Presentations Content Organization Style

Oral Communication  Requires excellent research, strong organization, & stage presence  Is interactive:  Body language  Vocal inflections  Eye contact  Provides immediate feedback  Allows for on-the-spot adjustments

Audience & Purpose Analysis  If possible, find out your audience’s attitudes and biases towards your topic  What do they know, what do they need to know?  How will they use the information you’re presenting?  Is your purpose to inform, persuade, train?

Types of Presentations  Informative: Impartial presentation of information  Training Session: How to perform a specific task  Persuasive: Designed to change audience’s opinions  Action plans: Encourages a specific action  Sales Presentation

Components of Presentations Introduction:  Capture attention: anecdote, question  Establish credibility  Preview your presentation and conclusion

Components of Presentations Body In a written report, readers can go back to find important information they missed. This is not possible in oral presentations, which require  Strong organization  Small chunks of information  Clear transitions

Components of Presentations Conclusion  Remind audience of “big picture”  Restate main points  Give sources of further information & cite your sources

Three Components  Tell them what you’re going to tell them  Tell them  Tell them what you’ve just told them

Visual Aids  Slides  Presentation software (PowerPoint)  Handouts Visuals should support the presentation; they should not be the presentation. Handouts should be distributed at the end of presentation.

PowerPoint Debate Advantages  Ease of use  Variety of formatting options  Speaker notes, timing cues  Create web pages and handouts Disadvantages  Oversimplifies complex issues  Key points buried in lists  Overwhelming use of effects

Before the Presentation  Practice: avoid nervousness by being confident in your material  Time your presentation  Know the layout of the room  Prepare for the technology to fail: have backups

During Presentation  Be ready to adapt to your audience  Make eyes contact  Do not read your presentation; use your memory and a brief outline of key points  Slides should support the presentation; they should not be the presenation

Checklist: Content  State a clear purpose  Show command of the material  Support points with evidence  Use visuals appropriately  Give the proper amount of information

Checklist: Organization  Begin with a clear overview  Present a clear line of reasoning  Transition from point to point clearly  Avoid digressions  Summarize in conclusion

Checklist: Style  Be confident and relaxed  Speak clearly  Look at the audience; make eye contact  Adapt to audience and respond to questions