Effective Presentations

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Effective Presentations
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Overview

• Anxiety Reduction
• DeliveryKey Considerations
• Structure of Presentations
• Visuals
• Nonverbal Verbal Communication
• Question Answer Guidelines

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Anxiety Reduction
Visualize Delivery
Know Subject
Respect Preparation
Practice Presentation
Relax Mind
Respect Audience
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Delivery Key Considerations

• The setting
• Be familiar with
• Room, equipment, back-up resources
• Do a trial run.
• The audience
• Who?
• What do they know?
• What do they want to know?
• Resistance?
• Time pressure?

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DeliveryKey Considerations

• The speaker
• Credible
• Well-prepared
• Calm, confident
• Good posture
• Humorous

• The message
• Content background, findings, supporting
  evidence examples appropriate subject
  terminology and concepts
• Organization description, cause-effect,
  chronological, argument, problem-solution
• Structure introduction, with Table of Contents,
  body, conclusion

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Structure of Presentations
Introduction Introduce yourself Establish
credibility State purpose outline presentation
content
Conclusion Develop strong closure Keep it
positive Summarize main ideas
Body Identify main points Give supporting
details Keep clear focus
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Content Components of Presentations
Topic
Problem Definition WHAT?
Approach HOW?
Findings
Recommend-ations
Adapted from Oral Presentation Techniques, Boston
University
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VISUALS

• Slide show
• Graphics (clip art, topic-related pictures)
• Exhibits (graphs, charts, diagrams, calculations)
• Highlight and emphasize critical figures/points
  only.
• 1 minute per slide!
• Handouts
• Use 6-slide handout format.
• Back-up copy!

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Purpose of Visuals
Illustrate key points
Reinforce verbal message
Stimulate audience interest
Focus audience attention
Note Animations and sounds can be distracting!
Use them only to illustrate a point.
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Visuals Guidelines

• NO READING OF NOTES!
• Check visibility.
• Prepare handouts.
• Introduce each slide topic with a complete
  sentence.
• Explain each visual.
• Speak to the audience, not the visual.
• Decide how to advance slides.
• Make a transition to the next topic and speaker.

• Cover page title, date, name(s)
• Table of Contents
• Bullets for key points no long sentences
• Simple and clear (KISS)!
• Easy to read--large fonts
• Contrasting colors
• Consistent fonts/colors/format
• Spell-check every slide!

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Nonverbal Verbal Communication
Voice
Body Language
Volume Inflection Articulation Rate Pauses
Posture Eye contact Facial expression Hand
gestures Appropriate dress
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Nonverbal Communication

• Dos
• Face the audience.
• Look at each person in the audience.
• Glance at notes occasionally.
• Smile!
• Get someone else to click the mouse (to advance
  slides).
• Practice in the same room you will be presenting.

• Donts
• Do not hold on to anything!
• Do not read from your notes or the screen!
• Do not put hands in pockets!
• Do not look at the screen or the monitor only!
• Do not look at the professor only!

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• Verbal Communication

• Donts
• Dont race through your speech!
• Dont mumble!
• Dont use slang.
• Dont use verbal fillers (like, uh, and)

• Dos
• Speak loudly and clearly enunciate.
• Speak slowly but with confidence.
• Emphasize important points
• Use simple sentences and vocabulary.
• Slow down!
• Speak louder!

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Conclusion

• Summarize main points (or findings).
• Emphasize a specific point.

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Question Answer Guidelines

• Encourage audience to ask questions.
• Make eye contact with the speaker.
• Listen carefully.
• Answer a specific question.
• Be honest.
• Avoid interrupting.

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Before the presentation
PRACTICE!
PRACTICE!
PRACTICE!

• Practice with the equipment.
• Practice transitioning from speaker to speaker.
• Time the presentation and make adjustments.