HS 601-Panel Questions

Seminar Techniques and Technology (HS 601)

Panel Members:

Dr. Steve Clouse (Molecular biology research and teaching)
Dr. Christopher Gunter (Vegetable extension and research)
Dr. Julia Kornegay (Administration)
Mr. Bryce Lane (Horticulture teaching and public TV)
Dr. Bryon Sosinski (Fruit biotechnology research)

Panel Discussion Questions - 2009

How do you divide your time between teaching and research or design projects (Archer)?
What are some tips for being a successful critic when you are reviewing a student's design or subjectively-graded lab project (Archer)?
When and how did you decide that you wanted to become a professor (Archer)?
How do you prepare to discuss potentially controversial topics, such as evolution, and how do you respond to arguments that are not logical (Call)?
How do you maintain motivation during classes when students are not responsive or attendent; do you note lectures that seem to have this student response and try to improve them (Call)?
What are your thoughts at the beginning and end of each semester of teaching; are you ready to go and sad to be done; or do you dread the start and cheer the end (Call)?
If you are going to give presentation in a non-native language, what things can help you make your presentation better (Jin)?
How do you get the attention of the audience at the beginning of your presentation (Jin)?
How do you make a boring topic interesting when you are required to make the presentation (Jin)?
Why did you decide to stay in academia vs. working in industry (Oates)?
What are the biggest challeges of working within the university system (Oates)?
What things do you find most rewarding about teaching and research; extension (Oates)?
If you are presenting on a topic you know little about but the audience knows a lot about (such as a group of your peers), how should you give the presentation? Should you involve the audience in your presentation (Pettit)?
How do you deal with nervousness when presenting to a large group of people (Pettit)?
How do you explain scientifically difficult topics to growers with limited knowledge of the area (Pettit)?
How do you engage students who show no interest in a class they are required to take (Rounsaville)?
What advice can you give for presenting complex research to an audience that lacks a scientific background (Rounsaville)?
When presenting to a group of complete strangers, what necessary information about yourself should be given during your introduction (Rounsaville)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2008

If you have never taught before, then on day one, what do you do in the classroom to establish that you are the teacher (Barnes)?
Students are expected to learn the material, but do you do anything in class that you feel increases their learning ability, like repeating the material (Barnes)?
Do you use constructive criticism from students (Barnes)?
What qualities should an effective professor / instructor possess (Brakenbury)?
What instructional differences do you notice between the academic classroom and field or extension work (Brakenbury)?
What is a good strategy to handle combative audience members (Brakenbury)?
Do you get bored teaching the same subject semester after semester (Carlson)?
What do you do when you know that students with computers in your class are not using them for anything related to your lecture (Carlson)?
How do you keep your focus when there are distractions, such as cell phone rings or people leaving / entering (Carlson)?
What is your best strategy to interact with audience when you make a presentation (Ding)?
Are you tired of teaching after teaching so many years (Ding)?
Suppose an obvious mistake appears on your PowerPoint during a presentation in an important conference, how would you deal with the situation (Ding)?
How would you decide what to use to update the class among the all the new information or technologies in the related fields (Dong)?
What do you do when students feel the course they are taking is not applicable to their future career (Dong)?
If students want to drop the course when they think they cannot do well, would you provide extra help to them to build up their confidence (Dong)?
What is the greatest problem you have had when it comes to teaching, and how did you overcome it (Spencer)?
Do you still get nervous or flustered, and if so, how do you handle it (Spencer)?
How long does it take to prepare a 30 minute lecture or presentation (Spencer)?
Do you find that its best to be confrontational with students when they are taking in class, or better to pull them aside after class? Do you handle these situations differently depending on the student (Swift)?
How do you handle students / audience members who constantly ask questions or answer questions without being called on, or tend to dominate discussions (Swift)?
When presenting a fringe or potentially controversial topic (ie, evolution, global warming, or something political), how do you remain neutral, or do you ever find it appropriate to share your views (Swift)?
Walker
How do you present research results to a general audience that has no background information in that area (Zhu)?
In a public talk, how do you handle a question that stumps you (Zhu)?
Do you prefer that students have in-class exams or take-home exams, and why (Zhu)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2007

