Speaker's Guide

 

 

Congratulations, your submission has been approved to be featured in the FREDtalks Conference.

This means that you have shown uncommon concern for your community and the larger world, and have refined your area of interest into a viable seed to help develop a healthy and prosperous city.

 

Now what? Now we talk about a few informal ground rules that will help you deliver an exciting and informative presentation. Though these steps are in no way comprehensive, they contain some guiding principles that have been known to work.

 

Step 1: Get familiar with the FORMAT

 

Step 2: Develop an innovative, practical IDEA

 

Step 3: Make an OUTLINE OR SCRIPT

 

Step 4: Create SLIDES OR VIDEO (optional)

 

Step 5: Ask a friend to REHEARSE with you

 

Step 6: Give YOUR TALK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. FORMAT.

 

What is a FREDtalk?

 

FREDtalks are a showcase for speakers presenting well-formed ideas in 15 to 20 minute, with a 10-15 minute Q & A afterward – the whole thing fits inside a 30 minute block. The best example of the preferred format is to emulate the structure and rhythm of the semi-formal TEDx Talks. If you haven’t seen a TED or TEDx presentation, go to our TED YouTube playlist and watch some of our favorites.

 

Why 15 to 20 minutes?

 

Because it works best. An audience is good at focusing on one subject at a time in relatively short blocks. Going over 20 minutes risks losing the attention of an increasing portion of your audience.

 

Can I go over 20 minutes?

 

No. Well, sometimes. Keynote speakers and talks combined with short video components (again, roughly 20 minutes in length) are counted as Extended Talks. Videos should be used as source material to familiarize the audience with a more complex subject (e.g. Forestry, Human Rights) before following up with your own twist on the topic for the following 20 minutes. Each portion of an Extended Talk should be no longer than 20 minutes, and allow for 15+ minutes of Q & A afterward.

 

A keynote speaker is an experienced speaker who is an expert in an an already innovative area. Their talks are extended by default, with 40-50 minutes minutes for speaking, and 10-20 for discussion.

 

 

2. IDEA.

 

What makes a good idea for a talk?

 

Like a good science or business journal article, your idea should be a new or counterintuitive – but still practical – twist on an old way of doing things. This can range from irrigation or commercial point-of-sale systems, to day-care or virtual personal assistant business models.

 

Or it can just be a new way of looking at an older idea. The only limit is your creativity.

 

Do I need to be an expert on my topic?

 

No! The whole point of FREDtalks is for it to be a democratic forum. You don't need to be an expert on the topic, but you do have to have a strong, potentially “actionable” idea – something that can be easily integrated into an existing system or implemented in some beneficial and pragmatic way. This is why religious ideas aren't appropriate for these events, and most political ideas are only marginally suitable. Your idea should be able to be developed without the need for a fundamental institutional shift.

 

Please remember that the audience relies on you to give accurate information, so whatever you say in your talk, please fact-check – especially facts you may take for granted: statistics, historical anecdotes, scientific stats. If you're drawing an example from a discipline that is not your main area of knowledge, use research from widely accepted and peer-reviewed sources, and, if at all possible, consult with experts directly.

 

Is my idea ready?

 

Write your idea down in one or two sentences. Ask yourself a few qualifying questions:

 

• Is my idea or perspective new?

   

• Is it something my audience hasn't heard before?

 

• Is it interesting and innovative?

 

• Is it pragmatic or practical?

   

• Who might be interested in it?

 

• Is it factual and realistic?

 

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you may need to refine your idea. Ask someone knowledgeable and skeptical to help you troubleshoot your idea. If they answer “no” to any of these questions, keep refining your idea. If your FREDtalks organizing team answers “no” to any of these questions, keep refining.

 

If you are presenting new research, or a new process, make sure it can be used in it's field.

 

If you are presenting a call to action, make sure it can be executed by an NGO or volunteers.

 

 

3. OUTLINE AND SCRIPT.

 

What is the best structure for a talk?

 

There are many theories on the best structure for a great presentation. See our Public Speaking YouTube Playlist for a few places to start. There’s no single trick to it, but here is at least one structure that we’ve found to work particularly well:

 

• Start by making your audience care, using a relatable example or an intriguing idea.

 

• Explain your idea clearly and with conviction.

 

• Describe your evidence and how and why your idea could be implemented.

 

• End by addressing how your idea could affect your audience if they were to accept it.

 

Whatever structure you decide on, remember:

 

• The primary goal of your talk is to communicate an idea effectively, not to tell a story or to evoke emotions. These are tools, not an end in themselves.

   

• Your structure should be invisible to the audience. In other words, don’t talk about how you’re going to talk about your topic – just talk about it!

 

Introduction

 

A strong introduction is crucial to draw in your audience members with something they care about:

 

• If it’s a topic people think about a lot, start with a clear statement of what the idea is.

   

• If it’s a field they never think about, find a way to relate it to a common experience.

   

• If the idea is something fun, open with a something surprising and offbeat (not stats).

   

• If your idea is a bit heavy, find an easy way to open up the topic - don't try to shock.

 

• Get your initial idea out as quickly as possible, and then “unpack” or elaborate on it.

 

• Don’t focus too much on yourself. Your idea shouldn't depend on you being involved.

 

• Don’t open with a string of stats. Most people aren't math geeks, people think in stories.

 

Body

 

In presenting your topic and evidence:

 

• Make a list of all the evidence you want to use.

