A scientist's ability to get up in front of an audience and give a good talk is no longer just an incidentally useful skill. Indeed, for today's investigator, the art of engaging a group of listeners is apt to be integral to success in the research world. Many scientists find, for example, that if they don't give talks at professional meetings, their peers are less likely to find out what they're doing, since, these days, publishing one's work is not enough. With the abundance of science journals now in circulation, few researchers have the time to read as much as they would like and miss out on many important articles. Besides, the face-to-face interaction that occurs in an oral presentation leaves a stronger impression than words on a printed page.
Prepare way ahead of time and review what you will say about a week before the talk, and then again ...
