Conference
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ScribdTranslationsConference
Definition
The conference is a type of oral presentation, delivered by specialists, focused on the
presentation of a specific topic of interest to the audience for which it is intended. This
Oral genre is based on written discourse, such as an extended essay.
limited where a topic is presented with the purpose of teaching or persuading; however, the
a conference is distinguished from political discourse, for example, because it is designed as
a public dissertation, where the ideal is to establish a dialogue with the listeners and not the
simple ideological or partisan adherence of the conference. In other words, this genre
The oral has a dialectical approach that is ultimately realized through a question-and-answer session.
and answers.
Function in the academic environment
In the academic context, the conference is one of the most commonly used oral genres,
that serves as a tool to transmit knowledge or to expose matters of
general interest from a specialist. This genre is very useful for exposing the
fundamental ideas and problems of a subject to finally create a dialogue with
an interested or specialized audience, or with a group of students in training.
Structure
To talk about the structure of the conference, it is important to distinguish two phases: the written one.
and the oral. The structure of the first phase contains three fundamental parts: the
introduction, the development and the conclusions. In the introduction, the
objective of the conference; the subject of study is presented, its limits, the contributions, the
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hypothesis and the importance of the topic. The development is the essential part of the conference, already
that includes all the relevant information that the speaker wants to convey to his
public. Finally, in the conclusions, the fundamental ideas are generalized, that is,
A kind of summary is made and an attempt is made to conclude the topic presented.
In general, the conference has a simple structure, designed to maintain the
public attention. This structure, which defines the discourse, is subject to different
factors such as the place where it is taught, or the dynamics that one wants to follow
speaker:
Speaker introduction: a moderator briefly introduces the speaker.
Typically, the curriculum is reviewed as well as the topic of the
conference.
Speech exposition: from 45 minutes to one hour, although the time may vary.
depending on the audience or the topic. Here it is presented what was prepared in the first
conference phase, that is, the written speech. The speaker can
rely on visual materials, audio, photocopies, handouts, among others.
Question and answer session: this is where the dialogue between the speaker opens.
and its audience. Mainly, it can be given in three different ways. On one hand,
the audience can interrupt the speaker at any time; on the other hand, the session
It is given at the end of the speech or the speaker selects the questions.
most relevant to answer them at the end of the conference. The way this
The session varies according to the audience, the topic, and the speaker's needs.
Thanks to the speaker: a moderator officially closes the
conference, thanking the speaker and the attendees for their attention.
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Steps for preparing the conference
1. Choose the topic of the conference and clearly define the objective.
2. Taking into account the audience to which it is directed, determine the purpose and the
result of the conference.
3. Choose the way in which the topic will be addressed and define the stages of development towards
the main objective.
4. Write the development of the conference, organizing the ideas coherently.
and clara.
5. Determine if any auxiliary means will be needed, and prepare it: a selection of
images in PowerPoint, for example.
Draft the introduction and conclusion.
7. Choose a catchy and meaningful title.
8. Anticipate possible questions and prepare relevant answers.
9. Review the speech aloud.
General recommendations
Present clearly, confidently, and credibly.
Keep the audience's attention.
Eye contact with the audience is vital; through it, they feel included.
The intonation and gesturing must be clear, natural, and spontaneous.
The speaker must show interest in their own presentation.
Bibliography
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Learning to think. The educator: the education magazine. Editorial Group
Norm, 2008. Consulted on May 31, 2011. Available at:
Unable to translate the content of a PDF file without the text being provided.
Cañedo Iglesias, Carlos Manuel and Maritza Cáceres Mesa. "Characterization of the
conference. Theoretical foundations for the implementation of didactics in the
teaching-learning process. Consulted on May 31, 2011. Available
en:
http://www.eumed.net/libros/2008b/395/CHARACTERIZATION%20OF%20THE%
20CONFERENCE.htm
Capture attention and persuade. Consulted on May 31, 2011. Available at:
http://www.retoricas.com/2009/06/captar-la-atencion-y-persuadir.html
Creme, Phyllis and Mary R. Lea. Writing in the university. Spain: Gedisa, 2000.
María Teresa Serafini
Recommendations for preparing a speech. Consulted on May 31
from 2011. Available at:http://www.retoricas.com/2009/06/preparing-the-
intervention.html