Oral Presentation Guidelines

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Oral Presentation Guidelines

• Mary Westervelt
• Technical Communication Program

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General principles

• 1. Oral ? Written!
• 2. Nerves complicate things
• 3. PowerPoint isnt All

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Oral isnt written for

• Listeners
• Cant go back to review
• Might not catch every word
• Cant go get a cup of coffee

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Oral isnt written for

• Presenters
• Engage listeners
• Speak to listener needs
• Make organization explicit verbally
• Simplify material

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How to Organize, Simplify

• Use voice to highlight
• Use words to organize
• Use examples, paraphrase
• Pause appropriately
• Keep sentences short

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Example Written

• Modern science had its genesis in the study of
  motion. The classic conflict between the
  Ptolemaic and Copernican concepts of the solar
  system brought into clear focus the relative
  nature of motion, while Galileos observations on
  moving bodies, which contradicted ancient but
  unfounded beliefs, showed the power and primacy
  of measurement in the exploration of nature.
• Source Beiser, A Krauskopf, K (1964)
  Introduction to Physics and Chemistry. P.2
  Quoted in Dauer, R. (1994) Accurate English.
  P.115. Prentice-Hall Regents, USA

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Example Oral

• Early studies of motion
• Ptolemy, Copernicus movement of celestial
  bodies
• Motion is relative
• Simplest explanation probably best
• Galileo falling bodies
• Observation is key

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Oral ? Written Body Language

• Dress
• Do you feel professional?
• Wheres the audience focus?
• Voice
• Inflection great. Hysterics not great.
• Pauses help the listener sort/store information.
• Movement
• Keep breathing!
• Communicate dont distract.

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General principles revisited

• 1. Oral ? Written!
• 2. Nerves complicate things
• 3. PowerPoint isnt All

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2. Nerves complicate things

• Helps
• Take time to prepare.
• Practice with a critical audience.

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Nerves More Helps

• Check out the space beforehand.
• Practice in that space.

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Nerves The Big Day

• Remember that youre ready.
• Breathe!
• Focus on a face or two.

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Back to the outline

• Oral ? Written
• Nerves complicate things
• Powerpoint isnt All

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3. Powerpoint isnt All

• Great slides lousy delivery disaster!

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Ppt vehicle You driver!

• Dont
• Read slides
• Use complex slides
• Use irrelevant or distracting slides
• Rush through slides
• For example

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GDP up, Emissions downSource Environmental
Protection Agency 2006 report
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Youre in charge!

• Tell listeners how each slide fits into overall
  presentation
• Text slides Use as outline
• Graphics Interpret, dont just read
• Use the b key

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More About Creating Slides

• On ESE Senior Design Website
• Layout of slides
• Sample Viewgraph Presentation
• Powerpoint tips
• Dos and Donts of Presentation Graphics

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Sample slides from EAS 445, 2007

• Topics
• 1. Accelerometer sensor suite
• 2. Personal memory device
• 3. Inkless color blackboard with memory (two
  slides)

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Final Helps

• Guidelines handout
• TCP Communication Fellows
• http//www.seas.upenn.edu/tcp

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