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Explain Your Research at the UWF Symposium Using Plain Language
Explain Your Research at the UWF Symposium Using Plain Language
Simple Speak, Elizabeth BlackVideo of Elizabeth Black sharing her experience!
Interested in participating in the Simple Speak Showdown? Watch this video to learn more from one of the 2024 winners, Elizabeth Black!
Interested in participating in the Simple Speak Showdown? Watch this video to learn more from one of the 2024 winners, Elizabeth Black!
How to Sign up:
The challenge is open to anyone! Only current UWF undergraduate students are eligible for prizes ($250 for first place, $150 for second place, $100 for third place). Student participants must be nominated by a faculty member (or other UWF research mentor) to participate.
Faculty should email OUR at our@uwf.edu to nominate a student or sign up to participate themselves by March 24, 2026.
Have you ever tried to explain your research without using the jargon of your discipline?
Get creative and describe your work using only the “ten hundred” (1,000) words people use most often. Inspired by the XKCD comic that describes the Saturn V Rocket using only the thousand most common words in English (https://xkcd.com/1133/), speakers will give short (3-4 min) research talks using the same challenge!
Why should you do this?
When you change the types of words you use to explain your research, you learn to get creative with your word choices! You can tell ANYONE what your research is because you can make things simple and get to the heart of your work. You will learn to break down barriers so people can ask questions and want to learn more about your project!
Who can participate?
Any UWF student, faculty, or staff member who has or is participating in research can participate, but only current undergraduate students are eligible to compete for the prizes! Student participants must be nominated by a faculty member (or other UWF research mentor) to participate. Faculty should email OUR at our@uwf.edu to nominate a student or sign up to participate themselves by Tuesday, March 24. Students must accept their Simple Speak Nominations by Thursday, March 26.
The Top Three Undergraduate Students will receive a Prize!
Instructions:
Give a 3-4 minute presentation related to your research using only the 1000 most common words in the English language. Your presentation should be accompanied by visuals (i.e., PowerPoint slides) that may include “uncommon” (i.e., more technical words).
Presenters must prepare a script for the oral part of their presentation and use the Up Goer Five Text Editor (http://splasho.com/upgoer5/) to check their word choices.
Resources:
UWF example presentations can be found on OUR’s YouTube Channel in the Simple Speak (Faculty Examples) Playlist.
Up Goer Five Text Editor: http://splasho.com/upgoer5/
Ten hundred most used words list: https://splasho.com/upgoer5/phpspellcheck/dictionaries/1000.dicin
Important Deadlines:
March 26: Deadline for students to accept nominations to participate; self-nominations accepted, but please cc faculty mentor.
April 13: Deadline for participants to submit a script of the oral part of the presentation.
April 13: Deadline for participants to submit a link to their publicly viewable presentation (slides).
April 16: Simple Speak Showdown occurs from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Conference Center Lounge in Building 22.
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