So You Have to Give a Talk...

Studies show that more people are afraid of having to give a talk than of dying.  So you're not alone in being a little nervous when faced with the need to give a talk; however, if you're going to be a professional physicist (or other scientist or engineer), speaking will always be part of your job.  Starting early can help you develop the needed skills.

Why Bother Learning How to Give a Good Talk?

Speaking is a type of advertising.  Not just your work and yourself, but your advisor, your department, and your institution.  You may be asked to speak at conferences where scientific results are presented, to convince a funding agency that your proposal deserves funding, as part of a job interview, at colloquia or seminars, during a thesis defense, or as a way to report to your boss.  If you went into science thinking that you didn't have to be good at writing or speaking, think again!  Doing an experiment or making a discovery is only part of being a scientist: communicating your work in a way that is clear, understandable and efficient is also part of the job. 

People remember a good talk : People remember a bad talk even longer.

Giving a Talk

There are no hard-and-fast rules that everyone agrees are correct.  Some people hold strong opinions on what is “right” and others don't care about the details as long as you're communicating effectively.  As a student, your advisor or professor will make his or her preferences clear to you.  The following are meant as guidelines that will help you make the most out of your presentation.