Presentations: Structure and organization Lecture 19

Today From “Effective Business Writing and Speaking” Pages 87-92

Today Types of presentations The communication process Planning and structure Quiz #3 Review

Types of presentations There can be hundreds of different kinds of presentations, doing one or more of the following things: Informing Demonstrating Describing Defining Persuading Selling

Types of presentations Impromptu – improvised Memorized – recited Manuscript – read

Types of presentations Prepared – read with notes Interviews – answering questions (TV or radio) Group presentations – 2 or more members

Communication Process When doing a presentation, it is important to think of communication strategies:

Communication Process Speaker Message Audience Response

Communication Process Message Speaker Listener Response

Communication Process Speakers must be aware of all aspects of a presentation, NOT just how they are feeling at that moment … the speaker is only one part of the whole ….

Communication Process You have the audience and, more importantly, the message to think about. You must also think about the audience response. The speaker must be aware of all these things to give an effective presentation

Communication Process Speaker – The speaker wants to communicate an idea Message – The speaker puts the idea into a structured message Channel – The message is sent through a channel to the audience

Communication Process Audience– the audience receives and interprets the message Response – the audience responds to the message

Communication Strategies The speaker must focus on words, attitude, tone, and outward appearance

Communication Strategies The listener has needs which you, the speaker, are trying to meet Just like you “write for your readers”, be sure to “speak for your listeners” and not for yourself

Communication Strategies Message = content + form Content = information Form = structure/format

Communication Strategies Response = the audiences reaction during and after your speech

Communication Strategies Possible responses Non-verbal and verbal responses during the speech Questions right after the speech Questions and comments received later

Communication Strategies Use these responses to become a better presenter in the future

Planning and Structure The more you plan and practice, the better your presentation will be Use the ROTGD outline for your presentations

Planning and Structure Research Organization Text Graphics Delivery

Planning and Structure Today Research Organization Text Later Graphics Delivery

Planning and Structure Research Who is the audience? What is the purpose? How much time? Know your topic

Planning and Structure Organization Introduction Body Conclusion

Planning and Structure Introduction Attention/opener Preview

Planning and Structure Attention Start by getting the audiences attention Choose the best method by analyzing your audience

Planning and Structure Attention Get them interested Tell a story Show a picture Show an impressive statistic

Planning and Structure Attention Common ground Reference the audience Talk about something familiar to the audience that relates to the subject

Planning and Structure Attention Benefits Open by telling your audience how you and your presentation can help them

Planning and Structure Attention Credibility Make your audiences interested by making your audience trust you

Planning and Structure Attention Humour (be careful) Some presentations work by opening with a joke Be careful as some topics or audiences will be angry at the use of humour

Planning and Structure Preview Before discussing your main points, give a preview of your presentation

Planning and Structure Preview Types: Outline Agenda List of main points

Planning and Structure “In the next 5 minutes, I will discuss projects in three regions: Shanghai, Beijing and Zhengzhou.”

Planning and Structure Body State Main points clearly Should be organized and easy to follow

Planning and Structure Body Limit your main points Don’t try to say too much. Better to talk for longer on just a few main points

Planning and Structure Body Use explicit and long transitions “Let’s move on to the next region” “The second thing I’m going to discuss is..”

Planning and Structure Body Use internal summaries at the end of each section “Now that we have looked at the parts of the introduction: attention/opener and preview, let’s discuss the body.”

Planning and Structure Body Keep audience interest high Use stories and situations your audience can relate to

Planning and Structure Body (summary) State main points clearly Limit main points Use long transitions Use internal summaries Keep audience interest high

Planning and Structure Conclusion Make sure to have a strong conclusion as your audience will remember the last things you say

Planning and Structure Conclusion Begin with a strong transition such as “in conclusion” or “to summarize” The use one or more of the following techniques

Planning and Structure Conclusion Give a summary Good for explaining or instructing

Planning and Structure Conclusion Refer to your opening If you began with a story, go back to the story you used in the introduction

Planning and Structure Conclusion End with action steps For a persuasive report, make sure to tell your audience what to do at the end

Planning and Structure Organization (summary) Introduction Body Conclusion

Planning and Structure Text It would be difficult to memorize an entire presentation, so it is useful to make notes

Planning and Structure Note cards should be: Easy to read (large text and lots of white space) Short (use key phrases, not whole sentences) Limited (don’t have lots of note cards. Each should have about 5 minutes of info.

Planning and Structure Next time: Visuals Delivery (verbal/nonverbal)

Quiz Review Lecture 15: Academic Essays Lecture 16: Interviews pt. 1 Lecture 18: Teamwork

Academic Essays Introduction Opener Lead in Thesis

Academic Essays Body Transition Topic Sentence Support Conclusion

Academic Essays Conclusion Restate thesis Lead out Closing statement

Preparation (weeks before) Interviews Preparation (weeks before) Preparation (right before) What to bring/not to bring Nonverbal/verbal strategies

Interviews Qualities interviewers look for Answering interview questions

Interviews Specific situation What needed to be done What you did What was the result

Teamwork Advantages/disadvantages Team decision making Conflict and conflict resolution Good/bad conflict

Teamwork Running a meeting Qualities of an effective team