Presentation Skills

PresentationskillsJenny Eastwood

Presentation skills

De Montfort University LibrarySeries editors: Anne Hilton and Sue RobinsonOriginally sponsored by the ELI

©1995 De Montfort University. All rights reserved.

S T U D E N T L E A R N I N G D E V E L O P M E N T C E N T R E

P R E S E N T A T I O N S K I L L S 1

Contents

1 Introduction.........................................................................3Objectives ...............................................................................................3

2 What is a presentation? .......................................................4

2.1 Characteristics of presentations.....................................................42.2 What presentations are not ............................................................5

2.3 Essential preparation .....................................................................6

3 Selecting the content for your presentation ......................83.1 Too many ideas? .............................................................................8

3.2 Too few ideas? ..............................................................................103.3 What does your audience need to know?....................................10

3.4 Selecting your main idea ..............................................................123.5 The ‘rule of 3’ ...............................................................................14

4 Structuring your presentation ..........................................17

4.1 ‘Where do I begin?’ Introduction ................................................174.2 ‘Why should they listen to me?’ Motivation raisers ....................19

4.3 ‘What’s coming next?’ The outline of content ............................204.4 ‘Down to the nitty gritty.’ Main content, section by section ......21

4.5 ‘Reinforce your message.’ Recap each section ...........................224.6 ‘How do I change to a new subject?’ Making transitions ...........23

4.7 ‘How do I end?’ Conclusions .......................................................24

5 Visual, auditory and computer aids ..................................275.1 Visual aids .....................................................................................27

5.2 When should you use visual aids? ...............................................285.3 Some tips on preparing your visual aids ......................................30

5.4 Disadvantages of visual aids .........................................................315.5 Using handouts .............................................................................32

6 Preparing presentation notes ...........................................34

6.1 The written vs. the spoken word .................................................346.2 Perform – don’t read – your presentation ...................................34

6.3 Transforming a written report into a presentation ....................356.4 The language of presentations .....................................................36

6.5 Tips for making notes...................................................................37


7 Personal preparation .........................................................40

7.1 Preliminary checklist ....................................................................407.2 Your audience...............................................................................41

7.3 Rehearsal ......................................................................................427.4 Stage fright ...................................................................................42

8 Delivering your presentation............................................44

8.1 Don’ts ...........................................................................................448.2 Dos ................................................................................................44

9 Handling questions............................................................46

9.1 Why take questions? ....................................................................469.2 Types of question .........................................................................47

9.3 Handling questions ......................................................................489.4 The really awful question .............................................................50

10 Trouble-shooting ...............................................................53

10.1 ‘What if I run out of time?’ ..........................................................5310.2 ‘What if I run out of material?’ ....................................................53

10.3 ‘What if I make some awful mistake when I’m half way ................through?’ .......................................................................................54

11 Evaluating Presentations ..................................................56

12 Bibliography ......................................................................57

Appendix 1: Assessing a spoken presentation .....................................59


1 Introduction

By the time you have worked through this package you will have allthe information necessary to develop and deliver a presentation to anaudience. You don’t need any previous experience of givingpresentations. All the information in this package assumes you are acomplete novice. You may, of course, skip any sections about whichyou do already have information or experience.

Objectives

At the end of the study pack you should be able to:

• understand what presentations are, and what they are not

• know some of the advantages and disadvantages ofpresentations

• design a good presentation using content from your ownsubject area

• design and use appropriate visual aids

• understand the main principles of delivering presentations

• be able to improve your presentation skills with eachpresentation.

This package is designed to allow you to work at your own pace,experiment, make mistakes, and enjoy the experience of preparing anddelivering your presentation.

The activities along the way are designed to help you develop yourskills and understanding. Please do them in the order presented in theworkpack.


2 What is a presentation?

2.1 Characteristics of presentations

Activity 1

What does the term ‘presentation’ mean to you? List somecharacteristics of presentations.

a ................................................................................................................

b ................................................................................................................

c ................................................................................................................

d ................................................................................................................

e ................................................................................................................

f .................................................................................................................

g ................................................................................................................

A presentation is a particular way of giving information.

There are, of course, many ways in which information is shared.Presentations combine factual information with the personaltouch of a real person preparing the information for a particularaudience.

Presentations now form a part of many jobs. They are used for:• training and updating

• keeping people informed

• impressing potential customers

• creating a forum for sharing information among workgroups.

They are also used in many diploma and degree courses to:

• foster students’ communication skills and abilities

• inform other students.


Activity 2

Have you been part of the audience during a good presentation?

Why do you remember it? Can you identify the characteristics whichmade it memorable?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

A good presentation usually has some – but seldom all! – of thefollowing characteristics:

• information is clear and easily understood

• the audience is led through an orderly sequence of ideas

• facts are represented visually in graphs or charts

• the presenter has a sense of humour or uses other techniquesto keep the audience interested

• the level of information presented is geared towards the needsof the audience.

2.2 What presentations are not

Presentations are not:• just getting someone to stand up and speak for a set amount of

time while the audience endures until the end

• just an opportunity for you to show how much you know

• just about entertaining your audience.


2.3 Essential preparation

Presentations are a particular way of communicating with people andof getting your message across. This requires some preliminarythought and preparation.

Before you deliver your presentation there are four procedures youmust complete. These are detailed in the following sections. They are:

• selecting the content of your presentation

• structuring the presentation

• choosing your visual, auditory or other teaching aids

• preparing the notes you will use during your presentation

Time given to some personal preparation to deal with things like stagefright will also pay off. More about this later!

Activity 3 – section 2 recap

a What is a presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b What are some characteristics of a good presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


c List some things a presentation is not. Add to this list fromyour own experience.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


3 Selecting the content for your presentation

3.1 Too many ideas?

When you stand up in front of your audience, what will you tell them?You only have a limited amount of time. You can’t tell themeverything you know! Presentations require you to choose carefullywhat you will say. The following activities are designed to help youselect the content for your presentation.

Activity 4

What is the title or subject of your presentation?

..................................................................................................................

Now identify all the information you have available. This will includethings like class notes, readings and references, data sheets, graphsand tables, information from text books, journals or papers,illustrations, computer displays....

