercells at the LEO-15 Ocean Observatory: an important mechanism for resuspension
and transport of sediment and bioactive material on in shallow shelf seas
OBSERVATIONS
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LANGMUIR CELL STRUCTURE
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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90
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wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo A -EAN .ORMAL 3HEAR
6E LOCITIES 3TRESSES 3TRESSES
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sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat quis nostrud. Ut wisi LUMLEY INVARIANTS
enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud.
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REFERENCES
molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te
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laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat quis nostrud. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud.
nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit
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A. Gargett and J. Wells
Center for Coastal Physic
Old Dominion University
• Author names are too small
768 W 52nd St. • First names should be given
Norfolk VA 23507 USA
• The full address is not
necessary
• E-mail address should be • A poor-quality
given for contact info or low-resolution
graphic makes the
poster unprofessional
2
• Poster title is 280 pts
EXAMPLE OF A “GOOD” POSTER (almost 4 inches tall)
LLS
This poster was designed to be 6 feet wide by 4 feet high. • White background pro-
Titles and text are deliberately kept to a minimum and the vides good contrast
type is sized for easy reading. The flow of content is left to
right. Acknowledgements and references are single spaced
and concise.
LANGMUIR SUPERCELLS Ann Gargett and Judith Wells
Old Dominion University
Gargett@ccpo.odu.edu
ABSTRACT 1. OBSERVATIONS 0.8
3. LUMLEY INVARIANTS
Profiling 2 5 1
• Vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipi-
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer CTD
~15 m
0.6
at vero et accumsan et iusto odio. scing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tinc-
adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euis- Thermistor
idunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volut-
• Praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue.
II1/2
String
0.4
mod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna ali- • Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nos- pat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
VADCP ABS
Node B
quam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim trud exerci tation ullamcorper. exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut
Cable to Shore Station
0.2
• Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in. aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem
veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper
~2 m • Velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum. vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate.
suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo 0
-0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6
III1/3
consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in
hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie con- 1
sequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facili-
sis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dig-
nissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril del-
enit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi.
Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
A u
exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl 12.6
10
8 2. LANGMUIR CELL STRUCTURE
ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis
cm/s
H(m)
0
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh
autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in 5
-8
euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad
vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel 1
B w minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip
12.6
illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero 4 ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate
10
cm/s
H(m)
eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui 0 velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et
5 accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue
blandit praesent luptatum zzril delenit augue -4
1 duis dolore te feugait nulla faclisi. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci
duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Lorem C u
12.6 tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex.
10 8
ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing
cm/s
H(m)
0
elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincid- 5
-8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
unt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat vo- 1
D As Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tinc-
idunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud
12.6 95
lutpat quis nostrud. Ut wisi enim ad minim 10
exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis autem
vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore eu
feugiat nulla facilisis at vero eros et accumsan et iusto odio dignissim qui blandit praesent lupta-
90
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tum zzril delenit augue duis dolore te feugait nulla facilisi. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis
veniam, quis nostrud. nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis
autem vel eum iriure dolor in hendrerit in vulputate velit esse molestie consequat, vel illum dolore
eu feugiat nulla facilisis at.
5 85
1 80 REFERENCES
1 2 3 4 5 6 x 103 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed nostrud exerci tation diam nonummy
nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat.
Ping Number Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip
ex ea commodo consequat nostrud exerci tation.
ABSTR
Lorem ipsum • Title is 100 pts 8 2. LANG
cm/s
• Text is 55 pts, 0
adipiscing e double-spaced Lorem ipsum
• Title is 65 pts 8
euismod tincid
• Text is 40 pts,
double-spaced minim veniam
3
So, within this short time, the poster must at least convey
your basic message. At best, it should also engage the interest A poster must at least convey your basic message
of the viewer enough that they are willing to invest more of within two to three minutes. At best, it should also
their time in you and your work. Certain steps will help you engage the interest of the viewer enough that they
to design a poster that fulfills both of these functions. are willing to invest more of their time in you and
• Choose only ONE essential concept to address in the
your work.
poster.
