Post on 17-Jul-2020
How to give a research talk
Thomas D. Nielsen
September 2008
How to give a research talk September 2008 1 / 23
The purpose of your talk ...
... is not to
impress the audience with your brainpower
tell them all you know about the topic
present all the technical details
Introduction How to give a research talk September 2008 2 / 23
The purpose of your talk ...
... is to
give the audience a taster for your work
present the key ideas, intuitions, and results
make the audience interested
Introduction How to give a research talk September 2008 3 / 23
Preparing and structuring the presentation
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 4 / 23
Preparing the presentation
Deciding on what to say and what to omit
Who is the primary audience?
If only one thing should be remembered from the talk, what should it be (be specific, what isthe key idea)?
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 5 / 23
Preparing the presentation
Deciding on what to say and what to omit
Who is the primary audience?
If only one thing should be remembered from the talk, what should it be (be specific, what isthe key idea)?
In general
Convey the essential part of your paper, but don’t overwhelm the audience with too much material.
It is better to leave out certain details than to give a superficial treatment of everything or tooverrun your time.
Adopt a nonuniform approach when preparing the presentation.
That does not mean holding back important details - merely omitting less important ones!
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 5 / 23
Structuring the presentation
Guiding the audience
People often use a contents slide:
Introduction
Contents
Introduction
Bayesian networks
Graph concepts
Domain graphs
Triangulated graphs
Join graphs
Join trees
Junction trees
Message passing
Thomas D. Nielsen
How to give a research talk
Reconsider!Instead
it can be useful to show an outline slide at the start of a section, to help the audience stay ontrack (or help those who got distracted or lost to rejoin you).
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 6 / 23
Structuring the presentation
Introduction
Remember: If you bore the audience the first few minutes, you may never get them back ⇒ jumpright in!
Give an example to motivate the problem you are working with!Avoid launching into technical details that will confuse the audience.
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 7 / 23
Structuring the presentation
Introduction
Remember: If you bore the audience the first few minutes, you may never get them back ⇒ jumpright in!
Give an example to motivate the problem you are working with!
Avoid launching into technical details that will confuse the audience.
Conclusion
For conferences, end your presentation with a contributions/conclusions slides to help theaudience remember what to take home from the presentation.
What should be the last thing the audience sees?
Don’t be afraid to include open problems.
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 7 / 23
Structuring the presentation
Introduction
Remember: If you bore the audience the first few minutes, you may never get them back ⇒ jumpright in!
Give an example to motivate the problem you are working with!
Avoid launching into technical details that will confuse the audience.
The body
. . . What to put in . . .
Conclusion
For conferences, end your presentation with a contributions/conclusions slides to help theaudience remember what to take home from the presentation.
What should be the last thing the audience sees?
Don’t be afraid to include open problems.
Preparing and structuring the talk How to give a research talk September 2008 7 / 23
What to put in?
?
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 8 / 23
What (not) to put in?
It is usually difficult to follow highly abstract presentations!
Definition
1 X: mixed n-dimensional random vector. Y = (Y1, . . . , Yd ), Z = (Z1, . . . , Zc) its discrete andcontinuous parts. A function f : ΩX 7→ R
+0 is a Mixture of Truncated Exponentials potential
(MTE potential) if for each fixed value y ∈ ΩY of the discrete variables Y, the potential overthe continuous variables Z is defined as:
f (z) = a0 +m
X
i=1
ai exp
8
<
:
cX
j=1
b(j)i zj
9
=
;
for all z ∈ ΩZ, where ai , b(j)i are real numbers.
2 f is an MTE potential if there is a partition D1, . . . , Dk of ΩZ into hypercubes and in each Di , fis defined as above.
Ask yourself
Have I illustrated this concept/definition/theorem . . . with an example?
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 9 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8 8
1 2
3 4
765
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8 8
1 2
3 4
765
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
Examples
Use examples to motivate and help the audience
Convey basic intuition
Illustrate main idea
Show extreme cases
. . .
Triangulation
Triangulation by elimination
1 2
3 4
765
8
1 2
3 4
765
8
Eliminating a node: Make all its noneliminated neighbors complete and remove the node.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 10 / 23
What (not) to put in?
People can only read or take in very limited information: six or seven things on a slide is quiteenough.
Slides shouldn’t repeat what you plan to say, but rather emphasize it.
Plan to talk about what’s on the slides rather than read them.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 11 / 23
What (not) to put in?
People can only read or take in very limited information: six or seven things on a slide is quiteenough.
Slides shouldn’t repeat what you plan to say, but rather emphasize it.
Plan to talk about what’s on the slides rather than read them.
Contents
Don’t overwhelm the audience with mathematical details. Remember to explain the(non-standard) notation being used. Maybe include a few backup slides.
Technical details
Q =1
2
NX
i=1
tr (Γ−1yi
E(XXT| Di ) +
NX
i=1
µTyi
Γ−1y1
E(X | Di ) −
|sp(Y )|X
h=1
#yh
2µ
Tyh
Γ−1yh
µyh− . . .
Use descriptive slide titles.
Avoid a presentation that is just dozens of pages of text.
Use figures! But be also sure to explain them.
Use colors (when it is meaningful).
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 11 / 23
What (not) to put in?
People can only read or take in very limited information: six or seven things on a slide is quiteenough.
Slides shouldn’t repeat what you plan to say, but rather emphasize it.
Plan to talk about what’s on the slides rather than read them.
Rule of thumb: about 2–3 minutes pr. slide.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 11 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively unless
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively unless there
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively unless there is
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively unless there is a
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively unless there is a point.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
Working out the slides
Style
Do not use non-single-color backgrounds, transition effects, and similar eye candy. It shift thefocus from what is important, the contents.
Avoid jitter when using overlays.
Avoid using the reveal technique too excessively unless there is a point.
Use a sans-serif font for your slides.
Handwritten slides are fine, but use permanent ink.
What to include? How to give a research talk September 2008 12 / 23
The presentation
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 13 / 23
The presentation
Point at the screen not at the laptop
Speak to someone at the back of the room
Make eye contact with the audience (don’t talk to thescreen). This makes them more “involved” and alsohelps you “read” their reactions.
Use rehearsal talks, rehearsal talks, rehearsal talks,. . .
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 14 / 23
The presentation
Point at the screen not at the laptop
Speak to someone at the back of the room
Make eye contact with the audience (don’t talk to thescreen). This makes them more “involved” and alsohelps you “read” their reactions.
Use rehearsal talks, rehearsal talks, rehearsal talks,. . .
Most importantly: Be enthusiastic!
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 14 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 15 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 16 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 17 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 18 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 19 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 20 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 21 / 23
Looking up material
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 22 / 23
References
A couple of references
Michael Ernst, Giving a technical presentation (giving a talk), January, 2005 (revised February2008). http://people.csail.mit.edu/mernst/advice/giving-talk.html.
S. L. P. Jones, J. Hughes, and J. Launchbury. How to give a good research talk, ACMSIGPLAN Notices, Vol. 28, No. 11, pp 9–12, November 1993.
I. Parberry. How to present a paper in theoretical computer science: A speaker’s guide tostudents. ACM SIGACT News, Vol. 31, Issue 1, pp. 77–86, March 2000.
The presentation How to give a research talk September 2008 23 / 23