List all the information you have about your presentation topic. Youmay wish (or need!) to use a separate page.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


By now you will have noticed that you know – or have access to –potentially a huge amount of information relevant to your topic.

Note: If this is not true for you, turn immediately to the next page!

Strength and courage are now required.

You need to eliminate material, unless you intend to hand out pillowsas you begin your presentation and are prepared to continue talkingabove the snores. The secret of selecting information for apresentation is to give your audience just enough to stimulate andinform.

Look critically at the list you made above. Be ruthless and identifythe following:

a Just enough background material to help the audience getoriented to the topic.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b Just enough information about your main topic to get your ideasacross.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c Just enough examples, illustrations or demonstrations tosupport the point you are making.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

You will notice the spaces available for this activity are quite small!


3.2 Too few ideas?

This is a less common problem than having too much information, butit is obviously a barrier to giving an effective presentation.

If you find you are unable to list more than a couple of ideas for yourpresentation topic, these are three likely causes.

a You’ve selected (or been allocated) a topic which doesn’t reallyinterest you.

Solution: Trade topics with a colleague, alter your assigned topicto increase interest, discuss with your tutor.

b You have not yet begun to gather information about your topic.

Solution: Been to the library lately? Attended the lecture course?Read the class notes and handouts?

c The topic is itself too limited to warrant the amount ofpresentation time allocated.

Solution: Major re-think required here. Discuss with your tutor ifyours is an assigned topic or consider alternative topics if you’vechosen this yourself.

A warning

Don’t just ignore your lack of information and hope everything willsomehow fall into place on the day. It won’t. Take positive action nowand avoid the inevitable trauma which results as you run out ofmaterial after the first five minutes.

3.3 What does your audience need to know?

Activity 5

Who will be listening to your presentation? What, if anything, do theyknow already about your topic? Answering these questions will helpyou pitch the level of your presentation to suit your listeners. It is youraudience who should be the main factor influencing what yourpresentation contains and what it does not.


For example, taking the presentation topic you wrote above, listbriefly how you might change the content to make the topic suitablefor different audiences.

a Fresher students on your course

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b Professors in your department

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c Local business people

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

d Your fellow students

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

e Your friends who have no knowledge of the field

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

Content should change each time as you adapt your information towhat your audience needs to know, or would be interested in andcapable of understanding. In some cases you can anticipate a high


level of preliminary knowledge about your topic. In other cases therewill be none.

So who will be in your audience? Tell them what they need toknow, not all you know.

3.4 Selecting your main idea

A good presentation should have one main idea, theme or argument.

This will, of course, be supplemented by quite a bit of additionalinformation, but you must identify a central idea to form the focus ofyour presentation. If you don’t, you run the risk of trying to cover toomuch in too little detail to be of interest to your listeners.

In addition, the time allocated for most presentations is only sufficientfor you to be able to explore one main idea in any detail. Unless youreally require your presentation content to cover a range of topics at asuperficial level, choose one idea to be the central topic. Eliminateothers which may be competing for precious time and space.

Activity 6

From the list below, identify those items which might qualify as mainideas for a fifteen minute presentation:

a Attracting hedgehogs to your garden

b Everything I know about computing

c Sixteen interesting acts of parliament

d My flatmate’s table manners

e The development of the Trade Union Movement to 1992

f Social skills for scientists

g Why some buildings fall down

h The modern American novel

i Dutch elm disease in Britain and Europe

j Practical tap-dancing

k Irish folksongs


Activity 6 - solution

a, d (and b if you know very little about computing).

All the other topics are much too broad to form the focus of a shortpresentation. You may be fascinated by acts of parliament, but youcan’t possibly talk about sixteen of them in fifteen minutes. Othertopics such as f and j are concerned with skill development and arequite unsuited to a short presentation where the audience usually sitsand listens.

Look again at the list above. Most of the items are general topicsrather than main ideas. How could the topics be reworked to formuseful main ideas for a presentation?

From general topics to presentation ideas – suggested answers.

a Attracting hedgehogs to your garden. This is a concise enough areato make an appropriate presentation idea.

b Everything I know about computing. Beware trying to present anytopic which includes the word ‘everything’. You must choose oneaspect from your vast knowledge and eliminate all the others.

c Sixteen interesting acts of parliament. What is it which makes theacts interesting? This could be the main idea, and short sectionsfrom the acts which illustrate this could form the supportinginformation in your presentation.

d My flatmate’s table manners. The topic is well enough defined tobe presentable – although the details of your flatmate’s tablemanners may not!

e The development of the Trade Union Movement to 1992. Youmust choose one aspect of Trade Union development – and onewhich will interest your audience – and eliminate the rest.

f Social skills for scientists. No-one can acquire skills by listening toa short presentation. Presentations can only deliver information.Skills require practice. So unless your presentation is to form onlyan introduction to the idea of social skills for scientists, forget it.

g Why some buildings fall down. Another potentially inexhaustibletopic. Choose one building, or one main cause of building collapse,and eliminate others.


h The modern American novel. Choose a couple of characteristics ofmodern American novels and one novel which illustrates these.

i Dutch elm disease in Britain and Europe. You could focus on oneaspect of this disease – perhaps the rate at which it has spread –for your presentation.

j Practical tap-dancing. Do you think an audience could acquire anytap-dancing skill in fifteen minutes spent listening? Even if youmanaged to get them dancing...?

k Irish folksongs. Choose one or two characteristics of Irishfolksongs and one song which illustrates these. Forget all the otherIrish folksongs you know.

You will see that in nearly all cases, a presenter must select a mainidea from a wide choice of material. You can’t include all you know,and you will have to eliminate many good ideas in order to present justone of them effectively.

Activity 7

For the topic you have elected to present, write your main idea here:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

3.5 The ‘rule of 3’

Now you have your main idea, but of course you will need to illustrate,explain and expand on it. You are going to have to select whatsupporting or illustrative information you want your audience to knowabout.

There seems to be a rule about audiences, no matter who they are orwhat level of knowledge they have in the topic being presented, thatinformation is best understood and digested in chunks of three. Threefacts are relatively easily remembered, three points to support anargument can be easily grasped.


Let’s take an example from the list on page 12 to demonstrate this:

Main idea: ‘Attracting hedgehogs to your garden’.

