Wednesday 29 June 2016

How to value a presentation or a paper

Sometimes you like a presentation or a paper and sometimes you don't. I decided for myself (and it is my personal opinion) the following list of imaginary points of goodness.

A graph of a diagram representing numbers (e.g. pie chart) is (+1).

A magic number: (-1). This is a number appearing from nowhere and not explained.

Two formulae: (+1). One formula is not enough; it is 0. So the total number of points for all formulae is their number divided by 2.

Two undefined abbreviations or two domain specific jargon words: (-1).

A block diagram or an algorithm: (-1).

A picture representing idea (+1). How to distinguish it from a block diagram? If the reader/audience can draw this picture after read or presentation, then it is (+1) otherwise it is as above (-1).

A list of items is tricky. If the reader/audience know why the number of items is that exactly number - not more not less, then it is (+1). If the items appear arbitrary or the list is not surely complete, then it is (-1).

A table is (0), and any text is (0).



Known Unknown and Unknown Known

Things that we do and don't know that we know and don't know have simple names.

Known known I know that I know Facts
Known unknown I know that I don't know Questions
Unknown known I don't know that I know Assumptions
Unknown unknown I don't know that I don't know Reality