Welcome to Econnect Communication’s May 2005 newsletter on presenting science.

We run presentation skills workshop for scientists and others involved in technical issues all around the country, and this newsletter includes some ideas from these workshops.

Terri, one of our valued team members at Econnect, is about to head off overseas for a stint – we’re not sure how long and we hope she comes back soon!

Terri puts this newsletter together every month – editing, design and distribution. It will take awhile for the rest of us to get up to speed (and Michelle and Jenni head off to China for a few weeks on June 20), so expect our next newsletter in July rather than June.

As usual, we welcome any feedback you have about this newsletter.

Regards,

Econnect Communication

Jenni Metcalfe, Michelle Riedlinger, Terri Telford, Lynne Goodwin

Presenting science is more than just content… it’s also about style!

By Jenni Metcalfe

A good presentation is not simply a good paper well read. It's different - in structure, content, length, and intention. Talks are delivered at one-third the pace that the audience can read; they cannot be re-read to check facts; and they may make use of a variety of visual techniques to carry or enhance the message being conveyed.

Differences between papers and presentations

The best presenters bring enthusiasm to their presentations. You can forgive a presenter just about anything if they are enthusiastic.

Presentations about science are always a battle of Detail versus Clarity versus Time. Speakers try to cram in too much detail, and end up obscuring their main message or gobbling out the last sections to finish on time (or worse - running over time).

The MOST important part of any presentation is always the AUDIENCE. Good presenters start by thinking of them rather than how they are going to fit all their scientific information into a PowerPoint presentation.

But what makes for a good presenter?

If you look at the following list of characteristics for effective speakers and categorise each item according to whether it relates to content, style or visuals, you’ll find that style is the most important element separating an effective speaker from a less effective one. While the substance or content is critically important, the way it is delivered separates the great speakers from the just OK or boring speakers. Notice that visual aids are the least important element in an effective presentation. But, where do most presenters start their preparation? What do they rely on the most?

Characteristics of an effective speaker

         Enthusiastic - style

         Engages the audience – style/content/visuals

         Uses eye contact - style

         Uses natural gestures – style

         Appropriate use of humour - style

         Uses language suitable to the audience – style/content

         Is relevant to the audience - content

         Delivers interesting relevant information that sticks to the topic - content

         Well structured, clearly ordered information - content

         Uses visuals that add impact or help explain a complex concept - visuals

A less effective speaker

         Fiddles with objects - style

         Ums and ahs - style

         Tends to look away from the audience - style

         Reads the presentation - style

         Uses too many visual aids - visuals

         Has cluttered, hard to read visual aids - visuals

         Speaks in a monotone voice - style

         Has an illogical arrangement of ideas - content

         Tries to fit in too much information or detail – content

         Goes over time – content/style/visuals

Remember

         90 percent of what you say will be forgotten within 24 hours

         People speak at about 150 words a minutes but think at 600-700 words a minute

         People can’t remember more than five things from a presentation – and are more likely to remember only three

Quotes and extracts

“… speakers generally have a problem with their speeches. They are badly written, they are over-complicated. They read them, they ignore the audience, there is absolutely no energy in the presentation and they are grim. And if you ever walk into a conference and you see these serious-faced, stony-faced people standing up, reading papers that the audience is reading along with them, then you know there is something seriously wrong with the system. Truth works in communication. Sincerity always works in communication - a more casual, relaxed, direct style of speaking.” (From The Secrets of the Great Communicators, Peter Thompson)

What is the audience thinking about?
A US investigation checked out what the audience was thinking about at sporadic intervals during a speech. “Only 12 per cent where actually listening, 20 per cent were indulging in sexual fantasies, another 20 per cent were reminiscing and the rest were worrying, daydreaming, thinking about lunch or – surprise – religion.” (From article in The Australian Magazine, October 22-23, 1994)

The man behind the mask

If one person really knew what Australian audiences expect from their speakers, it was Campbell McComas. After all, he was out to fool them. But that’s not all he was doing. Although he made his living hoaxing audiences, creating characters to suit the occasion… the main reason for his success was that for him, the speech was the thing. The hoax was secondary.

“The hoax doesn’t drive what I do. The main thing is to be entertaining, informative and appropriate to the particular audience. The key is to come up with something they will enjoy and feel has been written for them. I key into the jargon the audience understands, get into their issues, their views.”

While most speakers must learn the art of presenting their own character to whole range of audiences, McComas, from Melbourne, had to mould the perfect speaker and speech for each new audience. And it was his careful three-month’s preparation that allowed him to get away with the hoax without antagonising his audience. (From article in The Australian Magazine, October 22-23, 1994)

Waves: the physics of survival

Celebrate the International Year of Physics at 7pm Thursday 16 June at the Terminus Hotel, South Brisbane.

Watch and participate in exciting physics demos concerning the role of waves. Find the answers to questions like: How do microwave ovens work? How are sound waves carried? What can we do with light? How are earthquakes measured and what are the implications?

The night will be hosted by University of Queensland science communication postgraduate students enrolled in the subject “Presenting Science”.

There will be a pub quiz and raffle with physics prizes.

For more information or RSVPs email michelle@econnect.com.au or s316728@student.uq.edu.au