Preparing a lecture from your research

1. Preparing a lecture from your research Karen Henderson Department of Politics and International Relations

2. Aims of the session • To reflect on the challenges and opportunities presented by the lecture format; • To consider how to turn your research project into an inaugural lecture/a lecture for a popular audience; • To consider how/what your research might qualify you to teach.

3. Challenges and opportunities presented by the lecture format The challenges: • Clarifying the focus • Structuring your talk • Keeping the audience’s attention • Physical and technical hitches

4. Challenge 1: Clarifying the focus • Stick to one main message, or two sides of one argument • Who are your audience? • Which aspect(s) of your work are likely to engage non-specialists? • What is your original contribution to knowledge? • What are the practical implications of your work?

5. Challenge 2: Structuring your talk The start: • Tell them what you are going to tell them • Remember how much they may need simple explanation • Give them a reason to listen

6. Challenge 2: Structuring your talk The structure: • Title • Introduction • Main body (most interesting point; second most interesting point; third most…etc) • Conclusion or recap.

7. Challenge 2: Structuring your talk In short: • Tell them what you’re going to tell them • Tell them • Tell them what you’ve told them.

8. Paired discussion With the person sitting next to you, think of the best lecture you have attended, and discuss what made this lecture special? Was it the message? Was it the lecturer’s delivery style? Was it visual support? How long was it?

9. Challenge 3: Keeping the audience’s attention • Audience attention span limited • Lecturer needs to make conscious effort to regain attention • Some activities possible... • ...but how homogeneous is your audience? • Voice projection, poise and presence

10. Good voice production techniques • Gain your listeners’ attention before speaking • Speak relatively slowly & articulate clearly • Speak at a comfortable pitch and loudness level • Use pitch change rather than loud volume for emphasis • Maintain good posture • Warm up the voice prior to start

11. Visual aids • Powerpoint presentation – for you and them! • Bullet points not statements • Not too colourful • Maps, diagrams, photos • Videos

12. Are they listening? Maintain eye contact Look at the whole audience Diagnose problems

13. Challenge 4: Physical and technical hitches • Familiarise yourself with the space • Check the equipment • Have a back up anyway; and print your powerpoint • Use a microphone...? • Check acoustics • Check visibility

14. Challenge 4: Keep yourself comfortable Dress appropriately and flexibly Lay out your materials carefully Keep water at hand Eat appropriately beforehand Have a strategy in case you panic... Work out your timings in advance

15. Challenges and opportunities presented by the lecture format The opportunities: • Practice makes perfect • Raise your academic profile • Obtain feedback on your work • Make a difference through your research • Enhance your employability

16. Turning your research project into an inaugural/popular lecture • Communicate one key message • Focus on an aspect of your work likely to engage non-specialists as well as specialists in your field • Be clear in showing what is unique and original about your work • Show the practical implications of it in a real-life context

17. Preparing a lecture from your research: step 1 (individual reflection) 5 minutes • Try to identify one key message you would want to communicate about your research. • Which aspect(s) of your work would be most likely to engage a non-specialist public? Try to identify up to 3 key points of interest and put them in order of most interesting, second most interesting, third most interesting (from the audience’s point of view). • What is original about your work? • What are the practical implications of your work?

18. Preparing a lecture from your research: step 2 (paired discussion) 10 minutes In pairs, explain your research to your partner and discuss what they think you should present in a lecture

19. Preparing a lecture from your research: step 3 (group discussion) 15 minutes Join another pair to make a group of 4. Describe to the rest of the group the basis of your partner’s lecture. In each case, suggest questions you might want the answers to. The person who owns the lecture should note these and use them to inform planning later. What needs to change about your original plan?

20. Teaching • What are you being asked to do? • Can you do it? • How much prepared material is available? • What will students cover in preceding and subsequent lectures? • Powerpoint presentations may not be the best handout • Conduct a short recap quiz at the end... • ...or maybe at the beginning?

21. Summary of session • Considered some of the challenges associated with giving a lecture & how to overcome them; • Acknowledged the benefits of communicating your research; • Reflected on which aspects of your research lend themselves to a lecture; • Considered how to find and prepare for opportunities for teaching based on your research.