April 18, 2008

Giving a Talk? Don't Read It

To the Editor:

Linda K. Kerber offers several solid pieces of advice regarding presentations at conferences ("Conference Rules, Part 2," Careers, March 21), but they are mostly the kinds of things that I would expect college freshmen to master by the time they finish an introductory public-speaking course.

Instead, what could stand mentioning is something that Kerber assumes — that academics will actually read their remarks. Her assumption is probably apt, as I have