Some Suggestions for the Presenatations and Essay for this Course

This year, you will be asked to give a talk and write an essay on a subject related to organic synthesis. On the following page(s) you will find hints that I hope will help in the preparation of both of these items.

THE PRESENTATION

VOICE

  1. Don't speak too quickly
  2. Speak clearly
  3. Be confident
  4. Beware of (avoid) "um's"
  5. Don't read your presentation

ORGANIZATION

  1. Introduction
      Title Slide
      Background information
      Statement of problem
  2. Results/Discussion
      What was done
      What it means
  3. Conclusion
      What was achieved
      What it means
  4. Acknowledgements / Funding (for your research, not for this talk)
  5. Have a clear ending for your talk so your colleagues will know it's time to clap
      "Thank you for your attention"

SLIDES

  1. Title for each slide
  2. Choose colours judiciously (not too many different colours!)
  3. Not too much info / slide
  4. Type your slides
  5. Highlight changes in reaction schemes (with bold or colour)
  6. Use bullets and very little text - tell the story with pictures.

PRESENTATION

  1. Don't read
  2. Look at audience
  3. Point to screen
      Don't wave your magic wand
      Don't stand in front of the overhead
  4. Not too much motion
      Don't walk around too much
      Don't wave hands too much
        Practice OUT LOUD a lot

QUESTIONS

  1. Don't BS
  2. Answer the question asked. Don't show how much you know by answering questions that weren't asked
  3. "That's a good question."

THE ESSAY

TITLE

  1. Choose a clear title which is self-explanatory

ABSTRACT

  1. 1 paragraph outline of the results/conclusions

INTRODUCTION

  1. Set the stage of the problem
      Why is it important
      Give a clear definition of the problem

RESULTS / DISCUSSION

  1. What was done
  2. What it means

CONCLUSION

  1. 1-3 paragraphs which sum up the discovery and which are related to Abstract

THE REST IS FOR YOUR 4G6 Project, NOT FOR THE 4D3 TALK

EXPERIMENTAL

  1. General procedures
      instruments
      compounds (where did you get them)
      purification/solvents
  2. Preparations and spectral data

REFERENCES

    Brook, M. A.; Pine, C. B. J. Stupid Res. 1995, 1, 52.

SCHEMES ETC.

  1. Use clear (preferably computer drawn) Schemes
  2. Use a spell checker
  3. Use a grammar checker
  4. Use one FONT Style
      compounds - bold numbers 1
      references superscript2 or [2]