Faculty Senate Speakers Bureau - Suggestions for Planning Your Talk

Suggestions for Preparing a Talk

Suggestions to keep in mind when preparing your talk:

• A 20-minute talk is a good time frame for most audiences.

• Not all of your audience members will be familiar with your field and its issues. Try to present aspects of your scholarship that would be of interest to people from a variety of backgrounds. Be aware of using terms that are specific to your discipline so that people outside the discipline can engage with your talk.

• Members of the audience may be interested in talking with you as well as listening to you. Engaging them in your subject matter will produce more informed and dynamic conversations for everyone.

• If possible, contact in advance a representative from the group who has invited you to speak. Have they had speakers before? What kind of events have been successful? What are their expectations? Is there anything specific about your discipline or area of research that interests the group?

Speakers Bureau Information
About the UVa Faculty Senate Speakers Bureau
Help searching for a speaker
Becoming a speaker in the Faculty Senate Speakers Bureau

Testimonials
"Mary was fabulous -- she did a great job!"
"It was an excellent talk!"
"The meeting was a great hit and Professor Ribando did a wonderful job."

Did You Know?
Since 1999, over 50 UVa Faculty speakers have reached more than 2,500 people across Virginia and the U.S.