The perfect pitch - explaining your research in one minute

Summary

In this video, science communicator and presentation coach Andres Alma guides researchers on how to effectively create a one-minute research pitch. The goal is to capture the audience's attention by focusing on the problem, solution, and potential benefits of the research rather than diving into technical details. Andres outlines a structure—problem, solution, benefit, and action—provides tips on crafting a pitch, and stresses the importance of practice and feedback. The video emphasizes clear communication, proper lighting, sound quality, and avoiding slides for a more engaging pitch.

Takeaways

• 🎤 A pitch's goal is to capture attention and spark curiosity, not to explain everything about your research.
• 🧠 The key to a successful pitch is focusing on the most interesting and effective parts of your research.
• 📋 The structure for a one-minute research pitch is: Problem, Solution, Benefit, and Action.
• ⏳ Use a timer and brainstorm multiple answers to specific questions about your research to help draft your pitch.
• 🎯 Start your pitch by explaining the broader problem your research addresses, not just the research question.
• 🔍 Focus on how your approach contributes to solving the problem and what makes it unique, without dwelling on detailed methods.
• 📊 Highlight any key results or expected outcomes, emphasizing the potential impact of your research.
• 🌟 The pitch should end with a call to action, inviting the audience to learn more or take specific steps.
• 🤝 Involve your colleagues in creating the pitch and ask non-researchers for feedback to ensure clarity.
• 🎥 When filming, prioritize good lighting, sound, and a neutral background to enhance the video's quality.

Q & A

What is the primary goal of a one-minute research pitch?

The goal of a one-minute research pitch is to capture the listener's attention and engage them so they want to learn more about your research and start asking questions.

Why is it not necessary to explain all aspects of your research in a one-minute pitch?

It’s impossible to cover all aspects in just one minute, and that’s not the point. The pitch should focus on the most effective and interesting parts of the research to engage the audience and spark curiosity.

What structure is recommended for a one-minute research pitch?

The recommended structure for a one-minute research pitch includes four parts: Problem, Solution, Benefit, and Action.

Why is it important to start a pitch with the problem your research addresses?

Starting with the problem sets the stage and immediately captures the listener's attention, placing the research in a broader context that the audience can relate to.

What are some common mistakes people make when pitching their research?

A common mistake is starting with detailed descriptions of how the research was conducted, especially the methods, instead of first explaining why the research is important and the problem it addresses.

What is the role of a call-to-action in a research pitch?

The call-to-action encourages the audience to take the next step, such as finding out more about the research, asking a question, or providing something needed to advance the project.

How can you ensure that your one-minute pitch fits the time limit?

Write a script, practice with a timer, and aim for around 150 words, allowing time for pauses. Adjust based on feedback to ensure the pitch is concise and impactful.

Why is it recommended to gather feedback from people who are not researchers?

Feedback from non-researchers helps gauge how well the pitch communicates the main points to a general audience, ensuring clarity and engagement beyond just the academic community.

What are some tips for improving the visual and audio quality of your recorded pitch?

Use good lighting, preferably natural light from a window, and a neutral background. Ensure clear sound by recording in a quiet environment or using an external microphone.

Why should you avoid using slides in a one-minute pitch?

Slides can be distracting and take away from the personal connection that comes from seeing and hearing the presenter. The focus should be on the speaker to make the pitch engaging.

Outlines

00:00

🎥 Introduction to Research Pitches

Andres Alma introduces himself as a science communicator and presentation coach. He explains that the video will help viewers understand how to create a research pitch in one minute or less. The goal of a pitch is not to cover all research details but to capture the audience's attention. Alma emphasizes the importance of engaging listeners by selecting the most interesting parts of the research and starting a conversation.

05:01

📊 Structuring Your One-Minute Pitch

Alma discusses how the typical research article structure (abstract, background, methods, results, discussion, conclusion) is effective for writing but not ideal for presentations. He proposes a more active structure for the one-minute pitch: problem, solution, benefit, and action. He promises to guide viewers through each of these steps and offers practical advice on how to create the pitch effectively.

📝 Tips for Crafting Each Pitch Section

Alma advises starting with the problem your research aims to solve, rather than diving into methods. This approach grabs attention by placing the research in a broader context. He suggests using a timer to brainstorm answers for the problem and other sections such as solution and expected results. By quickly generating multiple responses, researchers can create a solid first draft of their pitch.

