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CS 696CS 696Communication Communication

SkillsSkills

Thanks to

Mary Jane Irwin and Kathy McCoy

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Communication is the Communication is the Key!Key!

No matter how good the idea is, it won’t go anywhere unless you can communicate it to others

Keys to successful communication: Have something to say (and believe in it)Have something to say (and believe in it) Figure out how to motivate it – tell a storyFigure out how to motivate it – tell a story Figure out how to organize itFigure out how to organize it Figure out how to SAY itFigure out how to SAY it Practice, practice, practice (rewrite, rewrite, rewrite)Practice, practice, practice (rewrite, rewrite, rewrite) Deliver the talk – submit the paperDeliver the talk – submit the paper

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Why is Communication Why is Communication Important?Important?

Good writing/presentations can’t make bad work good, but bad writing/presentations can make good work go unnoticed

Being a good writer/speaker rarely comes naturally Get better by writing more paper, giving more Get better by writing more paper, giving more

talkstalks Get better by analyzing what good writers/ Get better by analyzing what good writers/

speakers dospeakers do Work at it … it’s uncomfortable but worth it!

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Have something to say…Have something to say…

Writing a paper/presentation often clarifies/solidifies ideas because the paper needs to tell the full story

Papers/presentations have limited time frames –figure out the most important points AND how to get them across

That means leaving out details That’s often tricky!That’s often tricky!

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Good Writing Means…Good Writing Means…

Making something Understandable to the Audience …

Making something Interesting for the audience to read (with proper motivation)

A poorly written paper is one where the wrong details are included, or it asks the reader to do too much work. Make it fun to read. Provide the necessary background and materials.

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Writing is Important!Writing is Important!

Writing was one of the most important lessons you learn in graduate school

It is important – spend time getting it right! Study from good writers Practice writing – and get feedback! (At

the same time, be willing to give feedback too!)

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How To Organize a How To Organize a Talk/PaperTalk/Paper

Start early – “There is no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting”

Decide what the “take home message” should be

Write down the important points you want to make (in any random order) – don’t forget motivation and “way of looking at the problem”

Spend time thinking about pictures/graphs/ visual aids to help you make your points

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Some Things To Think Some Things To Think About…About…

Get the reader interested early (remember they’re busy …)

Show the reader how to read and evaluate the work – establish the point of view the reviewer should be taking

Must be technically sound, but also understandable to a non-expert

Proof-read the paper and then proof it again!!! Spell check numerous times!!

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Get FeedbackGet Feedback

Get the draft done early for feedback Give it to your advisor REALLY earlyGive it to your advisor REALLY early Give it to your friends – and offer to read their Give it to your friends – and offer to read their

papers in returnpapers in return Look at feedback as a blessing (grow a

thick skin) Let the people reading know what the

acceptance criteria are

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Understand Your Understand Your AudienceAudience

Know your audience Who is on the program committee?Who is on the program committee? What kind of work do they do?What kind of work do they do? What is the style of the conference?What is the style of the conference? What is the assumed knowledge?What is the assumed knowledge?

Remember program committee members are busy people Your writing has to be clear and concise – Your writing has to be clear and concise –

don’t try to say too much!don’t try to say too much!

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Know the Criteria for Know the Criteria for AcceptanceAcceptance

Significance Technical soundness Relevance to conference topic Relevant literature cited How general is the contribution Is the paper well-written/clear?

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What if the Paper is What if the Paper is RejectedRejected

Rejection does not necessarily mean that the work is not good

What is good, bad about the paper - decide if the paper can be salvaged

If so, revised the paper addressing reviewer concerns

Resubmit the paper to the next relevant conference

Don’t give up easily

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Author OrderingAuthor Ordering

Whose name should go first? Last? How big a contribution gets one on the

author list? Don’t forget to include

Acknowledgement to the funder (ask your Acknowledgement to the funder (ask your advisor for the grant number)advisor for the grant number)

Acknowledgements to others who made Acknowledgements to others who made contributions, just not enough to make the contributions, just not enough to make the author listauthor list

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Least Publishable UnitLeast Publishable Unit What about dual (simultaneous)

submissions? To two different conferences – NEVERTo two different conferences – NEVER To a conference and a journal – ONLY if the To a conference and a journal – ONLY if the

call specifically allows it and tell pc chaircall specifically allows it and tell pc chair What about two “versions” of essentially

the same paper ? – LPU hurts you in the long run

Don’t let anyone push you into something that you are uncomfortable with

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Beware of PlagiarismBeware of Plagiarism

“Plagiarism, in which one misrepresents ideas, words, computer codes or other creative expression as one's own, is a clear violation of such ethical principles.” www.acm.org/pubs/plagiarism%20policy.htmlwww.acm.org/pubs/plagiarism%20policy.html

