Week 4-5: Asking questions Asking questions in a scientific presentation is both a privilege and an obligation of the audience. Many students resist asking questions, however, perhaps because it is difficult to come up with a question while listening to the presentation. This week you will develop skills to become an effective questioner. We start by learning how to listen to a talk in a way that actively inspires questions rather than passively accepting everything presented. We will consider different types of questions classified according to the nature of information you seek to obtain. Sample templates for each type of question will be provided so that you can adapt them for the specific question that you would like to ask. We will also discuss the importance of revealing the “motivation” behind each question. Indicating the reason for your particular question not only helps the presenter to provide the answer you truly want, but will also stimulate the entire audience for further discussion.