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11.2 Short Talk, Long Practice (and Vice Versa)
It might seem like a paradox, but shorter time-limited talks demand more practice
than long lectures.
The challenge with short talks is not to end up dwelling on a topic, but rather
provide concise explanations to push your points. In short talks with time limitation,
every second counts! Dwelling on something will stop you from spending quality
time on the remaining slides. And your stress level will jump up the roof as you get
the “one minute left” warning with so many slides left to cover!
On the other hand, when delivering a long lecture, you have the opportunity to
adjust the level and pace of information provided to match the time allotted. Losing
a minute dwelling on something will not have the same severe consequences when
giving a long lecture, compared to a quick 5-minute talk.
Plus, it is not realistic to repeatedly practice an hour-long presentation! For long
presentations, rather than practicing multiple times, quickly glance through all
slides, ensuring that you know precisely what you want to address on each of them.
I still suggest you focus on repeatedly practicing the first slide (see Sect. 11.5),
even for long lectures. Once you get started on the right foot, everything flows.
11 Practice
11.2 Short Talk, Long Practice (and Vice Versa)
It might seem like a paradox, but shorter time-limited talks demand more practice
than long lectures.
The challenge with short talks is not to end up dwelling on a topic, but rather
provide concise explanations to push your points. In short talks with time limitation,
every second counts! Dwelling on something will stop you from spending quality
time on the remaining slides. And your stress level will jump up the roof as you get
the “one minute left” warning with so many slides left to cover!
On the other hand, when delivering a long lecture, you have the opportunity to
adjust the level and pace of information provided to match the time allotted. Losing
a minute dwelling on something will not have the same severe consequences when
giving a long lecture, compared to a quick 5-minute talk.
Plus, it is not realistic to repeatedly practice an hour-long presentation! For long
presentations, rather than practicing multiple times, quickly glance through all
slides, ensuring that you know precisely what you want to address on each of them.
I still suggest you focus on repeatedly practicing the first slide (see Sect. 11.5),
even for long lectures. Once you get started on the right foot, everything flows.
11 Practice