How to Effectively Communicate Data & Research Results

Donna L. Vogel, MD, PhD

Director, Professional Development Office, JHMI dvogel@jhmi.edu

Society of Women Engineers

October 24, 2013

Learning Objectives:

• Understand how communicating research is important in achieving a successful STEM career

• Understand how to present research findings clearly and convincingly

• Perceive the differences between visual and printed reports and how each is best used to to convey information

Planning

Structure and Content

Visuals

Speaking vs. Writing

One model: Jerold Apps •Sequential – follow the outline•Practical – remember what it’s for•Intuitive – interactions, Q&A

Another scheme: VARK (N. Fleming)http://www.vark-learn.com•Visual•Aural•Read/Write•Kinesthetic•Multimodal

Adult Learning Styles

Planning: Before You Begin

Know your subject

Know your purpose

Know your audience

Know your setting

Know Your Subject

Everything flows from your message

- the Answer to your Question

Yes, you’re the expert, but -

Organize your material

Know Your Subject Organize your knowledge

Think – Telling a story

Gather all information

Choose a few key points

Find evidence for each

Think sequence: Known to new

Evaluate the need to include

Outline

One outline strategy for a talk (or poster):

I. Introduction (~10% of time)II. Body (~80%)

A. Key Point1. Supporting data or example2. Supporting data or example3. Significance

B. as A.C. as A.

III. Conclusion (~10%)

Know Your Purpose

Subject vs. Purpose-Subject: a concise statement of the content-Purpose: what is gained, accomplished

Understand why you are speaking or publishing

Know Your Audience

• How many people?

• What is their purpose?

• What is their level of background?

• What physical materials do I want to give?

• What questions can I expect?

Know Your Setting• What size is the room?• How will seating be arranged, fixed?• Where are the doors?• What is the lighting, controls?• How do I control the slides?• What distractions?

Come early if possibleacclimate; some recommend greeting attendees

From Outline to Talk

• Keep a single theme• Check outline for logical order• Insert transitions• Mark where visuals needed• If it doesn’t all fit – Limit, don’t squeeze!• Keep some for Q and A• May make extra slides

TitleAbstractIntroductionMaterials & MethodsResults DiscussionReferences

Structure and Content

Papers

Title

• How they choose to read or attend• The first impression• Clear, accurate statement of content

– Concise– Interesting– Appropriately limited

Abstract

• Often all that is read – indexed on Pubmed• Must make sense alone or with the paper• Be specific and selective• Must contain: Question, experiments, results,

and the Answer. • Optional: Background; implications,

speculation, recommendation if part of the importance

Abstract: Writing

• Answer question as it was asked– same verb, key terms

• Verb tense– Present tense: question and answer– Past tense: experiments done and results

found

• Sentence structure: short• Word choice: simple

A word about Grant AbstractsInclude a background statement to orient readerClearly state overall hypothesis or questionNote unique or novel features

- why should they fund you?Articulate the relevance to the agency’s missionGive the significance of your work for the field.

Get all the reviewers on your sideWrite for the generalist as well as the specialistUse clear language

No jargon, minimal abbreviations

1…,2…,3…,4…,5…

Abstract Specific Aims Page

1

2

3

4

5

Introduction

The funnelOverview – comfort zoneKnown, Unknown, QuestionState as Question or Hypothesis

But must contain independent and dependent variables

As short as possible while informing the readerMay end with approach but not the Answer

Materials and Methods

Shows data - but also validity Overall design – relate to your Question

Subjects, patients, animals, cells, structures

New or unusual equipment or process Photo, drawing, diagram

Detailed experimental methods Actual measurements and assays Data analysis

Use past tenseUse ‘we’ (first person) if permitted

ResultsYour Answer to the QuestionData and the text that describes them

• Start with the Answer to your Question • Don’t start with a figure or a method.• Don’t let the reader miss an important result • State it, don’t make the reader figure it out• Usually chronological, can be in order of most

to least important• Verb tense: results are in the past

Discussion Why should the reader believe your Answer?

• State the Answer to the Question and support it • Organize as dictated by the science or

importance• Assumptions – explain why they are reasonable• Experimental weaknesses • Honestly present the past evidence pro and con• When citing support, indicate why relevant to

your work• For contradictions, explain why they don’t

undermine your work

Title IntroductionMethodsResults and DiscussionConclusions

Structure and Content

Talks

Introduction

Purpose – why you did the work

Background – why your research is needed

Hook – generates interest

Common Intro Mistakes

• Beginning with an apology

• Asking if they can hear you

• Reading the title slide

• Omitting the Intro to save time

• Telling a joke – unless you are truly funny and the humor is

appropriate to your talk

Results and Discussion

• Use the “Key Points” of your outline• For each point

– What is the simplest way to state it?– What examples do I have to support it?– What is the significance– What do I want them to do with the information?

