Preparing a lecture
from your research
Karen Henderson
Department of Politics and
International Relations
Aims of the session
To reflect on the challenges and
opportunities presented by the lecture
format;
 To consider how to turn your research
project into an inaugural lecture/a lecture
for a popular audience;
 To consider how/what your research might
qualify you to teach.
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Challenges and opportunities
presented by the lecture format
The challenges:
1. Clarifying the focus
2. Structuring your talk
3. Keeping the audience’s attention
4. Physical and technical hitches
Challenge 1: Clarifying the focus
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Stick to one main message, or two sides of one
argument
Who are your audience?
Which aspect(s) of your work are likely to
engage non-specialists?
What is your original contribution to knowledge?
What are the practical implications of your work?
Challenge 2: Structuring your talk
The start:
Tell them what you are going to tell them
 Remember how much they may need
simple explanation
 Give them a reason to listen
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Challenge 2: Structuring your talk
The structure:
 Title
 Introduction
 Main body (most interesting point; second
most interesting point; third most…etc)
 Conclusion or recap.
Challenge 2: Structuring your talk
In short:
 Tell them what you’re going to tell them
 Tell them
 Tell them what you’ve told them.
Paired discussion
With the person sitting next to you, think of
the best lecture you have attended, and
discuss what made this lecture special?
 Was it the message?
 Was it the lecturer’s delivery style?
 Was it visual support?
 How long was it?
Challenge 3: Keeping the
audience’s attention
Audience attention span limited
 Lecturer needs to make conscious effort to
regain attention
 Some activities possible...
 ...but how homogeneous is your
audience?
 Voice projection, poise and presence
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Good voice production techniques
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Gain your listeners’ attention before speaking
Speak relatively slowly & articulate clearly
Speak at a comfortable pitch and loudness level
Use pitch change rather than loud volume for
emphasis
Maintain good posture
Warm up the voice prior to start
Visual aids
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Powerpoint presentation – for you and them!
Bullet points not statements
Not too colourful
Maps, diagrams, photos
Videos
Are they listening?
Maintain eye contact
 Look at the whole audience
 Diagnose problems
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Challenge 4: Physical and technical
hitches
Familiarise yourself with the space
 Check the equipment
 Have a back up anyway; and print your
powerpoint
 Use a microphone...?
 Check acoustics
 Check visibility
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Challenge 4: Keep yourself
comfortable
Dress appropriately and flexibly
 Lay out your materials carefully
 Keep water at hand
 Eat appropriately beforehand
 Have a strategy in case you panic...
 Work out your timings in advance
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Challenges and opportunities
presented by the lecture format
The opportunities:
 Practice makes perfect
 Raise your academic profile
 Obtain feedback on your work
 Make a difference through your research
 Enhance your employability
Turning your research project into
an inaugural/popular lecture
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Communicate one key message
Focus on an aspect of your work likely to
engage non-specialists as well as specialists in
your field
Be clear in showing what is unique and original
about your work
Show the practical implications of it in a real-life
context
Preparing a lecture from your research:
step 1 (individual reflection) 5 minutes
1.
2.
3.
4.
Try to identify one key message you would want to
communicate about your research.
Which aspect(s) of your work would be most likely to
engage a non-specialist public? Try to identify up to 3
key points of interest and put them in order of most
interesting, second most interesting, third most
interesting (from the audience’s point of view).
What is original about your work?
What are the practical implications of your work?
Preparing a lecture from your research:
step 2 (paired discussion) 10 minutes
In pairs, explain your research to your
partner and discuss what they think you
should present in a lecture
Preparing a lecture from your
research: step 3 (group discussion)
15 minutes
Join another pair to make a group of 4.
Describe to the rest of the group the basis
of your partner’s lecture. In each case,
suggest questions you might want the
answers to. The person who owns the
lecture should note these and use them to
inform planning later. What needs to
change about your original plan?
Teaching
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What are you being asked to do?
Can you do it?
How much prepared material is available?
What will students cover in preceding and subsequent
lectures?
Powerpoint presentations may not be the best handout
Conduct a short recap quiz at the end...
...or maybe at the beginning?
Summary of session
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Considered some of the challenges associated
with giving a lecture & how to overcome them;
Acknowledged the benefits of communicating
your research;
Reflected on which aspects of your research
lend themselves to a lecture;
Considered how to find and prepare for
opportunities for teaching based on your
research.