LNG501 Semester 1 2019
Week 12: Oral Presentations
Oral Presentations
• Presenting ideas, proposals and findings is an important skill in
academic studies
• Oral presentations are an important way to communicate ideas,
build relationships and engage the people
• It is important that you deliver an informative but also engaging
performance
Planning: Elements of a Good Presentation
• Clear purpose or objective
• Sufficient, but not too much, information
• Organized
• Meets needs of audience
• For the ear to hear as well as the eye to see
• Stories and examples
Planning: Establish Your Purpose
Inform Entertain
Analyze Persuade
Motivate Reassure
Planning: know your audience
• Who is my audience?
• What is the audience’s knowledge of the subject?
• Why are these people attending this presentation?
• What is their relationship to the speaker?
• What is their level of education and training?
• What information/techniques are likely to hold the audience’s
attention?
Planning: Presentation Structure
Opening
Introduction
Body
Conclusion
Planning: Get the Audience's Attention
• Internet and television = average attention span much
shorter
• only have a few minutes to capture audience's interest:
crucial that you engage audience right away.
• Don't spend too much time introducing yourself or concept.
• Instead: start off with a powerful opening such as a funny
anecdote, a provocative question or a surprising statement.
Planning: Types of Openings
• Preview
• Ask a question
• Ask a rhetorical question
• Pose a hypothetical situation
• Describe something new or dramatic
• Make a startling statement
Planning: Introduction
• Give audience preview: brief outline of what you plan to
talk about.
• e.g. "Today I want to discuss the three most effective ways
we can reduce workplace errors."
• provides context and prompts audience to start thinking
about topic. Also guides them through presentation.
• keeps them engaged and encourages participation rather
than just listen passively.
Planning: Body
• Have very clearly organized main points
• KNOW your content – do not rely on you visual aid
• Use transition words and phrases: “Now, I will move
on to my second point, which is…”
• Remember the PURPOSE of your presentation
• Avoid Unnecessary Repetition.
Planning: Use Visuals
• Place visuals at strategic positions: capture
audience’s attention
• They should not just hear the message, they should
also see it. This gives room for better
comprehension.
• The visual aid DOES NOT replace the presenter – it
should complement your presentation
Planning: Types of Visual Aid
• Flip charts
• Overhead projectors
• Videos
• Whiteboards and chalkboards
• Posters
• Handouts
• Objects
• Presentation sofware
Planning: Closing Styles
• Summarize
• Call to action
• Anecdote or story
• Rhetorical question
Planning: Closing - Encourage Feedback
• Don’t just talk and walk away. Give room for
feedback: can measure the effectiveness of your
style of communication.
• Determine if your message was well understood.
Planning: Rehearse
• Practice your presentation several times
• helps you spot potential problem areas
• also alerts you to problems with equipment such as
projectors or with your delivery.
Presenting: Use Technology to Illustrate Your
Message
• Employ visual aids such as slide shows to hold your
audience's interest and help them understand what you're
saying.
• Caution: Don't use any technology unless you're proficient
working with it, and check equipment before the
presentation to ensure it's in working order.
Presenting: Use Simple Words
• To be effective in your communications, use words
that can be easily understood.
• When ambiguous words are used, you can be
misunderstood and/or waste precious time having to
explain yourself.
• Explain any necessary technical terms
Presenting: Display Confidence and Seriousness
• Ensure that you display confidence and seriousness
• When your audience notices any uncertainty and lack of
seriousness, they may disregard information.
Presenting: Confident Speaker
• prepares thoroughly by establishing the purpose
• analyzing the audience
• structuring material and visual reinforcement
• rehearsing material
The three main elements are therefore preparation,
presentation and practice.
Presenting: Use Body Language
• Your body language will pass your message faster and
better.
• Master the art of using body language.
• Examples: Stand/sit up straight, use smiles, handshakes and
eye contact.
Presenting: Posture
• Position yourself in the middle of the room
• Avoid leaning on the table
• Avoid any distracting habits
• Stand at the side while referring to visuals/ charts
Presenting: Gesticulate
• You can use your hands to demonstrate message.
• Make hand motions and signals to establish the
seriousness of subject matter.
• Just don’t let your body movement become too
exaggerated and intense.
Presenting: Eye Contact
• Look at your audience
• Move your eyes around the room and make
audience feel part of presentation.
• Avoid staring at the ceiling or the wall at the
back of the room.
• Don’t stare at one person as well!
Presenting: Voice
• Talk loud enough
• Sound enthusiastic about topic!
• Bring variation in voice
• Pronounce words clearly.
• You should be able to develop the appropriate
mood.
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Presenting: Avoid Mumbling
• Audience should be able to hear you clearly.
• Speak clearly and don’t mumble words.
• When you mumble words or speak too quickly =
shows a lack of confidence on your part.
Presenting: Use The Appropriate Tone of Voice
• One word can mean a different thing when said in a
different tone of voice.
• Use the appropriate tone of voice to communicate
your message so that you won’t be misunderstood
Presenting: Other Tips
• Avoid reading from a written script.
• Can refer to speaker notes
• Refer to your visual aids at the appropriate time
• LNG501 = topic should be approved by tutor in advance
• Stick to time limit
• PRACTICE!
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