Presentation Skills

Presentation (meaning)A presentation is a formal way of

communicating your thoughts, information and ideas to an audience which can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team. OR

A presentation is a bunch of information that you've put into a form that you are able to demonstrate to others.

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• It involves more than just transmitting information orally but to communicate your points within a clear and logical structure. In this respect, an oral presentation is like a good piece of academic writing.

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Good oral presentation skills involve;

• not only what you say, • but also how you say it • and what you are doing when you say it.

ActivityIdentifying good presentation techniques• What do you think are the skills that good

presenters share (based on your personal experience as a listener).

• Think of a good lecture or talk that you have attended and consider how the presentation was given. What techniques did the speaker use to convey his or her ideas effectively?

Some common practices

• Clear slides with key words and figures in large, readable print.

• The presenter didn't speak too fast or too slow, and used varied expression.

• The speaker communicated with the audience in a friendly way.

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• They were enthusiastic about the topic and wanted to communicate it to us.

• It was planned but delivered naturally, and not read.

Main parts/elements of a presentation

• Context• Audience• Message• Introduction• Main body• Conclusion

Introduction

What do you intend to do?How do you intend to do it?

Here; Make sure you • welcome your audience.• Introduce your subject.• Outline the structure of your

presentation.• Give instructions about questions.

Main Body

• Here you deliver the information/arguments of the presentation.

• Should be well structured• Divided up logically• Relevant and carefully spaced visuals.

Conclusion

• Sum up

(give recommendations if appropriate)

• Thank your audience

• Invite questions

Presentation of a presentation

“A survey of more than 2,500 Americans

revealed that people feared public speaking

before a group more than death. Amazing

as it may seem, many Americans appear to

consider public speaking a fate worse than

death.” - Stephen E. Lucas, The Art of

Public Speaking

Activity

• Mention the challenges and fear that you might have experienced during any presentation that you have delivered.

• How have you coped with those challenges?

Few challenges• I've planned my oral presentation for next

week but I don't know to remember it all…

• I just want to finish it as quickly as possible…

• I always feel awkward when I give a speech.

• I can't sit still and I tend to fidget a lot…

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• It makes me nervous being the centre of attention - I never know where to look…

• How do I make sure I that talk for the right length of time?

Presentation Techniques

These include, for example;

use of notes (not a complete written text), use of voice, body language

and eye contact to convey your message, and visual aids (these help reinforce and illustrate the points you want to make).

Continued…..• Remember your audience and make it

easy for them to follow your talk• Make sure you slow down for key pieces

of information so that your audience has time to understand what you are saying.

• Format notes with bullet points and important words highlighted (so they’re easy to reference as you speak).

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• Check the pronunciation of words you use.

• Use visuals (pictures, graphs, tables, props) whenever you can.

• Explain the meaning of difficult or technical words.

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• Pause and give the audience time to understand complex information.

• Before you do anything, make sure you understand it!

• One point per slide• Use signposting language

Signposting (meaning)

• A word or phrase used in speech or writing to highlight part of the text for the reader or audience; e.g. to introduce the different stages of a talk or lecture e.g.- to sum up, let's now consider; to clarify the writer's argument in writing - with regard to..., in conclusion.

Functions of signposting

• To introduce the main topic of the talk; • lead into the next point that the presenter

will address; • introduce a detail which is interesting but

not essential to the main topic; • return to the main topic, • and conclude or sum up the presentation.

Activity

• Identify the signposting language in the given extracts

Dealing with Questions

•Listen and be sure you understand the question

•Include all the audience when answering

•Answer briefly, making sure questionner is satisfied with response

•Difficult questions

–Stay calm!

–If you don’t know the answer say you will find out

DOs (summary)

• Appear confident and knowledgeable • Speak slowly and clearly • Maintain good eye contact • Stand up straight • Use natural hand motions for emphasis • Be prepared for Q&A • Relax and smile

Don’ts (summary)

• Let your nervousness distract the audience

• Speak too quickly • Read directly from a script • Slouch, tap your hands or feet, twirl your

hair, or adjust your clothes • Chew gum, eat, or drink • Repeat stalling words like: um, er, uh,

basically, you know, and like • Forget to proof read your visuals

Effective Delivery

• Voice

e.g. Too fast, too slow

Tone: e.g. is it frightening, scary, friendly too bossy etc.

