At Williams every senior math major chooses a faculty advisor and gives a 35\/40-minute colloquium talk. Since we currently have over fifty senior majors, this keeps us pretty busy, but we think it well worth the effort.<\/p>\n
Here is how I like my advisees to prepare, starting a month before the talk and consulting with me every day or two:<\/p>\n
1. Outline of talk, with details of proofs.<\/p>\n
2. Board drafts. Each page consists of exactly what is to be written on one section of blackboard. Each such board should convey one main idea, with a heading, a concise, abbreviated statement, and some kind of figure.<\/p>\n
3. Draft rehearsal. Student sits down alone at keyboard and rehearses the talk by typing everything and then emailing it to me for comments and revisions.<\/p>\n
4. Rehearsals at the blackboard, at least one with an audience recruited by the student.<\/p>\n
5. Final rehearsal with me, ideally two days before the talk.<\/p>\n
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