how to give a talk How to give a talk (or, Flashers on the beach!)

David Shuker [email protected] behavioural ecology lab what you will have to do

Your Presentations:

Monday 4th September, 2.30pm onwards 12 minute talk by all members of team 3 minutes for questions from audience

We recommend about 12 slides (guidance only)

20% of module assessment

insect behavioural ecology lab what you will have to do

Attribute 0-6 7-11 12-14 15-16 17-18 19-20 Visual aids Very poor quality VAs. Many VAs Poor quality VA. Titles Fair quality VAs. Titles Good quality VAs. Good Very high quality VAs. Outstanding VA and with poor titles or no titles at all. not clear. The text can clear. All the text can be clear titles. All the text Very clear titles, all the indistinguishable from VAs have text that is too small. Far mostly be read fairly clearly read. Some VAs can be clearly read. In text can be very clearly the best professional too much or far too little text on clearly. Either too too cluttered, or nearly all cases the read. The right amount presentations. Worthy the VA. too few VAs. cluttered, or too little alternatively VAs with right amount of of material on each VA. of presentation at an No diagrams or pictures to material on the VAs. Too not enough information. material on each VA. Clear links between international support presentation. No relation few VAs.. Poor or no use Possibly too few VAs and Usually always aware of speech and VA. conference or between the dialogue and the VA. of pictures/ diagrams talking without what is being talked Excellent use of colour professional gathering. supporting VAs at times. about. Colour and and/or diagrams. Poor use of diagrams/pictures used pictures/diagrams. to aid understanding

Content Weak content at the level of Poor content, no Content at the level of Some primary sources Content derived from Content at the level of general knowledge. advancement over taught material, little used. Independent good research of an excellent research previously taught evidence of independent research shown but not primary literature presentation material research extensive

Structure Structure absent and no Very poorly structured. Weakly structured, Introduction, main Clear introduction, Clear introduction, main progression of information No introduction or introduction or summary body and summary main body and body and summary. delivery. summary, no logical poor or absent. Losing present. summary. Presentation Presentation develops progression Poor thread and progression. Main points of scientific develops with logical with near faultless relation between the content identified and progression leading the progression leading the speech and the VA clearly presented. audience from known audience from known Some progressive background into the background into the structure shown. new material new material

Delivery Presenter failed to articulate. Presenter failed Some aspects of the Appropriate level of Articulate delivery with Articulate delivery with Couldn’t be heard, not making eye generally to articulate presentation significantly detail and pace of satisfactory excellent timekeeping. contact and interaction with but some successful hinder the listener in delivery enhances timekeeping. Evidence Evidence of flair and audience absent. communication evident. appreciating scientific audience experience. of flair or originality in originality in mode of Extremely short or had to be Very short or very long. content. Poor audibility Articulate delivery with mode of presentation. presentation. Difficult to stopped due to over running. and diction. Within satisfactory Interaction or clear imagine how the expected limits of time. timekeeping. Well- engagement with the presentation could be communicated but audience. improved. lacking flair or originality. insect behavioural ecology lab what is the point?

What is the point of doing a presentation?

COMMUNICATION

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

A good talk:

(1) The Content!

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

A good talk: BUT there are many different styles (1) The Content!

(2) A confident speaker

(3) Clear, engaging visuals

(4) Good timekeeping

insect behavioural ecology lab a bad talk

A bad talk:

(1) The Content! (no story, no context, boring?)

(2) A poor speaker (too: fast, quiet, nervous or cocky)

(3) Unclear, unappealing visuals

(4) Too short, too long

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Three-way interaction:

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Trying to be a good speaker

(1) Be confident

(2) “Sharing” your work

(3) People WANT you to succeed

(No, really!)

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Trying to be a good speaker

(1) Be confident

(i) look at the audience (ii) speak to the audience (iii) practice (iv) (go to other talks) (v) never apologise…!

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Trying to be a good speaker

(2) Sharing your work

Have a story to tell

Have a narrative + take it somewhere insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Trying to be a good speaker

Some mechanics and style

(1) Timing (1 slide = 1 minute, use watch, be prepared to STOP)

(2) Speaking (LOUD & CLEAR, prepare to respond to events)

(3) Stagecraft (Perform!)

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Should I try and be funny?

A little goes along way…

insect behavioural ecology lab a good talk

Try and keep things simple

Words versus text?

