Presentations

Why do we have class presentations?

Class presentations are an effective means of sharing facts and ideas and of practicing speaking in front of an audience. Presenting in front of your peers gives you the opportunity of finding a style of presentation that you feel most comfortable with, and it allows your colleagues to give you valuable feedback on the effectiveness of your presentation.

How can I make my class presentations more effective?

Presentations can be thought of in terms of "what" (the form and content) and "how".

The "how" includes:

performance;
using overhead transparencies;
controlling stage-fright;
class presentation checklist; and
contingency plans.

Content

Analyse your audience by asking who they are, what their level of knowledge of your subject is, and what their interests are. Pitch your presentation at this level.
Gather the material you are going to present, find a focus, and structure it simply, clearly and logically.
Frame your presentation with an introduction and a conclusion. A simple but effective maxim to remember is:"Tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them." (It never fails!)
Use 'signpost' phrases like "Another point is...", "A contrary view to consider is...", "to sum up the first half of what I want to say...", and so on to guide your audience through the presentation.
A handout giving an outline of your presentation will help the audience follow your points.
Always remember that listening and reading are no the same thing; help your audience to retain the points you make by emphasising and repeating key issues, ideas and facts. Avoid over-complication and too much detail.
Where possible, involve your audience in active participation.

Performance

Here are a few points to remember when you give a class presentation:

Your voice should be enthusiastic, audible, clear and correctly paced ( if you are nervous you tend to speak too fast, so s-l-o-w down).
Your posture should be relaxed and confident.
Your gestures should be natural, relevant (giving emphasis where it is appropriate), and non-distracting (don't fiddle with jewellery, cuffs or earlobes). Keep gestures 'open' (crossing your arms creates a barrier between you and your audience).
Your facial expression should be friendly and interested in both your material and your audience. Smile.
Use eye contact to establish rapport with your audience. Scan the audience in a slow 'z' pattern from the front of the room to the back.
Avoid reading. When you lower your head to read you lose eye contact with the audience and your voice loses projection. You may wish to have your script with you as a backup, but use palm cards with brief reminders of main points.
Dress appropriately. Normally you will not have to dress formally for an in-class presentation, but you should carefully consider the image you want to project.

Using overhead transparencies

Keep transparencies simple and clear. Don't crowd them with detail.
Emphasize main points.
Check equipment before you begin your presentation. Make sure the projector is sharply focused and that the image is correctly positioned on the screen.
Make sure you don't block your audience's view of the screen.
Don't read from the screen.

Controlling "stage-fright"

Prepare notes thoroughly.
Check visual aids carefully.
Rehearse adequately.
Use the Checklist to make you are fully prepared.
Use the Contingency Plan to make you have strategies to deal with any potential disaster.
Before your presentation (and off stage!) use tension-releasing techniques, such as abdominal breathing, head rolls and shoulder-shrugs.
Establish eye contact with sympathetic/interested members of the audience.
Smile. (This not only encourages reciprocal smiles from the audience but also reduces facial tension).
Remember that every member of your audience will have her/his turn to present, and so is likely to be tolerant of any 'glitches' in your presentation.

Class presentation checklist

Apply this checklist to your prepared presentation and make adjustments where you need them.

Have I fulfilled the requirements of the presentation assignment?
Is my message pitched at an appropriate level?
Can I complete my presentation in the time allotted?
Is my presentation clearly framed, structured, and 'sign-posted'?
How will I actively involve the audience?
Is my tone of voice appropriate to the topic and the audience?
Is my pace of delivery effective?
Are my audio-visual supporting materials well designed?
What stress reducing techniques will I use before my presentation?
Have I rehearsed adequately?

Contingency plans

Work out strategies to overcome potential disasters. You will feel more confident if you know you are prepared for the worst (which probably won't happen).

What if the overhead projector doesn't work?
What will I do if the audience members become restless?
What will I do if I forget the point I am trying to make?
What if I get tongue-tied?
What if I lose my notes?
What if I lose my place in my notes?