How to Give a Talk
Stephen Gilbert
June 30, 2015
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You’ll be giving a talk…
Wed, July 15, 1-4pm
to USC ICT’s REU site on
interactive virtual experiences:
http://ict.usc.edu/reu/
8 interns there, each with own talk.
You talk in teams of 3.
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Doesn’t talking come naturally?
No.
It can be scary.
It can be boring, even soporific.
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Doesn’t talking come naturally?
No.
It can be scary.
It can be boring, even soporific.
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What are you trying to tell to your audience?
You’re a passionate analytical authority.
Oh, and by the way…
Your message.
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Outline
Structure of a Talk
Technique
PowerPoint
Practice Activity
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Messages
Please have 1-3 messages to convey.
Each could be said in 30 seconds.
Facebook Participation
Increases Isolation Within Rural
Communities.
Our method of usability testing
using bluetooth is better than
existing methods.
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Non-Useful Messages
I’m running out of time.
I’m sorry…
I did this, and this, and this, and that.
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Sample Outline for an Academic Talk
Title/author/affiliation (1 slide)
Motivation and Problem Statement (1-2)
Why should anyone care?
Outline of talk (1)
Suggest you have an innovative solution
Related Work (0-1)
Cover superficially or omit; refer people to your paper
Methods (1)
Results (4-6)
Do not superficially cover all results; cover key result well.
Do not just present numbers; interpret them to give insights.
No large tables.
Summary (1)
Future Work (0-1)
Backup Slides (0-3)
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The Real Outline
What’s the problem?
What have you done about it? (big picture)
How are you different than other people?
What did you do really? (details)
How did you solve the problem?
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Outline for an 8-minute REU talk
Title/author/affiliation (1 slide)
Motivation and Problem Statement (1 slide)
Why should anyone care? Suggest you have a solution.
Related Work (1 slide)
Cover quickly; refer people to your paper.
Methods (1, 2 if really needed)
Results (2-3 slides probably)
Do not superficially cover lots of results; cover 1-2 key results well.
Do not just present numbers; interpret them to give insights.
No large tables of numbers
Summary (1)
What have you just told them? What's your contribution?
Future Work (0 -1 slides)
Where is this going next? (only if there’s time)
Backup Slides (0-3)
Have these ready in case people ask questions. Usually charts/diagrams.
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Don’t delay the message
Worse
Better
First, there was the mouse.
Then other interfaces…
I’m working on the iPhone…
My contribution is…
A problem to be solved is…
My contribution is…
Why does this matter?
First there was the mouse…
Build
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Story Arc with Signposting
Level of interest
What’s the problem?
What’s the goal of this talk?
Where are we headed next?
Background – How does this help me?
Example 1
Are we there yet?
Time
Example 2
Are we there yet?
Example 3
Are we there yet? YES!
Summary
Implications, Next steps, Save the world
Thank you. Questions?
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An effective academic talk must:
Communicate arguments and evidence
Persuade your audience they’re true
Be interesting and entertaining
What’s that mean?
From Paul Edwards’ How to Give an Academic Talk
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Tips
From
Paul Edwards’
How to Give
an Academic
Talk
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Tips for your Voice
Breathe right (from gut, not chest)
When you inhale, your stomach should push
out.
puh! tuh! kuh!
Loud and deep
Silence
Repeat phrases
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Keep control of talk
Rehearse, including jokes & tech
Bring backup notes
No need to apologize
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Learn from Great Speakers
TED Talks (ted.com)
Ignite talks (igniteShow.com)
iTunes U
And from bad ones
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Slide Advice
PowerPoint
Keynote
Prezi
Google Docs
Slide Rocket
Impress
…
David Byrne
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Less is more
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Conscience decision
Right now,
Should they look at me or the screen?
Do my words need any visual aid?
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Sometimes…
Good: Short, short bullet points
Next best: Headline, no bullets
Best: Just a picture, chart
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Privacy: in public vs. private
Expectations of privacy depend on:
Context
Ease of access to data
The person
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Privacy: in public vs. private
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Another Example
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Hello, Grandma?
Yes, hello Marco!
Do you like your
birthday gift?
Why, yes, I do!
The new iPhone is so cool!
I just jailbroke it and
installed Linux on it.
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Pedestrian Deaths
Sorted
by per
capita
Highest in
Florida
overall
Lowest in
Delaware
overall
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Last tips
Use a remote control.
Never give a demo live.
Don’t look at the screen
(your back’s to the audience).
Don’t read your slides.
Do look at someone.
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Sum Up
Passion & Style, not just content
Tight messages
Tell a story – Signposting!
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Improv Activity
Get in pairs.
Each pair draws a topic from the bowl.
Each pair has 6 minutes to prepare a 3-minute talk where
both speak.
Your outline: Here’s a problem, 2-3 solutions
Listening pair gives feedback: 2 min
6 min
3 min
2 min
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3 min
2…
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