Research Methods in Mathematical Sciences
How to deliver a good talk?
Part I – Applied Math
Outline
• General advice
• Before starting: prepare your voice
• Presenting yourself and your challenge
• Applied math: presenting data
Recall that while presenting a talk, we should address four questions
WHY did you do it? (Motivation/Introduction)
HOW did you do it? (Method/Theory)
WHAT did you find? (Results)
WHAT does it mean? (Discussion)
Advice 1 Don´t read
Advice 1 Don´t read … so don´t put too much text or too many figures !!
Advice 1 Don´t read … so don´t put too much text or too many figures !!
Advice 2 Use your voice and body language to enhance your message
• Do not fold your arms
• Look to the audience
• Be enthusiastic
• Walk through stage
• Make eye contact
Advice 3
Tell a story, but don´t be mysterious.
- Let the audience know where you
start and where you finish right from the
beginning
- Use the adequate style and jargon so
that your audience understands the
message
Advice 3
Tell a story, but don´t be mysterious.
- Come to the message as much as possible (synthesis + enabling to catch
up) and makes the big message as nontechnical as possible
- TALK EVOLVES IN TIME
Advice 4 Practice your talk
> improve your ability to
deliver the talk without
reading
> practice to optimise time
and avoid finishing too late
Other advices
- Allow (or not) questions – but let people know
- Try your best to include a figure or a simple image in every slide
- Take home message
- Don´t end late
Prepare your voice: a 10 minute warming up breathing exercise
1. Stretch your neck, stretch your mouth without putting tension in the neck
> goal: eliminate tension in the neck to eliminate tension in the throat
1. Silent diaphragm breathing a-e-i-o-u
2. Mouth-closed loud a-e-i-o-u with neck relaxed
3. A-e-i-o-u mouth open loud
TIPS
• Never lose your breath while talking!
• Breath in the stomach (diaphragm)
• Avoid very hot or very cold beverages
Presenting yourself and your challenge
- My name is …
- This talk is about … (contextualise)
> Give examples, every day life
- Expose the Challenge
- No mysteries: tell the audience what is the outcome of the talk before actually
delivering this talk
- Outline
- Slides should respond to 4 questions (why, how, what, what)
Presenting plots
- Golden rule: always define axes first, and then explain what you are plotting
- Don´t write down what is the data – explain it!
- If too crowded, animate (less is more)
Presenting plots
Working Group tutorial - Sharing good practice
While listening to the following talk, consider the following points
• state the message right away (no mystery)
• use of voice and body language
• use of text and figures
• motivation, pointing the challenge
• use of everyday life examples
• jargon and style
• use a story to transmit the message
Talk 1: Mark Newman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akj4dPLqV3s
Talk 2: Ken Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY