Presenting Science with Impact

Moira Harris is a freelance science writer in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Scientists and researchers must give effective oral presentations
throughout their careers, whether defending a thesis, speaking up at a
conference, or presenting a funding proposal to a granting agency. For
these professionals, this book provides clear and comprehensive advice
on preparing for, organizing, and delivering scientific presentations,
as well as on dealing with question-and-answer periods. Fictional case
studies illustrate how and why presentations can fail, and each chapter
includes helpful exercises that the reader can use to develop an idea
into a full-fledged presentation.

That mainstay of scientific delivery, the visual aid, receives detailed
attention. In fact, Todoroff devotes a disproportionate amount of space
to such technical details as the pros and cons of different presentation
graphics software packages. These details, although current at the time
of publication, will date the book unnecessarily.

Todoroff’s prescriptions are rather formulaic. She rarely
acknowledges that there might be more than one right way to present, and
she devotes little attention to ways of personalizing presentations.
Nevertheless, her book will prove useful to anyone, not just
professionals in the sciences, wishing to improve his or her speaking
skills.