Download - Q&A on Posters Lecture
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Handling Q & A
Beatriz P. Lorente, Ph.D.
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Effective handling of Q&A involves 3
Elements
Thorough Preparation
Attentive & Active Listening
Good Answering Strategies
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Thorough Preparation is the First Key
It helps you to:
know what to LISTEN for
have a directory of ready ANSWERS toselect from
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You should prepare based on the
content of your preparation
hot spots: areas & issues that might becontroversial
short spots: areas that you cannot cover orchoose not to cover in the presentation
wart spots: areas that you know may not be
convincing enough (and which you hope wont benoticed!)
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You should also prepare based on your
analysis of the audience
What are their main interests concerns, e.g.based on the nature of their responsibilities?
Which part of the presentation might differentmembers pay special attention to?
What agendas might some members of the
audience have?
What types of questions do they normally ask?
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Attentive & Active Listening is the 2nd
Key
Listen for two types of CONTENT:
Ideational content
Interpersonal/emotional content
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Listen beyond content to INTENT, e.g.:
Genuine questions really meant to obtaininformation & understanding?
Test questions to check your competency? Trick questions to set or trip you up?
Vent questions to let off steam?
Challenge questions to push opposing
viewpoint or agenda?
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Make your listening attentive & active
by:
Preparing to listen: do a quick activation ofpossible schemata
Focusing your listening: key themes, key wordsthat are repeated, main question vs sub-question
Bullet pointing as you listen Back-channeling while you listen: deliberate
acknowledgement of points to keep YOUR mindfocused
Mental reframing as you listen: to focus onspeakers meaning, not words
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GoodAnswering Strategies
are the Final Key
BEFORE you answer:
Decide the PURPOSE of your answer
Force yourself to choose a STRUCTURE for
the answer
PRIORITIZE: decide what is the mostimportant point to begin your answer
with, or to emphasize through repetition.
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WHEN you answer:
Start by reframing the question to CHECK THATYOU HAVE UNDERSTOOD correctly: repeat,paraphrase, sum up, confirm, clarify etc
ANNOUNCE your structure to your audience (Ihave three points to make in response to this:first, )
Force yourself to stick to the structure
Speak SLOWLY, and use REPETITION
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Answering template
REFRAME question
[Provide In a nutshell answer first]
Introduce answer structure
Produce answer with clear structuresignals
Sum-up answer
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Important reminders
Focus on KEY ISSUES, not trivial details
Keep the BIG PICTURE in mind, andremind audience of this
Acknowledge that you dont know if youdont know, but promise to find theanswer
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What are poster presentations like?
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References
Atkinson, C. Beyond Bullet Points. Microsoft Press. 2005.
Lin, B. Effective Technical Presentations III: Handling Q& A (Power Point slides)
Mandel, S. Effective Presentation Skills. Crisp Learning,1993.
Reynolds, G. Presentation Zen. New Riders Pub. 2008