Course Overview
Embedded Files
Course Content
Introductions/The Blink Test
How long do you think that it takes to make a first impression? Research done by Psychologist Nalini Ambady shows that it takes about two seconds. We focus on how to make the most out of those two seconds, and the rest of your introduction.
Research, Evidence, and Critical Thinking
Stupid is a choice. We live in a world now where there is more access to more information than ever before and yet much of it is unvetted, unverified, and should be dismissed as unusable. Those who believe in anything not supported by actual evidence are making the choice to be stupid. We focus on how to find, verify, think critically about, and purposefully use evidence.
Argument, Influence, and Persuasion
Knowing how to build a structured and evidence-supported argument is an elemental skill for thinking humans. Combining this with research-backed principles of persuasion and influence make for compelling communication.
Presentation Basics
Most presentation "experts" teach skills and techniques that they feel are important. This course focuses on skills and techniques that are supported by actual scholarship.
Presentation Design
While our goal is not to make you designers, we do want to help you adopt the best practices, and avoid the worst practices in information design, data visualization, and the overall design of the presentation itself.
Presentation Tools
We make available and use a lot of helpful tools to help you prepare, produce, and present information. You'll find them all under "Course Assets."
Assessments
Lightning Rounds
Delivered at the start of class, these are timed 2- or 1-minute presentation about:
A subject of global impact, and why we should care about it;
An "Information Point" of a best practice in presentations;
A "Dear Data" presentation of data relevant to your life.
Convince Me
A timed 2-minute presentation to convince us that your final presentation topic (assigned by the TA) is important enough to research & addresses one of the UN’s 17 Sustainability Goals.
Tech Talk
A 2-minute “slice” of a technical presentation that you’ve given in your professional or personal career. Round 1 is ungraded and focuses on feedback to make your presentation better; Round 2 is graded.
Final Presentation
A timed 8-minute presentation on your TA-assigned topic. The emphasis is on evidence, the balanced presentation of all sides of the issue, and solid argument. Clear visualizations of complete relevant data are the baseline expectation, as is a credible, clear, cogent, captivating presentation of the subject, and how it maps to a UN goal.
Presentation Abstract
A ~250-word paper (with data illustrated) that summarizes the evidence and conclusions of the final presentation.
Course Assets
Assets not specific to each semester's course sections can be found here. All are available to students, some are available to everyone.
AI Assets (Coming)
AI assets are being released and update almost daily. Every mini we try to use and evaluate existing and new AI assets and keep track of the most useful ones for communication here.
Every communication starts with a clear understanding of audience, message, evidence, and tone. This guide helps you identify, articulate, and prepare to communicate.
Designed by CMU Librarian Sarah Young for the course, the portal gives you access and guides you to databases and information sources that will help you. You will need your Carnegie Mellon credentials to access.
Distance Communication Fieldbook
Written during the height of Covid, the Fieldbook gives you essential information -- and worksheets -- that will help you make virtual communication more effective, efficient, and professional.
Very few people know how to do real research, and yet this is now an essential skill, as we move into an increasingly evidence-free world. Written by Professor Labash and three of his PhD-student Teaching Assistants, this small book will help you learn how to go beyond the first page of Google results, and find actual evidence.
A development tool that Professor Labash created to help you prepare, produce, and present your work. Applicable to any presentation, anytime, anywhere.
A small summary that Professor Labash wrote to help you better understand Professor Robert Cialdini's six Principles of Persuasion.
SAGE Campus gives you access to guided courses in everything from Fact-Checking Sources to Beginning and Advanced R. You will need your Carnegie Mellon credentials to access.
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