Michael Alley (Penn State) 3: Attaining Confidence in Your Scientific Presentations

Summary

This iBiology video offers expert advice on enhancing scientific presentations, focusing on delivery and confidence. The speaker, with 30 years of experience, addresses common nervousness with strategies like positive thinking, early arrival, and preparation. He distinguishes between internal and projected confidence, emphasizing the importance of strong content, practice, and focus for the former, and starting strong, reducing slide text, knowing the flow, and finishing strong for the latter. The aim is to inspire presenters to exude the confidence of renowned scientists like Jill Bolte Taylor and Brian Cox.

Takeaways

• 🎓 The script is part of a three-part series on improving scientific presentations, focusing on the assertion-evidence approach and delivery confidence.
• 🧘‍♂️ To handle nervousness, think positively, arrive early to the presentation venue, and follow Mark Twain's advice to not worry about high expectations.
• 🌟 Confidence in presentation comes in two forms: internal confidence, which comes from within, and projected confidence, which is how you appear to the audience.
• 📈 Strong content is key to internal confidence; it should be tested and vetted by respected audiences and receive positive responses.
• 🕵️‍♀️ Preparation is crucial; Jane Goodall emphasizes the importance of rehearsing and visualizing the presentation before delivering it to a crowd.
• 🎯 Focus, as highlighted by Hans Rosling, is vital for internal confidence. It's akin to a skier's concentration before a race, ensuring a clear path through the presentation.
• 🤔 Sheila Patek suggests focusing on the passion for the subject rather than the audience size to manage nerves and project confidence.
• 💪 Start strong by arriving early, ensuring equipment works, meeting the audience, and standing tall before speaking.
• 😊 Smile and make the first syllable count to create a positive first impression and avoid filler words that can undermine confidence.
• 📑 Reduce the text on slides to minimize reliance on bullet points and instead use visual evidence to support your messages.
• 🔮 Knowing what comes next in the presentation helps with smooth transitions and projecting confidence, as it allows for better scene management.
• 🏁 Finish strong by having a clear conclusion supported by main arguments, and always say 'thank you' before opening the floor for questions.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the third film in the iBiology series?

The main focus of the third film is on the delivery aspect of presentations, specifically how to exude confidence during the presentation.

What is the assertion-evidence approach mentioned in the first two films of the series?

The assertion-evidence approach is a method for structuring presentations, which was introduced in the first two films as a way to improve scientific presentations.

What is the most common question asked by young scientists and engineers about presentations?

The most common question asked is how to handle nervousness during presentations.

What advice does the speaker give for managing nervousness before a presentation?

The advice includes thinking positively, imagining success, arriving early to familiarize with the environment, and adopting a positive mindset as suggested by Mark Twain.

What are the two types of confidence discussed in the script?

The two types of confidence discussed are internal confidence, which is how you feel inside, and projected confidence, which is how you appear to the audience.

What is the key ingredient for internal confidence according to the script?

The key ingredient for internal confidence is having strong content that has been tested and vetted before audiences and received positive responses.

What does the script suggest about preparation in relation to presentations?

The script suggests that thorough preparation, such as rehearsing the talk and imagining the delivery to the audience, is crucial for building internal confidence.

What advice did Jane Goodall give regarding preparation for presentations?

Jane Goodall advised insisting on having time alone to walk through the talk and imagine delivering it to the audience, emphasizing the importance of preparation even for seasoned presenters.

What does the script suggest about the relationship between internal confidence and nervousness?

The script suggests that internal confidence is not an on/off switch but rather a bucket that fills up with efforts in content strength, preparation, and focus, which in turn reduces the impact of nervousness.

What are the 'four aces' that the script recommends to project confidence during a presentation?

The 'four aces' are starting strong, reducing text on slides, knowing what comes next, and finishing strong, all of which contribute to projecting confidence to the audience.

How should a presenter handle questions they cannot fully answer during a presentation?

A presenter should pause, start the answer with 'although,' acknowledge the limitations, and then provide the information they can confidently share, finishing strong with what they know.