🔍 Focusing on Results and Benefits

Alma emphasizes the importance of discussing results and their impact. He encourages researchers to explain the breakthroughs or expected outcomes of their work and how it can contribute to solving a problem. Alma advises setting a timer again to brainstorm who or what will benefit from the research and how the results could have a larger future impact.

📢 Finishing with a Call-to-Action

To conclude the pitch, Alma explains the importance of a call-to-action, which invites the audience to engage further. This could involve directing them to more information, asking questions, or outlining what is needed to advance the research. He suggests brainstorming what actions the audience can take after the pitch.

🤝 Collaborating and Refining the Pitch

Alma encourages involving colleagues in the pitch creation process since the pitch represents the entire project. He recommends writing a script, practicing with a timer, and seeking feedback from both colleagues and non-researchers to ensure clarity. He advises adjusting the pitch based on how well others understand and retell it.

🎬 Practical Filming Tips

Alma provides practical filming advice, such as using a neutral background, good lighting, and clear sound to ensure a professional presentation. He emphasizes the importance of using a close-up shot, as viewers want to see the speaker, not slides. Finally, he wishes viewers luck and reminds them that practice makes perfect.

Keywords

💡Pitch

A 'pitch' refers to a concise presentation or explanation designed to capture attention and engage the audience. In the context of the video, the presenter emphasizes that a research pitch is not about explaining every detail, but about highlighting key points to spark interest and start a conversation about the research. For example, the pitch structure suggested is problem, solution, benefit, and action.

💡Problem

In the video, the 'problem' refers to the broader issue or challenge that the research is attempting to address. The presenter advises researchers to start their pitch by explaining the problem their research is contributing to solve, setting the stage for the listener to understand why the research matters in a larger context.

💡Solution

The 'solution' refers to how the research aims to address or solve the identified problem. The video suggests that researchers should explain their approach and how it is unique or innovative. The focus is on conveying the essence of the solution without delving too deeply into methods unless they are crucial to the research's value.

💡Benefit

The 'benefit' is the positive outcome or impact that the research is expected to have. The presenter encourages researchers to explain who or what will benefit from the research results and how these results could be utilized to create a larger impact. The benefit serves to show the value of the research beyond the academic context.

💡Call-to-action

A 'call-to-action' is an invitation for the audience to take a specific next step after hearing the pitch. In the video, this could be as simple as telling the audience where to find more information, asking a question, or identifying a need for support. It reinforces that the pitch is the beginning of a conversation and not the end.

💡Structure

The 'structure' refers to the way in which the one-minute research pitch should be organized. According to the video, the recommended structure includes four main parts: problem, solution, benefit, and call-to-action. This is designed to ensure the pitch is clear, concise, and engaging, while also capturing the essential points of the research.

💡Audience engagement

'Audience engagement' is the act of capturing and maintaining the audience's attention. The goal of the pitch, as stated in the video, is to engage the listener so they want to learn more about the research. Researchers are encouraged to focus on the most compelling aspects of their work to ensure they spark curiosity and interest.

💡Brainstorming

In the context of the video, 'brainstorming' refers to the collaborative process of developing ideas for the research pitch. The presenter suggests gathering colleagues to brainstorm and answer questions related to the pitch structure. This collaborative effort ensures that the pitch reflects the entire project, not just the individual’s perspective.

💡Timing

'Timing' refers to the practice of making sure the pitch fits within the one-minute limit. The video advises using a timer while writing and practicing the pitch to ensure the message is concise and fits the allotted time. A one-minute pitch typically consists of around 150 words, depending on the speaker’s pace.

💡Feedback

'Feedback' is the process of receiving input from others on the effectiveness of the pitch. The presenter emphasizes the importance of asking for feedback, not just from colleagues but also from non-experts. This helps the researcher understand how well the pitch communicates and whether it needs adjustments to better engage the audience.

Highlights

The goal of a pitch is to capture the listener's attention and engage them.

A pitch is the start of a conversation, not a complete explanation of your research.

The structure of a one-minute pitch should be problem, solution, benefit, and action.

Start by explaining the problem your research addresses to catch the listener's attention.

Avoid going into too much detail about research methods unless they are a key strength.

Emphasize the expected results and the potential impact of your research.

Think about who or what will benefit from your research and explain it clearly.

End the pitch with a call to action to start a conversation with the audience.

When writing a pitch, gather feedback from colleagues and non-researchers.

Rehearse your pitch with a timer to ensure it fits within one minute (around 150 words).

