Presenting to Non-Specialist Audiences - Academic Skills

What is a Non-Specialist Audience?

In general, a nonspecialist audience is an audience who is unfamiliar with your topic. This unfamiliarity can range from "knows absolutely nothing about your topic" to "knows something, but not what you do specifically". Consider the examples below of different types of audiences, before we discuss how to present for them.

People from Different Backgrounds: This audience might be academic or professional, but typically they will have little to no background on the specifics of your project and/or your research area. For example, they might be in the sciences while you are in the humanities. They might be studying nursing, while you are researching the fall of the Roman Empire. You are both specialists in your respective fields; the fields are just different.
Less Experienced Audiences (often younger): You may be asked to speak to a group of elementary or high-school students. These audiences are non-specialists because they do not have the educational experience you now have. When speaking to these groups, remember that they are learning. Think about yourself when you were in their position. What did you know then? What gaps do you need to fill in to help them understand you now? Your audience is there to listen and learn from you, so be patient and considerate.
Friends, Family, and Others: Have you ever had a family member ask what you are working on in school? You explain. They look at you cross-eyed. This is likely an example of someone who knows nothing, or very little about your work. This could be because they are in a different field and/or because they did not have the opportunity for further education on this topic. It might also be because they've forgotten things they've learned in the past! For example, scientists, do you remember the intricacies of Macbeth from grade 9? Or English majors, do you recall how to balance chemical equations? Maybe at one point you both knew this, but it's also likely you've forgotten it, because you do not use this knowledge regularly. Your family members, friends, and strangers may be in the same boat.
Anyone Who is Not You: You are in university. You are studying in a particular area. You have been working on a project or researching a topic for days, months, maybe years. This makes you the specialist. Therefore, a non-specialist is anyone who is not you! Even your classmates, professors, and colleagues may need explanation perhaps not foundational information, but niche information about your topic.

If you are asked to present to a non-specialist audience, consider learning about this audience. Are they 1st graders? First year university students? You sister's crochet circle? If you have no information on your audience, you want to create a presentation for the group that "knows absolutely nothing about your topic". Anyone who is familiar with your subject area will follow along, and anyone who is not will learn along the way.

Create Content for your Audience

You may have heard the phrase, "dumb it down" for audiences who are unfamiliar with your work. however, it is important to remember that your audience is not "dumb". The challenge is that they are not specialists. To support your audience's understanding of your topic, you can distill your content to meet them at their knowledge level, be it surface-level or in-depth knowledge.

Surface-level knowledge refers to general or foundational information. This is what someone with little or no background in your subject needs to understand the basics. For example: a non-specialist audience.
In-depth knowledge refers to the specific details of your research or project - such as your thesis question, methods, or analysis. For example: you, you classmates, or professors.

Most presenters are deeply familiar with their topic and tend to focus on the detailed aspects. A good presenter adjusts their content to match the audience's level of understanding and gradually introduces more complex ideas. To do this:

First, list your key ideas in reverse order. Start with the most detailed aspects of your project and work backward to the basic concepts.
Then, from this list, identify what your audience already knows and where they might need more background.
Next, decide where to begin your presentation, what to include, and how much time to spend on each part.
- Begin your presentation with a short overview of concepts your audience knows to introduce the topic and set the stage for your presentation.
- In your presentation, introduce the more basic concepts before the more complex.
- Spend less time on what your audience knows, and more time on what they might not know.

This approach helps to ensure your audience can follow along and engage with your topic, regardless of their prior knowledge.

Present your Story!

An apple fell on Newton's head. Archimedes was in a bathtub. Martine Luther King said, "I have a dream". Hamlet asked, "To be or Not to be".

The above lines all relate to different principles or events in their respective field. You may not remember Newton's laws, but you've heard about the tale about the apple falling on his head. Similarly, you may not know the details of Martin Luther King's civil rights activism, but you remember the famous line from his speech. Why do we remember these things? It is because they were likely present to use as a story, rather than simply facts.

When presenting to non-specialist audiences, consider using the idea of storytelling to deliver your information. The four components of a story are: the Setting, Characters, Plot, and Moral. In your specialist fields, it may be challenging to think about your research in these terms, but they are there! Check out the table below for an example:

	Traditional Stories	Specialist “Stories”
SETTING	time and place	Introduction, Background, History, Context
CHARACTERS	people involved	Authors (you), Collaborators, Equipment, Research Tools/Sites/Locations, Papers, etc.
PLOT	what happens how it happens	What you did (Methods) What you found (Results)
MORAL	what we learn why it matters	Discussion (what you learned) Importance (why we care)

Try this! Find your favourite source. Maybe it's a book or an academic paper. Can you identify the Setting, Characters, Plot, and Moral? When presenting information to non-specialist audiences, try telling them about your work using the elements of a story!

Examples: Same Content, Different Delivery

Presenting to non-specialist audiences takes time, practice, and reflection. A good way to learn how to translate your specialist content is by reflecting on the ways others have done so. Check out the examples below from Trent's 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. Compare these presentations with the linked academic work by the author (it's okay if you only read their abstract). How did they translate their written specialist work into a short non-specialist presentation? What did you like? What could they have done better to help you (perhaps a non-specialist) understand their work better? Use these examples as a learning tool!

Jenna Bolzon, Psychology (1st Place + Audience Choice, 2024)

3MT: Standing up for Science: Paying Attention to Replication Issues can unearth a Ton of Problems (YouTube Video @ 1:01:37)

Thesis: Stand at Attention! Examining Postural Effects on Attention - ProQuest

Stephanie Aultman, Anthropology (2nd Place 2024)

3MT: Memories of the Forest: Traditional Ecological Knowledge in North Central Belize (YouTube Video @ 51:41)

Thesis: Towards an Understanding of the Ancient Maya Plant Resources in the Ka'kabish-Lamanai Corridor

Christian Bihum, Environemtal and Life Sciences (3rd Place, 2024)

3MT: Solving the Bioenergetic Equation for Walleye in the Great Lakes (YouTube Video @ 1:17:01)

Publication: Effects of temperature, body size, and sex on the standard metabolic rates of a sexually dimorphic freshwater piscivore, walleye (Sander viterus)

Jordan Till, Psychology (1st Place + Audience Choice, 2023)

3MT: Paint Me a Picture: Longitudinal Symptoms Stability and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (YouTube Video @ 34:44)

Thesis: Describing Symptom Heterogeneity in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Relationships Between and Stability Within the Overt Symptoms and Core Dimensions Models - Pro Quest