Translating complex research for an audience

You have done the difficult work of undertaking research and writing it up. How do you condense thousands of words into a 20-minute talk, or a 3-minute poster presentation?

This section will focus on distilling key elements of academic research and communicating it efficiently.

Key elements of research

There are three key elements to any academic project. If you break down your work into these elements, then you can condense and translate your research more effectively.

Flip each card for descriptions of each element and examples of language you can use in your writing.

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Activity: The reduction challenge

Step 1: Identify the key elements of your research using the What, How, and Why prompts listed above.

Step 2: Set a timer for 3 minutes, and explain your answers to each of those three prompts out loud before the time finishes. If you finish in time, move on to Step 3.

Step 3: Set a timer for 2 minutes and try again. If you finish in time, set a timer for 1 minute and try again. Then try 30 seconds. Then 10 seconds.

Did you make it to 10 seconds? What information survived until then? What information did you sacrifice along the way?

Now that you’ve done this, try Step 3 again, but this time record yourself and watch or listen to the recording afterward. The shortest version with the clearest explanation might be a great script to include right after the opening ‘hook’ you developed above! You might also like to use this script to answer the ‘What’s your PhD about’ question that you’re bound to be asked during informal chats in the breaks between sessions.

Use the module menu to go the next section: Networking at academic events, where we give tips for making connections and using good professional etiquette.