Transcript COE 308: Computer Architecture (T032) Dr. Marwan Abu

COE 390: Seminar (T051)
Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
How to Prepare & Present a Seminar
Compiled from:
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W.G. Hopkins, “How to Give Talks”
2.
K.T. Gordon, “Six Steps to Successful Seminars”
3.
A. Sella, “How to give a seminar”
Motivation
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You are trying to sell a product!
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Do not just throw the results at your audience
Try to convince others that what you are up to is
interesting/worthwhile
Learn to present an argument in clear and articulate
fashion
You want feedback on your data or ideas, so put
them across well
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
2
Preparing the Slides – General
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Think simple
Know your audience
Follow a logical structure
Use BIG standard fonts
Run a spelling check
Avoid irrelevant slides
Be consistent with respect to slides style
Use proper referencing
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If it is not your work, state so and acknowledge the
original author!
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
3
Preparing the Slides – Content
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Title Slide
Next slides
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How many slides?
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Background
Research question/problem
Methods
Results
Summary
Assume 1-2 minutes per slide
Use duplicate slides rather than back track to a
previous slide
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
4
Preparing the Slides – Tables & Figures
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Never copy them 1:1 from a paper
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Enlarge or redraw
Include a title
Use a bare minimum of digits
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
5
Preparing the Slides – Graphs
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Use graphs in preference to tables
Use the right kind of graph for the data
Label individual lines or bars rather than use a
key
Use a bare minimum of ticks and numbers on
axes
Use LARGE symbols on plotted points.
Vary symbol shape for the colorblind.
This:
Not this:
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
6
Delivering Seminar
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Rehearse
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Check that your slides are in the right order and
orientation
Check your timing
Make your voice clear (i.e. shout !!!)
Keep facing the audience
Make eye contact with as many people as
possible
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
7
Delivering Seminar (Contd.)
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State purpose of talk early on, then
Provide details, then
Summarize and conclude
Point to detail on a slide
Don’t go over time!
COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara
8
Conclusion
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Give it your best shot
Be creative
Will it help get the message across?
Yes: Do it
 No:
Drop it
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COE 390 (T051) – Dr. Marwan Abu-Amara