• Write a concise abstract that communicates what you
have learned about this one concept and how it relates to
a larger picture of your field. This abstract need not be
identical to the one you submitted so many months previ- • Make your poster easy on the eyes. If something is easy
ously in order to be accepted to the meeting. It does need to read, it is more likely to be read. To increase your
to transmit the important point of your poster to the chances of being read, we suggest the following graphics
(typical) viewer who only reads the abstract and glances “best practices”:
at the figures. - Use black type on a pale background, either a solid col-
• Display this abstract prominently, in print large enough to or (or white) or a subtle texture/photograph. Intensely
be read from 2-3 m away. colored “busy” backgrounds suck attention from poster
content and make it difficult to read the superimposed
Up to this point, the action of an effective poster is like that of text, tiring the viewer.
a fisherman who first hooks a fish, then reels it in for a closer - Design simple flow paths. Complex paths from one el-
encounter. Once the viewer’s attention has been both hooked ement of your poster to another make it hard for the
and engaged, you want to make the most of their encounter reader to follow the logical flow of your ideas in your
with you and your poster. Some general suggestions for effi- poster: disorganized posters reflect badly on your scien-
cient transmission of information by poster encounter: tific thinking.
• Use first names in the list of poster authors and add e-mail - Double-space all text except things like acknowledg-
information for the lead author. First names facilitate in- ments and references.
formal interaction with you, the presenter, if you are - Use left-justification, shown to be easiest to read.
there. If you’re not, an e-mail address makes it possible - Use 18 pt minimum for text, larger for headings
to contact you. - Use a sans-serif font, like Arial or Helvetica, also shown
• Keep text to an absolute minimum. Write what you think is to be easier to read than serif fonts like Times: be font-
the absolute minimum, then force yourself to cut it in half. consistent throughout the poster.
Continually remind yourself “There is ALWAYS too much
text in a poster.” In the end, we learn from what works. Go through the next
• Tell your story with graphics as much as possible. An ef- poster session you encounter answering the questions—what
ficient way to structure a poster presentation is to choose hooked me? What made me willing to be netted? What did I
the graphics first, then write the “story” and arrange the get from a “good” encounter with a presenter? Could I have
spatial flow of the poster around them. As with text, a few gotten at least their basic message from their poster if the
well-chosen and large graphics are more effective than 10- presenter hadn’t been there?
12 smaller ones. Use of a few colors is effective: overuse
of color is not. Size your graphics so they are easily visible
from 2-3 m (a good visual is another “hook”).
4
ORAL PRESENTATIONS
Studies show that we retain much more of what we see than
what we hear. If so, why give oral presentations at all? Why A scientific talk is an opportunity to both show and
not simply prepare handouts, distribute them to an audience, tell. If done properly, it provides your audience with
wait while the information is read, and call for questions? In knowledge presented in a way that best enables them
fact, why have meetings at all? With the advent of electronic
to absorb and retain it.
presentation tools and high-speed Internet connectivity, why
don’t we just have virtual meetings? There are several reasons
besides “that’s just the way it’s done.” The primary reason is
that studies also show that we retain best what we both see subject to life for the audience through personal involve-
and hear together. A scientific talk is an opportunity to both ment and familiarity with it. Good interaction with the
show and tell. If done properly, it provides your audience audience helps the delivery and aids the retention of the
with knowledge presented in a way that best enables them to material by the audience.
absorb and retain it. • The audience has an opportunity to “meet” the speaker.
