One way to inspire or inform others is with a multimedia presentation, which combines sounds, visuals, and text.

Using media to present ideas... Politicians and businesspeople often use multimedia presentations to convey their messages at rallies, trade shows, and meetings of all kinds.

B a s i c s i n a B o x GUIDELINES & STANDARDS Multimedia Presentations A successful multimedia presentation should capture the audience’s attention with a strong beginning clearly, directly, and logically present information use media appropriate to the content end by stating the importance of the topic, summarizing the points made, or drawing a conclusion about the topic Content A successful presenter should have good posture and maintain eye contact with the audience vary his or her pacing/speed as well as the pitch, tone, and volume of his or her voice use gestures and body language to enhance the presentation smoothly incorporate the media components into the presentation Delivery

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 1 Planning Your Presentation Think about a Central Idea or Theme in your novel to present to the class. Try brainstorming with your classmates who read the same work to share ideas. After you have chosen your topic, follow these steps:

Steps for Planning Your Multimedia Presentation 1. Gather information about your theme. How was your chosen theme conveyed through one or more characters? In what way did the setting(s) contribute to the theme? What elements of dialogue or figurative language helped illustrate theme? Collect answers to these and other questions you generate. 2. Think about your audience. What do they already know about the theme you are presenting? What do you want them to know? What background information will you need to provide? 3. Evaluate your information. Although your presentation may make an emotional appeal, be sure your facts are accurate. If necessary, use additional sources.

Steps for Planning Your Multimedia Presentation 4. Organize your information. What type of resources are available? Which will help you get your point across most effectively? Here are some options to consider: n Audiotapes and CD’s allow you to present sound effects, including music and voices. n Flipcharts, posters, photos, slides, charts, and graphs allow you to present visuals in a variety of formats and don’t necessarily require the use of a computer.

Steps for Planning Your Multimedia Presentation n Videos allow you to present both sound and visual materials. You can create a video or put together a series of video clips that you download from a computer. n Computer presentation software allows you to incorporate sound and visuals and to produce graphs, charts, and drawings; you can even project a slide show from a computer. PowerPoint or Prezi presentations are popular and easy to create.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 2 Developing Your Presentation Once your have gathered the information you want to include in your multimedia presentation, you can begin organizing it and creating the text and multimedia components.

Steps for Developing Your Multimedia Presentation 1. Create an outline of the points you will make. If you wish, you can write out your script word for word. Be sure to indicate where you will include your media elements. Remember that you may need to introduce and explain the audio and visual material you present. 2. Create a strong introduction and conclusion. Use a question, an anecdote, a startling fact, or a powerful quotation as a hook to grab your audience’s interest right away. End with a clear, powerful statement to leave a memorable impression.

Steps for Developing Your Multimedia Presentation 3. Gather and create your media components. Make sure that all images and text in your visuals are large enough to be seen from the back of the room. Check audio materials to ensure that the sound can be clearly heard. 4. Evaluate your materials. Look critically at your materials to see whether you have used various media—including your oral delivery of the text—as effectively as possible.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 3 Practicing and Presenting Practice your presentation several times to become comfortable with speaking from your script or outline and handling your media elements. Keep the following points in mind as you rehearse:

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 3 Practicing and Presenting n Use your voice effectively. Speak loudly enough to be heard, but vary the tone and pitch of your voice to keep your audience’s attention. Use changes in volume and pace to emphasize particular points.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 3 Practicing and Presenting n Maintain eye contact and use appropriate gestures and facial expressions. Keep your audience with you by looking directly at them and using gestures and expressions to maintain their interest and emphasize your points.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 3 Practicing and Presenting n Weave the media elements smoothly into your presentation. Make sure you know how to operate the equipment you will be using. Become completely familiar with the content of your visuals and audio materials so that you can talk about them knowledgeably.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 3 Practicing and Presenting When you feel confident in your work, you might want to invite several friends or family members over to review your presentation. If necessary, modify your presentation on the basis of their feedback.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 4 Refining Your Presentation TARGET SKILL VARYING YOUR MATERIAL To maintain your audience’s interest in your presentation, vary the types and structures of your sentences. For instance, asking a question can get your listeners’ attention, but asking several questions may confuse or bore your audience.

Creating Your Multimedia Presentation 5353 Editing and Proofreading TARGET SKILL CONSISTENT FORM Because visuals frequently present a great deal of information in a small space, it is important that they be clear and easy to read. Using correct and consistent capitalization can help you get your message across effectively.