How to Convert your Paper into a Presentation

Transcription

1 Hw t Cnvert yur Paper int a Presentatin During yur cllege career, yu may be asked t present yur academic wrk in the classrm, at cnferences, r at special events. Tw types f talks are cmmn in academia: presentatins in the classrm (including Hnrs Thesis presentatins) and cnference presentatins. Bth frmats can be challenging because they may require yu t cndense a much lnger paper int a 15 t 20 minute presentatin. Hwever, learning t present yur wrk is an imprtant academic exercise because it allws yu t share yur research, ideas, and arguments with a wider audience. It als invites critical engagement with yur wrk, which in turn enables yu t imprve yur writing and thinking. Because many presentatins include visual elements (e.g. Pwer Pint), this handut ffers guidelines fr cnverting a written paper int a talk and creating visual material that is apprpriate fr yur tpic. General tips Many classes in cllege require a lengthy research paper, and yu may be asked t present yur research t yur classmates befre yu have t turn in yur final paper. This is a great pprtunity t receive feedback and t plish yur argument fr the final submissin. Hwever, the fllwing questin usually arises: Hw d I summarize a 10 t 15-page paper fr a 15 t 20-minute talk? Belw are sme tips and guidelines t help yu thrugh this prcess. Types f Delivery Typically, there are tw ways f presenting: yu are either using ntes t guide yu thrugh yur presentatin, r yu read yur paper. TALKING WITH NOTES: This can be tricky, as yu may find yurself expanding n certain pints mre than thers, alng with lsing track f the rder f yur argument. It is imperative that yu create a dcument that clearly and equally divides yur intrductin and thesis, yur main pints f evidence, and yur cnclusin. The nly way t avid ging ver time (and/r lsing track f the rder f yur argument) is t practice yur talk. Mrever, it means that yu will have t pick majr pints instead f incrprating everything yu have written.

2 Duke Writing Studi 2 READING THE PAPER: It takes abut 2 t 2.5 minutes t read ne page (duble-spaced, 12 pint fnt), s if yu plan t read yur paper ut lud, then it shuld take n lnger t read it than the maximum time alltted. (Fr example, fr a 15 minute presentatin, yur paper shuld be apprximately 6 pages lng). This paper is t be heard, nt read! When yu are preparing yur draft fr the presentatin, keep in mind that yur audience will rely n listening cmprehensin, nt reading cmprehensin. That means that yur ideas need t be clear and t the pint, and rganized in a way that makes it pssible fr yur audience t fllw yu. Remember t d the fllwing: Intrduce yurself (unless yu have already been intrduced) State yur thesis clearly Tell yur audience why this tpic is relevant Make sure yu tell yur audience what awaits them. Give them a radmap f the talk, even if it seems redundant t yu. (Fr example: First I will first cnsider AAA and its relatin t HHH, and then I will mve n t UUU. I will cnclude my discussin with JJJ and GGG. ) While yu may have incrprated a lt f qutes in yur paper, it is much mre difficult t cite ther schlars in a presentatin. If pssible, try t use yur wn wrds. When a qutatin is necessary t make yur pint, use a signal phrase t intrduce the surce t yur audience. Fr example, yu can say: As therist Sandra Smebdy states r Therist Sandra Smebdy has argued that If yu want t cnvey a general pinin peple in a schlarly field share and especially if yu want t pint ut yur schlarly interventin it is imprtant t let yur audience knw that yu understand the central argument the ther schlars are making befre stating yur wn psitin. One way t address this kind f situatin is the fllwing: Schlars agree that ZZZ causes FFF. Hwever, I prpse that. Dn t frget abut the cnclusin. Yur audience has just listened t many f yur arguments and bservatins, but they may have already frgtten sme f them. Make sure t remind them hw yu came t yur cnclusin and why yur schlarly interventin and analysis matter. Fr example, yu can start yur cnclusin by stating: As my presentatin tday has shwn, SSSS s relatinship t HHH is cntingent n # factrs (a,b,c). By way f cnclusin, I wuld like t argue that (summarize yur main pints and give yur cnclusin). Incrprating SLIDES/VISUAL material Depending n yur field f study r the nature f the cnference, yu will need t shw sme visual and textual material during yur presentatin. A successful visual presentatin shuld be in sync with the spken part f yur presentatin. Yu can crdinate yur talking/reading pints with yur visual presentatin by marking yur paper whenever yu will shw a next slide. There are cuntless ways t d s, but here is ne example: ZZZ stands in clse t relatin t HHH. (SLIDE) As a study frm 2008 has shwn

3 Duke Writing Studi 3 Make sure that yu address the visual material n the screen. D nt assume that the audience will get it. Many peple may still be thinking abut yur previus pint and need yur directin t understanding the relevance f the visuals yu are shwing. Pinting ut what yur listeners are lking at allws them t fllw yur argument, and perhaps, even better understand it! When yu have imprtant pints t share, it can be helpful t put text n the slides. Because yur audience is listening t yu, and als reading, try t keep the written part shrt. Reading all yur pints frm the slides can be tedius fr yur audience, s shrt summaries (apprximately 2-5 wrds) may wrk best. T much text verwhelms yur listeners. If yur slides include writing, make sure the fnt size is large enugh and that the clr f the fnt wrks well with the backgrund. Legibility is key. SPELL CHECK! It is very easy t verlk typs when yu integrate visuals, but the audience members can see them. A typ can undermine yur whle prfessinal demeanr. Be sure t prfread. Give yur audience time t lk at the slide. D nt hastily mve n. Yu may have lked at yur slides many times, but yur audience needs time t absrb them and understand why each slide is relevant. Be selective when yu chse yur images/visuals/graphs. Ask yurself: des this visual demnstrate my argument? Hw des it relate t my pint? Overall appearance f the visual presentatin Keep it simple. While it is nice t have engaging visual graphics in the backgrund f yur slides, they can be distracting. Make sure that whatever theme yu pick actually wrks with the material yu are presenting. Smetimes less is mre. Be visually cnsistent. If yu put titles belw graphs/visuals fr example, then make sure yu d it the same way fr every slide. It shws prfessinalism and care fr yur presentatin. Use high quality images. Smetimes it is easiest t find images nline t use fr presentatins. Hwever, the quality varies dramatically, and smetimes yu may need t scan images in rder t retain a prfessinal lk. It is therefre imprtant t begin preparing yur presentatin well in advance and avid last minute additins f lwreslutin images.

