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The previous chapter discussed advanced
techniques for creating introductions that draw
audiences into highly technical or complex topics
by way of stories, humor, and suspense. Chapter 14
of Oral Presentations for Technical
Communication examines several additional
advanced concepts--genre shifts and stasis
theory--and illustrates how you can use these
concepts to shift from an overly complex,
scientific or technical content to content that is
meaningful to mixed audiences. The chapter covers
the following topics:
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More Lessons from Science and
Technology Journalism
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Genre: Shifting Modes
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Stasis: Shifting Points of Interest
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These exercises build on the ideas addressed
in Chapter 14:
1. Begin to notice how scientific and technical
information is presented in the media, and look for
examples of the genre shifts and stasis shifts
described in this chapter. Look in the newspaper,
in popular science magazines, on the radio, and on
television. Keep a list of both positive and
negative feature used by the writer or speaker when
shifting science and technology into the public.
Discuss these in class.
2. Go back to your first informative
presentation, and redesign the body of this
presentation using some of the concepts and
techniques described in this chapter.
Presentations and Cyberspace. The Web
could easily be considered the largest public forum
in the world. Anyone with the right computer
connections can easily begin surfing through vast
amounts of information. Some of this information is
designed to present science and technology to the
public, while other sites are clearly designed only
for specialists in those fields. Do a web search on
a topic that is related to your career or of
interest to you. Locate 10-12 web sites. Note which
of these are designed for the public, and analyze
these for the features described in this chapter
(genre, stasis). Does the Web make it easier or
more difficult to present complex information to
mixed audiences? What special challenges are faced
by Web designers who choose to create these sort of
pages?
Presentations and Teamwork. With your
study group, identify and video tape a television
program focusing on a scientific or technical topic
in your field, and suitable for a mixed audience
(alternatively, locate an article in the general
press focusing on a scientific or technical topic
in your field). Identify the techniques used to
make the technical content accessible to the mixed
audience and discuss the effectiveness of these
techniques.
Presentations and International
Communication. Talk with someone who presents
scientific and technical information to
international audiences. Discuss the use of genre
and stasis theory in such presentations, and ask
how he or she uses those and any other concepts to
deliver effective presentations.
Presentations and Your Profession. Talk
with a professional in your field and ask what
techniques and strategies he or she uses to explain
technical information when speaking to a mixed
audience.
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