Key Success Factors to Communicate

Research Data Effectively

Brought to you by PrincipalInvestigators Association

Expert comments provided by Rick Parmely, founder of

Polished and Professional LLC.

www.principalinvestigators.org Phone: 1-800-303-0129

Email: info@principalinvestigators.org

Public Speaking For Scientists

I struggle with converting my research results and datainto interesting discussions at national meetings.

Are there any tips that can help me to enliven mypresentations and still keep a focus on the meat of myresearch – the data?

Reader question:

Many presenters we hear at national meetings dostruggle to provide more than a recitation of facts anddata. To a large degree, audiences have even cometo expect that a serious research project will containfacts, figures, plots, and tables, and little else.

Expert Comments:

By Rick Parmely

While presenting your data is essential,audience engagement does not have to

suffer when revealing results of greatresearch.

What can be done?

to appreciate a basic principle

It is necessaryat the outset

of all public speaking:

In order to appeal to the mind of a listener

you must first find a way to appeal to the

Heart

If the heart is not engaged, the mind starts to wander.

Once the mind of your listener starts to wander, very little of what you say

will be heard or remembered.

Why?

So when you begin to build the outline for your nextpresentation, ask yourself

What aspects of my research will touch the audience?

What key concepts absolutely must be communicated?

How can I tell the story of where we began this project, who wasinvolved, what has been accomplished by others, and how importantthe completion of this project is to the science or to people’s lives?

What data must be presented to tell that story?

What can the listener take away from my discussion?

these questions

Answering these questions will enable you to develop the“skeleton,” the outline, from which you can then build a

powerful talk.

of your skeleton outline!

Now, start putting “meat on the bones”

Develop a story

from history, a recent news item,an observation in nature oranother event that illustrates theessence of your talk.

Hold your presentation to a fewmain points and then limit yourdata to only the essential graphs,charts and tables that support thosefew key points.

Further involve the audience with well-plannedquestions that cause them to think and stay engaged.

This That

or

Finally, don’t forget apowerful conclusion!

Often, we as speakers end withone slide containing one word:

Questions?

Ideally, questions will beentertained and answeredthroughout your talk. However,if the meeting format does notallow for that, but you are stillseeking to elicit audiencequestions and feedback at theend of your talk, does thateliminate the need for aneffective conclusion?

NO!

In this case, the wise presenterstill concludes powerfully, eitherjust before the Q and A section orimmediately afterward. Why? Thelast words spoken will stay in themind of the listener the longest. Somake those words your best words!

Now Try It!

Develop an outlinewith a few key points,wrapping the entirepresentation in areasonable story orillustration.

Apply simplicity toyour data; avoiddelivering data that isnot critical to yourargument or datathat lacks clarity.

Andfinally

Tying the many parts togetherinto a neat, cohesive package.

CONDLUDE

POWERFULLY!

With these few tips, yourtalk will actively engageyour audience and yourpresentation will indeedbe a great success!

Rick ParmelyPolished and

Professional, LLC

Services: On-site communications training, recordingand analysis of communications andpresentations.

Call or Email Rick to set up individualizedtraining or invite him to speak at yourdepartment and university.

www.polishednprofessional.comrick@polishednprofessional.comPhone: 814-470-0598

Science Pro Insider

A Free Newsletter!

The Science Pro Insider Newsletter is focused onproviding best practices on obtaining grant funding,lab management, career advice and much more!

Sign UpNOW!

A wRITING gUIDEfor science & medicine

This 90-page guide has beendesigned to help investigators, inany field, understand the root ofpoor writing, identify red flags withintheir own writing style, and craftclear, concise, powerful pieces thatmeet the requirements of the mostdemanding audiences within theirprofessional careers. http://bit.ly/PIAwriting

During this insightful Webinar, yourexpert presenter will highlight the keysteps and practical tips you can applyto become a successful presenter at

regional and national scientificconferences.

During this interactive Webinar yourexpert presenter will explore how

scientists can effectively present dataand results in an exciting, convincing

manner.

In this detail-oriented Webinar, we willexplore the aspects of developing

content aimed at producingPowerPoint slides that are properlyformatted to achieve high-impact

results.

Learn More

ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Award WiningCommunication for

Scientists

How to Give an AwardWinning Data Rich

Presentation

How to Design a High-Impact PowerPoint

Presentation

How to Prepare and Give Award-Winning

1 2 3 Webinar Pack