What do science- and math-related courses include? Here’s a rundown: Science-related disciplines comprise the physical sciences (e.g., chemistry and physics), the natural sciences (e.g., biology and medicine), and the earth sciences (e.g., geology, meteorology, and oceanography). Fields related to mathematics include accounting, statistics, and applied math.

Communicating scientific information in oral presentations has become an increasingly critical skill in today’s science- and math-related jobs. Fortunately, the speaking assignments in your various science- and math-related courses should prepare you for the challenge.

The focus of many science and math presentations is to inform listeners of the results of original or replicated research. Instructors want to know the processes by which you arrived at your experimental results. For example, your biology instructor may assign an oral report on the extent to which you were able to replicate an experiment on cell mitosis. A math instructor may ask you to apply a concept to an experiment or issue facing the field. In a geology course, you might describe how glacial striations in bedrock can help determine the direction of a glacier’s movement.

Research (“Scientific Talk”) Presentation

In the research presentation (also called the oral scientific presentation) you describe original research you have done, either alone or as part of a team. The research presentation usually follows the standard model used in scientific investigation (see Figure 31.2 on the next page) and includes the following elements:

FIGURE 31.2 Steps in a Scientific Investigation

Methods/Procedure Presentation

The methods/procedure presentation describes how an experimental or mathematical process works and under what conditions it can be used. This is generally a ten- to fifteen-minute individual presentation. In a theoretical math class, for example, your assignment might be to describe an approach to solving a problem, such as the Baum-Welch algorithm, including examples of how this approach has been used, either inappropriately or appropriately. This type of methods/procedure presentation generally does the following:

Research Overview Presentation

The research overview presentation provides background for a research question that will form the basis of an impending experiment or investigation. Instructors often ask students to organize research overviews with the following sections:

The format for the research overview may be an individual presentation or a panel discussion in which group members explore specific lines of research that contribute to a general hypothesis.

Field Study Presentation

A field study presentation describes research conducted in naturalistic surroundings; for example, an environmental studies major might describe animal behavior in an oil spill, or a geology major may report on a dig. Field study presentations may be assigned as individual, team, or poster-session presentations. Whatever the discipline and nature of the observations, field study presentations address the following:

Preparing Effective Presentations in Science and Mathematics

Science and mathematics instructors, and employers and colleagues on the job, will expect your presentations to be grounded in the scientific method. Credible presentations must clearly illustrate the nature of the research question (ideally in a way that audience members will find compelling and relevant), describe the methods used in gathering and analyzing data, and explain the results.

As in any kind of oral presentation, focus on making the introduction motivating. If you lose the audience in the introduction phase of a scientific presentation, chances are slim that you’ll regain their attention. Instead of simply stating the hypothesis, tell the audience why you believe the research is important and why solving the problem is relevant. Revealing enthusiasm for the research will spark the audience’s interest in your presentation.

Clearly executed presentation aids often are critical to these scientific and mathematical presentations, and instructors generally require them. Aids can range from data tables and graphs to equations drawn on a chalkboard.

Typically, instructors will expect you to do the following:

Scientific and mathematical presentations need not be dry and merely factual. Experimentation is a process of discovery, and the fits and starts that often accompany completion can make for compelling anecdotes during your talk.