The specific objectives of this course are:
- To teach basic skills on how to prepare oral communications
- To encourage the oral intervention of the students through various exercises in class.
- To stimulate the presentation of seminars by students and the acceptance of critiques by colleagues/public.
- To expose the students to several oral thematic areas related to marine sciences and other themes.
- To discuss/suggest oral presentation techniques of scientific work for the various target audiences.
- To provide opportunities for new contacts between students and national/international speakers or invited panel members.
By the end of this seminar, students will be able to:
- Develop strong presentation skills tailored for scientific audiences.
- Organize and present scientific content clearly and effectively.
- Utilize visual aids and presentation tools effectively.
- Provide and receive constructive feedback on presentations.
- Engage in discussions about current ocean science research and trends.
Week 1: Introduction to Ocean Sciences and Seminar Goals
• Overview of seminar objectives
• Importance of communication in science
Week 2: Fundamentals of Effective Presentations
• Principles of effective communication
• Types of presentations (informative, persuasive, etc.)
Week 3: Structuring Your Presentation
• Elements of a strong presentation: Introduction, Body, Conclusion
• Organizing scientific content for clarity
Week 4: Visual Aids and Tools
• Importance of visuals in presentations
• Workshop on creating effective slides and graphics
Weeks 5 and 6: Engaging Your Audience
• Techniques to capture and maintain audience interest
• Theatre Role-playing exercises to practice engagement strategies
Week 7 and 8: Presenting Scientific Research
• Overview of ocean sciences topics for presentations
• Selecting a topic and preparing several presentations
Week 8 and 9: Practice Presentations
• Students will deliver 5-minute to 20-minutes presentations on selected topics.
• Peer and instructor feedback sessions.
Week 10 and 11: Workshop on Handling Questions and Feedback
• Strategies for managing Q&A sessions
• Role-playing feedback scenarios
Week 12 and 13: Advanced Presentation Techniques
• Storytelling in science communication
• Utilizing technology for enhanced engagement
Week 14 and 15: Final Presentations
• Formal scientific seminar presentations on ocean science topics (20 to 25 minutes each).
• Critique sessions focusing on content, delivery, and engagement.
In all classes students shall do practical exercises and shall have homework almost every week to deliver in the next class.
To prepare the seminars, lectures will be given (but with dialogue and discussion on the part of the students).
Successful Presentation Skills (3rd edition) by Andrew Bradbury, editor Clio, London, United Kingdom, ISBN: 8586234168, 186 pp, 2006.
Ten Secrets to Giving a Good Scientific Talk (access online http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cms/agu/scientific_talk.html)
How to Give a Sensational Scientific Talk Janet B. W. Williams, D.S.W. (access online http://chem.virginia.edu/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/talk_in_pdf.pdf)
How Not To Give a Scientific Talk by Michael De Robertis (access online http://www.casca.ca/ecass/issues/2002-js/features/dirobertis/talk.html)
Oral Presentation Advice by Mark D. Hill, Computer Sciences Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison (access online http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~markhill/conference-talk.html)
Great openings and closings (access online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyE1Kz0e--0)
The Craft of Scientific Presentations by Michael Alley (Latest Edition)
Selected scholarly articles and resources provided by the instructor.
Access to presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Prezi)
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