Writing Class 9.1.pptx

7/27/2019 Writing Class 9.1.pptx

1/23

Preparing and Giving Oral Presentations

Todays agenda:

1. Course evaluation

2. General principles for oral presentations


2/23

Tell a story

An oral presentation has the same elements that are

in written papers (including Acknowledgments) but

generally without references.

1. Introduction

2. Methods

3. Results

4. Conclusion/Summary


3/23


4/23

Methods

1. Describe the important methodstry mixing:

Cartoons (simple line-drawings)

Schematics

Photographs

Text

2. Find simple ways to express complex methods.

3. Minimize the number of words. People will readthem and not listen to you!


5/23

Results1. Only show results relevant to the story.

2. Graphsmake sure they are simple and clean but

avoid graphs that show too little information.

3. Use tables cautiouslythey often contain more

information than you really want to present.

4. Avoid negative spaceuse photos or other thingsto fill the space and add content.


6/23

Figures

1. If appropriate, show the audience what your

animal(s) looks like.

2. Choose sharp colorful images, preferably taken

live in the field.

3. If borrowed from the Internet or taken from a

publication, dont forget to provide a credit-line in

the margin.4. If appropriate, consider building an image with

multiple slides to add complexity.


7/23

Steelhead life-cycle

Ocean Freshwater

Estuary


8/23

Steelhead life-cycle

Ocean Freshwater

Estuary

Are the sizes at ocean entry of juvenile steelhead from

upstream and estuary habitats different?

Is there size-dependent mortality at sea?Do estuary-reared juveniles recruit disproportionately

to the adult population?

Is there differential growth between the two habitats?


9/23

Graphs

1. Make sure graphs can be read:

Use a simple font, not something weird

Symbols (squares, diamonds, etc.) should be big

Use a large fontthink of the person in the back2. Take time to explain all axes.

3. Explain/describe the take home message implied

by each graph.4. Colors should be consistent among graphs and not

too complicated.


10/23

0

250

500

750

1000

10 25 50 70

Afternoon: N = 1520

0

250

500

750

1000

10 25 50 70

Evening: N = 1795

0

250

500

750

1000

1250

10 25 50 70

Night: N = 2440

0

250

500

750

1000

10 25 50 70

Dawn: N = 1951

0

250

500

750

1000

10 25 50 70

Morning: N = 1580

Anglerfish catches

were low in the

afternoon, peaked at

midnight, and then

decreased in the

morning.

Overall, most fish

were caught at a

depth of 25 m.

Catches in 10 m onlyoccurred at night.

Diel catches of

anglerfish

OK, but a bit wordy

and complicated


11/23

0

250

500750

1000

1250

10 25 50 70

Night: N = 2440

0

250

500750

1000

10 25 50 70

Morning: N = 1580

Catches of anglerfish were low in the afternoon, they

peaked at midnight, and then decreased.

There was also a shift toward shallower water at night.

Diel catches of anglerfish

Depth (m)

Abundance


12/23

0

250

500750

1000

1250

10 25 50 70

Night: N = 2440

0

250

500750

1000

10 25 50 70

Morning: N = 1580

Catches of anglerfish were low in the afternoon, they

peaked at midnight, and then decreased.

There was also a shift toward shallower water at night.

Diel catches of anglerfish

Depth (m)

Abundance

Bars with

different

colors can

convey

information


13/23

Tables

Use sparingly

depth (m) afternoon evening night dawn morning Grand Total

10 203.7 180.9 189.6 175.4 214.6 184.525 198.3 210.2 213.6 202.2 185.7 200.6

50 223.3 231.9 233.6 225.5 226.4 228.8

70 262.0 255.9 261.6 260.4 259.3 259.9

total 218.2 213.6 211.2 206.4 208.8 211.4


14/23

Tables

depth (m) afternoon evening night dawn morning Grand Total

10 203.7 180.9 189.6 175.4 214.6 184.5

25 198.3 210.2 213.6 202.2 185.7 200.6

50 223.3 231.9 233.6 225.5 226.4 228.8

70 262.0 255.9 261.6 260.4 259.3 259.9

total 218.2 213.6 211.2 206.4 208.8 211.4

If you must show tables:

1. Highlight pertinent results2. Make font large enough to read

3. Avoid excessive decimal places

4. Take the time to explain the table


15/23

Conclusions

1. Parallel to the Discussion in a paper.

2. Use the pyramid technique:

First interpret the results in light of the hypotheses,then put them in the context of broader literature.

3. Use bullets with key points:Explain each bullet thoroughly, and minimize the

number of words and lines.


16/23

Practice your talk!

1. Does your time exceed what is allowed and did you

leave time at the end for questions?

2. What points will you cover for each slide? A goodrule of thumb is one slide per minute, unless you are

showing photos or graphs with the same x- and y-

axes.

3. Resist the temptation to keep adding material.Beyond a point, the audience will not remember any

more, and will often remember less.


17/23

Common mistakes in oral presentations

1. Not enough introduction

Dont start mid-paragraph

2. Too much textReading from slides word for wordavoid like the plague!

3. Talking to the screen

Look at your audience, make eye contact

4. Fonts too small or weird (this is inappropriate)Use sans-serif fonts (calibri or arial)5. Distracting colors

Avoid red-green combination; aim for contrast

6. Spelling errors

Proofreed everything (again)

7. Abrupt style changes between sections

Check transitions between all sections

8. Technological incompatibility

Check for Mac/PC hiccups


18/23

Overall format and color schemes

Decide on a simple format and stick to it:1. Light background and dark letters or vice versa.

2. Make sure there is good contrast.

3. Be consistent in font placement, size and style.

4. Be careful of certain color combinations.

Red on blue is hard

to read

Yellow on white is

hard to read

Blue on red is hard

to read


19/23http://www.toledo-bend.com/colorblind/Ishihara.asp

Color blindness: What do you see?

The Ishihara test


20/23

Oral paper presentations

On Wednesday, each of you will give a PowerPoint

presentation on the research project youve been

working on during the quarter. Please limit your talk to6 minutes, allowing 1 or 2 minutes for questions and/or

comments. All of us will grade each talk.


21/23

Oral paper presentations on Wednesday

Were all going to grade each otherheres the grading scheme:

4.0 Outstanding in all respects: clearly spoken, well-organized,informative introduction, understandable methods, good graphics,

sound conclusions, on time (A).

3.7 Excellent presentation: strong in all respects but with one or more

aspects showing some weakness (A-).

3.3 Very good presentation: strong overall but weak in some areas suchas graphics, clarity of ideas and logic, organization (B+).

3.0 Good presentation: sound in general but some conspicuous

weaknesses in important areas such of organization, logic and

graphics (B).

2.7 Pretty good presentation: a good effort but quite weak in several

areas (B-).

2.3 Fair presentation: difficult to follow, graphics unclear, not logical (C+).

2.0 Weak presentation: little effort made to understand, organize and

present the information (C).


22/23

Name 2.0 2.3 2.7 3.0 3.3 3.7 4.0

Sydni Baumgart

Jessica Blanchette

Rachel Ellison

Sarah Friedman

Chris Hui

Garrett Knoll

Adrienne McColl

Alex Nanni

Zack Oyafuso

Andrew Wilson

Oral Presentation Grade Sheet


23/23

Assignment for Wednesday:1. Read the book on PowerPoint presentations,

pages 215226.

1. Work on your presentation, practice your delivery,and get the timing down.

2. E-mail me a copy of your presentation sometime

before 2:15 on Wednesday.

Writing Class 9.1.pptx

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Transcript of Writing Class 9.1.pptx