Karen Lona Allendoerfer (ravena at alumni.princeton.edu)
> Dierdre Sholto-Douglas wrote:
>> >True, as far as it goes, but do you notice the one thing this
> >style of instruction *doesn't* teach? Not to put too fine a
> >point on it, but it doesn't teach the student how to deal with
> >a confrontational situation.
>> This is so interesting, and so true. .....(snip!)
> What I am wondering is, whether you have any
> suggestions for those whom the "trial by fire" burns?
Strategies:
1) practise any talk over and over with sympathetic colleagues. Make sure
that they will ask you questions about anything unclear! This can
be very useful as a "heads up" for places where you need better
descriptions, or a way to prepare for some obvious questions.
Have your friends role-play asking mean questions so that you are
ready for them. And remember, answering an obvious question or
two for which you are prepared
can really get you into the rhythm of answering more. Sometimes
it is worth leaving something out so that you will get it as the
first quesiton--a gimme.
2) If someone asks you a question, and you feel like a deer in the
headlights, wait! Catch your breath. Take a drink of water (which
is why it is there--a great delayer. ;-). Think of what they said
and remember you know more than they do about what you are doing.
Take your time to think of your answer--don't jump too fast. Remember
that any pause seems MUCH longer to you than to the audience. If
necessary, ask them to clarify.
3) if you still haven't got their answer, and they are tenacious,
smile and say something to diffuse them: "we should disucss
that afterwards", or "that's a good point, and we're working on
that now".
4) If you can't answer their question, and you can't put them off,
then answer another question--that is, answer a related question that they
DIDN'T ask. This is a more subtle method but can often diffuse an
aggressive questioner.
5) Don't be afraid to deflect them with a mild joke and move on. Stay
calm, and remember that they are probably a jerk and everyone knows
it. The rest of the audience is on YOUR side.
There, five tried-by-fire hints for surviving the lions' den!
--
-susan
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Molecular Biology and Virology Lab
The Salk Institute, La Jolla CA
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