How to Speak

"How to Speak" shows how even someone who isn't naturally charismatic can become an effective speaker. In this presentation recorded before a live audience, Professor Patrick Winston of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology offers advice on all aspects of academic presentations. He discusses how to begin and end a lecture, how to cycle in on the material, how to use verbal punctuation to indicate transitions, and how to devise 'near misses' that strengthen understanding by showing what a particular concept is not. In addition, his presentation covers do's and don'ts of blackboard use, overhead projectors, and props. Throughout his lecture, Winston not only describes his techniques, but actively adopts them, illustrating each as he goes. The result is a detailed, practical guide designed for anyone who wishes to communicate effectively with an academic audience. Throughout his teaching career, Steven Rudich, Professor of Computer Science at Carnegie Melon University, has sought to convey complex ideas through simple means that work with, not against the capacities and limitations of his students. The challenge, of course, is to make such ideas clear without dumbing them down.
In "Technical Speaking", Rudich demonstrates how this can be done. He stresses the importance of accessibility (knowing your audience), ambition (challenging them), and seduction (making them care), and illustrates each with memorable examples. Making complex matters simple is itself complex, but Rudich offers techniques and tools that make it possible.