Volume: Loudness of the sound. One should be heard without shouting.

• Body language

People not only listen to you, they also watch you.

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Posture; e.g. Straight, slouching, odd.

Eye contact; convey concern, confidence, interest.

Facial expressions; e.g. smiling shows happiness, friendliness.

Gestures; Lack of appropriate gestures may convey yourself as boring and stiff.

Effective power point presentation• Big (not small but big enough to be seen

by the person sitting at the far end)• Simple (avoid too many colours, fonts

and styles)• Clear (All capital letters vs upper and

lower case, Italics vs normal or bold fonts, light on dark vs dark on light.

• Be consistent (e.g. slide transition)

Planning, Preparation and Organization

• How much time do you have? (length of pre..)• What is the purpose of the presentation?• What is the target audience? How much are they likely

to know?• What does the audience already know about the

subject?• Are you expected to invite or take questions from the

audience?• Anticipate types of questions• What equipment will be available?

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• Make sure you research and know your content thoroughly.

• Use the relevant amount of data for your presentation but don’t overload with facts and figures.

• Devise an outline plan for the presentation.

Practice

• Do a test run in front of a mirror • Demonstrate your presentation in front of

a friend • Videotape it • Don’t forget to: –Use your notecards! –Time it!

Factors influencing effective presentation

For example;• Background noise or other distractions, • an overly warm or cool room, • or the time of day • and state of audience alertness

Outline plan for presentation

For example;• 15 minute presentation: Why should we

give you the job? • Tell them what you are going to tell them:

Introduction (1 minute) • Tell them: Demonstrate that you

understand the company, their business and the current market (4 minutes)

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• Show that you know what the company is looking for (2 minutes)

• Demonstrate how you meet their criteria (7 minutes)

• Tell them you have told them: Summarise your main points (1 minute)

Top tips

• Planning and preparation are key

• Ensure you know your topic thoroughly • Engage your audience with good eye

contact and body language

• Speak clearly and at a pace that can be followed easily

• Practice with friends and family beforehand

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• Ensure you stick to the time limit • Don’t let your visual aids (e.g.

PowerPoint) dominate or detract from what you are saying!

• Do not hurry• Be enthusiastic• Allow time for visuals to be effective

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• Modulate your voice• Keep to your structure• Use your notes• Signpost throughout• Look friendly• Be neat and well-dressed

Presentation checklist

• Ideas are ordered logically and clearly• Signposts are used appropriately• It is not significantly over or under the

time limit• I have made key word and phrase notes to

prompt myself• I have written my notes on cue cards (1

card per main point)

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• I talk at an appropriate speed (not too fast and not too slowly)

• I have tried to vary my intonation (it is not too flat)

• I use my voice to stress key words and ideas

• I pause between the different stages of my talk

• I stand up straight and face my listeners

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• I use appropriate body language to express my ideas

• I maintain eye contact with my listeners• I have listened to my recording or asked

for someone else's feedback on my talk• I have rehearsed my talk sufficiently

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• I have identified the topic clearly at the beginning

• The main points of the article were clearly explained

• I explained the meaning of any difficult or technical words

• It could have been improved further

Some occasions of Presentation

• An organization presents the need for a capital fund-raising campaign to benefit the victims of a recent tragedy;

• A school district superintendent presents a program to parents about the introduction of foreign-language instruction in the elementary schools;

Continued…..• An artist demonstrates decorative

painting techniques to a group of interior designers;

• A horticulturist shows garden club members or homeowners how they might use native plants in the suburban land.

• A police officer addresses a neighborhood association about initiating a safety program.

Presentation Task

Each student will deliver a presentation to a specified audience within a specified timeframe – anything within 10 minutes