"Before I speak, I have something important to say" - Groucho Marx

From graduate school to retirement, giving and hearing oral presentations is part of the fabric of scientific professional life. Although scientific talks are accepted means of accomplishing the exchange of knowledge and information that is essential to scientific endeavor, the consensus of the community seems to be that far too many bad talks are given. If talks are not of the highest caliber, in both content and delivery, the communication is flawed; science is not properly served nor facilitated. Lack of public speaking skills can also have serious negative consequences on an individual's career.

To improve the flow of information among scientists, this publication attempts to provide advice and observations on preparing and delivering a scientific talk. Many of the points apply to any public speaking situation, but many are unique to a scientific environment. The focus here is on the invited presentation, but impromptu and contributed talks could also benefit from incorporating several of the suggestions.

We hope it will be of value to the scientific community. Future talks will tell.

Studies show that we retain much more of what we see than what we hear. If so, why give
oral presentations at all? Why not simply prepare handouts, distribute them to an audience, wait while the information is read and call for questions? There are several reasons besides "that's just the way it's done." We mention a few of the primary ones in this introduction. Thinking about why you give an oral presentation should help in defining how to give a good talk.

Studies further show that we retain best what we see and hear together. A scientific talk is an opportunity to show and tell. If done properly, it provides your audience with knowledge presented in a way that best enables them to absorb and retain it.

Oral presentations are interactive experiences between the audience and the speaker. The speaker presents himself or herself, as well as the talk, to the audience. The speaker and the audience exchange signals. A speaker brings the subject to life for the audience through personal involvement and familiarity with it. Good interaction with the audience helps the delivery and aids the retention of the material by the audience.

The audience has an opportunity to meet the speaker. For some members of the audience, there can be excitement in personally hearing a recognized authority in a given field. An introduction to a newcomer or lesser known individual with something innovative and relevant to discuss can also be interesting.

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