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Communication Communication SkillsSkills

Kathy McCoy

CIS Department

University of Delaware

Mary Jane Irwin

CSE Department

Penn State

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Communication is the Communication is the Key!Key!

No matter how good the idea is, it won’t go anywhere unless you can communicate it to others

Keys to successful communication: Have something to say (and believe in it)Have something to say (and believe in it) Figure out how to organize itFigure out how to organize it Figure out how to SAY itFigure out how to SAY it Practice, practice , practice (rewrite, rewrite, Practice, practice , practice (rewrite, rewrite,

rewrite)rewrite) Deliver the goodsDeliver the goods

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Why is Communication Why is Communication Important?Important?

Good writing/presentations can’t make bad work good, but bad writing/presentations can make good work go unnoticed

Being a good speaker rarely comes naturally Make yourself better at it by giving more talks!Make yourself better at it by giving more talks! Make yourself better by analyzing what good Make yourself better by analyzing what good

speakers dospeakers do Work at it … it’s uncomfortable but worth it!

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Have something to say…Have something to say…

Writing a paper/presentation often clarifies/solidifies ideas because the paper needs to tell the full story

Papers/presentations have limited time frames – you need to figure out the most important points AND figure out how to get them across

That means leaving out details That’s often tricky!That’s often tricky!

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Writing Well Means…Writing Well Means…

Making something Understandable to the Audience …

Making something Interesting for the Audience to read (with proper motivation)

A poorly written paper is one where the wrong details are included, or it asks the reader to do too much work. Make it fun to read. Provide the necessary background and materials.

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Writing is Important!Writing is Important!

Writing was one of the most important lessons I learned in graduate school.

It is important – spend time getting it right! Study from good writers. Practice writing – and get feedback! (At

the same time, be willing to give feedback too!)

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How To Organize a How To Organize a Talk/PaperTalk/Paper

Start early – “There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting”

Decide what the “take home message” should be

Write down the important points you want to make (in any random order) – don’t forget motivation and “way of looking at the problem”

Spend time thinking about pictures/graphs/ visual aids to help you make your points

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Some Things To Think Some Things To Think About…About…

Get the reader interested early (remember they’re busy…)

Show the reader how to read and evaluate the work – establish the point of view the reviewer should be taking.

The paper must be technically sound, but make sure it is understandable to a non-expert.

Proof the paper and then proof it again!!!

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Get FeedbackGet Feedback

Get the draft done early so you can get feedback

Be prepared for the feedback and think of it as a blessing (grow a thick skin)

Get it to your advisor REAL early Give it to your friends – and learn how to

read their papers in return Let the people reading know what the

criteria are

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Understand Your Understand Your AudienceAudience

Know your audience Who is on the program committee?Who is on the program committee? What kind of work do they do?What kind of work do they do? What is the style of the conference?What is the style of the conference? What is the assumed knowledge?What is the assumed knowledge?

Remember program committee members are busy people Your writing has to be clear and concise – Your writing has to be clear and concise –

don’t try to say too much!don’t try to say too much!

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Know the Criteria for Know the Criteria for AcceptanceAcceptance

Significance Technical soundness Relevance to conference topic Relevant literature cited How general is the contribution Is the paper well-written/clear?

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Authoring Papers - Authoring Papers - OrderingOrdering

How big a contribution gets one on the author list?

Whose name should go first? Last? Don’t forget to include

Acknowledgement to the funder (ask your Acknowledgement to the funder (ask your advisor for the grant number)advisor for the grant number)

Acknowledgements to others who made Acknowledgements to others who made contributions, just not enough to make the contributions, just not enough to make the author listauthor list

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LPU (Least Publishable LPU (Least Publishable Unit)Unit)

What about dual (simultaneous) submissions? To two different conferences - NEVERTo two different conferences - NEVER To a conference and a journal – ONLY if the To a conference and a journal – ONLY if the

call specifically allows itcall specifically allows it

Two “versions” of essentially the same paper – LPU hurts you in the long run

Don’t let anyone push you into something that you are uncomfortable with

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Beware of PlagiarismBeware of Plagiarism

“Plagiarism, in which one misrepresents ideas, words, computer codes or other creative expression as one's own, is a clear violation of such ethical principles.” www.acm.org/pubs/plagiarism%20policy.htmlwww.acm.org/pubs/plagiarism%20policy.html

All authors are held responsible for the paper content

Understand the rules to avoid self plagiarism

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Giving Oral Giving Oral PresentationsPresentations

Determine the talk and generate the slides Write out exactly word-for-word what you

plan to say on each slide Give the talk out loud to yourself with the

slides with printed notes in front of you Note mistakes in the slidesNote mistakes in the slides Jot notes on places that just “don’t seem to Jot notes on places that just “don’t seem to

work” or “flow”work” or “flow” Note if the talk is too long or shortNote if the talk is too long or short