Results - Do

• Use the best evidence to support your points • Relate results to your objectives• Results are connected

– Use transitions and titles to show how

• Use graphics to display data

Results – Don’tDon’t put every datum on a slide

Don’t clutter slides

Don’t show information you know will be illegible

Conclusion- Do

• Give Take-Home message• Summarize main argument, key ideas• Discuss how findings met objective

– Did they support hypothesis, answer question• Discuss how findings may be used• Give something to think about

Conclusion- Don’t

• Don’t simply restate the results

• Don’t give more than 2-3

• Don’t “conclude” what you don’t support

• Don’t introduce new information

Visuals What are visuals for?

• Slides, figures, tables are evidence for your points• Use visuals where the information demands

– It is better understood visually– It is important enough to reinforce visually

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Slide Do’s

• Decide: graphs, tables, photos…• Flow charts often good for methods• Label or title data slides using words• For text slides: Outline only, except conclusion

– 7 x 7 rule• Bulleted list vs. numbers• Consistent format

Slide Don’ts• Don’t be seduced by PowerPoint• Minimize animation unless part of data• Limit number of slides and data per slide

– No more than 1 per minute– Show only what you need for your argument

• Words should never fly• Don’t use too many colors or low contrast

Color

•

• Never use red on a dark background–It projects poorly –Many people are color-blind

White works in any room lighting

Audience

• What would make another scientist interested/excited about my talk?

• What information (in my talk) would another scientist be able to use?

• If we don’t ask these two questions, we include slides like this . . .

Total ERK

PhosphoERKY202/4

PhosphoAktS473

Total Akt

Figure 5.

(a) Representative protein microarrays stained with antibodies for targets indicated at the right of each image.

(b) A map of the case placement on the microarrays. A mini dilution curve comprised of 6 spots was printed for each case.

ReferenceNormalNormalReference

BRCA1ReferenceNormalBRCA1

NormalReferenceBRCA1BRCA1

NormalBRCA1ReferenceNormal

Array Map

ReferenceNormalNormalReference

BRCA1ReferenceNormalBRCA1

NormalReferenceBRCA1BRCA1

NormalBRCA1ReferenceNormal

Array Map

a.

b.

“Ideal” Slides• Limit content to main point, data or text• Background black or blue• Sans serif font• Centered title (30+ pt, yellow)• Bulleted text 20/30 pt, white, Upper/lower• Limit caps, italics, odd characters

Speaking vs. Writing

Good Scientific Writing= Good Writing

• Your Aim is clarity

• Get the reader with you, not against you

• See it from the reader’s viewpoint– What kind of papers do you like to read?

Strategy for Writing• Assemble your data• Outline a first draft• Write the first draft – get something saved

Methods Results IntroductionDiscussionReferencesTitleAbstract

• Revise for content• Revise for style – starting with paragraphs, then

sentences, then words

Word choice• Precise not vague• Simple, not fancy or trendy• Use necessary words• Use abbreviations when the word is BOTH long or

awkward AND appears often• (2-3 times in a paragraph)• If a term is VERY long, it doesn’t have to be frequent• Can use category words to describe a phrase or group• Beware of commonly misused words• Use a general prose style book such as

Strunk and White

Sentence Structure

• What’s the sentence about? Make the topic the subject.• The action is in the verb. Don’t use a noun to show action.• Other weak starts: Action given in “There is…” noun or

adjective• Break up noun clusters• Write short sentences • Pronouns (they, this, that…) must clearly refer to nouns 1:1• Use parallelism and comparisons correctly• Subject and verb must agree and make sense

Paragraphs

• Topic Sentence • What is the paragraph about?• Without topic sentence, no sense of what paragraph

is trying to say• Rest of sentences in paragraph support topic

sentence• Then support or list details, • Followed by the exceptions or “con’s”• Beware of missing steps in the logic especially if you

are very familiar with the subject

The Science of Writing(Gopen GD, Swan JA, American Scientist 78:550-558 (1990)

• Readers look for information in predictable places• Readers have difficulty when

– The verb is far from the subject

– There is no clear topic sentence • There is no linkage to ‘old information’

• There is no context for new information

– Important information is not in the “stress position”– There is a gap in the logic– The verb doesn’t state the action (…is, has…)

Strategy for Presenting

• The listener only retains short pieces• The listener cannot go back and review• Talks must be less complex

– Short sentences, familiar words, active voice– Contractions are OK but not slang– Avoid words that are obscure or hard to pronounce

• You must repeat for emphasis and logic– Assume their attention will wander

• Posters – A special case – must limit words!

Delivery Matters

• Delivery should not make the listener work• Good delivery can enhance understanding• Poor delivery can undermine your credibility

Delivery Tips - Speech• KEY – vary inflection• Slow, simple, strong; pause for emphasis• One idea per sentence• Speak conversationally

• Eliminate um, er• Write out and memorize beginning and end

Delivery Tips - Appearance• Give someone your beeper, phone etc.• Wear neat, comfortable, conservative clothing• Stand naturally, do not pace• Face the audience • Eye contact - forehead OK• Pick 3 friendlies; block out those asleep or rude• Limit use of the laser pointer• Gesture, don’t fidget

Speaking is stage acting

• Overdoing it? Yes!

• Show enthusiasm

• Prepare and practice

• Stay easily within your time

Take Home Message

You communicate research for a purpose

Skilled communication strengthens your argument