Why Am I Sweating? My Learning 188ÌåÓýapp_188ÌåÓýÔÚÏß-ƽ̨¹ÙÍø in Public Speaking

The sweats: a presenter's worst nightmare and a close second place to forgetting your well construed script. When it comes to presenting research findings, the feelings when speaking in front of a crowd of very smart people are most certainly no different. Most students have had the pleasure of public speaking at some point in their careers, and as reported in a 2019 study, around 60% of university students note a fear of speaking in public[i]. Developing the message of your research is a task usually completed throughout the research process; but delivering that message to a crowd of field experts is a challenge most new researchers have no foolproof way to overcome.

I research catalysis, an area of chemical engineering that revolves around reaction design, material syntheses, and product analysis. I have completed two studies on an important catalyst material, and with successful results, presented posters at the UNH Undergraduate Research Conference and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AICHE) national conference. In this blog, I will share my experience presenting research and put forth my biggest tips and takeaways I have learned so far in the hopes you, reader, will sweat no longer.

Section 1: How to De-stress When Speaking in Front of Crowds

Possibly the most difficult part of public speaking is, well, speaking to the public. In the case of a research presentation, the public is typically a group of educated judges and smart folks. It seems daunting, but there are ways to lessen your stress and make presenting a bit smoother.

Tip 1: Don¡¯t chase perfection

After practicing your presentation for long enough, some people think following your script is the only way to do well, but this is the contrary. It is inevitable for you to run slightly off track, but don¡¯t fret, the only one who knows you made a mistake is you. Your audience has no idea unless you take notice of it. When this slight error occurs, just move on. Maintain the flow of your presentation to show your presenters you know what you are talking about.

Tip 2: Monsters aren¡¯t real

Thankfully, your judges are not the monster hiding under your bed when you were six years old. They did not wake up that morning thinking, ¡°Yay, conference day! I can¡¯t wait to ruin some students¡¯ research presentations by scowling throughout.¡± In my experience, judges have simply been attentive listeners. They ask questions related to my projects, provide constructive feedback on my presentation, and don¡¯t interrupt. If you keep this in mind, you will present and conclude with confidence, and be prepared for questions, which leads me into my next tip.

Tip 3: Avoid waffling in response to questions

When it comes to questions, if you don't know the answer, say you don't know. This is one of the biggest tips my research mentor has given to me, and it is absolutely true! There is nothing worse than getting a challenging question and making up a response based on non-existent data or minimally supported claims. This is because your questioner might dig deeper, and then you will really get yourself in trouble. The best thing to do is to flip the script. Say that you have yet to explore that area of your topic but will take note of it. Then, return to your questioner asking if they have some knowledge about the area of their question. Now you have begun a constructive learning conversation from a hard question, way to go!

Section 2: The Presentation

Now, the question you have all been waiting for: How can I prepare the content of my research presentation? As expected, there is no one answer, but through my experience, I found the following preparatory activities very beneficial.

Tip 1: Read related content and review lab notes

The best way to feel confident is to read scholarly articles related to the contents of your presentation. This will allow you to speak professionally about your research topic and have the capacity to answer questions that may not be directly related to your specific project. Outside of external research articles, reviewing your notebook on your past research activities is very helpful. This will remind you of the many intricate details of your research process, which you can then utilize in your presentation. For example, in preparation for the AICHE conference, I revisited my lab notebook and discovered a key detail of my catalyst synthesis that was missing from my poster. Including this helped me better convey my research process, and I felt more confident that I connected each detail successfully.

Tip 2: Practice with an audience

In my experience presenting a research poster at two different conferences, my official oral presentation was made to an audience of 1-5 judges and some onlookers. ?Why not practice in a similar environment? For the technical content of your presentation, practice presenting in front of fellow researchers or peers, as they will have a better grasp of technicalities. They can provide feedback on your subject and help make sure your technical statements are clear and accurate. If you are out of reach of other researchers, a parental figure or a residential assistant can serve as a great listener. They can give you feedback on the general cohesion of your presentation and the clarity of your speech.

Tip 3: Practice over a length of time

Now that you have the speech kinks undone, you can just wait until presentation day, right? Unfortunately, no. Continued practice will result in a better outcome. During the week leading up to your presentation, practice at least once a day with an audience to maintain confidence when speaking. This will ensure you feel prepared for the technical portions of your presentation when the time comes to deliver your big speech.

Final Notes

That is all! Now you have all the suggestions you need to prepare, practice, and deliver your research presentation. Keep these concepts in mind throughout the process, but don¡¯t forget to define your own experience with your own presentation techniques. Best of luck, presenter!