The Acknowledgment Slide
If you're like most researchers, possibilities are that you're going to area the acknowledgment slide at the finish of the presentation. But if you check out one of the Hollywood award events, or show up at a Nobel laureate award presentation,
Microsoft Office 2007, probabilities have you been will hear the acknowledgments with the quite starting from the acceptance speech. Why? Because the men and women you understand as being portion of your success are within the space, and if you fail to mention them as in “and others too many to mention”, probabilities are that the ones who are within the “too many” category will be miffed or downright offended.
In a scientific talk, the presenter acknowledges 1) the corporations which funded the research (they may have a representative inside the place) and 2) the individuals who had a large part to play in the good results from the research (their friends may be within the space). But where should the acknowledgments be? With the starting or at the conclude of the presentation? On the title slide or on their own acknowledgment slide? And how long is the list of people/organizations recognized?
Let’s start with the first question: Where does one particular put the acknowledgment slide?
If you were to location it at the end, as within the scrolling credits of any movie, probabilities are the audience will have switched off or left the place by the time the credits roll; Or possibilities have you been will go over time in your presentation and will have to skip the acknowledgment slide. Whichever way you look at it, the perspective is bleak. Take a clue from Hollywood. The great actors demand that their names be displayed On the Beginning of your movie for a duration and a font size that match their most excellent performance (and acting fee). Fortunately, your faceless research sponsors do not demand such status. And they will be quite happy to let you point out them through the use of a Logo – so you don’t have to remember their last name. Your collaborators, however, or those who helped you hit the mark, have a name, and a face. So you have a choice: use a single or the other – but not both – and don’t add an aureole around your bosses’ heads, or add glow around their names. Acknowledgments are not an ego building or a sanctification thing. They serve two functions: 1) identify and honor the work of your respective collaborators, and 2) establish credibility in you and your work. Think of it this way: why should prestigious donors partake of their money or the taxpayers’ money to fund you and your work if both you and your work are not worth it!
But how long is the list?
If you might be like me, you love yet you hate these song request radio programs where popular songs are played only after a long list of thanks to the caring husband,
Microsoft Office 2007 Standard, the faultless children, the exquisite grandparents, the perfect neighbors, the pet parakeet, and the fire department and rescue squad – notwithstanding the radio host in the studio,
Windows 7 Enterprise Key, the audio technician within the soundproof room, and the janitor who cleans up the ashtrays and turns off the lights. Therefore, be brief and instead of mentioning individual names, use collective names to mention “many people” as in “our team”,
Office Professional, or “our department”. A photo of your team flashed briefly does wonders to establish you as a team player, and an honest and fair scientist. Those mentioned by name in writing on the title slide are the co-authors of the paper you might be presenting – and only them.
So where exactly do you area the acknowledgments?
Either with Logos and Names on the title slide,
Microsoft Office Standard 2007, which tends to stay on the screen for a while on the starting of the talk, or briefly and using photos, on the slide that follows the title slide.
Oh, and by the way… The BIG THANK YOU slide… Get rid of it! Don’t let the computer take over. You are the presenter.
Photos: Flickr. Authors: image on top- Mangee -image with the bottom -Patrick Hoesly.