Communicating in Geography and the Environmental Sciences

This is a primer on presentation skills for students of geography and the environmental sciences. Chapters outline the 'whys' and 'hows' of essays, research and laboratory reports, reviews, summaries, annotated bibliographies, maps, figures, tables, posters, examinations, and talks. Information on how forms of presentation are commonly assessed is also provided. Most of the chapters have been written around a framework comprising four parts. First, the means of communication is explained. This takes the form of an answer to a question such as 'why prepare a poster?' This section is followed by a broad conceptual statement of the key matters assessors seek when marking the means of communication being considered. How to communicate effectively is dealt with in the third part of most chapters. A checklist of those assessment criteria forms the fourth and final part of most chapters. To the student, the author says, 'This is a book to be used throughout your entire degree. In first year, you might find the chapters on essay writing, graphics and exams most helpful.
In third year, you might use the material on oral presentations for the first time while still using the material on essays and graphics. It tells you how to communicate effectively in an undergraduate student setting. The book was written to provide you with an insight to some of the expectations of people for whom you will be writing essays, giving talks and drawing figures. Those expectations are reviewed fully in the chapters but they are also summarized in the assessment schedules. An understanding of your audience's expectations before you undertake an assignment ought to help you prepare better work than might otherwise have been possible.'