Three aspects of the main idea:• hedgehog-friendly garden design

• favourite food for hedgehogs

• hedgehog nest sites.

Activity 8

There are certainly many more aspects of your main idea you couldconsider, but you won’t have time to cover them all. Select the threewhich are most relevant, interesting or useful.

a ................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b ................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c ................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

What are three important aspects of or facts about your main ideawhich you would like your audience to remember after you havefinished speaking?

a ................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b ................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c ................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


Activity 9 - section 3 recap

a How does your presentation topic differ from your main idea ?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b What is the ‘rule of 3’?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


4 Structuring your presentation

Now that you have looked at your presentation topic, focused on amain idea, and identified the three aspects of the main idea which youwould like your audience to understand, you can begin to develop thestructure of your presentation. What you need now are some fairlyfoolproof fundamentals which make people listen and understand.

Build these into your presentation structure and success will be withinsight!

People listen and learn best when information is presented in afamiliar and logical format. Don’t frustrate your audience by startingin the middle or by leaving out essential information. Structure yourpresentation along the following lines:

• introduction

• motivation raiser

• outline of content

• main content – section by section

• recap

• transitions

• conclusion.

4.1 ‘Where do I begin?’ Introduction

Your introduction should set the theme for your whole presentation. Itmust allow the audience to focus on exactly what is to be coveredduring the next few minutes.

Go back to your main idea. Make sure this is communicated to youraudience in the introduction. Do not elaborate or explain – that comeslater.

‘I’m going to talk about how you can attract hedgehogs into yourgarden by designing a hedgehog-friendly environment, makingnest sites and supplying food.’

There’s your introduction. Now the audience knows what’s coming,what to expect.


Activity 10

Write your introduction below:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


4.2 ‘Why should they listen to me?’ Motivation raisers

Unless your audience has been chain-ganged into attending, they willalready have at least a little interest in you and your topic. You doneed to ensure that they know what relevance your topic has for them,and what, if anything, they will get out of listening.

• Tell them why they should listen.

• How does your topic affect them?

• What good will come of their listening?

• How do their and your interests coincide?

Appeal to their self interest:

e.g. ‘If you have hedgehogs in your garden they will eat manygarden pests....’

Engage their conservation awareness:

e.g. ‘Hedgehogs’ refuges are decreasing. Gardens form a veryimportant environment for hedgehogs...’

Engage their need to be involved:

e.g. ‘Just a few hedgehog-friendly gardens in an area are enough toensure survival...’

Activity 11

Write your motivation raiser here:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

4.3 ‘What’s coming next?’ The outline of content

Your audience won’t know where your presentation is going unlessyou tell them. And they want to know. So tell them what yourpresentation will consist of. Help them to follow you.

‘I’ll first tell you about the types of garden best suited to hedgehogsand how you can create a similar environment in your owngarden. Then I’ll talk about...’ etc.

In other words, you tell them what you are going to tell them!

Activity 12

How could you summarise your content outline for your audience?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


4.4 ‘Down to the nitty gritty.’ Main content,section by section

The bulk of your presentation will be taken up with giving youraudience the information and illustrations which pertain to your mainidea and supporting themes or information. This is the most importantaspect of your preparation and warrants close attention and planning.There are some useful guidelines to help structure this part of thepresentation.

First, break up main sections into segments. You’ve already got a mainidea and three aspects of that idea organised. You may want to breakdown the information even further in order to present it clearly andlogically. It also allows your audience to digest your information in bitesized pieces. Remember the ‘rule of 3’ here too. Three subsectionsunder each main section are usually enough for an audience to handleduring a short presentation.

Present each segment with its details to your audience in the mostlogical order. For example, in our presentation about hedgehogs, wehave already identified ‘hedgehog-friendly garden design’ as asupporting idea. This can be further broken down, perhaps as follows:

Hedgehog-friendly garden design:• hedgehogs’ favourite plants and shrubs

• adapting your garden fences

• hedgehog-safe garden ponds.

If your audience understands the main idea of your presentation, andgenerally which aspects you will be covering, they are better able tounderstand details and fine points of information now because youhave provided the context and background information. This drawspeople in to learn more, you have their attention and co-operation.

Activity 13

Identify the main content of your presentation and break it up intosections:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

4.5 ‘Reinforce your message.’ Recap each section

Summarise what you have said at the end of each section, orsubsection, if this seems more logical so that:

• anyone whose attention has wandered or who has not quitecaught the gist of what you’ve been saying can move ahead tothe next section with you;

• you as the presenter are clear exactly what your message is ineach of the segments of your presentation.

Recaps can be done quickly and easily. Usually no more than asentence or two is required. For example:

‘So we have seen that increasing the amount of planting andground cover in your garden, making safe ponds and accessiblefences can increase the numbers of hedgehogs in your garden by200%...’


Activity 14

Practise writing a section recap here:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

4.6 ‘How do I change to a new subject?’Making transitions

Only you know where the next step is going to lead. Your audience hasnot seen your notes, nor do they have the gift of second sight.Therefore, if you want to take your audience with you when youintroduce a new theme, fact or argument, you need to help themmake a transition from one stage of your presentation to the next.

Be sure that you lead in to new aspects of your subject as well asgiving a quick and clear introduction when events are about to take aturn. For example:

‘So we can see that, by making some simple alterations, we canattract hedgehogs into the garden. But are there any disadvantagesassociated with this?’


4.7 ‘How do I end?’ Conclusions

Ending a presentation is an aspect many people dread, yet it is one ofthe easiest parts to prepare.

To conclude your presentation:

• restate your main idea

• recap the major points (with the most salient or interestingsupportive information or illustrations)

• sit down.

Activity 15

Write your ending here:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................



a Identify the basic presentation structure.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b Why should you tell your audience about your presentationagenda?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c Why should you break content into segments?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

d What are the advantages of recapping for your audience?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

e How do you end a presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


5 Visual, auditory and computer aids

In presentations, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Remember, your material is very familiar to you by now, perhaps toofamiliar, but it is new to most of your audience. Research suggests thatwe remember new information far better if we see it than if we onlyhear it. Use this fact to help your audience really understand yourmessage, and consider what types of visual or other aids you might usein your presentation.