Ask others to retell your pitch to see how well they understood it.

When filming a pitch, ensure good lighting and sound quality, with a neutral background.

Don’t use slides in a one-minute pitch, as the focus should be on you.

A pitch is not just for yourself, but represents the entire research project.

Practice makes perfect: continually refine your pitch based on feedback.

Transcripts

hi my name is Andres Alma I'm a science

communicator and presentation coach and

I'm here to help you to explain your

research in one minute or less after

this film you will have an understanding

for the goal of a pitch you will have a

structure for your pitch and also the

necessary tools for creating your

research pitch so come along with me and

follow these steps

I understand you have devoted years and

years to your research and put a lot of

effort into it and now we only get one

minute to explain it all and you are

absolutely right there is no way you

could explain everything about your

research in just one minute but that's

not the point

the goal of a pitch is to capture the

listeners attention to engage them so

that they want to learn more about your

research and start to ask questions the

trick is to choose the most effective

and interesting parts about your

research to tell the audience think

about it this way a pitch is the start

of a conversation

[Music]

so let's talk about the structure of

your one-minute pitch a typical research

article has a familiar structure you

know about the abstract the background

materials and methods results discussion

and conclusion and that is a very

effective way to convey something in

written form but a presentation is all

about being here and now and conveying

things in a more active manner so for

the one-minute pitch we want the

structure to look like this problem

solution benefit and action and don't

worry I will tell you all about each and

every one of these steps so now that you

know the different parts of the pitch

let me give you some tips and advice on

how to create your pitch for each and

every one of these steps I will ask you

one or two questions

grab a timer and set that timer to one

minute and for every question write down

as many answers as possible to that

question during one minute and it's not

about creating the perfect answer to

every question I just want you to write

down as many answers as possible because

this will help you to create the first

draft of your pitch

[Music]

many people make the mistake of starting

with how you conduct your research and

going through all the methods in detail

but before that we want to know why you

are conducting your research so start by

explaining the problem that your

research will contribute to solve not

the research question itself put your

research in a broader context so set the

stage and explain what part of the

problem your research is focusing on if

you start with explaining the problem

you will immediately catch the listeners

attention set your timer to one minute

and write down as many answers as

possible to the question what problem is

my research contributing to solve next

we want to know how you aim to solve the

problem tell us about your approach and

what makes it so special

don't well too much on explaining the

exact methods here if the methods aren't

part of the strength and uniqueness of

your project you might as well leave

them out then you tell us about the

results you have gotten or expect to get

from your research are there any

breakthroughs already that you can tell

us about we want to know what this

research will lead to so set your timer

to one minute and answer each of these

questions for one minute how is my

research contributing to the solution

what are my expected results who or what

will benefit from the results how can

these results be utilized to create a

larger impact in the future so it's time

to start the timer again and write down

as many answers as possible to this

question who or what will my results

benefit

finish your pitch with a call-to-action

remember when I said that the pitch is

the start of a conversation well the

call to action is all about starting

that conversation with the audience what

would you like the audience to do now

often it's just to tell them where they

can find out more about your research or

maybe you want to ask them a question or

perhaps you need a certain thing to get

your research going so write down as

many answers as possible to the question

what can the audience do now

[Music]

it's time to put the pitch together and

here are some advice for that first of

all don't do it all by yourself because

think of it this way you're not pitching

for yourself you're pitching on behalf

of the whole of the project gather your

colleagues to a brainstorming session

about the pitch and let them also answer

the questions I have given you write a

script because when you have a script

it's much easier to time your talk and

also to make changes based on the

feedback you get practice your pitch for

the timer so you know how long it will

take a typical 1 minute pitch is about

150 words depending on how fast you

speak but do take time to allow for

pauses as well and the most important

thing ask for feedback

not just from colleagues but from people

who are not researchers and when you ask

for feedback ask the person to retell

your pitch because then you will know

how much they have understood and what

changes you have to make to your pitch

when you film your pitch remember that

we want to see you so closer is always

better also think about the lighting the

lighting from a window is very good but

make sure it's on the right side this is

much better now the light comes in

through the window on your face and also

think about the background use a neutral

background because you don't want things

that looks like they're grown out of

your head right make sure you have good

sound either record in a quiet

environment or make use of an external

microphone that takes up the sound much

better because we want to hear what you

are saying don't use slides you only

have one minute to present your research

and we want to see you not the slides

good luck with your pitch and remember

practice makes perfect

[Music]