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Research Project Presentation

Responding to a Request for Clarification

An audience member asks for further clarification on a specific point, data interpretation, or a particular aspect of the methodology.

Dialogue

Listen and follow along with the conversation

1
Audience Member (Male)
Dr. Lee, thank you for such an insightful presentation. I had a quick question regarding Slide 12, specifically the data interpretation of the anomalous outliers in the third dataset.
2
Presenter (Female)
Thank you for that excellent question. Could you please specify which anomalous outliers you're referring to? Are you thinking of the cluster around the 10-minute mark or the single data point at 25 minutes?
3
Audience Member (Male)
Yes, I was thinking of the cluster at the 10-minute mark. You mentioned it might be due to a specific environmental factor, but it wasn't clear how that conclusion was reached.
4
Presenter (Female)
Ah, I see. My apologies for the lack of clarity. We observed a significant fluctuation in ambient temperature during that specific experimental run, which correlated precisely with the appearance of those outliers.
5
Audience Member (Male)
So, it was a direct correlation with an unmeasured environmental variable, not something inherent to the sample itself?
6
Presenter (Female)
Precisely. We ran subsequent control experiments where we intentionally manipulated the temperature, and we were able to reproduce those anomalies. This strongly suggests it was an external factor rather than an intrinsic property.
7
Audience Member (Male)
That clarifies it perfectly. Thank you for the detailed explanation. It makes much more sense now.
8
Presenter (Female)
You're most welcome. I'm glad I could clarify that point for you. Are there any other questions?

Vocabulary

Essential words and phrases from the dialogue

insightful

Insightful means providing deep understanding or new ideas. Use it to compliment a presentation, like 'an insightful talk' in academic settings.

anomalous

Anomalous means unusual or different from what is normal. In science, say 'anomalous results' for unexpected data.

outliers

Outliers are data points that differ greatly from others. Useful in research discussions, like 'remove the outliers' when analyzing data.

cluster

Cluster refers to a group of similar things close together. In data, 'a cluster of points' means grouped data points on a graph.

fluctuation

Fluctuation means a change or variation, often up and down. Say 'temperature fluctuation' in experiments to describe irregular changes.

correlated

Correlated means two things are related or connected. In research, 'variables are correlated' shows how one affects the other.

precisely

Precisely means exactly or accurately. Use it to agree strongly, like 'Precisely, that's correct' in discussions.

reproduce

Reproduce means to create again or repeat. In science, 'reproduce the results' means doing an experiment to get the same outcome.

Key Sentences

Important phrases to remember and practice

Thank you for that excellent question.

This polite response shows appreciation for a question. Use it in presentations to engage the audience positively. It's a common phrase for intermediate speakers to build rapport.

Could you please specify which anomalous outliers you're referring to?

This asks for more details clearly. 'Specify' means to be exact, and 'referring to' points to something mentioned. Useful for clarifying in meetings; note the polite 'could you please'.

My apologies for the lack of clarity.

This is a formal way to say sorry for not being clear. 'My apologies' is polite; use it when explaining something again in professional talks to show humility.

We observed a significant fluctuation in ambient temperature.

This describes an observation in research. 'Observed' is past tense for reporting findings; 'significant' means important. Good for scientific explanations, showing cause and effect.

Precisely. We ran subsequent control experiments.

'Precisely' agrees exactly. 'Subsequent' means following after; 'control experiments' test variables. Use this pattern to confirm and add evidence in discussions.

This strongly suggests it was an external factor.

This infers a conclusion from evidence. 'Strongly suggests' means it's likely true; 'external factor' is outside influence. Helpful for academic arguments without being too certain.

That clarifies it perfectly.

This thanks for clear explanation. 'Clarifies' means makes clear; use after questions are answered to show understanding and end positively.

You're most welcome. I'm glad I could clarify that point.

A polite reply to thanks. 'You're most welcome' is formal for 'no problem'; 'I'm glad' expresses happiness. Use in Q&A to wrap up and invite more questions.