Text can be an aide memoire Something to fall back on

BUT… Some people hate being told what is already on the screen… insect behavioural ecology lab something different

How undergrads assess themselves and each other

insect behavioural ecology lab something different

How undergrads assess themselves and each other

Project talks at end of residential field-course insect behavioural ecology lab something different

How undergrads assess themselves and each other

68 66 64 62 60

Mark 58 56 54 52 Self Staff Peer Assessment Students over-mark each other, and under-mark themselves (N = 60 students, P<0.001) Langan et al 2005, 2008 insect behavioural ecology lab something different

How undergrads assess themselves and each other

Self assessment Tutor assessment 70 Peer assessment

65

60

Mark 55

50

45 Male Female Gender In fact, female students under-mark themselves (P = 0.01) insect behavioural ecology lab something different

Sexes award higher marks to own sex (P < 0.001; due to males) insect behavioural ecology lab my little project Flashers on the beach! The mating system of a long-legged

David Shuker [email protected]

insect behavioural ecology lab dave’s favourite picture

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

Aphrosylus celtiber ()

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

Aphrosylus celtiber (Dolichopodidae)

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

Dolichopodidae: fourth largest family of Diptera (7000+ spp)

Adults and larvae are predatory; larvae often associated with moist habitats (10 independent invasions of marine habitats)

Sensational genitalia!!

E.g. Rhaphium insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

E.g. Hercostomus insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

E.g. Hercostomus insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

Dolichopodidae: fourth largest family of Diptera (7000+ spp)

Elaborate leg morphologies and wing patches

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

Dolichopodidae: fourth largest family of Diptera (7000+ spp)

Elaborate leg morphologies and wing patches

“Signature” of sexual selection on males (pre-copulatory and post-copulatory)

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

The mating system of a long-legged fly

Aphrosylus celtiber (“barnacle fly”)

Not much known: Larvae parasitise Chthamalus barnacles Adults feed on invertebrates on algal film around barnacles/sand Some have “silvery” palps which “flash” as they move/forage insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the function of the flashing?

Hypotheses: flashes are sexual/reproductive signals Predictions: males flash, not females (stronger ♂sexual selection)

flashes scare off predators individuals flash when exposed to predators

flashes attract prey individuals flash when foraging

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the function of the flashing?

Manorbier & Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire

Adults sampled haphazardly (with insect net) & behaviour observed insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the function of the flashing?

(1) Only males have the flashing mouthparts

(2) Both males and females observed in same habitats at the same time (so females experience same dangers but do not flash)

(3) Both males and females observed foraging on rocks and sand substrate (so females forage but do not flash)

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the function of the flashing?

(1) Only males have the flashing mouthparts

(2) Both males and females observed in same habitats at the same time (so females experience same dangers but do not flash)

(3) Both males and females observed foraging on rocks and sand substrate (so females forage but do not flash)

OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST A “SEXUAL SIGNAL” insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the mating system? Operational sex ratio

NS NS * Binomial test: P=0.039

Binomial test: P=0.383

Binomial test: P=0.302

First vs Third: Chi-square: P=0.296

SOME SUGGESTION of male bias earlier in day… insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the operational sex ratio?

Might be male-biased? Selection on male mate searching? Selection on male flashing?

BUT

Males are more visible and/or active? Therefore bias in sampling? Sample sizes are small (N = 12 to 25)

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the mating behaviour?

Mating trials set up in the field (+/- barnacle material present)

insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

What is the mating behaviour?

Mating trials set up in the field (+/- barnacle material present)

No courtship or mating observed in 4 x 10 minute trials insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

Why no mating?

(1) Wrong time of day (circadian patterns of behaviour) (2) Wrong part of the season (3) Lack of relevant stimuli (4) Lack of food (nuptial gifts?)

(2) is perhaps unlikely; tried to ameliorate (3)

Males flashed mouthparts regardless – what is their function? insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

Are males trying to avoid being predated?

T test: t22 = 9.27, P<0.001

Males are smaller and perhaps at greater risk being eaten? (They are very skittish in the presence of females…) insect behavioural ecology lab mating system of Aphrosylus celtiber

Conclusions

Much to be explored in this locally abundant, sexually dimorphic species

Patterns of flashing suggest a sexual signal (♂-♂ or ♂-♀)

No link to mating success yet

ANY QUESTIONS?

insect behavioural ecology lab