CS 696 CS 696 Communication Skills Communication Skills Thanks to Mary Jane Irwin and Kathy McCoy 1 Communication is the Key! Communication is the 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 Figure out how to motivate it – – tell a story tell a story � � Figure out how to organize it Figure out how to organize it � � Figure out how to SAY it Figure out how to SAY it � � Practice, practice, practice (rewrite, rewrite, rewrite) Practice, practice, practice (rewrite, rewrite, rewrite) � � Deliver the talk Deliver the talk – – submit the paper submit the paper � 2 Why is Communication Important? Why is Communication 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 � talks talks � Get better by analyzing what good writers/ Get better by analyzing what good writers/ � speakers do speakers do � Work at it … it’s uncomfortable but worth it! 3
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 That’ ’s often tricky! s often tricky! � 4 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. 5 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!) 6
How To Organize a Talk/Paper How To Organize a Talk/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 7 Some Things To Think About… … Some Things To Think 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!! 8 Get Feedback Get Feedback � Get the draft done early for feedback � Give it to your advisor REALLY early Give it to your advisor REALLY early � � Give it to your friends Give it to your friends – – and offer to read their and offer to read their � papers in return papers in return � Look at feedback as a blessing (grow a thick skin) � Let the people reading know what the acceptance criteria are 9
Understand Your Audience Understand Your Audience � 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’ don ’t try to say too much! t try to say too much! 10 Know the Criteria for Acceptance Know the Criteria for Acceptance � Significance � Technical soundness � Relevance to conference topic � Relevant literature cited � How general is the contribution � Is the paper well-written/clear? 11 What if the Paper is Rejected What if the Paper is Rejected � 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 12
Author Ordering Author 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 Acknowledgement to the funder funder (ask your (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 list author list 13 Least Publishable Unit Least Publishable Unit � What about dual (simultaneous) submissions? � To two different conferences To two different conferences – – NEVER NEVER � � To a conference and a journal To a conference and a journal – – ONLY if the ONLY if the � call specifically allows it and tell pc chair call 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 14 Beware of Plagiarism Beware 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.html www.acm.org/pubs/plagiarism%20policy.html � � All authors are held responsible for the paper content � Understand the rules to avoid self plagiarism 15
Oral Presentations Oral 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 slides Note mistakes in the slides � � Jot notes on places that just Jot notes on places that just “ “don don’ ’t seem to t seem to � work” work ” or or “ “flow flow” ” � Note if the talk is too long or short Note if the talk is too long or short � 16 Some Slide Mechanics Some 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) – but don’t overdo it � Make effect use of color – but don’t overdo it 17 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 you Is it close to the right amount of time or do you � have to cut/add major chunks? have to cut/add major chunks? � Fix the slides Fix 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 ordering or working (sometimes this means re 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) 18
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. 19 Still on the Dry Run… … Still on the Dry Run � Deliver the talk as if it were the real thing � Smile Smile � � Be confident Be confident � � Look them (all) in the eye Look them (all) in the eye � � Be enthusiastic about (all) the material Be enthusiastic about (all) the material � � Speak SLOWLY Speak SLOWLY � � Speak clearly Speak clearly � � Modulate your voice emphasizing the Modulate your voice emphasizing the � important points important points 20 More on the Dry Run More 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’ (Remember, you don ’t need to incorporate t need to incorporate them if you don’ them if you don ’t like them, but another t like them, but another viewpoint is ALWAYS helpful.) viewpoint is ALWAYS helpful.) � Pay particular attention if someone is confused Pay particular attention if someone is confused � or didn’ ’t understand a point that was made t understand a point that was made – – or didn that really needs to be fixed! that really needs to be fixed! � Rewrite the talk based on the comments � Go practice it for yourself again! 21
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