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16 - Writing a Lecture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 June 2012

Robert J. Sternberg
Affiliation:
Oklahoma State University
Karin Sternberg
Affiliation:
Sternberg Consulting, LLC
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Summary

Lecturing is one of the most important parts of being a psychologist. All of us have attended countless lectures and know what a difference it makes to listen to someone exciting versus someone dull. Sometimes you may not have any choice in terms of the material you present. But there are 15 keys that everyone can follow to write better lectures:

DO NOT READ YOUR LECTURE FROM A SCRIPT.

Listening to a lecture that is read directly from text is one of the more boring experiences known to humankind. Written language does not sound like oral language. If you ever read the transcript of a good talk, you will find it hard to comprehend. It should be! People just do not talk the way they read. When you hear a talk that is read word for word, the talk sounds unnatural. It is also boring to hear.

START OFF ON AN EXCITING NOTE.

Listeners often decide in the first minute or two whether they will continue to listen to a lecture or tune out. Starting with an exciting opening can make the difference between capturing an audience and losing them from the start. Try to start off with an anecdote, a joke that is relevant to the lecture, a concrete example of something you'll be talking about, or some other topic that will catch the interest of listeners.

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Chapter
Information
The Psychologist's Companion
A Guide to Writing Scientific Papers for Students and Researchers
, pp. 315 - 320
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2010

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