Thinking about why you give an oral presentation helps in For some members of the audience, there can be excite-
defining how to give a good talk. ment in personally hearing a recognized authority in a
• Oral presentations are interactive experiences between the given field. An introduction to a newcomer or lesser-
audience and the speaker. The speaker presents herself or known individual with something innovative and rel-
himself, as well as the talk, to the audience. The speaker evant to discuss is always interesting.
and the audience exchange signals. A speaker brings the
THE COMMITMENT
Agreeing to give a scientific talk of whatever length implies a are scientists, not show people, right? Wrong. You have to be
significant commitment to the audience. If you are not will- both for the audience to absorb and retain the most from
ing to make this commitment, you should not speak. Your your scientific presentation. You present yourself as well as the
commitment—to make your best effort to be both interest- subject matter every time you stand in front of an audience.
ing and informative—includes proper preparation of your This is not to say that a polished delivery is more important
talk and visual aids, as well as attention to delivering your than content, but how well you present your material directly
message in the most effective way possible. It is easy to iden- impacts how well it is received. Acknowledging this fact is a
tify the speaker who is genuinely pleased to have the oppor- large part of the commitment you make in agreeing to speak.
tunity to share ideas and appreciates the audience’s time and When addressing your peers and colleagues, it is in your
attention. This speaker skillfully and confidently delivers a best professional interest to take the commitment seriously.
clear, concise talk that is responsive to the audience’s needs Bad talks reflect poorly on your competence and/or demon-
and level of understanding. An audience is entitled to expect strate an enormous ego and disregard for your audience, any
that respect from every speaker. and all of which will not improve your standing within your
We have all seen scientists who apparently believe that the professional community.
science they present when speaking in a professional environ- Remember—giving a good scientific talk is never effortless.
ment is all that is important (“the data speak for themselves”
syndrome). Nothing else matters if it is “good science.” They
5PREPARATION
The Book of Lists tells us that public speaking is the number
one human fear (death is sixth). Of all speaking situations, If your talk is not well prepared and you do not deliver
professional talks can understandably be the most stressful it in a manner that gains and holds the attention of
because colleagues, peers, current and potential bosses, and your audience, much of the knowledge you hope to
funding-agency representatives will be judging you and your
share will be lost.
presentation. Having reminded you why any sane individual
is justifiably anxious when faced with giving a scientific
talk, we will also remind you that with proper preparation
you can make certain that your time at the lectern will be a • If a group of non-experts, what are the expected ranges of
professional asset. We stress preparation here because it is age and educational level?
an area of extreme vulnerability in scientific talks. Familiar-
ity with your subject and confidence in your research is not It is much easier to speak to either all experts or all non-ex-
enough to give a good oral presentation. Those factors can, perts. If the entire audience is expert in your field, you speak
in fact, work against giving a good talk. They can produce a to them as insiders and have an opportunity to dazzle and
false sense of security, make you careless in your preparation, excite them with your knowledge and enthusiasm. If it is a
and let you take too much for granted with your audience. group of non-experts, you can still dazzle and excite them,
You are speaking because you have knowledge worth shar- but you must adjust the scope and level of your material
ing; however, effective communication of this information (which may require a lot more thought, effort, and time than
requires that you are a reasonably competent public speaker. you might anticipate!).
The principles of good public speaking apply to scientific This publication is aimed primarily at scientists giving
presentations as much as they do to political rallies or testi- talks to other scientists. Please see the section entitled “Ad-
monial dinners. Speakers who believe their credentials and dressing a Nonscientific Audience” for a few pointers on giv-
knowledge of the topic negate the need for proper prepara- ing a scientific talk to a lay audience or the media.
tion and the development of public speaking skills can con-
vey only part of their messages. If your talk is not well pre- FITTING INTO THE PROGRAM
pared and you do not deliver it in a manner that gains and The amount of effort you make to fit into a particular pro-
holds the attention of your audience, much of the knowledge gram depends on whether your talk is self-inflicted (i.e., sub-
you hope to share will be lost. mitted) or invited. For both, the first essential is to verify the
date, time, and place of the talk and how long you will have
ASSESSING THE AUDIENCE to speak. Mark the speaking date on your calendar when you
An extremely important part of effectively communicat- commit to a talk, along with any other deadlines associated
ing what you know is tailoring your presentation to your with the speaking engagement. That sounds completely obvi-
audience’s needs and level of understanding. The first step ous, but many can tell you of the embarrassment and irrita-
in preparing an invited oral presentation, then, is to learn as tion resulting from misunderstandings or forgotten commit-
much as possible about your audience. This will often be self- ments. For any talk, the likely size and layout of the presenta-
evident, but if in doubt, ask questions. tion room is important information to have available before
• How large will the group be? preparing visual aids.