Aids are basically of three types:

a visual: pictures, graphs, slides, OHPs, objects, handouts

b auditory: pre-recorded music, speech, sound effects

c computer display: usually an enlarged computer screen.

Activity 17

Which aids are likely to be most effective in your presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

5.1 Visual aids

We are tuned in to visual images. Television , window displays,publicity materials, book covers, advertising all deal in sophisticatedvisual imagery and meanings. A great deal of information can becommunicated through the visual medium.

Visual aids can be used to enhance your message too. Visualdemonstrations are very effective in presenting numerical andstatistical data. Converting your message into a visual form can oftenmake the difference between your audience understanding you orlosing interest.

Visual communication can also be fast. If you show people rather thantell them, you save time and communicate more effectively.


5.2 When should you use visual aids?

a When you are presenting statistics or other numericaldata

Even dedicated mathematicians have trouble dealing with manynumbers presented auditorily. A lay audience will have evengreater difficulty.

So, do you have numerical data to present? Take it out and have alook at it. Pages of numbers must be transformed into interestingvisuals.

How can you do this?

• Transform numbers into graphs, charts or diagrams.

• Eliminate all lists of numbers and complex tables.

• Pie charts and bar graphs are understood easily and cancommunicate a great deal of complex information.

• Trends can be displayed by simple graphs.

Activity 18

Now select the forms of visual display most relevant to your numericaldata.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


b When you wish to present any new data your audience hasnot seen before. Show your audience what you mean. A businessplan, for example, becomes meaningless when explained only inwords. Show your evidence, research, trends and eventualoutcome in visual form.

c When you want to place a new interpretation on old data. Ifyou have discovered the chemical formula for turning lead intogold, don’t just talk about it, show it. Your audience will want tosee how you have dealt with familiar data and come up withexciting new developments.

d When people must see documented support for yourargument before they will believe it. It is no good arguingverbally that the building you have just designed will be the mostenergy efficient in the entire world. You may be persuasive, butpeople will want to make a hard-nosed decision about whether ornot you are right. Show them the objective evidence for yourclaims.

e When you must present more data than people canremember. Ordinarily, you would want to avoid ever presentingyour audience with more data than they can recall immediately.However, if you need to demonstrate a particular and complexmathematical calculation, for example, in order to make yourpoint, a visual presentation of this type of information will be muchappreciated by your listeners.

f When you are making comparisons. If you want youraudience to believe that Annie is taller than Jim, show them. Ifwhisky reduces the symptoms of the common cold better thanaspirin, show how. Comparisons of any type ask to be displayedrather than explained.

g When your topic is an inherently visual one. Presenting topicsin design, art, cinema, television or any other medium where thecontext is inherently visual will usually invite the use of visualdisplays.


Activity 19

Do any of the points on page 29 apply to your presentation?

(Be ruthlessly honest! It takes time to transform numerical or verbaldata into visual form, but good visual aids are worth the effort).

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

5.3 Some tips on preparing your visual aids

a Make sure your aids are necessary. Can you manage withoutyour slide, OHP or display? Nothing detracts from a presentationmore than a series of irrelevant or unnecessary visual aids.

Think carefully about displaying words– for example, your sectionheadings – for your audience. It does not help understanding andcan result in a big yawn.

b Some visual aids are essential. For example, do you want toshow your audience how to tie a reef knot? What could be harderto explain or easier to show by means of a slide diagram?

c Encapsulate your presentation in a visual image. Is there onesingle point you wish your audience to remember after you havesat down? Can you communicate that point in a visual image?Ideally you will use this during your presentation and perhapsleave it displayed for your audience after you have finished. Ahigh-impact representation of your main idea will stay in youraudience’s minds.

d Make visuals clear and readable. Often a hand-drawn OHP iseasier and more interesting to look at than one which has beenprofessionally prepared.


Beware of making OHPs from photocopies of printed pages. Theyare seldom readable – particularly for people sitting at the back ofthe room – and are usually dead boring to look at. Make surewords are not too small to read, and do not have too many words,diagrams or other information per slide.

e Use colour and variety. Colour is interesting and evokes anemotional response from your audience. You can colour-code yourslides to signal topics within your presentation; blue forbackground information, red for new data and green forconclusions, for example. Be sure that the colours you choose willshow up against the background, and that your text will show upmost of all. For more information about choosing and using visualaids, see Jay, A. (1986) Slide rules Video Arts.

Activity 20

List the visual aids you will use in your presentation:

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

5.4 Disadvantages of visual aids

Preparation of visual and other aids to presentations can take up agreat deal of time and thought. Professionally prepared aids are oftenexpensive. When there are technical problems during a presentation itis usually the visual aids which are affected – the OHP bulb burns outor the slide projector won’t advance. This usually producescatastrophe for the poor presenter.


Some material may not be ideally suited to visual display and is bestleft in the verbal medium. Material which is narrative or dramatic innature, intended to be inspirational, motivational or associated withfeelings may be best left to the spoken word. If you are buildingmorale, you don’t need charts and graphs.

5.5 Using handouts

Handouts are commonly misused in presentations. Presentersdistribute handouts to all members of the audience – and immediatelyeveryone’s attention is focused on the piece of paper rather than thepresenter.

Don’t make this mistake. Keep your audience with you and present allyour information verbally, visually or auditorily while maintaining theirfull attention. Handouts can be useful as ‘leave behinds’ so people cando further reading or thinking about your subject.

Activity 21 - section 5 recap

a When should you use visual or other aids?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b What are the keys to effective use of visual aids?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c What are the disadvantages of using visual aids?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

d What is the purpose of handouts?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


6 Preparing presentation notes

You may wonder why there is whole section on this topic. Mostpeople, when faced with the task of delivering a presentation to anaudience, write out what they are going to say in full. This means, ineffect, that their presentation is the reading of a prepared speech.

However, reading a speech is not the best way to communicate withan audience. In fact, most audiences find this one of the most boringand exhausting experiences of all. So don’t read your speech. Makenotes from which you can extemporise and keep contact with thepeople who are listening to you.

6.1 The written vs. the spoken word

Writing and speaking are two different methods of communicating.Each has advantages and disadvantages in terms of the type andquality of information which can be transmitted.

