Tips for oral presentation
Jul 5th
1. Timing. Plan your timing properly. Have time for the presentation and time for the audience to ask question. If you finish the presentation and no one has any question, it is your duty to stimulate some discussion. One way is to leave out something in your topic that you expect the audience to ask. Turn the question to them if they are silent. Rehearse your presentation so that you do not finish extremely quickly and you do not run overtime. Speak at a normal pace.
2. Content. The objective is to communicate with the audience; thus gestures for example are very important. The outline for the content should be as follows:
- Introduction – tell the audience what you are going to say. The introduction should prepare the audience for what follows.
- Background – introduce necessary terms. It should give the key elements of what you have to tell the audience.
- Main results – tell the audience what you have to say.
- Conclusions – tell the audience what you have told them.
3. Form. What you have to tell the audience i.e. content is communicated by how you say it i.e. form. Prepare appropriate visual aids. Let the audience know from the word go whether you welcome question during or after the presentation. If someone points out a mistake, thank them. Answer all questions appropriately and honestly; if you do not know an answer say so and ask if someone else could give a response. Be sure to speak clearly and distinctly. Avoid filling pauses with “uhm”, “like” and “you know”. Humor can be very effective, but do not tell a joke that might offend someone.
4. Relax. Some nervousness is definitely expected but this should be a force for productivity. One way to relax is to meditate (or use some other preparation) in the late morning or early afternoon. If you have not done this, try it. If you do not choose to try specific exercises to relax, think about how far you have come and that you have something to say that no one else in the room knows. Exert your knowledgeability with confidence.
Important presentation pointers
Jun 29th
Audience
1. Eye contact. You should not underestimate your ability to persuade your audience with your eye contact. Eyes communicate powerful cognitive messages.
2. Facial expressions. These communicate cognitive messages and emotions. Smile before you start speaking. Act naturally. Think about what you are saying and compliment it with facial expression to match or enhance the thought.
3. Dropped note cards. Proceed without them, but if you cannot, stop, pick them and then continue.
4. Unfriendly audience. Respond to hostile questions briefly, without becoming defensive. Use pausing and eye contact to handle hecklers. Request hecklers to either keep quiet or get out of the room.
5. Hand gestures. Hand gestures are important to emphasize words and emotions, illustrate verbal messages, or even replace verbal messages altogether.
6. . This is a very important element of your body language. Before starting the presentation, sit or stand straight, walk confidently to the podium.
7. Improvising to salvage situations. If problems occur during the presentation, ignore as much as possible. If you can solve the problem, quickly do it but if you cannot, then proceed on. If you have to break your verbal presentation, then remind the audience where you were and then proceed.
8. Post-presentation evaluation. Evaluate yourself within 24 hours after presentation. Note areas to improve on in your next presentation. Review any evaluations that you receive. Dwell on positive compliments more than the negative ones.