Oral Presentation Skills

Four components: 1. Body Language 2. Voice 3. Appearance 4. Oral Content

Body Language Posture Openness Eye contact Movement Stand up straight Do not sit or slouch Demonstrate confidence Openness Face your audience Eye contact Look around, not down, or at one person Movement Stand to the side - Do not block your visuals Use gestures, but do not be distracting If suitable, move through your audience – make sure they can still hear you

Voice Enunciation – sounding out your words Improper enunciation will lessen your audience’s understanding of the content Pronunciation – saying words properly, as they are spelled Mispronouncing words will detract from your credibility Projection - Throw your voice to the back of the room Tone – sound engaged, not bored or disinterested Enthusiasm is contagious – show your interest in your topic Volume – don’t whisper; don’t yell Speak to low and you won’t be hear; speak to high and it will distract your audience Speed – how quickly or slowly you speak Pace yourself: speak to slowly and your audience will be bored; speak too quickly and the meaning will be lost Pause and key points to highlight important parts or let people assimilate information

Appearance Professionalism Dress When you look like a professional, it will be more likely you will be seen as one Neat, tidy, and clean Dress Dress appropriately for your audience Casual or Formal wear is dependent on the setting and audience

Oral Content Don’t read off a script Only glance at cue cards as a reminder of your next point Stick to your content – don’t stray off on tangents Repeat key ideas for clarity

Practice, Practice, Practice! When you arrive on presentation day, you should be comfortable enough with the material, and the technology, that you can speak fluently to your audience. Never underestimate the importance of rehearsal time!