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This seminar offers physicists the opportunity to practice presenting and communicating their research effectively. Participants will receive feedback from their peers and learn how to engage their audience. The seminar will be conducted in English, with the option to present in German.
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Presentation techniques for physicists, or ... ... how to get your message across! Manfred Jeitler SS 2016
Presenting results and communicating with other experts is a common problem in science. • While training in psychology and pedagogical methods is helpful, the key to successful communication is practice. Only feedback from the audience will allow the speakers to know which information they have been able to bring across. • It is often surprising how little of the presented information is actually received by the audience even when speaking to other experts in a closely related field. Lack of successful communication is not only a problem for the progress of science but also for every scientist's individual career. • The idea of this seminar is to offer a chance for such practice in a more relaxed environment than at a real conference or workshop. Over the time of the course, participants will be required to give several presentations on a field of their choice, ideally about the topic of their own work (such as their thesis). • They will receive criticism from the other students working in a related field - this course is directed mainly at students working in experimental or theoretical particle or nuclear physics - thus allowing them to correct their mistakes. If you are afraid of making a fool of yourself in front of your colleagues stay away from this course! • If you are, however, willing to learn from your own and other people's mistakes, you are welcome! As the common language of international scientific communication is nowadays English, the seminar will basically be held in English. However, if someone prefers to give their presentations in German, this will also be accepted.
I’m so stupid! • everybody else understands everything • obviously, because they don’t ask • just I don’t understand • ... and don’t dare to ask! • don’t worry: they don’t understand it either • also don’t dare to ask • or maybe just don’t care
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? Warum siehst du den Splitter im Auge deines Bruders, aber den Balken in deinem Auge bemerkst du nicht?
No please!
What do you want to achieve? • inform? • show how good you are? • cover up problems?
Who are you talking to? • experts? • students? • general public?
less is more • too much information cannot be digested • give less but so that it can be fully absorbed • people can always read up on details if they really want more information!
Don’t overestimate your audience! • don’t take them where they cannot follow you! • you won’t believe how little most people understand in a talk!
Pick your passengers up where they are waiting for you!A detailed report about how one measures XYZ is useless if you have no idea what XYZ is!
The very special relativity of time! Time passes much faster when you are allowed to speak than when you have to listen!
Sell your product! • oversupply of information • people (colleagues, students, school kids) have not necessarily come for your presentation • arouse their interest!
Do you really want this? • at this point, all effort and information is lost! • make a break, make a joke, ask a question .... • .... anything, but don’t let them sleep!
DON’T PANIC! Faust: Vor andern fühl ich mich so klein;Ich werde stets verlegen sein. Mephistopheles: Mein guter Freund, das wird sich alles geben; Sobald du dir vertraust, sobald weißt du zu leben.
The floor is yours! ... but only for 20 minutes!
Gender • Durch mehr Praxis sollen die Studierenden bereits in den ersten Semestern merken, was sie später sein werden: Arzt oder Ärztin.
Level of seminar boredom • know what they're doing -- too well • know what they're doing, but don't care • don't know what they're doing • don't know why they're doing • don't know why you're there • don't know where you are • don't know who you are • death