How do you prepare to give a lecture for a university-level class (Hebert)?
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome to make a good presentation (Hebert)?
What is the most effective tool or method you have found for maintaining control of disruptive students (Coneybeer)?
What is the most important thing you know about teaching NOW that you wish someone had told you AT THE START (Coneybeer)?
Before giving a speech or seminar, what 'set up' things do you do in the room (Bowen)?
How do you keep the attention of the audience from the very beginning of the presentation (Bowen)?
I am a TA, but many of my students treat me like one of them in the classroom, even though I am in charge; how can I keep that boundary in an informal lab setting (Bland)?
Sometimes I get nervous while delivering a presentation, and speak rapidly or with a shaky voice; how can I relax and make it possible to deliver my presentation properly (Bland)?
When giving a public talk, how do you handle a member of the audience who is vocally against the position that you are talking about (Carey)?
In a public talk, how do you handle a question that stumps you (Carey)?
How do you keep someone from monopolizing a panel discussion (Sickler)?
What do you do if mechanical problems occur in the middle of your presentation, for example if the electricity goes out (Sickler)?
What are some presentation techniques that are effective at keeping your audience engaged and helping them to retain the information you have provided (Englert)?
How do you present material on a topic or viewpoint that could be considered controversial without offending or alienating your audience (Englert)?
For a non-English speaker, what is the best strategy to give a good talk (Lou)?
How do you present research results to general audience without any background in the field you are presenting (Lou)?
How do you vary a lecture from year to year (Jones)?
What is the best way to handle students who are inattentive or asleep (Jones)?
Are there any words that you avoid when giving a seminar (Franco)?
What do you recommend to keep from moving your hands in a distracting way during a presentation (Franco)?
How do you use acronyms in a way that the audience remembers what they mean during your talk (Franco)?
If you attended a seminar that was presented with a chalk or whiteboard, how would you perceive it in today's technological age (Post)?
Is it really a learning experience when many professors are posting all their lecture notes online? In your opinion, are students getting an education or a conglomeration of information to use as a reference (Post)?
Is it proper and thought provoking to start a presentation with a question (Lowder)?
How different is it to produce a video for a TV show compared to giving a presentation (Lowder)?
Within the confines of a classroom, how can one promote bilateral conversation between professor and student in place of the typical unilateral lecture format (Meyers)?
How do you stay enthusiastic when even you do not want to hear what you have got to say (Meyers)?
Are there certain elements that you incorporate in your presentations/lectures that make them more captivating to the audience (O'Connell)?
What information do you include about yourself as part of an introduction (O'Connell)?
What is your favorite type of audience and why (O'Connell)?
Do you approach/prepare a lecture for a class you are teaching the same way you prepare for a talk at a conference (Wooldridge)?
Is an unsuccessful attempt at putting humor into a presentation (i.e. telling a joke that no one 'gets') better or worse than not having any humor in a presentation (Wooldridge)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2006

Do you have suggestions on how to use Powerpoint effectively for presentations (Criswell)?
How would you incoroporate humor into a presentation? When is it appropriate (Criswell)?
What is your most memorable (good or bad) presentation experience (Criswell)?
How do you deal with the situation when the audience does not agree with you, and expresses their disagreement (Kumar)?
What should your body language be during a presentation (Kumar)?
How do you finish your talk at the required time (Kumar)?
As a TA, how can you help motivate students who are not putting forth the required effort in class (Meyer)?
How do you deal with a student who continually distracts other students by making unusual and unrelated comments during
class (Meyer)?
How do you keep your audience's attention during a very long presentation (Meyer)?
How do you change a presentation on your research for different audiences--an undergraduate class, growers, ASHS meeting (Pekarek)?
Do you find it useful to incorporate other types of visual aides (posters, demonstrations, physical examples) into a Powerpoint presentation or should the whole presentation be in only one format (Pekarek)?
Is it better to confront a disruptive audience member or class student, or just continue without seeming to notice the blatant distraction (Pekarek)?
As a TA, we are close in age to many of our students; how do we let them know we are in charge (Possiel)?
What do you do during a presentation when you sense that the audience is bored (Possiel)?
If you are running out of time, is it better to rush through slides or take your time but not finish the presentation (Possiel)?
When I get nervous my thoughts start to wander from what I am speaking about. How do you keep your mind focused on what you are talking about (Prehn)?
Do you know any good tricks to keep from fidgeting and doing distracting things while speaking (Prehn)?
I went to a conference recently and everyone seemed to have their talks memorized. I thought it was better to have a basic outline of what you are planning to say, and then ad-lib while you are giving the talk. What are your thoughts (Prehn)?
What do you do if someone in the audience is being rude (Regan)?
What do you do if you are completely stumped by a question someone asks (Regan)?
How do you prepare for a big talk (Regan)?
Have you ever given a talk and realized that somebody important was in the crowd; how did you handle that situation (Regan)?
What are some tips when you are speaking impromptu (Regan)?
What do you do to reduce your nervousness before a talk (Vollmer)?
What types of media (e.g., technology or posters) do you find most effective for your typical audience (Vollmer)?
What are your suggestions of what not to do in a presentation (Vollmer)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2005

