EFS 698C - STANFORD UNIVERSITY

Writing and Presenting Research

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EFS 698C: Week 2 Notes 

I. Warmup--overview of your writing process. For any paper...

• Who is your audience?

• What is your purpose?

II. Describing your field informally: 1 minute presentation--introduce your field to the class.

III. 3-minute thesis competition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf9FkgjqtTs;

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9_RmUuBwmU

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvjPzsLIyGw

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9czKztZK1I (3 tips for a good presentation)

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr9yRkqYNOs (3 common mistakes presenters make)

IV. Describing your research informally: writing

• Discussion: when might you have to write about your research somewhat informally (i.e., not for publication) and/or to a relatively general audience?

• Example directions from NIH: https://nexus.od.nih.gov/all/2013/03/30/what-should-i-include-in-the-project-summaryabstract/

• Limit length to 30 lines or less of text
• Include the project’s broad, long-term objectives and specific aims
• Include a description of the research design and methods for achieving the stated goals
• Do NOT include proprietary or confidential information, or trade secrets
• Write in plain language, so even a non-scientist can understand the importance of the project

VI. Describing your research informally: 1 minute presentation--present your research to the class

VII. Questions?

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Homework:

1. Write a roughly two-page (double-spaced) description of your research for one of the following contexts (your choice). Be sure to indicate clearly which one you choose.

• Academic job application

• Industry job application

• Grant proposal

• Company website

• Other?

At the beginning, write a sentence describing who you believe your audience might be and then try to think of what the audience would want to see. Remember that the audience will not be "pure" specialists, so limit your use of undefined technical language.

The paper is due by 8:00 pm Monday January 20. Please email it to me (efs@stanford.edu). Note that I will be asking you to read one another's papers in class as well.

  2. Watch the last two videos under (III) above, which provide advice on what to do and what not to do in a 3-minute thesis presentation. Prepare a 3-minute version of your talks from Week 2 following the model of the 3-minute thesis competition. You will be presenting this one standing up (semi-formal) and may use PowerPoint or other visuals if you wish. Be sure to build on what you learned from making the 1-minute presentations, and practice it so that you can deliver it in a smooth, persuasive style.

  3. Familiarize yourself with the textbook handed out in class. Skim Lessons 1 and 2--we'll discuss next week.

 4. Meet with me individually to review the videos of your two talks from this week; you may also submit writing (other than the preceding assignment), and we can look at it after we finish reviewing the videos. Come prepared to discuss the following:

• Do you think the audience understood you clearly? Why or why not?

• Within the time limit provided (1 minute), did you have to leave out critical information? If so, what other information could you condense or eliminate to make room for it?

• Assuming this was meant to be an informal (or semi-formal) talk, do you think your presentation style and language were appropriate? If not, why not?

• Other? We can also talk about anything else you notice.