The written word allows time for the reader to consider the message.When you are reading a document, you can go along at your own pace,re-read bits of it and assimilate it at your own speed. So when you arewriting a speech, the temptation is to do the same – to include all therelevant information you feel your audience will require, and read itthrough for accuracy before delivering it.

But this is not how your audience will receive it.

The spoken word is instantaneous. It does not allow for time forconsideration by the listener before the next bit of the message is said.Speech rattles along at the pace chosen by the speaker. The meaningof the spoken word is also affected by the manner in which it isdelivered. You can add to the impact of what you say through yourfacial expression, tone of voice, phrasing and emphasis.

So, if you write your presentation notes verbatim, you are working inan entirely different medium from the one the audience will behearing.

6.2 Perform – don’t read – your presentation

Don’t worry! You do not have to be a trained actor to perform in frontof an audience. Performance in this context means usingextemporaneous speaking as the method of delivering your message,rather than reading verbatim from prepared text.


Extemporaneous speaking from notes gives you many advantages as apresenter. Your eyes do not have to be glued to the page. You can seeyour audience, and they can see you. This eye contact is veryimportant, and there will be more about it later. You are also able tomove around, to use spontaneous gestures and to come across as alive, interesting individual rather than as a speech-reading robot.

Extemporaneous speech is also interactive. It is not a one-waymessage from you to your audience. If you keep in touch with whatyour audience is thinking and feeling through observing theirreactions, you can adjust your delivery to suit them. If they nod off,you can wake them up again. If they are taking things too seriously,you can make a joke.

A presentation is not a speech. It is an interactive exchangebetween presenter and audience.

6.3 Transforming a written report into a presentation

What is the difference between the report you have written for yourtutor and the presentation of the same material for your class?

A report:• uses formal language

• may contain long explanations

• may include many detailed examples

Because a reader can assimilate all this in his or her own time, thisstyle is quite appropriate for a written report.

Presentation style is different.

A presentation:• uses everyday language

• contains edited information

• includes selected examples

Read on to find out how you can translate report-speak intopresentation-speak.


6.4 The language of presentations

Good presentation language should:

• avoid jargon

• avoid long sentences

• use active, direct words

• be positive

• be concise

• be clear

• be human.

For more information see The Plain English Course Video Arts,(video).

Activity 22

How would you translate the following language into goodpresentation language, following the points above?

a Range of item difficulty is usually determined by selecting from anumber of ‘very easy’ to ‘very difficult’ items.

b The overlap of assessment of reading skill with children’s measuresof intelligence has often gone unnoticed.

c Clarification of specific deficits will be undertaken.

d Evaluations must be carefully scrutinised for content whichexceeds the prerequisite requirements.

e This presentation will focus on the currently available methods ofevaluating organisational functioning.

f As a result, it was decided that the viability of the project was suchthat termination was the only option.

g It was found to be impossible to establish mutually-agreedparameters to input to this situation.

h Several attempts have been made to provide an account of thepreliminary circumstances pertaining to this situation.


Activity 22 – solution

a Some items are easy and some are difficult.

b Reading skills are related to intelligence.

c We’ll define the problems.

d Look at tests carefully to see that they are testing what they shouldtest.

e I’m going to talk about ways of looking at organisations.

f It wasn’t working so we called it off.

g We couldn’t get on.

h No-one knows how it really happened.

6.5 Tips for making notes

Audiences expect you to use notes. No one expects that a presenterwill have learned his or her entire script by heart. So don’t bother withlittle index cards which some people suggest you can ‘conceal in yourhand’. This looks twee and you risk appearing surreptitious as youpeek at your notes. Also there is not enough space on a small cardto write more than a very few words.

a Write – don’t type – your notes. Typewritten notes are muchharder to read than handwritten ones. It’s also more difficult to geta clear layout on your page. Typing takes time, which is wasted inthis instance as no one will be seeing your notes but you.

b Use A4 or similar size paper. You can get quite a bit ofinformation on a page, and also give yourself enough space so thatyour eye can find your place quickly as you glance down at it. Ifyou try to put all your notes on one or two pages, you’ll easily getlost. Spread them out, and take as many pages as you need.

c Use short words and phrases. Reduce your ideas to brief notes.You don’t need to write in all the adjectives, pronouns andprepositions you will use when you communicate the point to theaudience. All you need is enough information to remind you of the


point you want to make, and those important sub-points you wishto include.

d Use symbols. You can use symbols such as abbreviations, arrows,underlinings, exclamation marks, colour codes and asterisks topersonalise your notes and to save time and space as you prepareyour material. If you have never done this before, you may thinkthat, on the day, you’ll forget what your symbols mean. Most canbe quite self evident, however.

You can also use a symbol to remind you when to change yourslides, to include a joke, to ask a rhetorical question (or a genuineone) or to signal to yourself any other procedures required duringyour presentation.

Activity 23

Can you devise a version of the above section in note/abbreviationform?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


Activity 23 - a possible suggestion:

Making Notes - not necess. to learn by heart

• Don’t type – diffic. to read, wastes time

• Use A4 – space, easy see

• Short words – elim. adjs., advbs. etc.

• Symbols – ! * -> abbrevs.

Adapting the information into symbols and shorthand makes it easyfor the eye to run over an entire section of your presentation and totake in the content which you want to communicate. You can see largechunks of your material at a glance, allowing you to spend most ofyour energies on your audience.


a What are the advantages of extemporaneous speaking?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b List some of the characteristics of good presentation language.

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c What can you do to prepare effective presentation notes?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


7 Personal preparation

Now you are nearly ready to deliver your presentation. There are justa few things which you need to make sure of before you actually standup and speak.

7.1 Preliminary checklist

As a presenter, you need to have control over as much of the overallsetting and situation as you can. This means that you should be sure tocheck some aspects of the presentation which are often organised bysomeone else.

a Room layout. Will all your audience be able to see and hear you?Will they be able to see your slides or OHPs? You must see theroom beforehand or make sure you have a plan or description ofthe room before you arrive to present.

b Lighting. Never give a presentation with the house lights off. Youneed to see your audience. There is nothing more relaxing for anaudience than to be in a dark, warm room. All their biologicalmechanisms will say ‘sleep’. Be sure your audience is illuminatedin every way by your presentation.

c Equipment. What will happen if the OHP bulb blows during yourpresentation? Who is responsible for replacing it? Make sure thatslide projectors, computers and tape recorders are all workingbefore you begin. Ideally, you should know who is in charge offixing any technical hitches which might occur as well.

d Lectern. Do not use a lectern if you can avoid it. Place your notesand other materials on a table positioned either between you andyour audience or, if you are brave enough, at your side. A lecternforms a powerful barrier between you and your audience, whereasa lower table is virtually insignificant.

e Standing or sitting? Always stand for a presentation. It is mucheasier for your audience to see and hear you. It also puts you in theposition of authority and control – and you’ll need all thepsychological help you can get during your early career as apresenter!


