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How to Give a Talk

How to Give a Talk. Amy Bruckman Georgia Institute of Technology. Start with a Story. Not a joke If you can’t think of a good one, don’t use one Should be evocative of broader themes. Outline. Next, give an outline of the rest of the talk Outline: Preparation Considering the audience

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How to Give a Talk

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  1. How to Give a Talk Amy Bruckman Georgia Institute of Technology

  2. Start with a Story • Not a joke • If you can’t think of a good one, don’t use one • Should be evocative of broader themes

  3. Outline • Next, give an outline of the rest of the talk • Outline: • Preparation • Considering the audience • Making good overheads • Practice talk • Delivery • Answering questions • Demos

  4. Consider Your Audience • Different talks for different people • Level of knowledge • Reason for being interested • Humanities vs. engineering

  5. Structure • This is what I’m going to say • Introduce the problem • Why the problem is important • This is what I’m saying • What you did • What results you got • This is what I just said • Remember to summarize the main point

  6. Beware of Technical Problems • Projectors will generally work now • Not true a few years ago • Backup transparencies still good idea • If you use their machine, how will you get your file onto it? • Often no floppy drive • Putting a copy online is a good backup • Getting a local Internet connection often won’t work • Do technological setup in advance!

  7. Overhead Preparation • Use consistent capitalization • Check spelling • Separate with paper • Include small page numbers for your reference • Don’t cram too much on each slide • Include general talking points, not complete content

  8. Use a Big Font • This is 24 point. I almost never use smaller than this. • This is 18 point. You can get away with it sometimes, but don’t go any smaller. • This is 14 point—way too small. • Why put it up if no one can see it?

  9. Do a Practice Talk • Ask your friends to be critical • Check your timing • Two minutes/overhead is usually right • Don’t try to cram in too much • Videotape yourself

  10. Delivery:Overhead Don’ts • Don’t read your overheads verbatim • Your audience can read • Don’t block the projector/sight lines • Don’t fumble with your overheads • Check for a comfortable place to put them down • Don’t cover up part of the overhead because • Your audience will be distracted

  11. Answering Questions • Make sure you understand the question • Pause before answering • Don’t know? • Suggest how you would investigate • Ask questioner his/her ideas • Too complicated? • Suggest the beginning part of an answer • Put slides back up to help answer

  12. Dealing with Hostile Questions • Don’t pick up on their tone • Don’t be intimidated • Don’t barbecue them

  13. Demos • Set up in advance, on the actual hardware to be used • If it’s really important, have backup transparencies of screen shots • Rehearse • Check timing • Narrate what people can’t see

  14. Acknowledgments • Summarize the main point • Thank appropriate people • People at practice talk • Users • Collaborators

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