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Some Slide MechanicsSome Slide Mechanics

30 minute talk = ~ 30 slides Never use variable width fonts Never use less than 24 point font

Shoot for about 3 points per slide and less than 30 words per slide

Use animation (rather than a laser pointer) –

Make effect use of color – but don’t overdo it

but don’t overdo it

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Still Practicing…Still Practicing… Act on the results of the practice

Does the overall talk work?Does the overall talk work? Is it reasonably close to the right amount of Is it reasonably close to the right amount of

time or do I have to cut major chunks?time or do I have to cut major chunks? Fix the slidesFix the slides Rewrite the text to fix those rough spots that Rewrite the text to fix those rough spots that

were noted (sometimes this means re-were noted (sometimes this means re-ordering or working in a new transition or ordering or working in a new transition or significantly changing a couple of slides)significantly changing a couple of slides)

Repeat until Good! (Speak slowly; don’t use notes)

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The Dry Run…The Dry Run…

NOTE: it is often harder to give a talk to your friends and colleagues then it is to a large audience that doesn’t know you.

Make sure you are doing this early enough so you will be able to incorporate their comments!

Lay the ground rules for the dry run – make sure they know where you are giving the talk (what kind of audience), how long you have, whether you can be interrupted, etc…

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Still on the Dry Run…Still on the Dry Run… Deliver the talk as if it were the real thing

SmileSmile Be confidentBe confident Look them (all) in the eyeLook them (all) in the eye Be enthusiastic about (all) the materialBe enthusiastic about (all) the material Speak SLOWLYSpeak SLOWLY Speak clearlySpeak clearly Modulate your voice emphasizing the Modulate your voice emphasizing the

important pointsimportant points

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More on the Dry RunMore on the Dry Run

Listen carefully to the comments Be grateful for every comment you get! Be grateful for every comment you get!

(Remember, you don’t need to incorporate them if (Remember, you don’t need to incorporate them if you don’t like them, but another viewpoint is you don’t like them, but another viewpoint is ALWAYS helpful.)ALWAYS helpful.)

Pay particular attention if someone is confused or Pay particular attention if someone is confused or didn’t understand a point that was made – that didn’t understand a point that was made – that really needs to be fixed!really needs to be fixed!

Rewrite the talk based on the comments Go practice it for yourself again!

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At the ConferenceAt the Conference

It is natural to be nervous Check out the set-up in advance (take that

stressor away) It is best if you can actually TRY the media in It is best if you can actually TRY the media in

advanceadvance Ask for help if something doesn’t work rightAsk for help if something doesn’t work right Know what “signals” for time you will getKnow what “signals” for time you will get

Remain confident – you KNOW this material and it is GOOD – now show them!

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Overcoming Speaking Overcoming Speaking AnxietyAnxiety

A quote from Lenny Laskowski:

The first and most important [way to reduce The first and most important [way to reduce speaking anxiety] of all is preparation. I like to speaking anxiety] of all is preparation. I like to think of it as the 9 P's: think of it as the 9 P's: PPrior rior PProper roper PPreparation reparation PPrevents revents PPoor oor PPerformance of erformance of the the PPerson erson PPutting on the utting on the PPresentation. resentation.

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Handling QuestionsHandling Questions LISTEN to the question. THINK before you answer. Repeat the question (this is good for you and

good for the audience who may not have heard it clearly).

If you can’t answer a question, don’t try to fake it - just say so! Offer to research the question and get back to Offer to research the question and get back to

them / Suggest sources where the answer might them / Suggest sources where the answer might be found / Thank them for a new direction for you be found / Thank them for a new direction for you to look!to look!

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Summing it UpSumming it Up

Communicating your ideas clearly is an important skill that needs to be worked at – and this is often uncomfortable!

The more you do it, the easier it becomes – but that fear doesn’t ever go away! That’s a good thing – WANT to tell them That’s a good thing – WANT to tell them

something.something. Never let them see you sweat!Never let them see you sweat!

Keep up the confidence and enthusiasm!

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One Last IssueOne Last Issue

Keep a professional web page Update it regularly Include a professionally done head shot Put personal stuff (family pictures, etc)

accessible via a link clearly marked as such If you wouldn’t be happy having your mother If you wouldn’t be happy having your mother

see it, don’t put it theresee it, don’t put it there

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ReferencesReferences

Effective Presentations Tutorials by Jeff Radel http://www.kumc.edu/SAH/OTEd/jradel/effective.html

Overcoming Speaking Anxiety in Meetings & Presentations By Lenny Laskowski: http://www.all-biz.com/newroot/zoom.asp?storyID=40533&szparent=2936&action=display&SessionID=168637&zoneID=2936&infoType=Articles

So long, and thanks for the Ph.D.! by Ronald T. Azuma http://www.cs.unc.edu/~azuma/hitch4.html