Subject: How to give a written presentation.Conferences: Oral and poster communication optimisation and strategies

Compulsory cross-disciplinary core courses

ACTIVITY 3 > Block 2

Professor:Javier Narciso RomeroUniversity Professor

Contents 1. Written presentations2. Conferences

1. Written presentation

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STEFAN HELL | NOBEL PRIZE WINNER FOR CHEMISTRY, 2014

"Our welfare state and our quality of life are based on scientific findings."

The 2014 Nobel Prize winner for chemistry has said that "in a broad sense", human history is the story of scientific discovery.

Source: http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/12/08/ciencia/1418063781_807253.html

Written presentations

Expository mode: this is used to convey a message that the recipient is intended to reflect upon and analyse.

Characteristics: clarity, conciseness, precision, objectivity, accuracy, correct use of language.

Written presentations

Your first article.

First, ask these two questions:

Have I read sufficient articles, books, etc.?Is my research of the same quality as the articles that I consider good?

It is necessary to be optimistic and positive, but a reality check is advisable: it is unlikely that any of us is the next Einstein!

Written presentations

Each journal has a different format (increasingly less so), and thus the target journal must be selected before starting to write.

How do I choose a journal?

• Absolute and relative impact index (JCR).

• Who is my target audience?

• Look at where leaders in the field publish.

Written presentations

Written presentations

I think I have a good article, should I publish it in an open access journal?

Beware! Only do this if, and only if, it is in the first quartile, otherwise the price will rocket!

As a general rule, if the research is relevant it should be sent to the first quartile (JCR).

The order is less relevant (Q1): the audience is the determining factor.

Nature vs Science

Written presentations

What do the readers look at?

• Abstract-Conclusions-Figures

• They make the decision whether to read or not!

Other factors to take into account:

• Prestige of the institution

• Prestige of the named authors

• Journal quality

Written presentations

Written presentations

Parts of an article:

Title: 1 sentence, 1000 readers

Abstract: 4 sentences, 100 readers

Introduction: 1 page, 100 readers

The problem: ½ a page, 10 readers

The idea: 1 page, 10 readers

Details: 5 pages, 3 readers

Discussion: 2 pages, 10 readers

Conclusions: ½ a page, 100 readers

Parts of an article:

Title: engaging and short.

Accurately reflects content.

Abstract: concisely defines the problem and the merits of our ideas.

Editors use this to select reviewers.

Introduction: states the purpose and area of the research, as well as major

advances.

It provides references to related work published

previously.

Written presentations

Methodology:

• Gives a precise description of the points presented in the introduction, and

expresses the idea before reporting the details.

• It provides sufficient information to enable another researcher to replicate the

experiment.

• Evidence can be: theorems, measurements, case studies, analysis and

comparison.

Written presentations

Results: these show the impact of the results in comparison with

recent studies.

Conclusions: these summarise the most important results in comparison with recent studies.

Acknowledgments

References

Written presentations

Written presentations

2. Conferences

Types of conference presentation:

• Plenary speech

• Key note address

• An oral presentation (15-20 minutes)

• A poster (A0)

Conferences

An oral presentation (20 minutes).

A 15 minute talk followed by 5 minutes of questions.

Important aspects:

• Structure the presentation

• Keep within time limits

• Ensure clarity of presentation

• Use appropriate audiovisual aids

Conferences

Structure of the presentation:

• Introduce the idea/problem (3 minutes)

• Experimental (2 minutes)

• Results and discussion (9 minutes)

• Conclusions and acknowledgments (1 minute)

Conferences

Audio-visual aids:

• Transparencies

• Colours

• Font size

• Beware of tics!

Conferences

Needle coke infiltrated with pure copper

Previous Results

• Thermal conductivity• Thermomechanical testing

Material Characterisation:

MoltenMetal

N2

Gas Exit

Carbon Preform

InfiltrationChamber

Experimental Procedure

Extreme resistance materials from the space to fusion

R. Prieto, M. Duarte, N. Rojo,

J.M. Molina, E. Louis and J. Narciso,

Materials Institute of the University of Alicante (IUMA)

Posters:

• A lot of competition

• Why should people attend my poster?

• Engaging!

• Identification (personal-work)

Conferences

Conferences

Javier Narciso Romeronarciso@ua.es

University Professor Dept. of Inorganic Chemistry