Learning Resources: Help to boost your grades: Oral Presentations

What makes an effective presentation?

• A good introduction

• A good conclusion

• Clear outcomes

• Appropriate material

• Well-organised material

• Clear, logical progression

• Good supporting information – data, examples, illustrations

• Retention of interest

• Appropriate use of visual aids/handouts

• Good rapport with audience

• Appropriate use of language

• Good voice control

Initial Preparation

Before planning your presentation, consider:

• Your remit

• Your objectives

• Your venue

• Your audience

The design and tone of your presentation will be affected by:

Your remit

• How much time have you been allotted?

• How much can you get across in that time?

• Have any content guidelines been set? (e.g. title, fixed number slides )

• Is a common format/style required?

Your objectives

What do you want your audience to take away from the presentation?

Is your aim to explain, inform, persuade, debate or entertain?

Your venue

• Room size, layout, seating arrangements

• Availability of audio visual equipment

• Lighting, temperature, general comfort level

Your audience

• Who are they? What are their jobs/positions?

• Why are they there? Are they there voluntarily or under pressure?

• What is their likely attention span?

• What do they already know about the topic?

• How can you link new information to what they know?

• Is their response likely to be positive or negative?

• Will you need to win them over to a particular viewpoint?

• Will anyone else be speaking for or against?

• What level will you need to gear your information to?

You may need to avoid technical jargon and explain abstract concepts with clear, practical examples.

Planning the presentation

Choose the main points (3 max. in a 10 minute presentation)

These should reflect your objectives and take account of your audience’s needs.

Arrange main points in a logical, structured way which is relevant to the subject:

e.g. chronological, cause/effect, problem/solution.

Choose supporting information to:

• add clarity - explain complex terms through concrete examples, illustrations; remind audience of supporting themes

• add authority - quote experts; make connections with other people’s work; offer evidence from research

• add colour - video clips/slides; practical examples; analogies

• Decide best way to present this information.

• Establish linking statements to show how main points fit together

• Develop your opening:

• introduce yourself

• capture the audience’s interest, establish a relationship

• say what you will be talking about and how

• say what you hope to achieve

• say what you expect of the audience – to listen, take notes, ask questions (during, after?)

• inspire confidence

Develop your ending:

• review the subject area

• summarise the main points and the process

• draw the points to a conclusion/judgement

• leave a lasting impression

Review

• Does your presentation meet your objectives?

• Is it logically structured?

• Is it targeted at the right level?

• Is it too long/short?

Prepare notes

• linear notes or index cards? - and keep in right order

• note main headings and key words as prompts

Rapport

• smile, be welcoming

• check comfort levels

• look for non-verbal signs of confusion/boredom

• address audience directly, don’t read from notes

• check understanding

• invite questions

• show confidence through posture and body language

• maintain eye contact

• use controlled gestures to welcome, include, emphasise, indicate ending

Using appropriate language

• use language that involves you with the audience, e.g. use “we”, and ask rhetorical questions.

• express ideas clearly:

• avoid jargon, cliché

• summarise regularly

• vary sentence length, openers, types (statement, command, question, exclamation)

• avoid messy, rambling endings or fillers

• use verbal signposts to direct listening

Voice control

• Use your voice to maintain interest, convey energy and enthusiasm:

• volume – loud enough for audience to hear, but vary for effect

• pace – speak slowly and clearly, use pauses to indicate change of direction or to emphasise a point

• pitch – e.g. raise for questions

Practical tips

• Practice makes perfect! Rehearse your presentation.

• Be familiar with your material and equipment

• Get a good night’s sleep

• Arrive early to check layout, equipment etc.

• Have a warm drink beforehand to relax throat and have a drink of water to hand

• Take a few deep breaths before starting

• Pause between sections, after questions, to allow comfortable breathing patterns

Tips for using slides in Presentations

• Not too much information on a page

• Type rather than hand write:

• use a clear font (e.g. Arial, Comic Sans MS);

• minimum font size 18;

• do not mix fonts;

• not too many block capitals

• use bold to highlight rather than italics or underlining