Take Home Message

What do best talks and papers have in common? (Below are titles from 1998-2000.)

A. Tell a story

• Turn collection of facts into exciting/interesting story.
• Construct story, e.g., phrase the basic idea as series of questions that the talk answers.
• Have one focus; convey a single major message.

B. What do you want the audience to carry away? What one thing? Is there a need for two or three messages? Reorder order of sentence outline to lead inexorably to planned take-home message.

C. Figures/tables should be prepared first. Ideally, figures and tables carry the main message. Stand-alone captions and good labels further enhance the figures and strengthen the whole argument.

D. End the presentation with a clearly formulated, concise conclusion. When this take-home message has been delivered, stop!

Sample policy paper titles from decade ago

Can you guess from titles the points of these policy papers?

• The Future of Power, Photovoltaic Cells
• Solar power -- perhaps a short-term approach
• Global warming is good for you
• Nuclear power
• The Need for Nuclear Propulsion in the Navy's New Destroyer
• On the Wonders of High-Speed Rail Travel in Europe
• Star Wars II: The Indefensible Defense
• Genetically modified food
• Experiments on Humans and Animals
• Product testing
• The FDA should regulate dietary supplements as it regulates food additives.
• Patents on DNA information should not be granted because it discourages progress.
• Xenotransplantation
• How to develop network security
• Giant clam survival requires aquaculture funding and strong anti-poaching enforcement
• Electromagnetic Interference and The TWA Flight 800 Crash
• X-ray Telescope: The Next Generation

Take Home Message (THM)

1. Motivates (or discourages) potential reader or listener.
2. Organizes presentation:
   • Keep material that supports or relates to THM;
   • Order material to rationally develop THM.
3. Sends the reader/listener out with clear, memorable point.