Using Elevator Speeches to Develop Research & Communication Skills in Biology

• Main Author: Gail S. Begley
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Society for Microbiology 2018-05-01
• Series: Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
• Subjects: elevator speech; elevator pitch; science communication; research communication; undergraduate biology; oral presentation
• Online Access: http://jmbesubmissions.asm.org/index.php/jmbe/article/view/1405

The ability to communicate and collaborate effectively was recognized as a core competency for undergraduate biology education in the AAAS Vision and Change report. In order to develop competency in scientific communication, students need opportunities for guided practice. This article describes the use of short ‘elevator speeches’ in the context of a Biology Capstone course. Students present a 60 – 90 second speech at three key points in the course when they are facing an intellectual challenge in the process of writing an original research proposal. Writing and presenting the elevator speeches provides students with the opportunity to build on their prior knowledge and critically analyze the literature in order to develop an initial research question, an experimental approach, and finally a complete proposal. After each elevator pitch, students receive targeted feedback from an audience of peers and from their instructor, which allows them to refine their research proposal and improve their oral presentation skills.