ORAL PRESENTATIONS | ||
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ORAL PRESENTATIONS. Article by APU Student Services This short guide is based on the materials used in the Oral Presentations workshop which forms part of the study skills workshops programme. The material included has been gathered and adapted from: Developing Essential Study Skills Elaine Payne and Lesley Whittaker Studying Successfully by Ray Baxter Study skills handouts in the Student Centre. University of Surreys on-line guide www.surrey.ac.uk/Skills/Pack/pres.html See also: "How not to give a presentation" http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/321/7276/1570 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 GIVING A PRESENTATION MAIN STAGES Initial preparation Before planning your presentation, consider: Your remit Your objectives Your audience Your venue Planning the presentation Select and structure the main points and supporting information in a logical, coherent way Rehearsal Practice makes perfect! Be familiar with your material, your venue and any equipment. Delivery Effective delivery involves capturing and retaining the audiences attention, inspiring their confidence and developing their understanding. INITIAL PREPARATION 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 of OHTs) 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 YOUR PRESENTATION Choose the main points (3 max. in a 10 minute presentation) These should reflect your objectives and take account of your audiences 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 peoples 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 audiences 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? number and keep in right order note main headings and key words as prompts DELIVERING AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION Rapport o smile, be welcoming o check comfort levels o look for non-verbal signs of confusion/boredom o address audience directly, dont read from notes o check understanding o invite questions o show confidence through posture and body language o maintain eye contact o use controlled gestures to welcome, include, emphasise, indicate ending Appropriate language: Use language that involves you with the audience, e.g. use "we", ask rhetorical questions. Express ideas clearly: o avoid jargon, clichι o summarise regularly o vary sentence length, openers, types (statement, command, question, exclamation) o avoid messy, rambling endings or fillers o use verbal signposts to direct listening Voice control Use your voice to maintain interest, convey energy and enthusiasm: o volume loud enough for audience to hear, but vary for effect o pace speak slowly and clearly, use pauses to indicate change of direction or to emphasise a point o pitch e.g. raise for questions Practical tips Practice makes perfect! Rehearse your presentation. Be familiar with your material and equipment Get a good nights sleep Arrive early to check layout, equipment etc. Have a warm drink beforehand to relax throat Have a drink of water to hand Take a few deep breaths before starting Pause between sections, after questions, to allow comfortable breathing patterns © Copyright for this article belongs to APU Student Services This document was re-printed with the kind permission of Susan Butler. Original Source of the article is located here: http://web.apu.ac.uk/stu_services/essex/learningsupport/OL-OralPrsntatns.htm |