B652 - Computer Models of Symbolic Learning - Spring 2011

Presentation Guidelines

Presentation Length and Format

Each presentation session will last a full class period. The session will have three parts: (1) the presentation of the topic, which may include questions/discussion, (2) the discussants' comments, and (3) additional discussion lead by the presentation group. The format is flexible, but a good default would be approximately 40 minutes for the first part, followed by 5 minutes of remarks/questions/responses for each discussant, with the remaining 10-25 minutes reserved for further discussion Each session should end with at least 10 minutes of discussion led by the presenter(s).
Please be sure to plan out a list of questions to the class for the discussion part, to help get the discussion going, and keep a few extra questions in reserve. You could also kick off the discussion by each presenting a different perspective on some aspect of the work, for the class to chime in.
If presentations are done in groups, the group should divide up their responsibilities so that all members play an active role, with each member leading part of the session.
To make sure that the timing proceeds as you'd like,
- Please do a practice run-through of your talk for one or two friends beforehand, to get comments and to make sure that your material fits into the length you've allotted for it. This is especially important to assure that there's time to introduce your own ideas and for discussion. Track time during your presentation. Know how much time each part should take, and try to keep to the planned schedule.
Please be prepared with questions to guide the discussion, or controversial claims to spur debate!

Tips/Guidelines

Begin with a brief synopsis, but be selective about what you'll present. The rest of the class will have read the papers too, so will need only a minimal overview to jog their memories. Try to get to the significant issues---what you see as the best or worst ideas, or problems and opportunities---as quickly as possible.
Distill and organize what you've learned from the paper and other readings, to give your own commentary.
Bring in relevant material from outside the paper. For example, if the authors gloss over interesting questions, try to research those points and fill them in. Compare the work to related projects (as you're the impartial expert, your view of this comparison may differ from the authors'!)
Examine the tenets of the approach, the methods, and/or what the project says about the state of the art.
Take the presentation as a vehicle for developing, introducing, and sharpening your own ideas. How could the work be improved, or what are the next steps?

Goals of the presentation

Preparation for the presentation involves investigating an area and thinking critically about it. The presentations should be seen as presentations of a project/approach, rather than presentations of a specific paper. The assigned papers provide a starting point, and give the rest of the class background, but you should go beyond them (e.g., tracking down other papers to fill in gaps or clarify points that are unclear. The presenters should become experts on what they are presenting.

Each presentation should do the following:

Place the research/issue in context of related work and the class
Identify/explain the central principles of the approach(es)
Explain what you consider strengths and weaknesses
Take a stand on what the work shows and what should be done next
Raise interesting issues for the class to discuss and think about
Provide useful information for those who'd like to follow up on the topic

Presenters are encouraged to discuss their presentation ideas with the instructor and others as they refine their topics and prepare their presentation materials.

I'm looking forward to your presentations!