How to give a presentation? oral presentation.png

What could be a problem for you?
• Not getting your points across?
• Feeling exposed?

How can this happen?
• Stage fright- perfectly normal but can affect your ability to communicate
• Reading word-for-word and making little eye contact with audience
• Being too relaxed-you may seem bored and, if so, the audience will switch off
• Not knowing the material – try to know more (or appear to know more) than your audience. Tip -Don’t forget that everyone in your class feels the same as you do

How to avoid it?

- Prepare, prepare, prepare
Consider your objective:
• What is the purpose of the presentation – to inform, to persuade, to educate, to entertain?
• Who are the audience?
o How well informed are they?
o Are they receptive/interested?
o Are you going to challenge them?
• What do you want them to learn/know?
Structure your talk so that you tell a story – beginning, middle and end – and summarize the main points at the end.

Choose suitable media:
• Talk + PowerPoint
• Talk + overheads
• Talk + handout
• Talk + flipchart
But mostly plan to talk to the audience. Rehearse more than least once!

Oral presentations (tutorial)
Preparation: A recent survey stated that the average person’s greatest fear is having to give a speech in public. Somehow, this ranked even higher than death….Jerry Seinfield.
Most students will need to give an oral presentation at some stage of their study. While many are nervous about it, preparation is helpful. In fact, the best way to cope with nerves is to know your material really well and practice, practice, practice until you can do it easily. This unit will take you through what is required to prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation.

What makes a good presentation?
1) Preparation – what to say
2) Delivery – how to say it

Research: The first important step in preparing what to say is to do your research. This involves researching three key areas:
1) Research your topic. If you are unsure of your content you will not be able to speak confidently. Make sure your topic is specific enough to have a clear focus so you can identify the key ideas and concepts. It should also be broad enough to be interesting and engaging
2) Research you audience. Your presentation should engage everyone not just your lecture/teacher. Does my audience need more background information on my topic? What are the expectations of my talk?
3) Research the venue. Make sure you check where you will be standing, the seating arrangements and any requirement that you will be using such as data projectors, etc.

Plan and organize: After you have researched it is important to carefully plan and organize your information. Use the following steps to develop a clear plan for your talk:
Step 1: Brainstorm your topic.
Brainstorm the topic to clarify what you know.
Step 2: Organise your information.
Organise the material logically, e.g. chronologically, spatially (diagrams and maps), sequentially (first, second).
Step 3: Develop a plan

For more detailed information see the mind mapping tutorial.

Write and edit: write your talk in full or write detailed notes.
• Content
Make sure the ideas are logical and clear
Use examples and facts to illustrate your points
• Language
Use language appropriate to the audience and purpose, generally a formal but conversational tone is best (no slang or colloquial language)
• Structure

Summarize your talk into meaningful chunks (e.g. numbered or bullet points)
consisting of main points and supporting details (similar to an easy plan)
Use these brief notes to guide you through your talk

Practice your presentation: with a friend or family member and get feedback from them.