The George Washington University (session 12-4)

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Examples of Effective Presentations

When preparing for an academic presentation, examining examples of effective presentations can provide insights into how to structure content, engage an audience, and utilize visual aids. Here are descriptions of a few notable presentations that are widely regarded for their excellence in different academic fields. These examples illustrate a variety of approaches and techniques that can be adapted for your own presentations.

1. Steve Jobs’ iPhone Launch Presentation (2007)

• Key Elements: Known for its clear structure, engaging storytelling, and dramatic reveal. Jobs used simple, visually impactful slides and focused on conveying the product’s revolutionary features.
• Viewing Link: Steve Jobs introduces iPhone in 2007

2. Hans Rosling’s TED Talks on Global Trends

• Key Elements: Famous for using dynamic graphs and direct data manipulation to make complex statistics accessible and engaging.
• Viewing Link: Hans Rosling’s 200 Countries, 200 Years, 4 Minutes – The Joy of Stats – BBC Four

3. Jill Bolte Taylor’s TED Talk, “My Stroke of Insight”

• Key Elements: Combines personal narrative with scientific explanation, using a real human brain to explain her points about brain functions affected by her stroke.
• Viewing Link: Jill Bolte Taylor: My stroke of insight

4. Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk, “Do Schools Kill Creativity?”

• Key Elements: Uses humor and engaging stories to challenge the way we educate children, advocating for a system that nurtures creativity.
• Viewing Link: Sir Ken Robinson: Do schools kill creativity?

5. Dr. Michael E. Mann’s Climate Change Presentations

• Key Elements: Uses effective visuals and straightforward explanations to convey the urgency of climate change issues and the scientific consensus.
• Viewing Link: Dr. Michael E. Mann – Dire Predictions: Understanding Climate Change

6. Dr. Roberta Ness’s TEDx Talk, “Innovation Generation: How to Produce Creative and Useful Scientific Ideas”

• Key Elements: Provides insights into how scientists can think more creatively to enhance innovation in their research.
• Viewing Link: Dr. Roberta Ness at TEDxHouston

7. Dr. Angela Lee Duckworth’s TED Talk on “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance”

• Key Elements: Discusses her research on “grit” as a predictor of success, translating research findings into general insights.
• Viewing Link: Angela Lee Duckworth: Grit: The power of passion and perseverance

8. Dr. Brian Cox’s Presentations on Particle Physics

• Key Elements: Known for explaining complex concepts in particle physics in an understandable and fascinating way, using stunning visuals and clear, enthusiastic explanations.
• Viewing Link: A Night with the Stars – Brian Cox

9. Dr. Atul Gawande’s TED Talk on “How Do We Heal Medicine?”

• Key Elements: Based on his research into medical practice, discussing how systems can be redesigned to improve patient care.
• Viewing Link: Atul Gawande: How do we heal medicine?

10. Dr. Lisa Genova’s TED Talk on “What You Can Do to Prevent Alzheimer’s”

• Key Elements: Uses her research to explain potential prevention methods for Alzheimer’s, presenting complex scientific findings in a clear and accessible way.
• Viewing Link: Lisa Genova: What you can do to prevent Alzheimer’s

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Psychology

11. Dr. Philip Zimbardo’s TED Talk on “The Psychology of Evil”

• Key Elements: Dr. Zimbardo explores the nature of human evil based on his famous Stanford Prison Experiment. The presentation delves into psychological mechanisms that lead ordinary people to commit atrocious acts.
• Viewing Link: Philip Zimbardo: The psychology of evil

12. Dr. Daniel Kahneman’s TED Talk on “The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory”

• Key Elements: Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman discusses how our “experiencing selves” and our “remembering selves” perceive happiness differently, providing profound insights into human psychology.
• Viewing Link: Daniel Kahneman: The riddle of experience vs. memory

Business Management

13. Simon Sinek’s TED Talk on “How Great Leaders Inspire Action”

• Key Elements: Simon Sinek explores how leaders can inspire cooperation, trust, and change. He introduces a simple but powerful model for inspirational leadership all starting with the “golden circle” and the question “Why?”
• Viewing Link: Simon Sinek: How great leaders inspire action

14. Dr. Linda Hill’s TED Talk on “How to Manage for Collective Creativity”

• Key Elements: Dr. Hill brings her research on leadership and innovation to discuss how companies can structure themselves to build and sustain an innovative culture.
• Viewing Link: Linda Hill: How to manage for collective creativity

Mathematics

15. Dr. Cédric Villani’s TED Talk on “What’s so sexy about math?”

• Key Elements: Fields Medal winner Cédric Villani discusses the beauty and excitement of mathematics, providing insight into the mind of a mathematician and the process of mathematical discovery.
• Viewing Link: Cédric Villani: What’s so sexy about math?

16. Dr. Benoit Mandelbrot’s TED Talk on “Fractals and the Art of Roughness”

• Key Elements: The late Benoit Mandelbrot discusses fractal geometry and its role in understanding the complex, rough patterns of the world, from the microcosmic to the cosmic level.
• Viewing Link: Benoit Mandelbrot: Fractals and the art of roughness

Translation

17. Nataly Kelly’s TED Talk on “Found in Translation”

• Key Elements: Nataly Kelly explores how translation bridges cultural gaps, drives economic growth, saves lives, and brings people together. This talk underlines the profound impact that translation has on everyday lives.
• Viewing Link: Nataly Kelly: Found in Translation

18. David Bellos’s Talk at Google on “Is That a Fish in Your Ear? Translation and the Meaning of Everything”

• Key Elements: David Bellos discusses the art and science of translation, exploring how language shapes our ideas and how translation plays a crucial yet often underappreciated role in our daily communications.
• Viewing Link: David Bellos at Google

Academic Writing

19. Dr. Helen Sword’s Presentation on “Stylish Academic Writing”

• Key Elements: Helen Sword sheds light on the often dry and impenetrable nature of academic writing and provides practical advice on how to infuse academic articles with clarity and engagement. Her focus is on crafting elegant and expressive scholarship.
• Viewing Link: Helen Sword: Stylish Academic Writing

20. Dr. Joshua Schimel’s Workshop on “Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded”

• Key Elements: Dr. Schimel discusses techniques for writing clear and compelling scientific papers and grant proposals. He emphasizes storytelling in scientific communication to make research more accessible and engaging.
• Viewing Link: Joshua Schimel’s Writing Science Workshop

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These presentations showcase a range of effective strategies for communicating research and engaging an audience, providing excellent examples for anyone preparing to present their academic work.

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Evaluation Criteria

• Participation and engagement in class discussions
• Quality and timeliness of assignments
• Improvement and development in writing skills
• Final paper and presentation

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LINKS