What is a research talk? Simple, it is an oral presentation that displays your research. The problem is that you have spent all of your time thinking and expressing your research in a medium other than the oral form of communication. Although the underlying ideas you wish to convey are largely the same, the medium in which you are now asked to express them is profoundly different. The primary challenge in crafting a research talk, then, is this: How do I translate my research from one mode of communication to another? This is precisely the question this workshop seeks to answer and it does so by drawing on storytelling as the central translating device.
This workshop is designed to offer you, first and foremost, a general framework on how to think about the research presentation as storytelling. Our journey will take us through such questions as: What is storytelling? What makes storytelling so compelling? How can it be used in the context of research presentations? Alongside answering these deeper questions, the workshop will also walk through a portion of an actual presentation to demonstrate the principles of storytelling when applied to research. On the second day, participants will be afforded the opportunity to start crafting their own research presentation in the form of storytelling.
The workshop will consist of two modes, one where Josef will be the primary speaker and the other where you will be engaged in small group work. Especially Day 2 of the workshop will be mostly small group work. Please come ready to participate.
Day 1 | Nov 12 | 12:00 - 16:00
- Introduces a general framework on how to think about the research presentation as storytelling.
- Walks through a portion of an actual research presentation to demonstrate the principles of storytelling when applied to research.
Day 2 | Nov 13 | 09:00 - 13:00
- Building on the principles from Day 1, participants now have the opportunity to start crafting their own research presentation in the form of storytelling.
Course convenor: Josef Woldense, assistant professor in the Department of African American & African Studies, has extensive experience in leading storytelling workshops. His research interests are in the areas of elite politics, authoritarian regimes, political institutions, and social network analysis with a geographical focus on Africa, although workshop participants' research does not have to be in any of these areas.
The workshop is for anyone interested in learning more about giving research presentations or presenting complex ideas. Especially those about to enter the job market, receiving the most direct benefit from this workshop.
The workshop does not generate ECTS
Deadline: November 7th