Guidelines for Oral Presentations

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure” Gen. Colin L. Powell

Objectives To help with the preparation process of oral presentations and activities To improve oral presentation skills

How to Focus Your Message Determine if you want to: Motivate Educate Persuade Inform

Components of a Presentation All presentations must have: An introduction A body A conclusion

Organize Your Message Effectively Determine your topic, and what you will cover Brainstorm and organize all your ideas Research - Make sure you are well- informed on your topic Classify and order your ideas Emphasize the important elements

Write an Effective Conclusion Summarize the key points of the presentation Summarize how to implement solutions Summarize future predictions based on your persuasion strategies

Creating the Presentation Make it BIG  If it looks too big on the computer, it’s the perfect size Keep it SIMPLE  Present the main idea of each concept

Creating the Presentation Make it CLEAR  Choose an appropriate font, font size, and color Be CONSISTENT  Use a logical sequence and one format

Preparation Prepare your visuals in advance Always make back-up copies Rehearse a lot (avoid the use of papers or note cards) Know how to use the technical equipment Preview the room, and select the layout that is best for your presentation

Advantages of Visual Aids Enhance understanding of the topic Help your speech be more impressive, and improve your image Maintain the audience’s attention and increase their interest Help build credibility Add variety

Diversity of Audiovisual Aids Sketches and Maps Graphs & Charts Photographs, Pictures & Slides Objects, Models or “Realia” Posters & Books PowerPoint Presentations Audiovisual Equipment  Overhead Projectors  Slides & Transparencies Handouts, pamphlets, brochures Films, videotapes, audio tapes, music, CD-ROMs & iPods

Preparing Effective PowerPoint Slides Use visuals sparingly Rule 7 X 7  Use no more than 7 lines of text per slide  Use no more than 7 words per line of text Restrict the contents of tables and graphs Maintain uniformity in font style, font size, and bullets

Constructing Effective Visual Aids Never use confusing abbreviations The use of periods at the end of the bullets is not necessary Artistry and sounds do not substitute for content, and they can distract your audience Select complimentary colors; avoid color clashes Use fonts like “Sans Serif” or “Times New Roman”

Constructing Effective Visual Aids TransparenciesSlidesHand- outs Title36 pt48 pt24 pt Subtitles28 pt36 pt20 pt Body24 pt28 pt16-18 pt

Construction of Graphs Present one graph per slide Limit the amount of numbers or figures No more than 3 curves or horizontal bar lines per graph Reading Comprehension in English

Examples of Font Sizes This is font 48 This is font 36 This is font 28 This is font 24 This is font 20 This is font 18 This is font 16 The font size of the word below is written in 48.

Overuse of Visual Aids Attention of audience will be divided Audience may pay more attention to visuals than to speaker Avoid slides with too much movement and/or sounds

How to Conduct Yourself During Your Presentation Be punctual Stand up, or sit straight Keep hands in front of you Maintain eye contact with the audience on all sides of the room Start the presentation with a smile Use a conversational tone Dress neatly and professionally

Use Your Voice Effectively Speak loud enough to be heard, and be confident Don’t speak in a monotone Alternate the rate of your voice Slow down when emphasizing important points Pauses can also be used to add emphasis Drink water to prevent voice problems

Top Ten Mistakes Made by Presenters No preparation No presentation objectives Mediocre first impression Lack good visuals Ineffective closing Lack of enthusiasm No eye contact Lack of facial expression Stays in one place No audience involvement

Things to Avoid Corporal Movement Swinging and moving excessively Playing with hair Chewing gum Clicking the top of a pen Playing with jewelry Leaning against something for support

Things to Avoid Speaking  Too fast  Too slow  Too low Arrogance Fillers (repetitive sounds and phrases)  “ah”  “um”  “and” Voice

Steps to Reduce Your Speaking Anxiety Know the room  Arrive early  Walk around the room Know the audience Know, practice, and revise your material Learn how to relax Visualize yourself speaking Realize people want you to succeed Don’t apologize for being nervous Concentrate on your message Turn nervousness into positive energy Gain experience

How to Control Your Nervousness Transform fear and nervousness to presentation presence and strength Breathe deeply and exhale slowly (repeat) Stretch your muscles (neck, legs, and arms) Repeat breathing exercise, close your eyes, relax, feel prepared and ready Walk the room: feel the space of your success Greet your audience (Impact them)

Question and Answer Session Know the background of your topic Find out if there are any current / recent studies Know if there is any influence or impact on society / environment / organization Know the sources on which your research is based