PRESENTATIONS: WHAT MAKES FOR A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION? PRESENTATIONS: WHAT MAKES FOR A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION? PRESENTED BY: ILDIKO HORVATH For reference use: Your common sense

WHAT IS A PRESENTATION? Broad concept, but a definition generally includes the following: A performance, as of a drama A demonstration, lecture or speech, set forth for an audience A formal introduction or social debut A manner or style of speaking, instructing or putting oneself forward The manner of presenting, especially the organization of visual details to create an overall impression Adapted from:

WHAT IS A PRESENTATION? A presentation is mix of two main ingredients: Performance Manner of expressing and presenting the intended message: - Words - Visuals - And everything else (body language, eye contact, interaction with the audience, use of space, etc.) These two components are intrinsically connected

MOST COMMON TYPES OF STUDENT PRESENTATIONS: PowerPoint Built on effective combination of text and visuals Poster Relies primarily on pictures to tell a story Expected to inform the audience on the purpose, method, analysis and conclusion of your research Best to showcase original research in basic or applied sciences

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PRESENTATION? o A good presentation is one that achieves a balance between strong content and effective presentation style. Strong content Good presentation style

PRESENTATION AS A DIALOGUE A presentation is a form of communication or dialogue. An effective communication is built on interaction between the Speaker Audience Knowing your audience is not enough; building your own character, voice (persona) is equally important Persona:  Voice or character representing the speaker in a literary work  The role that one assumes or displays in public; distinguished from the inner self

THE PURPOSE OF A PRESENTATION A presentation is a talk or speech in which an idea, product or some kind of work is demonstrated and/or explained to an audience. Every presentation has a purpose, either to Inform or Persuade A successful presentation is one that disseminates information and delivers the intended message to the audience successfully The success of a presentation is measured by the amount of information or ideas that your audience will remember

T HE S TRUCTURE OF A G OOD P RESENTATION Presentations have the same structure as written papers or essays: Introduction Main body Conclusion Two key differences between essays and presentations: Presentations are much shorter and emphasize key points Repetitions are encouraged in presentations Introduction Present the title, topic, objectives and structure of your presentation Do not forget to introduce yourself! Intro Main body Conclusion

T HE S TRUCTURE OF A G OOD P RESENTATION Main body All of the information or message that you intend to present should be included in this section Be clear, concise and organized Most important section; keep the audience focused Conclusion Always end your presentation with concluding remarks This should include a summary of your ideas or findings presented Should be more brief than the introduction Follow the rules of professional courtesy: thank the people or organizations who made your research or presentation possible and thank your audience.

T IPS FOR B UILDING G OOD C ONTENT Think before you deliver! Remember that a presentation is not a summary of your work, but a showcase of what you did and why. Most people in your audience are visual learners: Learn how to use visuals effectively Prepare PowerPoint slides (clear and easy to read slides are more effective than flashy or busy slides) Your message and slides should be very organized and structured around key points; use headings (titles for your slides) and bullet points Use large font size for all your slides; as a general rule use one slide for one idea or key point Make appropriate use of pictures (photographs, graphs, tables, etc.) Visuals help your audience process the information better and faster; but the audience will remember you, not your slides

MORE TIPS … Keep the key message(s) in mind; remain consistent with and supportive of that message Use ‘memory hooks’; use a simple prop to explain a key concept or point, to allow your audience to remember important points Stick to the time you have to deliver your presentation Lighten up! Include one or two anecdotes or share a short personal story that will help illustrate a point Humor is good, but use it wisely! You may find this video useful:

TO LEARN MORE… Check out this short, but very informative slide show on how to organize a good presentation: Learn the basics of how to plan a good presentation: A step-by-step guide on using PowerPoint, developed by Owl Purdue Writing Lab: Read some pointers on how to make a good speech:

I T ’ S P RACTICE T IME !

What advice could you give this student? Give four good suggestions What presentation techniques would you expect to encounter in this situation? Give four examples. Can you wake up this audience? How? Give four useful tips. Put yourself in this professor’s persona. Develop an introduction to a speech that this professor may give.