To Speak or Not to Speak? Questions You Should Ask Yourself before Agreeing to Do a Talk in English

Abstract

The most important thing in any scientific communication, whether oral or written, is its contents. A maxim usually attributed to a Spanish proverb advises “Don’t talk unless you can improve on the silence”. Indeed, if you don’t have anything important to say, it’s better to say nothing at all. However, if you have presented an abstract to an international congress that has been selected for an oral communication or if you have been invited to speak at an event in English, the odds are that you have some relevant ideas that will interest your colleagues.