Effectivecommunication is about getting your message across. Specifically, it involvescapturing your audience's attention, ensuring your audience understands theidea you are trying to convey, and encouraging your audience to do somethingwith that information, such as remember it, apply it, or provide feedback. Amessage is not just information; rather, it is the interpretation of theinformation. It says what the information means for the audience. It is toinformation what conclusions are to results. If information is the answer tothe question What? (as in "What didyou find in your research?"), then the message is the answer to the question So what? (as in "What do your findingsmean to your audience?").
Effectivecommunication, therefore, is centered on the audience: It is audience-friendly,just as effective software is user-friendly. In your communication, focus onwhat your audience needs or wants to learn, not on what you feel like tellingthem. Strive to see things from their perspective. Keep in mind all thepotential members of your audience (at least those who matter for yourpurpose), not just those who have expertise or interests similar to your own.
Taking the medium into account
To selectyour content, consider not only your audience but also the inherent qualitiesof the medium you use. Specifically, distinguish between written and oralcommunication.
Readers ofa document do not need to read everything. They can select what they read andwhen they read it, they can read at their own rhythm, and they can reread partsof the document as many times as they wish. In written documents, you cantherefore convince your audience through solid, detailed evidence, and youshould structure this evidence to enable selective reading.
Incontrast, attendees at a presentation cannot select what they listen to or inwhat order they listen to it. They are usually less interested in details theycould more easily read in a document. On the other hand, they can get to knowyou (the speaker) as a person and, ideally, they can interact with you throughquestions or discussion. In oral presentations, you convince an audience byselecting cogent arguments, by articulating them logically, and, especially, bydelivering them effectively. When an oral presentation builds on a writtendocument (such as a conference presentation with a paper in the proceedings, a Ph.D.defense, a grant interview, and so on), you must be much more selective in yourpresentation than in your document — the idea is not to say out loud everythingthat you have already put in writing.
Showing respect for your audience
Whencommunicating about science, one main challenge is to respect the intelligenceof the audience without overestimating its knowledge of the topic or field. Forfear of being insultingly simple, conference speakers often make theirpresentations too complicated. Many attendees may wish the presentation were aimed at alower level, although their pride may prevent them from admitting this to thespeaker. In contrast, few attendees will complain that a presentation was "toosimple" for them. Still, attendees react negatively to speakers who addressthem as if they are stupid. Perhaps the one thing an audience never forgives isa lack of respect.
Respect isabout how you say things (your tone) more than about what you say. In general,dare to say things the way they are. If you need something from yoursupervisor, go ahead and ask for it. If your experiments failed, say so. If youreceive an off-topic question, feel free to flag it as such. As you do so,however, strive to help (not offend) your audience. Politely ask yoursupervisor (state why you need what you need). Present useful lessons from yourfailures. Finally, offer to discuss the off-topic question in private.
Respectand tone are hard to define, but they have more to do with intent than with setrules. For example, if you are a Ph.D. student, it might be appropriate toaddress your supervisor by his or her first name; it depends on him or her andon the institutional culture (a question of rules). Still, starting an e-mailas Dear Leilah or as Dear Dr. Delmont indicates distancerather than respect per se. You could very well call your supervisor Dr. Delmont and at the same time show disrespect in the way youphrase your e-mail, such as by demanding something instead of asking for it (a question ofintent).
Given thatyour intent when communicating about science is to make the audienceunderstand, make it a habit to write and speak in a simple, straightforwardway. Instead of striving to imitate the intricate style of many papers, explainthings as simply as you would to a colleague, face to face. Show respect toyour audience by avoiding undue informality and by crafting and proofreadingyour text carefully, but do not believe that you have to write or speak in aspecial way to "sound scientific." Above all, focus on your purpose: Get yourmessage across.
