Global Change GEOS 478/578

Team presentations: Assignment description:

For this assignment, we ask you to give a Powerpoint presentation of 12 minutes (6 min per person - so 18min for 3-person presentations) addressing a scientific question on the general area you have chosen (see here for schedule and topics). This time limit is firm. You'll need to give enough background information to show why the issue is important, describe major findings or points in detail, and describe where remaining uncertainties, issues, or weaknesses lie.

You should cite at least two scientific, peer-reviewed publications in your presentation.

Your job is to identify and address the question, not to summarize the papers, so construct your talk accordingly.

Be sure to include an introduction that confirms why your topic is important.

Use simple-to-understand graphics to help make your key points. The best presentations include figures with data that support your arguments. All figures must be cited (source indicated). Be sure you can explain any figure you use. Please don't use video.

Back up your assertions with evidence!

Bulleted lists are good, but make them brief: use them to summarize your most important points, and don't write out your entire talk on the slide. Reading your talk from a paper is also not good practice.

Simple tables are OK but too much information on a table can be mind-numbing and impossible to read. If a table is complicated, retype the important parts to simplify it.

Remember to make your visuals readable from the back of the room: use 18 point font minimum! If you are reproducing a figure or table that has smaller type, edit it to change the type size (paste new labels over old ones, or retype a table).

Each person should discuss aspects of the research papers; do not divide your talk so that one person does all background and the other, all the “meat”. You can do this by alternating slides, or just planning carefully.

Practice your entire talk from start to finish before you give it in class. It makes a difference! We will enforce the time limits. Your presentation should be 12 minutes long, 18 minutes if you have a group of 3.

You will be evaulated on your presentation by the instructors, and by the class. Your grade will reflect diverse aspects of the presentation: introduction, scientific content, visual materials, effectiveness, and organization.

If you make factual errors in your presentation, we will probably correct you during the talk (to prevent misunderstandings by the rest of the class) - otherwise we will try to hold questions until the end. We should have time for 1 or 2 questions after each talk, and how you handle those will contribute to our evaluations.

Finally, we want to see that you have used this assignment to learn something new and interesting, and we expect your presentation to demonstrate this.

Basis for grading:

- Does the presentation clearly identify the topic or question and address it directly?
- Is the information presented factually correct, complete, and appropriate for the question? Are questions handled in a way that indicates appropriate knowledge of the material?
- Are the facts and graphics in the presentation referenced to the appropriate source literature?
- Is the presentation well structured, organized, timed?
- Are the visual materials useful, readable, complete?
- Is the presentation style engaging? (i.e. don't read off your notes)