What types of opening remarks do you usually make (Ferguson)?
Can you give some examples of situations in which you thought the presenter acted too casually (Ferguson)?
How would you deal with irrelevant questions from the audience (Ferguson)?
If someone in the audience were being overly distracting, would you say something; if so, what (Ferguson)?
Do you think slide transitions are conducive or annoying for a presentation (Ferguson)?
What do you do with your hands while presenting to avoid fidgeting, and what is the right amount of hand gestures without overdoing it (Millar)?
What is the proper way to answer or avoid questions that you do not know the answer to; is it best to give an educated guess or stick to the facts that you have (Millar)?
How do you deal with being nervous while presenting (Millar)?
How do you keep from saying “umm” or “uh” too much (Millar)?
How do you avoid talking too fast while presenting; this is a problem of mine (Millar)?
Is it okay to look at notes or the screen while presenting, rather than making continuous eye contact, especially if the information is difficult and you do not want to leave anything out (Millar)?
What general steps do you follow when preparing for an oral presentation?
Do you have any tricks for getting the audience loosened up at the beginning of your presentation?
Are you nervous when giving a scientific presentation? How do you deal with nervousness?
What presentation techniques do you use to make sure the audience remembers your information?
How much time do you devote to preparing for a presentation?
What are some of the most memorable presentations you have attended, and what made them memorable (technique rather than content)?
How do you prepare for a presentation when you are given little advance notice? Does this happen often?
How would you approach an obviously bored audience? Are their any foolproof ways to wake them up?
If you have never been to the location where you will be making your presentation, do you call the facility representative or tour the facilities?
Do you focus the content of your talk according to the audience (students, growers, scientists) that will be present, or you just make a general presentation of your subject without making any distinction?
How do you do to make your presentation interesting if the subject is difficult to understand?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2004

How do you do to make your presentation interesting if the subject is difficult to understand (Cheng)?
How should you react when you say you are happy to take questions, but there is only silence (Cheng)?
We have heard not to include too many slides in a presentation; is that always true (Cheng)?
How should I address a question involving a process or protocol that is patent pending or is a trade secret of the project (Contreras)?
In a situation where there is a time limit, is it better to go long or to leave out things (Contreras)?
How do you handle an audience member who is distracting the surrounding members by opening food, rumaging through a bag, etc. (Dittmar)?
Should humor be used to keep the audience's attention? If so how much is too much before sounding funny rather than credible (Dittmar)?
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you while giving a presentation (Donnell)?
What is the best thing to do with your hands while presenting (Donnell)?
Having made arrangements to give a powerpoint presentation, what do you do when you arrive and the room is totally unsuitable (Godwin)?
Please share with us some pointers on how to deal with rude audience members who verbally challenge the points you are making (Godwin).
What is the appropriate way to dress for a delivering a presentation? Should you consider what the audience will wear? Can you be too well dressed (Godwin)?
Do you focus the content of your talk according to the audience (students, growers, scientists) present, or do you just make a general presentation of your subject without making any distinction (Norden)?
I am a nervous wreck when it comes to presentations; what tricks would help with this, other than imagining the audience in their underwear (Norden)?
What presentation techniques do you use to make sure the audience remembers your information (Norden)?
How do you avoid answering a question that you do not know the answer to, which has then made you uncomfortable and has broken your concentration (Norden)?
If someone is talking and being distracting during a talk, how would it be best to handle the situation (Taylor)?
What types of animations are considered bad or distracting, and which are considered helpful (Taylor)?
How do you maintain your enthusiasm for the subject when you have to give a talk several times throughout the day (Williamson)?
Once you have become an accomplished speaker, how much time and effort do you give to rehearsals; and what do those rehearsals entail (Williamson)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2003

How do you keep an audience's interest if you happen to be presenting late in a day of many presentations, or simply late in the day (Chlanda)?
Do you find it more important to keep the audience's interest and maybe leave out some information, or to include a lot of information and maybe lose the audience (Chlanda)?
What is your greatest pet peeve when watching a presenter present (Chlanda)?
Relative to the length of a presentation, how much time can be expected to be spent preparing for the presentation (practicing speaking, making posters, putting together slides/powerpoint, etc) (Singleton)?
How often do you give presentations, do you get asked, who do you get asked by, and other than giving back to horticulture science, are there any benefits for the presenter (Singleton)?
What should you do if someone from the audience asks you a question, and you do not know the answer (Singleton)?
What is the best way to address questions for which you are not sure of the correct answer (Larrea)?
How do you deal with someone who asks irrelevant questions (Larrea)?
How should one dress when giving a presentation (Crane)?
Is it OK to read from written notes when talking about a slide instead of simply looking at the slide and elaborating on it (Crane)?
To what extent is it appropriate to make your presentation a performance? I know that a presenter should employ certain performance techniques, such as good posture, confident demeanor, projecting voice, eye contact, etc., but would it ever be appropriate or effective to integrate music or visuals in an artistic way (for example, the radio show 'This American Life') into a presentation (Titchner)?
At what point does a confident and comfortable tone (both speaking and content-wise) become too casual for a professional presentation (Titchner)?
What would be a good greeting to the audience when starting your presentation (SantaMaria)?
Is it recomended to make a summary of the points you have already addressed, and the ones remaining at the middle of your presentation (SantaMaria)?
What are some pointers for outdoor presentations (Buckelew)?
What are some pet peeves that you each have for annoying habits of speakers (Buckelew)?
How do you focus your attention when you are listening to a speaker but having a hard time concentrating (Buckelew)?
What do you do when you realize partway through your presentation that you’ve completely lost the attention of your audience (Krug)?
What is the best way to handle the situation when an audience member brings up a point that you are planning to cover later in your talk (Krug)?
How do you handle a lighting problem-- specifically, when someone turns on or off the lights during a presentation, when you don't want it to happen (Wilkinson)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2002