   

• Think about items that your audience already knows about and the things you’ll need to convince them of.

 

• Order all of the items in your list based on what a person needs to know before they can understand the next point, and from least to most exciting.

   

• Now cut out everything you possibly can without losing the integrity of your argument. You will most likely need to cut things that you think are important.

 

Consider making this list with a trusted friend, someone who isn’t an expert in your field.

 

• Spend more time on new information: If your audience needs to be reminded of old or

  common information, be brief.

   

• Use empirical evidence, and limit anecdotal evidence.

   

• Don’t use too much jargon, or explain new terminology.

   

• (Respectfully) address any controversies in your claims, including legitimate counter-arguments, reasons you might be wrong, or doubts your audience might have about your idea.

   

• Don’t let citations interrupt the flow of your explanation: Save them for after you’ve made your point, or place them in the fine print of your slides.

   

• Slides: Note anything in your outline that is best expressed visually and plan accordingly in your script. See Step 4, SLIDES OR VIDEO.

 

Conclusion

 

Find a landing point in your conclusion that will leave your audience feeling positive toward you and your idea's chances for success. Don’t use your conclusion to simply summarize what you’ve already said; tell your audience how your idea might affect their lives if it’s implemented. Add something empowering or encouraging – something that makes you audience want to run with your idea.

 

If appropriate, give your audience a call to action.

 

This part should transition into the question and answer or discussion period of your talk. A simple “Does anyone have any questions?” should suffice. This should only be 3-4 questions, each of which you only spend a couple of minutes answering. For every short (little more than yes or no) question, you can usually fit an extra question in – but remember to keep your whole spot to 30 minutes.

 

Script or Cards

 

Now that you've figured out what you want to say, you need to find ways to help deliver it while on stage. Once you’re settled on your outline, start writing a script. Be concise, but write in a way

that feels natural to you. Use present tense and strong, interesting verbs. Cue cards may work best for this, as they serve as reminders of the flow of your talk, but allow you to use more natural language.

 

 

4. SLIDES OR VIDEO.

 

Should I use slides?

 

Maybe. It depends on the nature of your talk. Slides can be helpful for the audience, but they are by no means necessary for every talk. Ask yourself if slides would help and clarify information for the audience, or would they distract and confuse them? Are certain visual elements necessary to illustrate a process or theoretical model?

 

The most important rule for slides: Keep it simple.

 

I’ve never made slides before. Where do I start?

 

Assess your own skill level. You can make great simple slides if you stick to photographic images, running edge-to-edge. If your slide ideas are more complex and involve type, consider working with a designer. Your event organizer should be able to help.

 

What goes into my slides?

 

• Images and photos

  To help the audience remember a person, place or thing you mention, you might use images or photos. People will understand that the images represent what you’re saying, so there is no need to verbally describe the images onscreen. The should simply supplement what you're saying.

   

• Graphs and infographics

  Keep graphs visually clear, even if the content is complex. Each graph or slide should make only one point. Don't use several page infographics. Venn diagrams and pie charts are ideal.

 

What should the slides look like?

 

Use as little text as possible – if your audience is reading, they are not listening. Avoid using bullet points. Consider putting different points on different slides.

 

How should the slides be formatted?

 

Higher resolution – a little bigger than your computer's desktop background image – is usually best. An image needs to be clear enough that any words or faces can be recognized from the back of the room. Again, sans-serif font, size 42 or higher, is best for text.

 

Use the “broadcast-safe” zones in PowerPoint or Keynote. Don’t put any information or visuals in the far corners of your slides – that is, about one inch (2.5 cm) from the edges of your computer screen when editing them to be used as slides.

 

I want to use Google Image Search result, but I don't know where it came from - I think it's from the Simpsons.

 

That's not a question. But generally, you should only use images that you own or know the legal status of. If in doubt, limit your image search to Search Tools > Usage Rights > “Labeled for noncommercial reuse”. If you use an image under a Creative Commons license, cite the source or license type at the bottom of your slide.

 

 

5. REHEARSE.

 

I’ve read or said my talk once in my head. Is that enough?

 

No. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse! We can’t stress this enough. Rehearse until you’re completely comfortable in front of other people: different groups of people, people you love, people you fear, small groups, large groups, peers, people who aren’t experts in your field. Listen to the criticisms and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. If someone says you sound “over-rehearsed,” this actually means you sound stilted and unnatural. Keep rehearsing, and focus on talking like you’re speaking to just one person in a spontaneous one-way conversation.

 

Some Final Notes...

 

Timing

Time yourself. Practice with the clock winding down in front of you. Do it until you get the timing right every time.

 

Posture

Practice standing still, planted firmly in one spot on stage. Have a friend watch you and stop you from pacing back and forth or shifting your weight from side to side. Try not to “talk with your hands”.

 

Stage time

There will be a dress rehearsal and “soundcheck” on Friday evening, February 20th. This will allow you to see the space, practice saying a few words to determine the right position or volume.

 

Dress Code

There are two main suggestions here: Dress the way you would if it were casual Friday at a business you owned or managed, or in the way that makes you feel most powerful and confident.

 

Language

Please try not to swear. The audience will feature people of a wide range of ages and cultures who may not appreciate profanity.

 

 

6. YOUR TALK.

 

Breathe. Relax. Stand up straight. Pretend you're acting in a game or play, if necessary. Do it like you practiced. You'll be fine!

 

 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact the organizer via

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