7.2 Your audience

Your audience is the most important aspect of your presentation. It isessential that you give them some preliminary consideration beforeyou begin.

Who are they?

In Section 2 we looked at what your audience needed to know, basedon your assessment of their previous knowledge of and interest in yourtopic. But there are other characteristics of audiences which you mustalso consider.

• Are they friends or foes?

• Can you be sure of a positive reception whatever your message,or are you in a riskier position?

• Are they colleagues or clients?

• Do they know you well or are they strangers?

7.2.1 A familiar audience

You may find that your role-change from friend to presenter is adifficult one for both you and your audience. This is often thesituation when students make presentations to their peers. Once youare known in a particular role it is difficult to step out of it, evenbriefly.

You may find the role-change is eased by referring to it in youropening remarks. Using humour helps, too. For example:

‘You may think you know me as Susan Smith, but in fact I am alsoan authority on the life cycle of the tree frog...’

7.2.2 An unfamiliar audience

Unless for some reason this audience is actively hostile, it is oftenmuch easier to prepare for them than for an audience of people youknow. As you are new to each other, no-one will question yourauthority to stand up and present your ideas. But you will have toconvince them – quickly – that you are worth listening to. They oweyou no loyalty and will waste no time in giving you the benefit of thedoubt. So best behaviour is required here – always.

Remember though, that whoever your audience is, they are justordinary people like you. And they will be willing you to succeed. No-one likes to be involved in a failed presentation either as audience orpresenter. Even if they are strangers they will give you support.


7.3 Rehearsal

Yes, to deliver a good presentation you will need to rehearse. It isessential to have a full run through in order to:

• co-ordinate speaking and visual aids

• identify problems before the big day

• be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of your material.

The temptation is always to think that everything will be all right. Butit usually isn’t, particularly if this is your first presentation, so runthrough your stuff in front of friends, family or even a mirror.

If there is more than one person presenting, rehearsal is an absolutemust. You can’t just leave to chance who will speak when and howlong each will go on for.

7.4 Stage fright

Nervousness is an inevitable component of learning to givepresentations. If you have never spoken in front of an audiencebefore, it is worthwhile spending a little time coming to terms withhow you will be feeling on the day.

It helps to know that stage fright is really based on an irrational ideathat we won’t be able to measure up to some abstract butimmeasurably high standard of performance. Somewhere, we say toourselves, there are ‘perfect’ presenters, and my efforts will beminuscule in comparison. You start to think only about what othersmight think of your presentation skills, and, in the process, you forgetwhat the real purpose of your presentation is.

The following two points will help you deal with stage fright.

a Accepting stage fright. You are not alone! Everyone feels thesame way, at least initially. Admit you feel scared – to yourself –but have the assurance that your preparation has been the best itcan be. Remember there are no ‘perfect’ presentations. There arejust competent, interesting and informative presentations. Yourscan be one of them.

b Thinking about why you are presenting. What is yourmessage? What information have you got which others might beinterested to hear? This is what to focus on, rather than thesuperficial impression you might make.



a What should you check beforehand to reduce the possibility oftechnical hitches?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b What characteristics of your audience should you consider beforeyour presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c What are the advantages of rehearsing your presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

d How can you handle stage fright?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


8 Delivering your presentation

This is your big moment. Before you actually open your mouth,however, think about some the of ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of presentationdelivery.

8.1 Don’ts

Anything which reduces audience involvement is a no-no. This meansthat you must never do the following.

a Mumble – why speak at all if they can’t hear you?

b Gabble – time your delivery so that you can take it easy

c Shout – you’ll sound angry and they’ll get annoyed.

d Be sarcastic – this is no way to deal with your nerves.

8.2 Dos

Focus on the positive aspects of keeping your listeners with you.

a Keep audience eye-contact – glance up and around regularly.

b Explain – be clear and logical.

c Intrigue – pose interesting questions.

d Keep it personal – let them see and hear you.

e Dramatise – play up your strengths in material and style.

f Get people moving – ask for volunteers, build in demonstrationsthey can do in their seats.


Activity 26

Which ‘dos’ can you incorporate into your presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


9 Handling questions

So you were thinking that you would just deliver your presentationand sit down? No way. There will be some questions to answer, and ifyour peers don’t ask them, your tutor inevitably will.

9.1 Why take questions?

Questions and answers are an important part of presentations. Why?

Let’s backtrack to the purpose of your presentation – to deliverinformation to a particular audience. Questions are vital to you as apresenter as an indication of how successful you were at your job.Inviting questions points out many problems of omission oruncertainty in what you have just said. And questions obviously giveyou an opportunity to correct those problems on the spot.

Audience questions allow you to do the following.

a Clarify. You may think you have explained everything carefully,but your audience may think otherwise. Questions allow you toclear up any ambiguities.

b Add to your information. Now may be the time to tell peoplewho ask about some of that material you had to eliminate beforeyou prepared your presentation.

c Ensure relevance to your audience. You have had the floor forquite a while. Questions tell you whether you pitched yourmaterial at the right level. Audience questions will tune you into their specific concerns.

d Empower your audience. We previously mentioned yourauthority and control in the presentation. Now is a good time toturn the tables. Your audience has been listening to you, now it’syour turn to empower them to speak.

e Show your knowledge. Yes, being able to answer audiencequestions shows that you have the security and knowledge to openthe situation up potentially to any question.

f Uncover disagreement. Straightforward questions and answersare a better way of dealing with disagreement than ignoring it andhoping it will go away. Your presentation may not have beenspecially controversial, but even apparently neutral topics canarouse reactions in audiences.