• Are they experts in your field? Other than choosing an appropriate session for your pre-
• If a combination of experts (colleagues in your specific sentation, little effort is required to fit into the program if
field) and non-experts (all others), what is the antici- you are giving a submitted talk. However, in preparing for
pated ratio? an invited talk, it is important to have a clear understand-
6ing of how your talk will fit into the total program and how of the rest of the program/session.
it should mesh with any other related presentations. It is • The depth and scope of the scientific content are deter-
unnerving to hear the speaker(s) before you cover much or mined in large part by the audience profile and, most im-
most of the material you intended to cover or to have pre- portantly, by the time allotted you.
pared an introductory talk and learn only minutes before you
take the podium that you are responsible for the summary Many scientific speakers make the mistake of overlooking the
and conclusion. Request a written confirmation of the details fact that effective communication requires both the sending
to verify what is expected if you don’t receive it as part of and receiving of information. Part of the speaker’s job, then, is
your invitation to speak. You may also want to ask the orga- to help put the audience in the “receive mode.” A good speak-
nizers various questions about the program: er’s fascination with the subject is transmitted to the audience
• Is the program focused on one discipline or is it designed and captures their interest to gain their full attention. In pre-
to give a cross-disciplinary or multidisciplinary view of paring your talk, ask yourself a few questions. Incorporating
the topics? the answers into your talk will help you bring your subject to
• Will there be other talks on similar or related subjects? life and make your talk worthwhile and memorable.
• At what point in the program will your talk be given?
• Is a written summary of your talk or abstract required? For talks of all lengths:
• Why would other scientists be interested?
If you are to be the first speaker in a series of talks on related • How might other disciplines or other research areas with-
subjects, your presentation can appropriately include defi- in my own discipline use this information?
nitions, underlying assumptions, historical background, or
other introductory material. If you are the final speaker in For longer talks and/or more diverse audiences:
the series, summaries and conclusions are appropriate. If you • How can I generate excitement for my subject in someone
are a middle speaker, it is reasonable to assume that the in- without knowledge and involvement?
troductory material will have been covered before you reach • Is there a research or teaching anecdote I could include for
the podium. To be on the safe side, however, it is wise to have emphasis, added interest, or humor?
a few notes to help you quickly fill any possible gaps.
Extra challenges are presented to speakers who are slotted The hallmark of any successful scientific talk is clarity. To
right before lunch, right after lunch, at the end of the day and achieve clarity, the talk must be well organized and logically
at the end of the meeting. These are times when a dash of the structured. It should have an introduction, a body, and a
theatrical or some humor is helpful in capturing and holding conclusion. The language must be concise. Audiences are an-
the audience’s attention, but don’t overdo it. noyed, irritated, and frustrated by talks they cannot under-
stand. You may have something important to say, but audi-
CONTENT ences will seldom struggle to find it.
Before you can begin drafting a talk, you must define the Inexperienced speakers often make the mistake of trying
purpose, topic, and appropriate depth and scope of the infor- to cover far too much material and providing excessive de-
mation you will be presenting. tail in one talk. They are also prone to overly long introduc-
• The primary purpose of the scientific talk is to inform or tions and spending too much time discussing methods. It is
instruct. You may also subtly try to persuade and even en- generally wise to edit your introduction ruthlessly. Give only
tertain your audience, but don’t lose sight of the primary absolutely necessary details regarding methods (unless of
purpose. course your talk is about methods). Narrow the focus rather
• Your topic is defined by your invitation to speak or within than try to cover a large complex topic with generalities in a
the context of the meeting session to which it is contrib- short period. Even when the program specifically calls for an
uted. As well, your topic may be influenced by the context overview, pull out one or two points to discuss in as much
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