Week 5

A microphone on a stand in an empty conference room.

Exercise 5.1: Set up for rehearsal. (30 min)

When you are practicing your talk, the first step is setting up your space to record your rehearsal. Will you use your cell phone, or do you have a video camera? Where can you be physically? Find a location where you can stand far enough away from the camera so that your full body is captured on screen. Don’t worry too much about lighting or what you are wearing. Those concerns are not critical for this session.

Pro Tip: Some universities allow you to reserve media spaces with recording equipment where you can practice. In my experience, such a space was in the main library, but depending on your department they may also have similar resources. Go ahead and ask—the worst that can happen is that they will say is “no.”

Woman reading a document in front of a mirror.

Exercise 5.2: Practice while recording your talk at least twice. (1 hour)

In this rehearsal, feel free to simply read your script. I recommend reading it through one time without stopping just to see what your current timing is. Are you too long? Too short? Don’t worry either way—it is simply information at this point.

The second time, allow yourself to stop and make notes about things you want to modify or change. Keep recording while you comment on what you want to change.

A person editing a printed document with a pen on a wooden table.

Exercise 5.3: After your rehearsal, revise your script and slide. Keep memorizing. (2 hours)

This week, our goal is to have a 75% version of your script. Watch your recording/s and identify things you want to do differently. Incorporate those ideas.

Ask yourself: Do any of your changes affect your slide? Do your changes impact how you will use your voice and body? If you make enough changes, repeat exercises 5.2 and 5.3 again.

Exercise 5.4: Make a plan for managing pre-competition jitters. (30 min)

I have some news for you, although I doubt it will be news. You will be nervous, that is almost a guarantee. The purpose of this exercise is not to make a step-by-step plan for eliminating your pre-talk nerves. Rather the purpose of this exercise is to be prepared to handle your nervous energy.

Your task is to think of 3 to 5 ideas for things you can do to manage any anxiety that may be creeping in as you get closer to delivering your GRC talk. Reflect on how you have coped with previous stressful situations. What helps you and what does not?

If you need ideas for your plan, here are a few ideas:

Do something physically active to burn off the adrenaline.
Practice deep breathing. One technique is to Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts.
Reframe your nervousness as a friend. Consider naming him/her/them.
Over-prepare for your first 30-60 seconds. This time period is the trickiest part before you get into your groove.
If you are sensitive to caffeine, perhaps skip the coffee that morning.

Exercise 5.5: Watch and judge two GRC presentations using the rubric. (30 min)

The goal of this exercise is to acquaint yourself with the judging criteria for the competition. Depending on which competition you are participating in, their rubric might be slightly different, but they are generally measuring the same outcomes related to content, clarity, and delivery.

To help you measure your progress with your talk, the GRC practice rubric I developed aims to bring your attention to the key elements of a successful GRC talk. Some of these criteria (e.g., audience, use of jargon) may not be explicitly included in the rubric for your local GRC, but I include them so that you do not overlook their importance.

Instructions:

For each of the two talks you view, print a copy of the rubric so that you know what criteria you are listening/watching for.
Watch each GRC talk and circle your opinion of how the speaker did in each category. A successful GRC talk will have the option “entirely” circled most often.

This week’s talks are:

Prescott Vayda, Nutshell Games, Talk Title: “What Can Virginia’s Oldest Fossil Tell Us About the Evolution of Shells?”

Kelly Finke, Princeton Research Day, Talk Title: “Unlocking Sustainable Cultural Transitions”

Bonus Exercise: Watch a GRC talk with a friend while you both use the rubric to evaluate it. (30 min)

Using the GRC Talk Observation Rubric, compare notes and see where you agreed and where you differed. Discuss your results with a focus on the particular points of the criteria that you evaluated differently. For example, maybe you marked the speaker as having an “entirely” clear message, but your friend was lost because s/he/they found it too technical, marking that criterion as “not at all.” As you discuss your different perceptions, ask yourself: What does this mean for MY talk?

Super Bonus Exercise: Use the GRC rubric to evaluate the recording of your solo rehearsal. (10 min)

Adios Week 5!

You did it! You rehearsed your GRC talk. And three weeks ahead of the official event -- feel free to take a nap or go out on the town without feeling guilty. (I promise you there are people competing in your GRC who have not even thought about it yet. You are so well-positioned to win!)

Let me remind you how far you have come: Your script and slide/prop are 75% ready and -- there are still three weeks to go before the competition. You have begun to memorize your script and reflect on the way your talk will be judged. You are continuing to cultivate your voice and body language. (By the way, we never reached 100% on our physical presence. We are always a work in progress.)

I'm so crazy proud of you right now!