Oral Presentations

Overview 1) Organizing your thoughts 2) Some words about slides 3) Controlling your fears – building confidence

The mind is a wonderful thing. It starts “The mind is a wonderful thing. It starts the minute you are born and never stops…… stops…… Roscoe Drummond Until you have to speak in public.”

10 Worse Human Fears 5. Deep Water 4. Financial Problems 3. Insects and Bugs 2. Heights 1.Speaking In-Front of an Audience of an Audience Dogs 10. Dogs 9. Loneliness 8. Flying 7. Death 6. Sickness Source : The People’s Almanac Presents The Book of Lists

How Can You Give a Great Performance?

…….by Avoiding the Pitfalls happy feet stuck in cement caged animal fig-leaf pose sprinkler system holy pockets jingle jangle pinkie counting the gunfighter third base coach royal flush

Speaker is Cool, Calm, & Collected  Perfect practice makes perfect  Make friends, not enemies  Memorize the beginning  Redirect your thoughts  Make cheat sheets  Get there one hour early  Pull up on chair bottom  Press palms together  Force yourself to take deep breaths

Presentation Impact Is: 55% Visual - how you look 38% Vocal - how you talk 7% Verbal - what you say Perform, Don’t Present !

“If you fail to prepare….. be prepared to fail.”

Organizing Your Thoughts…… 8 Steps to Preparing a Successful Presentation

-Use 3x5 index cards or post-it notes -Start with many ideas but select 3 to 5 for your presentation We need to update our computer system Step 1 - Brainstorming Main Ideas

Step 2 – State the Sub-points -Develop supporting ideas - May be explanations, data, and other evidence to support main ideas We need to update our computer system Main Point #1 Old system is antiquated Sub-Point #1 Cannot use latest software Sub-Point #2 Old system costs are increasing Sub-Point #3 because of inefficiency

Step 3 – State the Benefits -Tell the audience specifically what benefits they will receive E.g., 1)More money in our department will allow for a new computer system that will keep us competitive in our industry 2) …….. (New computer = increased competitiveness)

Step 4 – Develop Handouts 1) To reinforce information 2) To summarize action items 3) To supply supporting data not presented in talk Why develop handouts?

Step 4 – Developing Handouts When to hand out? -Timing is important 3) After the presentation 1) Before the presentation 2) During the presentation - May be distracting

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Choose the type of visual aid to use - Graphs and tables are most common in scientific talks But beware….

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Make your presentation one that is people- centered, not media-centered

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Rating Criteria Widget Model ABCDE A B C D E F G Mean

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Widget Model ABCDE Mean Rating Avoid Data Dump - Less is More! aab bb

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Widget Model ABCDE Mean Rating aab bb OR…..

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Sampling adult insects Microcosm Emergence Trap CollectionChamber Emergence Trap

Step 5 – Develop Visual Aids Sampling adult insects Microcosm CollectionChamber Emergence Trap

Step 6 – Main Idea Preview A key feature of all successful presentations is good structure: - The introduction - The body - The conclusion - to catch (audience attention) - to convince - to confirm (and perhaps incite)

Step 6 – Main Idea Preview A common saying regarding structure….. - Tell them what you’re going to tell them - Tell them - Tell them what you told them

Step 6 – Main Idea Preview All effective presentations make the pattern of organization crystal clear to the audience Is that clear? Crystal!

Step 7 – Develop the Introduction What is the purpose of an introduction? - To get the attention of the audience - To provide background information - To introduce yourself

Step 7 – Develop the Introduction How can I catch the attention of the audience? 1)Anecdote 2) Humor 3) Rhetorical Question 4) Shocking statement

Step 8 – Develop the Conclusion What is the purpose of a conclusion? - To summarize - To indicate primary significance of research - To “call to action” (incite)

Introductions and conclusions put the head and tail on the body of your presentation. Without them, or with them not fully developed, you don’t have a complete presentation, and it will be evident to the audience First and Last Impressions Are Everything…… Where are they going with this?

First (and Last) Impressions Are Everything….. “The two most important parts of your presentation are the first 30 and the last 15 seconds. Everything else is utterly forgettable if the presentation starts or ends badly.” I can’t believe they want me to fund this!

Slides Time spent on each slide: 8 to 20 seconds Pacing important - rehearse slide transition Comment only on the slide in view One key point per slide Keep wording simple and minimal Use horizontal slides

Confidence Fear is a universal characteristic of public speaking The aim, then, is to control the fear HOW?

Confidence I have used the correct procedures….. I have prepared my material well….. Even if I make a mistake….. I have escape routes…... I have something worth communicating

Confidence You can bring your nervous symptoms under control by: 1)Posture 2) Breathing 3) Pace

Confidence If you follow these basic rules, you can avoid this when you speak……