Lies, Damn Lies

how to give a bad talk

I am at a week long course at Warwick university (whose campus is frighteningly large), enjoying the wonders of shared bathrooms and intense statistical information being delivered at quite a rate.... It's all good fun, although I find the process of networking anathema to my very soul. Still, it's christmas very soon, which is nice, and many plans are afoot.

I went to a talk this evening on how to give a bad presentation, which was entertainingly done, presenting information I had been given before, but it is always worth understanding. I am aware of my main failings as a speaker, primarily that nerves cause me to deliver any talk at about twice the speed in my practices, which is a pity. The presentation reminded me of a seminar I attended at the RSS in London, where talks were given using an LCD screen. One of the speakers was given a laser pointer, which he attempted to use, only to believe it was not working. What was in fact happening was the point was bouncing off the screen and appearing on the ceiling. This caused me much amusment... I possibly could have pointed it out, but that would have been no fun.

Labels: my life

posted by Mr K @ 8:57 pm