How to walk my PI through a paper

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the challenges faced by an undergraduate in effectively presenting a research paper to their advisor and a postdoc collaborator. The focus is on developing communication skills for conveying complex research concepts and narratives, particularly when the presenter is not the original author of the work.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • The undergraduate expresses a need for guidance on how to better present research papers, particularly in storytelling rather than summarization.
  • Some participants suggest that the advisor's feedback is intended to help develop valuable communication skills applicable in various careers.
  • The undergraduate reports success after preparing slides and speaker notes, which were well-received by the audience.
  • A later reply offers encouragement and praise for the undergraduate's efforts in improving their presentation skills.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of effective communication skills in research contexts, but there is no explicit consensus on the best methods for achieving this.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not address specific strategies for overcoming nervousness or memory issues during presentations, nor does it explore the depth of the paper being presented.

Who May Find This Useful

Undergraduates and early-career researchers looking to improve their presentation skills and communicate complex research effectively to peers and superiors.

yeshuamo
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I'm an undergraduate involved in a research project. My advisor is a faculty member who has requested that I walk him and our postdoc collaborator through a paper that is relevant to our project; it's a 24-page in-depth journal article.

I made an attempt at walking them through a shorter article last week, but the PI said that I needed to work on better telling the story behind the paper instead of summarizing it.

Have you had to develop the skill of walking your superiors through research that you didn't conduct? Can you offer advice on preparing this talk?

I should note that I get nervous when speaking, so my memory isn't my best friend when I'm talking.

Thank you for your tips.
 
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My impression is he/she is trying to help you. The skills in your story are indeed very useful in almost any career, so any investment is well made. Try to talk to him/her about your quandary (at least you don't have eto rely on your memory for that) and try to find out this motivation.
 
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Thank you. I ended up preparing slides that I handed out and added speaker notes to my copy. Added an intro slide putting the paper in context of other research and concluded with takeaways relevant for our project. It was received with praise, so mission accomplished!
 
Bravo !
 

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