100,000+ impressions and 70+ comments later, one thing is clear: we don’t like it when science is presented incorrectly in written form.

And I completely agree.

So why on Earth is it OK to present science orally in a way that nobody understands — or, even worse, understands incorrectly?

Because when something is written and you don’t get it, you can reread it. You can take your time. And you may eventually get some clarification.

But when you present something, you have one chance to make your audience understand what you’re saying.

If they don’t understand you, you can’t go back and explain it to everyone who was in the room. Yes, you can chat with people afterwards, but you won’t reach everyone who attended the event.

So why don’t we hold oral presentations to the same standards as written science?

It is time to put the same effort into communicating science clearly, regardless of the format.