Book Review: Analog and Switching Circuit Design, 2nd Ed.

Speaking Technically: S. GOODLAD (Sinclair Goodlad, 226 Petersham Rd., Petersham, Richmond, Surrey, England, 1990,75 pp., £4.95 paperback) If you have ideas and information to communicate and want to do so effectively, and you find the process stressful and have only little time to prepare, then the author says that this booklet is for you! It is a 'bag of tools' to help you 'tune up' your presentation of complex technical information and ideas. How to: *plan and prepare; *hold your listener's attention; *feelauthoritative; *reduce your anxiety; *estimate your audience and their reaction; *pace and time your presentation; *improve your speaking technique; *use visual aids; *chair sessions and manage questions; etc., etc., are all discussed. For instance, a 'key rule' is to think about what your listeners need to know, not what you want to say. Another very common fear in speaking technically is that oflosing the attention of your audience by boring those who know something about the subject, and bewildering those who know only a little, and you must, therefore, think as much about the 'communication process' as about the 'content'; then will your authority flow easily, and your anxiety will be reduced! Such rules, guidelines and advice are the stuff of this little booklet. It contains 'boxed-in headline points' and 'checklists' to help you with the onerous task of speaking technically. The author has provided courses for higher-education teachers, and scientists and engineers from industry and the civil service, so that, if for any reason, you need to 'speak technically' at lectures, conferences or inquiries, or give after-dinner speeches or presentations, etc., then you may find this little booklet useful. BRIAN M. SHAW, Division of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hatfield Polytechnic