PHOP 6160 Physiological Optics & Vision Science · 2017-09-21 · How to Introduce a Speaker •...
Transcript of PHOP 6160 Physiological Optics & Vision Science · 2017-09-21 · How to Introduce a Speaker •...
PHOP 6160
Physiological Optics & Vision Science
Instructors: Dr. Lisa Ostrin & Dr. Vijay Raghunathan
Dr. Nimesh Patel
https://www.opt.uh.edu/onlinecoursematerials/PHOP6160/
Agenda
• Course objectives
• Purpose
• Course requirements
• Presentation schedule
• Tips on giving an effective presentation
Course Objectives
• Write an ARVO-style abstract on the research to be
presented
• Develop a scientific power-point presentation
• Deliver scientific presentations to an audience of
scientists with a variety of backgrounds
• Formulate and ask questions for the speaker
• Critically evaluate presentations and offer constructive
feedback
Why Bother Giving a Good Talk
• First impressions matter!
• It’s important to tell others about your work and its
significance
– Advertises you & your lab
– Builds reputation
– Helps promote your career
Communication during your Career
Why Bother Giving a Good Talk
• Good practice for any career
• Can serve as a tool to help you organize your ideas
and work
What they have in common:
• Focus on a clear message
• All of them are a reflection of you!
Course Requirements: When you are presenting!
1. Identify a research topic/paper for presentation
2. Write an independent abstract
3. Submit by Noon on the Friday before your presentation:
• Finalized independent abstract
• Complementary research article
• NIH style Biosketch
4. Seminar Length
>2nd year students: ~40 minutes
1st year students: ~25 minutes
Abstract
Requirements:
1. Use ARVO format headings of Purpose, Methods, Results,
Conclusions and Support
2. The maximum abstract length is 2500 characters,
including title and the abstract body
3. Do not copy the abstract from a paper you are presenting.
Please write your own
Be personable taking questions
• First, repeat the question
• If you don’t know the answer say “I don’t know, I will have to look into that.”
• If the questioner disagrees with you and it looks like there will be an argument, defuse the situation (Moderator can help)
• Never insult the questioner
Course Requirements: when NOT presenting
1. Before the seminar, submit a written question that you
could ask the speaker
2. End of the seminar, complete/submit an evaluation form
3. Ask at least two questions of any speaker in each semester
of seminar
The Moderator’s Job
• Introduce the speaker
– Purpose: prepare the audience and heighten their anticipation
• Control the question period at the conclusion of the talk
– Sequence: Begin by soliciting questions from the students, and then the faculty
– Be prepared to ask the first question
– Be prepared to move the questioning along if necessary
• Thank the speaker at the conclusion of their talk and at the end of the question period
How to Introduce a Speaker
• Resist relying on memory
– Gather information from the speaker (biosketch and informal interview)
– Draft your remarks in bullet form and talk from them
• Incorporate 3 elements
– Speaker’s name, credentials, topic and its importance to the audience
• Keep it brief and complementary
– Give the audience some information that will make them want to listen to the speaker
How to Introduce a Speaker
• Humanize the speaker
– Tell the audience something interesting about the speaker that you’ve learned (from the biosketch or informal interview)
• Resist clichés
– “Without further ado.....” OR “A speaker who needs no introduction....”
– Instead use: “It gives me great pleasure to present.....” OR “Please join me in welcoming.....”
Finally, what to do if you are being introduced
• Appear interested and attentive
– Don’t study your fingernails or seem engrossed in your notes
– Be sure to look happy to be there
Attendance is Mandatory
What happens if you get an excused absence?
1. Attend another lecture series
2. Complete a 500 word summary of the presentation
3. Complete seminar evaluation form
FALL Semester 2016
SPRING Semester 2017
Nervous???
Preparation is key!
Preparation is key!
Questions?
Powerpoint basics:
1. What font to use
AVOID USING ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
BECAUSE IT’S REALLY HARD TO READ!
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Dark letters against a light background work.
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Light letters against a dark background also work.
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Many experts feel that a dark blue or black background
works best for talks in a large room.
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Avoid red-green combinations because a significant fraction of
the human population is red-green colorblind.
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Avoid red-green combinations because a large fraction of the human population is red-green colorblind.
Lots of people can’t read this –
and even if they could, it makes your eyes hurt.
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
Other color combinations can be equally bad:
Powerpoint basics:
2. Color
View your slides in grayscale to ensure that there is adequate
color contrast in each slide (View > Color/Grayscale) .
Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Keep the layout and style as consistent as possible.
Every slide should have a heading.
Powerpoint basics:
3. Layout
Limit text blocks to no more than
two lines each.
The structure of a good talk: start broad, get specific,
and end broad
The structure of a good talk: start broad, get specific,
and end broad
Start with the biggest questions and get progressively more specific. State your Hypothesisand Specific Aims or Purpose.
The structure of a good talk: start broad, get specific,
and end broad
The middle is the meat of the talk…
The structure of a good talk: start broad, get specific,
and end broad
The middle is also the time at which the audience tends to zone out
…but talks are delivered to audiences
with limited attention spans
Audience attention curve
The structure of a good talk: start broad, get specific,
and end broad
Nontechnical
Generaltechnical
Specialist
After going into depth, come back to your home slide to make transitions
Organizing a great talk
Remember this mantra:
1) Tell them what you are going to tell them
2) Tell them
3) Tell them what you told them
Organizing a great talk
At the end of your talk:
It is always a good idea to acknowledge people who helped you
and thank the people who invited you to give a talk
Acknowledge your grant support – include any CORE grant
modules (and people) that you used
There is more to giving a good talk than showing
good slides
Do face the audience and make eye contact
Do vary the tone of your voice and show enthusiasm
Don’t pace up and down but also don’t stand rigid!
Don’t wave your pointer all over the slide
Avoid making distracting sounds (e.g., Ummmm, Ahhhhh) or
jingling your keys while you talk
There is more to giving a good talk than showing
good slides
Do practice beforehand, preferably using a timer
Do ask your friends for feedback
Don’t use too many gimmicks
Here are some of the things many listeners
want from a talk:
CONTENT
Conveys new information
Poses an interesting question
Conveys how people in other fields think
Describes important ideas
Novel discovery
CLARITY AND ORGANIZATION
Understandable
Avoids jargon
Uses clear and simple visual aids
Well organized
Enables me to catch up if I space out
Doesn’t run over time
STYLE AND DELIVERY
Keeps me awake
Varies voice
Conveys enthusiasm
Doesn’t stay in one place
Friendly and approachable
EXPERTISE
Credible
Inspires trust and confidence
Answers questions clearly