- Important Note: If you need to break some of the rules above to make a better presentation, you can do so without any grade penalty as long as you talk to me first and I give you the OK.
- Public speaking can be scary, but we will be a friendly, supportive audience rooting for you.
- There is no need to explain the whole topic you have been assigned. You can choose any part of the topic, as long as it involves math and history. It is not about applications or how to apply a given concept (of course you can discuss a concept that was created to solve a concrete problem)
- Remember that the goal of the presentation is to teach your classmates. You are encouraged to include an activity or handout for your classmates (talk to me first and I can give you more time). You are welcome to make an appointment with me to do a rehearsal (in person or via Zoom) of the presentation. Just drop me an email and give me four or five time slots that you are available. Or just come to my office hours.
- The presentation will take between 8 and 10 minutes. Afterwards there will be a few minutes for questions. It is perfectly fine if you cannot answer a question on the spot. If that happens, think about it and tell us the following week.
- Notes to help your memory are fine. However, the presentation cannot consist only of reading.
- Your presentation should last between 8 and 10 minutes.
- Here is an example of an excellent presentation and the slides. Note that the presentation is longer than the required time for this course.
Presentation rubric
| Criteria | Excellent | Good | Needs Improvement | Unacceptable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Math content | The math content is deep, correct, clear and very well explained. | The math content is mostly correct, clear and well explained. | There are some mistakes in the math content or something unclear. | There are many mistakes in the math content. |
| Historical Content | Presents an excellent historical frame | Presents a good historical frame | Presents a minimal historical frame | No historical frame |
| Content: accuracy of facts, overall treatment |
Topic is tightly focused and relevant; presentation contains accurate information with no factual errors | Topic is adequately focused and relevant; major facts are accurate and generally complete | Topic would benefit from more focus; presentation contains some fact errors or omissions | Topic lacks relevance or focus; presentation contains multiple fact errors |
| Use of language - Level | Appropriate for an audience of sophomore Math majors at Stony Brook | Occurrence of a few technical terms without definition. | Many technical terms without definition. | Excess of jargon. |
| Organization/Clarity/
Appropriate/ |
Ideas are presented in logical order with effective transitions between major ideas; presentation is clear and concise and understandable. |
Most ideas are in logical order with adequate transitions between most major ideas; presentation is generally clear and understandable |
Some ideas not presented in proper order; transitions are needed between some ideas; some parts of presentation may be wordy or unclear |
Ideas are not presented in proper order; transition are lacking between major ideas; several parts of presentation are wordy or unclear |
| Style | Displays creativity, originality, and a distinct point of view. | Shows some creativity and originality in the presentation. | Limited creativity or originality present in the presentation. | Lacks creativity, originality, and a clear point of view. |
| Number of words in the slides | The sum of words across all slides is 150 or fewer. (That is, each slide contains about 15 words.) | The sum of words across all slides is slightly above 150. | The sum of words across all slides exceeds 150. | The sum of words across all slides significantly exceeds 150. |
| Slides illustrations and bibliography | No text-based images from external sources. Diagrams, figures, and tables enhance understanding, are relevant, clearly captioned, and if appropriate, include credits. Student-created visuals present. Slides conclude with a comprehensive bibliography. | Limited text-based images from external sources. Illustrations relevant and aid understanding. Clear captions and potential credits. Bibliography included at the end. | Some use of text-based images from external sources. Illustrations need alignment with understanding. Captions and credits may need clarity. Bibliography may be present but incomplete. | Reliance on text-based images from external sources. Illustrations lack relevance and clarity. Unclear captions and missing credits. No student-created visuals. Missing or poorly organized bibliography. |
| Use of slides | Smooth, clear presentation teaching the audience without reading from slides. | Clear presentation with some engagement; minimal reading from slides. | Presentation lacks smoothness or clarity; occasional reading from slides. | Incoherent presentation with heavy reliance on reading from slides; lacks audience engagement. |
| Slide design | Elements of effective design are displayed. Fonts, colors, backgrounds, etc. are not overly busy and are consistent and relevant to the topic and audience. | The design elements are mostly effective. Fonts, colors, backgrounds, etc. are generally appropriate and consistent with the topic and audience. | Some design elements need improvement. Fonts, colors, backgrounds, etc. may occasionally be distracting or inconsistent with the topic and audience. | Design elements are ineffective. Fonts, colors, backgrounds, etc. are overly busy or inappropriate for the topic and audience. |