Speaking: Specific Purposes C1
Delivering Specialized Academic/Technical Presentations
The "What? So What? Now What?" Framework 🏛️
This powerful structure guides your audience from information to insight to action. It is a logical and persuasive way to present any kind of data, research, or technical information.
Present your key data, finding, or technical point clearly and concisely.
"This graph illustrates the correlation between..."
"Our primary finding was that..."
This is the most critical step. Explain why this information matters. What does it mean? Why should the audience care?
"The key implication of this is..."
"What makes this significant is that it suggests..."
Based on the information and its importance, what do you recommend? What should happen next?
"Therefore, our recommendation is to..."
"Based on this data, the next logical step is to..."
Language for Precision & Clarity 🔬
Never assume your audience knows a specialized term. Define it simply right after you use it.
"We used carbon dating, which is essentially a method for determining the age of an ancient object."
In academic fields, it's crucial to be precise about the limits of your data. Avoid making absolute claims.
"The data seems to suggest a strong correlation."
"While not conclusive, this indicates a high probability that..."
Scenario: A University Thesis Presentation
Listen to a Master's student, Borey, presenting his findings. Notice how he uses the framework to make his complex research clear and impactful.
(What?) "Good morning. My research focused on the impact of new irrigation channels on rice farming in Prey Veng. As you can see from this first chart, my data shows that farmers with access to the new channels have seen a 30% average increase in crop yield."
(So What?) "The critical implication of this is that modern infrastructure can directly and significantly boost agricultural productivity. This suggests that infrastructure investment is a powerful tool for poverty reduction."
(Now What?) "Therefore, my primary recommendation is that this model be expanded. To do this effectively, I propose a three-phase rollout, starting with a feasibility study in Battambang..."
Advanced Strategies & Practice 🎯
💡 Handling Questions from a Mixed Audience
In a technical presentation, you might get questions from both experts and non-experts. You must adapt your style.
- For an Expert Question: You can use technical language freely. It shows you are a knowledgeable peer. "That's a great question about the statistical methodology. Yes, we used a chi-squared test to ensure..."
- For a Non-Expert Question: Praise the question, then answer using an analogy or a simplified definition. "That's a very important question. To put it simply, think of it like..."
✍️ Practice Quiz: Identify the Function
1. "The reason this finding is so significant is because it challenges the fundamental assumptions of the previous theory."
A) What? (Presenting data)
B) So What? (Explaining importance)
C) Now What? (Recommending action)
→ Answer: B. This sentence is clearly explaining the relevance and importance of a finding.
2. "Based on this analysis, our next step should be to conduct a wider, national-level survey."
A) What? (Presenting data)
B) So What? (Explaining importance)
C) Now What? (Recommending action)
→ Answer: C. This sentence is proposing a clear future action based on the information presented.
Key Vocabulary
- Accessible Able to be easily understood or appreciated.
- Implication A conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated; a likely consequence.
- Jargon Special words or expressions that are used by a particular profession or group.
Your Mission: The "Mini-Lecture" Challenge ⭐
Your mission is to practice explaining a complex topic in a clear, structured way.
- Choose a topic you know well that has some technical detail (from your job, studies, or a hobby).
- Plan a short, 90-second "mini-lecture" using the What? → So What? → Now What? framework.
- Your Goal: You must also define at least one piece of technical jargon simply (e.g., "...which is basically...").
- Record yourself delivering your lecture. Listen back. Is your structure logical? Is your explanation clear? Would a non-expert understand your main point?