For one of my post-graduate classes, I have to create a talk for 15-18 year olds about my PhD project and record my voice talking about each slide. Ok, so it's not quite TV :p, but I was wondering if anyone knew of any of the tricks they use for narrating documentaries. I think just recording my talk as I would normally speak it might not have the same impact.

Does anyone have any tips on how to make it a bit more exciting??

It's quite a tricky question really. The main piece of advice I can give is:

Start with a puzzle or a question and set out what you're going to say.

As a good rule of thumb, the words used contribute around 7% to the impact of your message, your voice and tone around 38% and the slides you are giving around 55%.

Make sure you have an enthusiasm for what you are saying and perhaps ask what would make the audience agree with you.

Not sure if any of this helps?

I'm guessing your 'assignment' is to communicate your reserach to non-specialists?

No media advice I'm afraid but ever the social scientist I conducted a quick survey on your behalf - among 3 teenagers, eh my own!! The advice to start with a puzzle or question is good, something interesting at the start will 'grab them'. Not too difficult though or you might lose their attention. They're not interested in the words, so graphics and pictures are preferable to 'boring words', that old adage is true of most teenage audiences, ie show not tell. The majority of them will know how to create powerpoint themselves so it's all the more challenging to make it interesting.

I gave a talk to 100 16 year olds who visited our uni a couple of months ago. I followed on from a lady who had put up slide after slide (about 30 in all) and really just told them exactly what they could see for themselves on each slide. I felt the room was pretty bored. When it was my go, I started off with a GIS map and asked them if they could see anything wrong with it. It got the room talking at least. Difficult I know when you are recording voiceovers for your slides but my point is, they can read the slide themselves so the challenge is to make what they're seeing interesting.

I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

Thanks very much for both replies!

Yeah, basically the talk will be used by the university to try and attract people onto their courses by showing the exciting research they are carrying out. So it is assumed they are non-specialists.

I really like the idea of asking if they can see something wrong with a slide to begin with. I have a few ideas on how to include that, although like you say, it might be slightly harder to do via a recording. But I think it should still work ok as long as I don't dwell on it for too long.

I had a feeling graphics were more important, but it's nice to hear that from somebody else!

I have to have it done in the next few weeks so I will let you know how it goes.

Just to follow up the previous comments, I tried to summarise all the techniques I've learned and been taught with regards to presenting and narrating talks for the Layman,

http://www.indoctorate.co.uk/2011/03/presenting-and-narrating-talks-for.html

Thanks again for the help below :-)