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Events

A colleague asked my advice for giving a research conference talk. He had been asked to survey his work for a group of specialists in an area different from his. He asked if he should give a basic talk.

Dr. Corliss response:

A talk for non-specialists need not be basic. It should concentrate on what is important. Generically

• what is the problem
• why is it important
• what is the answer
• how did I get it
• how might you do the same on similar problems
• what are the consequences

It is rare that the details are important. The big picture is usually important.

One of the few talks on abstract algebra I ever really understood (and I've heard many) was by Paul Halmos. He had no reason to impress us with his cleverness or with how hard this stuff was, so he set about trying to make it clear. Sometimes it is the real expert who can afford to give an understandable talk; other must impress us. Perhaps it is only the real expert who has a deep and broad enough understanding himself to be able to make it clear.

I have come to see a conference talk not as the means of communicating information, but as an ad or a pointer variable. Your ad (talk) says, "Here is some stuff I know. If you'd like to know, see me at coffee."

As in any communication, do your best to guess who is the audience, what are their interests, why are they in this room at all, and what action or changed neuron firings do you wish at the end of your talk. Details, even critical details, rarely achieve that, unless the goal really IS to impress them with your insight, e.g., job interview. Big picture, Here is why you might want to look at this stuff, is usually more effective. That is often outlining advanced material. You don't interest people with stuff from a beginning class.

If your goal is genuinely that people come to understand, you'll do fine.

See also Advice: Making a presentation