9.2 Types of question

Not all questions from the audience will be straightforward seeking forinformation. There are several reasons why people ask questions apartfrom this! Being aware of the possibilities should make you betterable to handle different types of question as they arise.

a The genuine question. This is where the audience is simplylooking for additional information or clarification of your subjectmatter.

b The competitive question. Some people feel they must competewith the person in the spotlight or in authority. The question is anattempt to challenge your authority – usually by attempting toprobe aspects of the subject you don’t know.

c The member of the opposition. This is where the questionerstands up and asks about something diametrically opposite to yourmain theme.

d The relentless question. Some people never give up, and will beunhappy with your answer no matter what you say. They are oftenlooking for a blank confirmation of their own views rather than agenuine exchange of information or ideas.

e The limelight-stealing question. This is where a member of theaudience takes the chance to grab the attention of the group tomake a public statement of his or her own. The content of the‘question’ has little or nothing to do with what you have just beenpresenting.

Activity 27

How would you classify the following ‘questions’ using the list ofpossibilities above?

a Could you tell me a little more about …?

..................................................................................................................

b I think you’re absolutely wrong about …

..................................................................................................................


c Are you familiar with the seminal work of …?

..................................................................................................................

d I don’t understand what you meant by …

..................................................................................................................

e Your presentation reminds me of …

..................................................................................................................

f What authority have you to say this?

..................................................................................................................

g I can’t see any reason to accept your statement that …

..................................................................................................................

h I still don’t think you’ve answered my point about …

..................................................................................................................

i Where did you get this information ?

..................................................................................................................

9.3 Handling questions

Now that you are aware of the potential nasties which may lie in waitduring question time, we can describe some possible ways to handlethem.

Handling direct and genuine questions should cause you little trouble.Give what information you have, and if you do not know, say so. Youcan follow up with an offer to find out if you can, and get back to thequestioner.

Handling the devious question is made easier by realising that you donot have to accept the question as asked. Although we are stronglyconditioned to answer questions asked of us, you can rephrase thequestion posed by an adversarial member of the audience. You takeback some of the power you have relinquished to the audience.


For example, if asked question f above, you might respond,

‘I can see that you are interested in my sources and references. Ihave a list of reference material which I will be happy to give youwhen we have finished...’ etc.

Activity 28

How could you respond to some of the questions from Section 9.2?

a Could you tell me a little more about …?

..................................................................................................................

b I think you’re absolutely wrong about …

..................................................................................................................

c Are you familiar with the seminal work of …?

..................................................................................................................

d I don’t understand what you meant by …

..................................................................................................................

e Your presentation reminds me of …

..................................................................................................................

f What authority have you to say this?

..................................................................................................................

g I can’t see any reason to accept your statement that …

..................................................................................................................

h I still don’t think you’ve answered my point about …

..................................................................................................................

i Where did you get this information?

..................................................................................................................


Some general tips for handling any type of question:

a Listen carefully to what the questioner is saying. Above all,don’t begin your answer before he or she has finished asking thequestion, even if you think you know exactly what he or she isgoing to ask.

b Clarify the question if you are unsure. Asking questions is askill as much as answering them. Not everyone is able to phrase hisor her question accurately, and often questioners are nervousabout speaking out, too.

c Complement the questioner, particularly if he or she has askedan interesting question. Avoid the patronising tone at all times,though.

d Treat all questioners with respect. Some people will havemissed out on vital information presented. Don’t attempt tohumiliate them by pointing out that their question has beenanswered by what has already been said.

e Relax. This is your topic and your opportunity to share it withothers.

f Avoid getting drawn into a debate. Some questioners will try todo this. End a potential debate by saying,‘Now we'll have to move on to another question...’ etc.

Note: If there is a chairperson in charge of the proceedings, it isher or his role to try to prevent debates and diatribes.

9.4 The ‘really awful question’

This is something which usually exists only in the minds of presenters.Unless you have, in fact, a big gap in your knowledge or information,there is no such thing as the ‘really awful question’. You either have areasonable grasp of your topic, or you don’t. If you do, there will stillbe areas which you don’t know about or don’t fully understand. Thisneed be no source of shame or embarrassment.

If you do have large gaps in your knowledge, face up to these beforeyou present. Do not wait to be exposed by questioners or, worse still,during your presentation itself.


Activity 28

What questions do you anticipate from your audience after yourpresentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


a Why are questions an important aspect of presentations?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b What types of questions do audiences ask?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c What are the basic strategies for handling questions?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

d Why is there no such thing as the ‘really awful question’?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


10 Trouble-shooting

Most first time presenters have a long list of worries and ‘what ifs’.

The next three sections deal with the most common worries.

10.1 ‘What if I run out of time?’

Most presentations have a strictly limited time allocation. If, in spite ofyour rehearsal, you find you are running out of time, there are severalthings you must do.

a Tell your audience that you have more material than you will beable to cover in the time remaining.

b Apologise for your miscalculation of the time.

c Quickly decide which parts of your presentation you will omit .This requires bravery.

d Inform your audience of your decision. This need not be a bigproduction in itself, because you can say something like,

‘I’m sorry I seem to be running out of time. I will not now tell youabout the place of earthworms in the hedgehog diet, but I havesome information which interested people can collect at the end...’etc.

The one thing not to do is carry on as if nothing were wrong. You willbe stopped by the chairperson, probably at a point which is muchmore inconvenient than one you would have chosen for yourself!

10.2 ‘What if I run out of material?’

Again, rehearsal should have forewarned you of this in time for you toadd to your presentation content. However, if you do find yourselfrunning out of material, there are several things you can do.

a If you really do know your topic, you may be able to talk about itwithout notes. Think of an aspect of your presentation topic whichyou had eliminated in the early stages of preparation. Tell youraudience about this aspect.

b You can also tell your audience that you have completed your sideof the message, and that there will be plenty of time for questions


in order for you to direct the remainder of the time to theirparticular concerns.

Both of these strategies require a cool head and steady nerves. Inpractice, running out of material is almost always avoidable by carefulpreparation and rehearsal.

If you are in any doubt whether the quantity of your material issufficient to fill the time available, prepare extra but be aware thatyou will need to use it only if you get through your main material tooquickly.

10.3 ‘What if I make some awful mistake when I’m halfway through?’

