Research Questions, Academic Writing, and Presenting
2022
Ha Bich Dong, Carlie Kane, Corey Petsnik, Dr. Shayna Plaut
![University of Manitoba](https://chrr.info/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/UM-Students.jpg)
This resource guide is for students to help them get started on a writing project with tips on how to generate your research question and present your work for different audiences.
Research Questions, Academic Writing, and Presenting
Start with the audience. Who IS your audience?
- Do they have previous knowledge of the issue?
- Are they coming from an academic background?
- Demographic questions – ages, linguistic backgrounds
Thinking about your audience will help shape both the content and the style of your presentation. It will impact the language you use including the amount of slang/jargon used in your presentation as well as the length and formality/informality of the presentation.
Don’t assume that the presentation needs to be formal – it depends on the goals of the presentation, as well as the audience. Don’t be afraid to adapt your language/medium depending on the goals and audience of the presentation.
Think about the different ways you can share your information and your research. There are multiple formats such as:
- Podcasts
- Infographics
- Roundtables
- Powerpoint/Prezi
- Video
When planning your presentation, think about how much information you want people to walk away with. A useful exercise is to consider what are the three most important things the audience should know after listening to your presentation.
Often LESS text is worth more! Any text that you have on a presentation should be complimented by visuals that will trigger thought and the ability to remember the information presented.
Remember to define your terms in the way that you are using them because, if you fail to do that, the audience will use their definition which may, or may not, be the same.