: the EDITOR'S • column •
L.T.Hallett, Editor
" / " L I V E N T H E WILL to t a k e pains, t o
prepare, a n d to believe in himself, a n y intelligent person can become a good speaker. W i t h imagination and ideas, he can become excellent," writes Professor Harold G. Cassidy of Yale University. D r . Cassidy h a s prepared a check-list of points t o be considered for those who wish to examine and perhaps improve their presentation of scientific papers [J. Chem. Ed. 40, 373, (1963)]. Those chemists who are preparing papers for presentation a t t h e coming fall meeting of t h e ACS m a y well heed his r e m a r k s and study carefully his check list. I n considering t h e t a l k itself, thorough preparation is stressed. T h e t a l k should be written out. The speaker should n o t t r y to cover too much, and should not use too m a n y slides. If a scientific slide is well prepared and presented, it can be used for a full minute or two. However, a slide per minute for fifty minutes becomes a travelog, but rarely a scientific talk. Care should be t a k e n t h a t t h e slides are in order because a speaker surprised b y his own slide-arrangement does not convey confidence in the rest of his talk. Technical jargon t h a t might be necessary in a written work should be avoided if possible in a speech. Especially to be avoided are long variants of recognized words: irregardless, confliction, analyzation, commercialistic, optimization (and suboptimization), and tangibilitate. W h a t m a y happen with jargon is t h a t a lecture sounds as though it might m a k e sense. Other recommendations are t o repeat major points and introduce one or two interim summaries. These can help t h e audience, a n d at t h e same time they can be used to develop a climax. An a t t e m p t
Ike Welch CATHETOMETER Significant recent engineering improvements in this i n s t r u m e n t insure better performance t h a n ever a n d more years of satisfactory service. T h i s cathetometer is designed for precise measurement of vertical distances t h r o u g h a range of 100 cm. I t is particularly useful where t h e object t o b e observed is n o t conveniently accessible, or m a y easily be disturbed b y physical contact, or m u s t b e located in a position t o o hazardous t o permit t h e observer t o b e in close proximity. Vertical Range Smallest Reading by Vernier Telescope Working Distance Angular Magnification Reticle Level Sensitivity
100 cm 0.05 mm 4 5 cm to Infinity 12Xat45 cm 8X at Infinity 90-degree crosshairs 50 Seconds
C a t . N o . 0068A
E a c h $257.50
Write for illustrated circular describing excellent features of this instrument.
the many
THE WELCH SCIENTIFIC COMPANY
No. 0068A
ESTABLISHED 1 8 8 0
1515 Sedgwick St., Depl. A-1, CHICAGO 10, ILL, U.S.A. Manufacturers of Scientific Instruments and Laboratory
Apparatus
P I ALPHA & NEUTRON SURVEY METER
P I SURVEY METER WITH ALPHA AND NEUTRON DETECTOR. PRICE: Meter with Alpha Detector only $495. Neutron Detector $150
FEATURING: • PI large area Alpha detector air proportional type precision machined from solid aluminum. Virtually indestructible. Insensitive to ß or -y radiations, light, and magnetic fields. Background of 1 CPM with a 16% efficiency. • Regulated and adjustable high voltage. • 1/2 millivolt sensitivity permits 25' of cable use without preamplifiers. • Self-contained loudspeakerand a plug-in earphone. • 106 CPM counting capacity. • Pt fast neutron detector consisting of a paraffin moderated BF3 tube with removable moderating package for thermal neutrons. • Interchangeable battery or line operated power sources.
PHYSICS INTERNATIONAL COMPANY 2 2 2 9 Fourth Street, Berkeley, California Circle No. 179 on Readers' Service Card VOL. 3 5 , N O . 1 0 , SEPTEMBER 1 9 6 3
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