How do you deal with someone who hogs the question and answer session of your program (Fanelli)?
What are some recommendations for presenting at a field day (Pline)?
How do you handle equipment failure or malfunctions (Pline)?
After you have prepared a witty and clever presentation, and then find your heart in your throat when you begin your talk and the first word out of your mouth after a long awkward pause is "Uuuhhhh...", what do you do to present your information before dying from the heart attack that you know must be one breath away (Onofrietti)?
When presenting research that is likely to be unfamiliar and off the beaten track, is it important to just stick to the facts about the actual research, or would it acceptable to add in interesting tid-bits and anecdotal stories for audience interest. If so, how much (Onofrietti)?
If someone asks you a question and you are not sure if you have the right answer, is it best to say "I don't know" or should you try to give an answer to the best of your ability without getting yourself into more trouble (Brill)?
Should you use a photo with information that is relevant to the presentation if it includes people with bad expressions on their faces (Brill)?
How do you deal with someone in the audience who asks questions that are not relevant to your presentation (McKinney)?
Does animation (text floating in/sounds when the slide changes) distract or add interest to a powerpoint presentation (Weddington)?
How do you handle an audience member who insists that your methods are flawed, though there may be multiple possible approaches (Weddington)?
What is the best way to handle a question when you don't know the answer (Bruno)?
Is it okay to ask the audience if you're speaking loudly enough (Bruno)?
How do you avoid answering a question that you do not know the answer to, which has then made you uncomfortable and has broken your concentration (Williams)?
How do you deal with an audience that makes you uncomfortable and nervous (Williams)?
How do you prepare for an audience that is likely hostile to your message (Leatherwood)?
If the speaker is in charge of the presentation, does that include disciplining
audience members who are taking cell phone calls or distracting others or being a nuisance (Leatherwood)?
As an experienced presenter and audience member, what are your pet peeves of presenters and/or audience members (Naegle)?
How do you stay focused while watching and listening to a presentation (Naegle)?
How often do productive contacts (i.e. funding sources, collaboration, etc.) arise as a result of presentations you've given (McCord)?
What would you estimate the ratio is between time for preparation and time for presentation (McCord)?
Are people more responsive or attentive to presentations involving more 'modern' technology such as Powerpoint rather than older overhead and slide methods (McCord)?

Panel Discussion Questions - 2001

What general steps do you follow when preparing for an oral presentation?
Do you have any tricks for getting the audience loosened up at the beginning of your presentation?
Are you nervous when giving a scientific presentation? How do you deal with nervousness?
What presentation techniques do you use to make sure the audience remembers your information?
What are the most important three things to do when preparing for a seminar?
Is the information content of your presentation affected by your presentation style and ability?
How much time and resources do you devote to preparing for a presentation?
What are some of the most memorable presentations you have attended, and what made them memorable (technique rather than content)?
How do you prepare for a presentation when you are given little advance notice? Does this happen often?
How do make sure you are reaching your audience, and that they understand you?
How would you handle a situation where you were given an original time slot of 60 minutes, but when you arrive at the location you find that you actually have only 30 minutes?
How would you approach an obviously bored audience? Are their any foolproof ways to wake them up?
Is it good to express your sense of humor during a presentation?
If you have never been to the location where you will be making your presentation, do you call the facility representative or tour the facilities?
How do you keep from saying "umm" and "uh" and "okay" over and over while giving a presentation; this has always been a problem for me when speaking before a group?
I tend to speak faster and faster during a presentation, and by the end I sound like an auctioneer; I know this is a nervous response, but I'm at a loss as to what to do about it?
I am a nervous wreck when it comes to presentations; what tricks would help with this, other than imagining the audience in their underwear?
Do you focus the content of your talk according to the audience (students, growers, scientists) that will be present, or you just make a general presentation of your subject without making any distinction?
How do you do to make your presentation interesting if the subject is difficult to understand?