It is quite likely that you will make mistakes in your first presentations.Some favourite mistakes of new presenters are:

• dropping notes

• inadvertently missing out sections of your material

• getting pages in the wrong order

• finding a vital visual aid – or other material – is missing

• getting off the topic.

When you make a mistake during your presentation, follow thisformula:

a Acknowledge the mistake to the audience. For example:‘I’ve just realised I have missed out the section on hedgehog matingprocedures.’

b Apologise – very briefly:‘Sorry!’

c Tell the audience what you are about to do to rectify the mistake: ‘I’ll just go back and cover those important points, then go on tohedgehog family life.’

There’s really no problem about making mistakes – unless you try topretend they didn’t happen. Acknowledge them, rectify them andmove on!



a What can you do to avoid running over time or running out ofmaterial?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b What steps can you take if you do run over time?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c What steps can you take if you run out of material?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

d What is the standard procedure to follow when you make amistake during your presentation?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


11 Evaluating presentations

Being assessed on the merits of your presentation definitely adds tothe excitement of the occasion. Being aware of the ways in whichpresentations can be assessed alerts you to some of the criteria yourtutors or peers may be looking for. You can then prepare yourpresentation style and materials with these in mind.

You must know the specific criteria which are being applied to yourpresentation, however, and ideally have had the opportunity to discussthese with your tutors.

At the back of this unit, you will find some assessment forms used forstudent presentations at De Montfort University and elsewhere.

Activity 31

a What are the assessment criteria which are common to mostforms?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

b Which unusual criteria did you notice?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

c How do these forms compare with the criteria on which you willbe assessed?

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................


12 Bibliography

Want to know more about presentation skills? Here is a list of mediaand books on the topic.

Media

Making your case. Video Arts. (Shows how to present and support anargument or point of view, giving information and presenting data.)

Ready, steady, go! Video Arts. (How to prepare for your presentation,and how to deliver it.)

Can we please have that the right way round? Video Arts. (How tochoose, prepare and use audio visual aids in presentations)

The public speaking consultant. BBC film.

Effective presentation. British Institute of Management (supplied byVideo Arts).

Discovering presentations. Interactive video, 1991, BritishTelecommunications plc (distributed by Longman Group UK).

Books

Bell, G. (1989) Secrets of successful speaking and businesspresentations. Heinemann.

Booth, V. (1985) Communication in science: writing and speaking.Cambridge University Press.

Brandt, R. (1990) Flip charts: how to draw them and how to use them.Pfeffer.

Campbell, J. (1990) Speak for yourself: a practical guide to speakingwith confidence. BBC Books.

Hamlin, S. (1988) How to talk so people listen. Thorsons.

Hargie, O. (1992) Handbook of communication skills. Routledge.

Hughes, J. (1992) People skills. Macmillan.

Hughes, V. & Weller, D. (1992) Self-presentation skills. Macmillan.

Irving, J. & Smith, N. (1986) Core skills in communication.Macmillan.


Janner, G. (1989) Complete presentation skills. Business Books.

Jay, A. (1986) Slide rules. Video Arts. (Companion booklet to the filmCan we please have that the right way round?)

Leeds, D. (1991) Powerspeak: The complete guide to public speakingand presentation. Piatkus.

Mandell, S. (1988) Effective presentation skills. Kogan Page.

Stammell, B. (1990) Communication skills. Macmillan.

Smith, T. C. (1991) Making successful presentations: self-teachingguide. 2nd edition Wiley.

Stevens, M. (1987) How to improve your presentation skills. KoganPage.

Turk, C. (1985) Effective speaking. Spon.

Zimmer, M. (1987) Effective presentation. Sphere.


Appendix 1: Assessing a spoken presentation

Use this form to either assess yourself after a presentation or as ‘Peer’assessment by asking the group or part of the group to fill the form inas you give the presentation.

Name ........................................................................................................

Course ......................................................................................................

Topic .........................................................................................................

Date ..........................................................................................................

Rate the content of the talk by circling: 1 – poor, 2 – OK,3 – excellent. Use the comments box to remind yourself how toimprove or give advice for improvement.

1 Overall Content

Introduction: did it

• grab audience attention? .........................................1 2 3

• make connection between audience and topic?.....1 2 3

• describe the specific purpose? ................................1 2 3

• say where questions are accepted? .........................1 2 3

Main presentation: did it• state main sub-topics ...............................................1 2 3

• clearly signal each sub-topic ...................................1 2 3

• have no extraneous content (padding)? ..................1 2 3

• have smooth transitions? .........................................1 2 3

• have clear supporting material? ..............................1 2 3

• have a logical pattern? .............................................1 2 3

Conclusion: did it

• sum up the message of the talk? .............................1 2 3

• have a clearly organised finish?...............................1 2 3

• allow questions?.......................................................1 2 3

• deal with questions clearly and quickly? ................1 2 3

P R E S E N T A T I O N S K I L L S60

Comments

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

2 Personal Delivery

Voice: did you• make sure everyone could hear? .............................1 2 3

• control the pace (Not too fast/ slow)? .....................1 2 3

• speak clearly? ...........................................................1 2 3

• convey confidence and control? ..............................1 2 3

• sound spontaneous & relaxed? ...............................1 2 3

• not read out from notes? .........................................1 2 3

• avoid being too familiar (using slang etc.)? .............1 2 3

Body Language: did you

• maintain good relaxed posture? ..............................1 2 3

• establish and keep eye contact? ..............................1 2 3

• face the audience? ...................................................1 2 3

• look as if you were enjoying the talk? .....................1 2 3

• avoid distinctive mannerisms or habits? .................1 2 3

• refer only occasionally to notes? .............................1 2 3

Visual aids: did you

• make sure the room had equipment you needed? .1 2 3

• make sure everyone could see?...............................1 2 3

• use well selected examples? ....................................1 2 3

• bring them in at appropriate points? ......................1 2 3

• remove them as soon as finished with? ..................1 2 3

• not talk facing away?................................................1 2 3

• use appropriate and clear hand-outs? .....................1 2 3


Comments

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

..................................................................................................................

3 Overall effect

Confidence ...............................................................................................

Rapport .....................................................................................................

Knowledge of subject ..............................................................................

Presentation Skills

Documents

Transcript of Presentation Skills