Know Your Topic
Why is knowing your topic important?
- Your topic defines the boundaries of your talk.
- Your topic will help to clarify and convey your message.
- Your topic informs the title, structure, and flow of your talk.
When developing a talk, defining your topic is an important step that should be done early in your process. Use the exercises below to clearly define your topic.
How can you ‘know’ your topic?
ASSESS | Ask Questions
Will I be able to define my own topic or will it be assigned to me?
When giving a talk, you may have the flexibility to define your own topic, or you may be asked to speak to a specific topic that is already assigned to you.
How broad or narrow should the scope of the talk be?
It depends on your audience. The more general their knowledge, the more broad your topic should be. Avoid technical or methodological details when speaking to a broader audience.
Finalize your topic:
My topic is _______.
This topic is important because _______.
I have a topic. Now what?
PREPARE | Reflection
O
bservations can help you frame the talk to the interests of the audience.
What aspects of the topic are of interest to me? The audience? The field?
What am I knowledgeable about in this topic? What do I want to learn more about? Where is my expertise?
Have I made any observations about this topic?
Quick Tip: You can conduct research to answer these reflection questions.
You can use research articles, social media, your own experiences, and conferences as inspiration.
Anything else I need to consider?
DELIVER | Some Considerations
'Know Your Topic' Checklist:
My topic is...
specific- has an identified "what" and "why"
clear and concise- conveys the main idea in a few sentences