Historians must be able to convey complex ideas to different audiences. Often, they must also share their research in a set amount of time or space. It is important to know that the information that is included, excluded, or modified within a presentation can dramatically affect how an audience understands the work of historians. Many times, audience members are comprised of fellow professionals who are familiar with both the topic and the language of the profession. In many other instances, however, historians must be able to explain the importance of their research to the general public. In such cases, their audiences are often not familiar with their methods or their subject, and historians must translate findings in a way that makes the material understandable while still conveying the importance of the topic.
Historians share their work through public lectures, books, museum exhibits, and a variety of other mediums. In Project 3, you will be sharing your findings in a PowerPoint or Prezi multimedia presentation. The manner in which you present your research will impact your audience’s understanding of that topic, just as the secondary sources that you have read on your topic have affected your own viewpoint. As you will learn from reading and watching the resources in this learning block, the words you choose and the images you share can significantly affect what your audience takes away from your presentation.
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