Norton Field Guide for Speaking 6.3

NFGS_ch6.3_lecppt.pptx

1. Chapter 6.3 Explaining Complex Ideas Copyright © 20 22 W. W. Norton & Company

2. Introduction Informative presentations that explain complex ideas assume that audience members are aware of a given subject but lack a deep understanding Katherine Rowan’s theory of informatory and explanatory communication introduces three types of explanatory presentations that deepen audience understanding based on their purpose: Clarify difficult terms Describe a quasi-scientific phenomenon Overcome audience confusion and misunderstanding 2

3. Clarifying Difficult Terms (1 of 4) A difficult term is often abstract—you can rarely touch, demonstrate, or explain it with a short and simple definition Presentations that clarify difficult terms explain what a difficult term means and what it doesn’t Katherine Rowan suggests the following strategies: Define the term’s essential features Use a variety of examples Contrast examples and nonexamples Quiz the audience 3

4. Clarifying Difficult Terms (2 of 4) Consider the following sample outline: TOPIC AREA: Humans as mammals PURPOSE: To explain the essential features of animals identified as mammals CENTRAL IDEA: Understanding the characteristics of mammals explains why humans are included in the classification. VALUE STEP: Under the classification of mammals, humans share com-mon characteristics and ancestors with 5,500 related ani -mal species. ORGANIZATION: CATEGORICAL ARRANGEMENT with question-and-answer session 4

5. Clarifying Difficult Terms (3 of 4) KEY POINTS: Essential features: All mammals have mammary glands for nursing young, hairs on their skin, and three inner ear bones. Varied examples: Mammals are divided into three subclasses based on reproductive characteristics. Egg-laying monotremes : duck-billed platypus and spiny anteater External-pouch marsupials: kangaroos, koalas, opossums, and wombats Placentals : humans, whales, bats, cats, rats, elephants 5

6. Clarifying Difficult Terms (4 of 4) Nonexamples Birds, fish, and reptiles have backbones, but are not mammals. Chickens, penguins, and platypuses lay eggs, but only platypuses are mammals. Bats and birds fly, but only bats are mammals. Quiz the audience True or false? All mammals have some form of hair. (True: young whales and porpoises have hair-and dolphins are born with small mustaches.) True or false? Some mammals lay eggs. (True: the spiny anteater and duck-billed platypus lay eggs.) 6

7. Describing a Quasi-Scientific Phenomenon (1 of 3) Describing a quasi-scientific phenomenon involves looking for ways to enhance audience understanding about a complex scientific idea without using unfamiliar scientific terms, sophisticated statistical methods, or the complicated graphs and charts printed in research journals The following four recommendations can help you describe the big picture to your audience: Provide clear key points and a variety of supporting material Use metaphors, similes, and analogies Use presentation aids Use transitions, previews, summaries, and signposts 7

8. Describing a Quasi-Scientific Phenomenon (2 of 3) TOPIC AREA: El Ni ñ o and La Ni ñ a PURPOSE: To explain how El Ni ñ o and La Ni ñ a affect the earth's weather CENTRAL IDEA: El Ni ñ o and La Ni ñ a are two related weather patterns that raise and lower the temperature of water in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, thereby affecting weather and climate conditions in the United States and around the world. VALUE STEP: El Ni ñ o and La Ni ñ a can affect the weather where you live, sometimes in dangerous ways. ORGANIZATION: COMPARE/CONTRAST with presentation aids (for exam- ple , maps, animations, and photos of severe weather) KEY POINTS: What are El Ni ñ o and La Ni ñ a? El Ni ñ o (Spanish for "little boy," or "the Christ child" in Peru) warms the sea surface tempera- ture in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. 8

9. Describing a Quasi-Scientific Phenomenon (3 of 3) La Niña (Spanish for "little girl") cools the sea surface temperature in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. El Niño and La Niña are often "partners in a dance" in which subsequent weather and climate conditions vary depending on who is "leading." When do they occur? El Niño is a regularly occurring climate feature. La Niña is less predictable and causes extremely cold water temperatures and frequently serious weather conditions. As brother-sister events, El Niño and La Niña can interact or act independently. How do they impact the United States? El Niño's effects in North America La Niña's effects in the United States El Niño's and La Niña's lack of impact on climate change 9

10. Overcoming Confusion and Misunderstanding (1 of 3) To overcome confusion and misunderstanding, use these four strategies in the following order: State the misconception Acknowledge the misconception’s believability and the reason(s) it is believed Create dissatisfaction with the misconception, or explain the misconception by providing contrary evidence State and explain the more acceptable or accurate belief or theory 10

11. Overcoming Confusion and Misunderstanding (2 of 3) Consider the following outline : TOPIC AREA: Vaccinating children for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) PURPOSE: To explain common misconceptions about the risks of this vaccine CENTRAL IDEA: Claims that the MMR vaccine is harmful and can cause autism have been disproven. VALUE STEP: Confusion and misunderstanding about the MMR vaccine have put the health and lives of many children in jeopardy. ORGANIZATION: PROBLEM-SOLUTION ARRANGEMENT 11

12. Overcoming Confusion and Misunderstanding (3 of 3) KEY POINTS: Some parents refuse to vaccinate their children because they believe the MMR vaccine causes autism. This belief is understandable given a published study by Dr. Andrew Wakefield in 1998 and subsequent media hype about the MMR vaccine causing autism in British children. The study's link between the MMR vaccine and autism has been completely discredited by well-respected researchers and medical organizations. Dr. Wakefield lost his medical licenses and the paper was withdrawn by the journal that published it. Vaccinated children are healthier and less likely to contract serious diseases and/or make other children sick. 12

13. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 1 A former senior writer at Sports Illustrated, David Epstein is a journalist whose work often focuses on the intersection of sports, medicine, and science. In 2014, he delivered a compelling TED talk based on his book The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance . Epstein addresses the question of why contemporary athletes seem faster, better, and stronger than their historical counterparts. The large number and high production value of his presentation aids help him explain several complex ideas and misunderstood concepts about a variety of sports.

14. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 2 14

15. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 3 15

16. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 4 16

17. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 5 17

18. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 6 18

19. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 7 19

20. Notable Speaker: David Epstein, Part 8 20

21. Conclusion Informative presentations can take many forms The difference between these forms is determined by your purpose Your purpose will also determine if you’re speaking to persuade rather than to inform The strategies provided can help develop each type of explanatory presentation In some rhetorical situations, you may need to apply more than one set of explanatory strategies at different points in your presentation 21

22. Credits This concludes the Lecture PowerPoint presentation for Chapter 6.3. For more resources, please visit The Norton Field Guide to Speaking : http://digital.wwnorton.com/nfgspeaking. Copyright © 2 022 W. W. Norton & Company