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• Yale J Biol Med
• v.84(4); 2011 Dec

Presentation Skills for Scientists: A Practical Guide

Shelby montague.

Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Edward Zanders, Lindsay MacLeod  Presentation Skills for Scientists: A Practical Guide. 2010. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. ISBN: (Paperback with DVD-ROM) 978-0521741033. US $36.99. 68 p.

Presentation Skill for Scientists offers a quick introduction to public speaking geared toward scientists with little or no presentation experience. Ultimately, it is a great place to start for help with presentations.

The presentation of scientific knowledge and research is an important part of a researcher’s career, yet scientists are rarely offered instruction on how to present their material. In contrast with other books and materials focused on general presentation skills, this book is entirely concentrated on the presentation of scientific material by an expert. The chapters are arranged in the order in which they should be considered when preparing a presentation, starting with “Audience” and “Planning the Talk,” and finishing with “Handling Questions” and “How Did It Go?” This organization scheme gives a logical flow to the material. The chapters are short, but the authors do suggest additional resources at the end of the book if the reader is interested in more detail.

Each chapter begins with a short overview of that chapter’s material. Subtitles break the text down into succinct sections, and boxes inserted into the text contain key points. The authors add presenters’ or audience members’ anecdotes to emphasize the points made in each chapter. Throughout the book, they offer specific solutions to problems presenters might encounter. For example, in the chapter titled “Controlling Nerves,” they list typical signs of nervousness, such as excessive hand movement, and offer solutions to hide those, such as focusing on keeping your hands loosely at your sides.

“DVD-ROM” boxes inserted next to relevant topics within the text tell the reader when to refer to the DVD-ROM that accompanies the book. The DVD material provides visual examples of ways to design slides, an example talk broken down with examples of “do’s” and “do not’s,” and exercises for controlling nerves and enhancing delivery of the talk, for example, enunciation exercises. The examples of wrong ways to deliver a talk can be painful to watch, but being able to see the problems discussed in the text makes the reader more aware of how distracting these problems are during a presentation.

Presentation Skills for Scientists is not intended for experienced presenters. But for new presenters or those seeking ways to improve their talks, this book provides a great introduction. And at only 66 pages, it’s difficult not to read it cover-to-cover.

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Presentation Skills for Scientists A Practical Guide

About this book

It is now widely recognized that professional presentation skills are an indispensable cornerstone of a successful scientific career. This updated second edition provides a concise and accessible guide to preparing and delivering scientific presentations. Its highly practical 'how-to' style focuses on the issues that are of immediate concern to the busy scientist. The text covers all of the important aspects of scientific presentations, including knowing your audience, producing visual material, controlling nerves and handling questions. It also includes advice on presenting in English for non-native speakers, helping them to improve the clarity and effectiveness of their presentations. Links are included throughout the text to the accompanying website, which contains annotated video clips of speakers delivering a talk and demonstrates the common problems encountered, as well as exercises designed to overcome them. It also contains image files to demonstrate the design issues to consider when creating visual material.

1. Audience 2. Planning the talk 3. Selection and assembly of visual material 4. Controlling nerves 5. Voice 6. Delivery 7. Science and the English language 8. Handling questions 9. How did it go?

Customer Reviews

Edward Zanders is Managing Director of ScienceInform Ltd, a training company for people involved with the research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Lindsay MacLeod is a highly experienced London tourist guide and she has taught presentation skills to London Blue Badge guides for sixteen years.

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press; 2nd edition (18 Oct. 2018)
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Presentation Skills for Scientists

A practical guide: second edition, publisher description.

It is now widely recognised that professional presentation skills are an indispensable cornerstone of a successful scientific career. This updated second edition provides a concise and accessible guide to preparing and delivering scientific presentations. Its highly practical 'how-to' style focuses on the issues that are of immediate concern to the busy scientist. The text covers all of the important aspects of scientific presentations, including knowing your audience, producing visual material, controlling nerves and handling questions. It also includes advice on presenting in English for non-native speakers, helping them to improve the clarity and effectiveness of their presentations. Links are included throughout the text to the accompanying website, which contains annotated video clips of speakers delivering a talk and demonstrates the common problems encountered, as well as exercises designed to overcome them. It also contains image files to demonstrate the design issues to consider when creating visual material.

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A practical guide, by edward zanders and lindsay macleod.

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Presentation Skills for Scientists: A Practical Guide

The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine , 01 Dec 2011 , 84(4): 497-497 PMCID: PMC3238329

Abstract 

Free full text .

Shelby Montague

Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Edward Zanders, Lindsay MacLeod  Presentation Skills for Scientists: A Practical Guide. 2010. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK. ISBN: (Paperback with DVD-ROM) 978-0521741033. US $36.99. 68 p.

Presentation Skill for Scientists offers a quick introduction to public speaking geared toward scientists with little or no presentation experience. Ultimately, it is a great place to start for help with presentations.

The presentation of scientific knowledge and research is an important part of a researcher’s career, yet scientists are rarely offered instruction on how to present their material. In contrast with other books and materials focused on general presentation skills, this book is entirely concentrated on the presentation of scientific material by an expert. The chapters are arranged in the order in which they should be considered when preparing a presentation, starting with “Audience” and “Planning the Talk,” and finishing with “Handling Questions” and “How Did It Go?” This organization scheme gives a logical flow to the material. The chapters are short, but the authors do suggest additional resources at the end of the book if the reader is interested in more detail.

Each chapter begins with a short overview of that chapter’s material. Subtitles break the text down into succinct sections, and boxes inserted into the text contain key points. The authors add presenters’ or audience members’ anecdotes to emphasize the points made in each chapter. Throughout the book, they offer specific solutions to problems presenters might encounter. For example, in the chapter titled “Controlling Nerves,” they list typical signs of nervousness, such as excessive hand movement, and offer solutions to hide those, such as focusing on keeping your hands loosely at your sides.

“DVD-ROM” boxes inserted next to relevant topics within the text tell the reader when to refer to the DVD-ROM that accompanies the book. The DVD material provides visual examples of ways to design slides, an example talk broken down with examples of “do’s” and “do not’s,” and exercises for controlling nerves and enhancing delivery of the talk, for example, enunciation exercises. The examples of wrong ways to deliver a talk can be painful to watch, but being able to see the problems discussed in the text makes the reader more aware of how distracting these problems are during a presentation.

Presentation Skills for Scientists is not intended for experienced presenters. But for new presenters or those seeking ways to improve their talks, this book provides a great introduction. And at only 66 pages, it’s difficult not to read it cover-to-cover.

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