Using video to give more effective and engaging science talks

Authors: Brennan, Eric

Submitted to: Frontiers in Communication
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/7/2021
Publication Date: 9/28/2021
Citation: Brennan, E.B. 2021. Using video to give more effective and engaging science talks. Frontiers in Communication. 6. Article 725811. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.725811.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.725811

Interpretive Summary: Effective communication of scientific information can be challenging. For decades, scientists have complained about the poor quality of many science presentations. The paper introduces a novel method that scientists can use to improve engagement and interaction with the audience. It’s called the the Video Let’s Talk (VLT) method and has been developed and used effectively by the author of the paper since over the past 6 years.

Technical Abstract: Science presentations at conferences are an important way that scientists share their latest exciting, research discoveries and insights. While some presentations in these venues are informative, inspiring and engaging, unfortunately many are not; as is clear from the numerous published pleas for more effective presentations over the past several decades. This commentary describes a novel method for giving more engaging and effective science presentations. It is called the VLT (Video Let’s Talk) method. In the VLT method, the presenter: 1. Makes a ‘Do-it-Yourself’ (DIY) video with the content they want to share that will fill half of the allocated presentation time slot at the conference, 2. Attends the conference and shows the video in lieu of giving a live oral presentation, and 3. Spends the remaining half of their presentation time engaging with the audience about the content of the video. The benefits and challenges of the VLT are described along with tips on how to do the VLT well. These insights are based on the authors experience giving numerous VLT presentations at agricultural science conferences over the past six years and organizing a symposium where this method was required. This VLT method is particularly timely considering how the COVID 19 pandemic has forced scientists to learn new skills in DIY video making in order to participate in virtual science conferences.