4 Duke Writing Studi 4 Practice Makes Perfect The mst imprtant thing t d is t practice yur talk. The exercise f reading the paper ut lud will help yu find mistakes in yur draft, such as misspellings and unfinished sentences, and it will help yu judge the general flw and cherence. If yu are nt reading a paper, make sure yu knw yur pints, and their rder, well. Practicing yur presentatin will make yu mre cnfident, as yu will becme intimately familiar with the majr terms yu are using and yur wn writing and thinking style. The mre yu practice, the easier it will be t lk up at yur audience, shwing them that yu care abut having their attentin. The mre engaged an audience member is, the mre successful yur presentatin will be. D nt g ver yur alltted time. Practicing yur talk is the nly way yu can make sure yu remain within the time yu are given. Time yurself. Try t make it a minute shrter than yur alltted time! N matter hw interesting and imprtant extra material seems t yu, the audience members, and especially the rganizers, d nt want t listen t mre than they need t. Mst likely, ther schlars are giving papers right after yu, and yu d nt want t appear as if yu think yur wrk deserves mre time. Peple usually d nt cmplain abut presentatins being t shrt. GROUP PRESENTATIONS: If yu are presenting with a clleague, practicing and designing the talk tgether will ensure that yu are n the same page with yur c-presenter. The cmbinatin f yur parts shuld be seamless and cnsistent. Yu may want t change the fnt size f yur printed paper r ntes t at least 14 pint. Smetimes rms are nt well lit, which makes it difficult t read. The Culture f Cnference Papers Cnferences are great pprtunities t netwrk, learn frm thers, and present yur wrk t ther academic prfessinals and intellectuals. This can be an intimidating task, but as with any challenge, preparatin makes it easier. Here are a few additinal tips n hw t present yur wrk and yurself in this scial cntext. When yu cmmunicate via with an rganizer f a panel r the rganizers f yur Hnrs Thesis presentatin, make sure t be prmpt, precise, and prfessinal in yur crrespndences. If they ask fr a draft f yur paper tw weeks befre the presentatin, make sure yu can deliver it (r tell them in advance if yu cannt meet the deadline). If yu exhibit respectful and respnsible behavir during yur dealings with the rganizers, they will mst likely return that kind f behavir.

5 Duke Writing Studi 5 Dn t let yur presentatin g like this! ( When yu are at a cnference, exhibit cnfidence and excitement, and stay clse t yur grup f presenters in the frnt. Make sure t intrduce yurself t the chair(s) f the sessin, and be ready t meet and greet a lt f peple wh may ask yu the same questins ver and ver again. Avid unnecessary delays. Have yur presentatin printed (r n an ipad r ther device) and yur digital file ready. D nt wait until the last minute t finish yur visual presentatin, and make sure yur file is nt crrupted r t large t be played. Cnferences are very time sensitive and technical difficulties ccur regularly, s yu d nt want t add any extra stress t the rganizers f yur panel. Dress the part. Depending n the cnference yu are attending, the dress cde may vary significantly. Try t dress apprpriately and in a way that will make yu feel cmfrtable as well as prfessinal. This will give yu mre cnfidence.

6 Duke Writing Studi 6 Q&A: Fr many schlars, this is the mst terrifying part f the presentatin. What if yu d nt knw the answer t a questin? Chances are, yu knw the answer. Yu have prepared this talk, yu have dne yur research, and yu have been chsen t present. Smetimes smene may ask yu a very cmplicated (and perhaps even bscure) questin. At times, it is helpful t reiterate what they are asking ( Am I understanding crrectly yu are asking such and such? ) That can buy yu sme time t think, and it may entice the audience member t be mre t the pint. Remember that yu cannt knw EVERYTHING. And that is cmpletely fine. Yu are at the cnference t share what yu knw and als learn frm thers. Here t, cnfidence cmes with practice. Try t find clleagues r friends wh are willing t listen t yur presentatin. Let them ask yu questins befre yu deliver yur presentatin at a cnference. This exercise will indicate what may be unclear t audience members and what questins yu shuld anticipate being asked. Last Tip: Remember that many peple get nervus befre a talk, even thse wh have dne it many times. Sme things may be ut f yur cntrl. Try t have fun n matter what! Other Resurces Mike Dahlin, Giving a Cnference Talk Claremnt Graduate Center Writing Center, Presenting Cnference Papers in the Humanities Clumbia University Graduate Schl f Arts & Sciences Teaching Center, Hw t Give Highly Effective Lectures and Jb Talks and Cnference Presentatin Matthew O. Jacksn, Ntes n Presenting a Paper