Presenting Research Findings
A researcher presents their latest findings, methodology, and conclusions to a group of peers in a seminar or conference setting, followed by a Q&A session.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
efficacy
The effectiveness or success of something, like a treatment or method. Use it in academic talks to discuss how well a therapy works.
elaborate
To explain something in more detail. It's polite to say 'Could you elaborate?' when asking for more information in discussions.
methodology
The methods or procedures used in research. Common in academic settings to describe how a study was conducted.
confounding variables
Factors that can affect the results of a study and make it hard to see the true cause. Important in science to explain controlling for outside influences.
randomized controlled trial
A research method where participants are randomly divided into groups, one getting the treatment and another as a control. It's a standard way to test medical or psychological interventions reliably.
sample size
The number of people or items in a study. Larger sizes make results more reliable; discuss it to show your research is strong.
statistical power
The ability of a study to detect real effects. High power means your research is less likely to miss important findings.
compelling
Very convincing or persuasive. Use it to praise research findings, like 'compelling evidence' in debates or presentations.
demographic differences
Variations based on population characteristics like age, gender, or background. Useful when analyzing how groups respond differently to something.
statistically significant
A result that is unlikely due to chance, based on math. Say 'not statistically significant' if a trend isn't strong enough to prove.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Thank you all for being here today. I'm excited to share our latest findings on...
This is a polite opening for presentations. It thanks the audience and introduces the topic enthusiastically. Use it at the start of talks to engage listeners; note the gerund 'being' after 'for' and 'excited to share' as an infinitive phrase.
Could you elaborate on your methodology, particularly how you controlled for confounding variables?
A useful question in Q&A sessions to ask for details. 'Could you' makes it polite; 'particularly' highlights a specific part. Practice this to sound professional in academic discussions.
We employed a randomized controlled trial design.
This describes a research method clearly. 'Employed' means 'used'; it's a passive-like structure but active voice here. Useful for explaining study designs in reports or seminars.
That's a very robust approach.
Praise for a strong method. 'Robust' means reliable; use this to agree positively in conversations. It's a simple way to show approval without long explanations.
Good question. Our sample consisted of 150 university students, 75 in each group.
Acknowledge a question first with 'Good question' to build rapport, then answer directly. 'Consisted of' means 'was made up of'; helpful for responding in debates or interviews.
The findings showing a significant reduction in anxiety are compelling.
This compliments results. The relative clause 'showing a significant reduction' describes 'findings'; use it to discuss study outcomes. 'Significant' here means important, not just statistical.
We found no significant differences based on gender, but there was a trend suggesting greater improvement among humanities students.
Reports analysis results. 'Based on' means 'according to'; 'suggesting' introduces a possibility. Useful for sharing exploratory data in presentations; note the contrast with 'but'.
Are there any other questions?
A standard way to end Q&A. It's open-ended and inviting; use it to wrap up discussions politely. Simple question form with 'any' for generality.