PhaseG

=Phase G—Clarification thru communication=

Goal
"I have clarified the overall progression or argument underlying my research and the written reports I am starting to prepare."

Processes
Clarification of the overall structure of your argument Work-in-progress presentations > preparing text and visual aids; practicing; delivering; digesting feedback. Exploring your writing preferences to identify strengths and issues to work on Narrative outlining

Preparing to communicate about your project does not presuppose that you have finished your research. In fact, you could continue to do research up until the day you submit your final report. At this point in the project you will probably still be rethinking the direction and scope of your research. Nevertheless, because preparing talks and writing are excellent ways to clarify your ideas, your research will be helped by preparing a work-in-progress talk and starting the process of outlining, writing, and revision. 

Overall structure of your argument
Analyze overall structure of argument implicated in previous research project. Initial draft of overall structure of your argument/progression of thought. TBA
 * //In session 8//**



Work-in-progress presentation
Draft sequence of visual aids, both to prepare for Work-in-progress presentation and to clarify the structure of your overall argument. Practice work-in-progress presentation in preparation to give it and to clarify the structure of your overall argument. Work-in-progress presentation Digest feedback on Work-in-progress presentation
 * //In session 8//**
 * //In session 9//**
 * //In session 10//**
 * //After session 10//**

When you prepare to give a presentations (freewriting on your desired impact, designing visual aids, etc.), when you hear yourselves speak your presentations, and when you get feedback, it usually leads to self-clarification of the overall argument underlying your research and the eventual written reports. This, in turn, influences your research priorities for the remaining time. Presentations a little over half way through the project must necessarily be on work-in-progress, so you'll have to indicate where additional research is needed and where you think it might lead you. If there is not time for extensive discussion, the rest of the group should write notes to provide appreciations, suggestions, questions, contacts, and references.

Visual aids, the simplest of which are overhead transparencies, should aid your presentation, not duplicate it. Indeed, use of simple, readily assimilated visuals can allow you to provide a quick overview and essential background for the project so you can use most of your time to focus on the areas in which you need most feedback. Tips (which apply to powerpoint slides as well as overhead transparencies): • Include only key words or prompts to what you're going to say • 15-20 words only on any one visual • Text should be 1/2 inch high or more • Be wary of bullets (except when the topic is a list of items such as these tips). > Although all of the bulleted points may be relevant and interesting the challenge is to give them names and an ordering that conveys a flow so that each point prepares the way for the one that follows. If you are accustomed to making bullet points, ask a peer or your advisor to take notes as you speak the words that link the bullets, then use those notes to rephrase and order the bullets so the flow/logic is evident in the visual, i.e., even without your spoken narrative. • Design your visual aids not on full size sheets, but by printing by hand inside quadrants of a single sheet of paper divided into 4 parts. Then scale up to your actual visual aid.

The Work-in-Progress Presentation is your first opportunity to "GOSP" your audience. Note that the P in GOSP--"Position"--for a work-in-progress presentation may be your plans to find out what you need. In general, think of the talk less in terms of performing to the public and more in terms of getting the help you need from others to make further progress. In that spirit, make sure you allow time to present the //leading edge// of your work even if that means being brief on educating the listeners about the facts you've established. 

Narrative outline
This is an outline or plan of your report with explanatory sentences inserted at key places: > to explain in a declarative style the point of each section; > to explain how each section links to the previous one and/or to the larger section or the whole report it’s part of. The object of doing a narrative outline is to move you beyond the preliminary thinking that goes into a standard outline or even a nested and connected table of contents. Insertion of explanatory sentences helps you check that your ideas and material really will fit your outline.

Preparing visual aids for presentations can help order your thoughts for an outline, and vice versa. You might also try to lay out the overall argument or GOSP for your project and get feedback before preparing your outline.

A standard outline that looks like a table of contents has some value for some people, but not much. The first step to ensuring that, when you write, your ideas and material really will fit your outline, is to turn the standard outline into a "nested and connected table of contents": > nest or indent subsections inside sections, and sub-subsections inside subsections; and > indicate with arrows and annotations how each section or subsection connects with the previous one, and how each connects with the larger whole (including the paper) of which it is a part. The second step is to turn the nested and connected table of contents into a narrative outline by inserting the explanatory sentences (see above).
 * //Before session 11//**

Complete your narrative outline. Give it a title that is long and descriptive, not short and cryptic. Follow this by a restatement of your Governing Question and Paragraph Overview—these may need to be revised since your most recent submission. Having these at the start of the outline will help you think as you write and help any reader offer well-focused feedback.  Explore your writing preferences and ways to use knowledge of your preferences. One way to think of writing preferences is to position yourself in relation to one of each of [|four pairs of profiles] that Barbara Legendre created based on Myers-Briggs personality types (also summarized on p. 12-13 of the document. When you see your strengths you may keep that in mind as a resource; when you see your weakness, you may do remedial exercises to try to reduce that as a liability.  (For more discussion of how to make use of knowledge of writing preferences, see p. 13-14 of Legendre's document.)
 * //By session 11//**
 * //Around session 11//**

All Phases | **Next:** Phase H--Compelling Communication