All authors are held responsible for the paper content

Understand the rules to avoid self plagiarism

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Oral PresentationsOral Presentations

Determine the talk and make the slides Write out exactly word-for-word what you

are going to say on each slide Give the talk out loud to yourself with the

slides and printed notes in front of you Note mistakes in the slidesNote mistakes in the slides Jot notes on places that just “don’t seem to Jot notes on places that just “don’t seem to

work” or “flow”work” or “flow” Note if the talk is too long or shortNote if the talk is too long or short

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Some Slide MechanicsSome Slide Mechanics

30 minute talk = ~ 18-20 slides Never use variable width fonts Never use less than 24 point font

Shoot for about 3 points per slide and less than 30 words per slide

Use animation (rather than a laser pointer) –

Make effect use of color – but don’t overdo it

but don’t overdo it

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Still Practicing…Still Practicing… Act on the results of the practice

Does the overall talk work?Does the overall talk work? Is it close to the right amount of time or do Is it close to the right amount of time or do

you have to cut/add major chunks?you have to cut/add major chunks? Fix the slidesFix the slides Rewrite the text to fix the rough spots Rewrite the text to fix the rough spots

(sometimes this means re-ordering or working (sometimes this means re-ordering or working in a new transition or significantly changing a in a new transition or significantly changing a couple of slides)couple of slides)

Repeat until Good! (Speak slowly; don’t use notes)

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The Dry Run…The Dry Run…

It is often harder to give a talk to your friends and colleagues than it is to a large audience that doesn’t know you

Make sure to do it early enough so you will be able to incorporate changes

Lay the ground rules for the dry run – make sure they know where you are giving the talk (what kind of audience), how long you have, whether you can be interrupted, etc.

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Still on the Dry Run…Still on the Dry Run… Deliver the talk as if it were the real thing

SmileSmile Be confidentBe confident Look them (all) in the eyeLook them (all) in the eye Be enthusiastic about (all) the materialBe enthusiastic about (all) the material Speak SLOWLYSpeak SLOWLY Speak clearlySpeak clearly Modulate your voice emphasizing the Modulate your voice emphasizing the

important pointsimportant points

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More on the Dry RunMore on the Dry Run

Listen carefully to the comments Be grateful for every comment you get! Be grateful for every comment you get!

(Remember, you don’t need to incorporate them if (Remember, you don’t need to incorporate them if you don’t like them, but another viewpoint is you don’t like them, but another viewpoint is ALWAYS helpful.)ALWAYS helpful.)

Pay particular attention if someone is confused or Pay particular attention if someone is confused or didn’t understand a point that was made – that didn’t understand a point that was made – that really needs to be fixed!really needs to be fixed!

Rewrite the talk based on the comments Go practice it for yourself again!

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At the ConferenceAt the Conference

It is natural to be nervous Check out the set-up in advance (take that

stresser away) It is best if you can actually TRY the media in It is best if you can actually TRY the media in

advanceadvance Ask for help if something doesn’t work rightAsk for help if something doesn’t work right Know what “signals” for time you will getKnow what “signals” for time you will get

Remain confident – you KNOW this material and it is GOOD – now show them!

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Answering QuestionsAnswering Questions Be prepared !

Give session chair “sample” questionsGive session chair “sample” questions Have backup slides for the questions you expectHave backup slides for the questions you expect

Make sure you listen to/understand the question – repeat it back to the questioner

For questions that need long/detailed responses, ask to meet after the session

Don’t be afraid to say “that’s a really good point/idea and on our list to consider for future work”

Don’t get into extended arguments

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One Last IssueOne Last Issue

Keep a professional web page Update it regularly Include a professionally done head shot Put personal stuff (family pictures, etc)

accessible via a link clearly marked as such If you wouldn’t be happy having your mother If you wouldn’t be happy having your mother

see it, don’t put it theresee it, don’t put it there

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ResourcesResources

That every graduate student in CSE should have on their bookcase Tufte, Tufte, The Visual Display of Quantitative The Visual Display of Quantitative

InformationInformation, 2001, 2001 Alley, Alley, The Craft of Scientific Presentations: The Craft of Scientific Presentations:

Critical Steps to Succeed and Critical Errors Critical Steps to Succeed and Critical Errors to Avoidto Avoid, 2005, 2005

Zobel, Zobel, Writing for Computer ScienceWriting for Computer Science, 2004, 2004 Colwell, Colwell, The Pentium ChroniclesThe Pentium Chronicles, 2006, 2006

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Summing UpSumming Up Communicating your ideas

clearly is an important skill that needs to be worked on

The more you do it, the easier it becomes – but that fear doesn’t ever go away

Part of being a professional