Public Speaking For Scientists Is Hard, What Can You Do
So you just gave a talk — and it was terrible. Maybe you were nervous, or maybe you were just unprepared. Either way, it’s not a good feeling. Many people after public speaking want to curl up and sleep for the rest of their lives after enduring a bad presentation.
First And Foremost, Think About Why You’re Doing This
First and foremost, think about why you’re doing this. Is the goal to get over a fear of public speaking? Or is it to show them how you used AI in your research on earthquakes and volcanoes? Once you have the answer to all of these questions (and maybe a few more), take some time before your next presentation to really understand your role and theirs.
Second, Remind Yourself That This Is A Part Of Your Learning Process
Second, remind yourself that this is a part of your learning process. Learning to give good talks is a skill that you need to practice. This means it’s a process, not an event. You will get better over time. It’s fine to make mistakes; it’s ok to feel bad about your talk (for a while). In fact, it’s essential so that the next time you get up there and present, you know what worked well and what didn’t work at all. If you’re anything like me, after each talk I reflect on how well I did or didn’t do and learn from my mistakes for next time. And most people are like this — so don’t think you’re alone.
Third, Try To Step Back Mentally And Look At Your Presentation As An Evaluator Might
Third, try to step back mentally and look at your presentation as an evaluator might. What went wrong? The most common problems for presentations by early career researchers are inadequate preparation and a lack of sufficient practice or rehearsal.
Look at the content of your talk as well as your presentation style. Did you use too many PowerPoint slides? Too few? Did you have technical difficulties? Was your microphone not working properly? Were there any issues with the venue that you could not control, such as bad acoustics or people in the audience talking over you, so loudly they drowned out what you had to say?
Don’t beat yourself up over the external issues. Instead, focus on what you could have done better to avoid them. Did you ever rehearse your presentation out loud a few times before the actual presentation, even if it was just to yourself alone in a room at home or in front of a mirror (or both)?
What went well with your talk or poster presentation? What were the highlights for those in attendance – did some parts generate more interest than others from people asking questions after it was over, for example? If something worked particularly well, how could that be expanded upon for future talks based on this project or different projects altogether?
Next, Resolve To Make The Next Presentation Better
Whether you’re giving a talk or giving feedback to others, remember that public speaking is a chance to help someone improve. Focus on what went well and where there is room for improvement. Were you nervous? Did you get stuck on the wording of a question and never get back on track? Were you trying to say too much in the time allotted to you? Did people in the audience show visible signs of boredom or confusion?
If so, it’s likely that there was too much information in your slides or that their layout was confusing. Reviewing other talks by experts who were also eager for their work to be noticed may provide some clues as to how important information can best be communicated within the given constraints of time and space.
Finally, Cut Yourself Some Slack For Public Speaking
Public speaking is hard, but it can also be a lot of fun. The best thing to do is to cut yourself some slack. Everyone makes mistakes and has bad days, so don’t be too hard on yourself.
The best way to get over a bad presentation is by first recognizing that you aren’t alone in struggling with these things. These challenges affect all young professionals at some point—and then deciding not to let them stop you from learning and growing as a scientist. We can all improve our skills, even when we think we have nothing left to learn.
The Positive Aspects Of Your Talk Should Not Be Overshadowed By Negative Ones
The positive aspects of your talk should not be overshadowed by negative ones. Don’t worry if you make mistakes or forget to say things — few, if any, talks go entirely as planned. Be proud of the parts of your talk that went well, and don’t let a small mistake overshadow all that you worked so hard for!
Be patient with yourself. Give yourself a break and a chance to recover from the stress of the presentation. If you are still feeling nervous after the presentation is over, be kind to yourself and give yourself time to decompress from the experience. It is normal to feel stressed after giving a presentation — it is an extremely high-pressure situation and can take time to come down from that adrenaline rush. Resist the urge to beat up on yourself, even if parts of your presentation didn’t go very well — we all have off days!
Conclusion
Public speaking for scientists is a necessary skill. Whether you’re trying to land funding for your research, get an academic position, or simply give a talk at a conference, being able to effectively convey the importance of your work can be critical. There are numerous resources available to help scientists improve their public speaking skills — and in this post, we’ve tried to include some useful tips and ideas that even non-scientists can use. Although public speaking may feel challenging, don’t let it hold you back from doing what you do best. Remember: you don’t need natural charisma or a smooth voice to be a great speaker — you just need to work hard and practice every chance you get.